MySQL Search & Replace

For database-driven sites created with content management systems like WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla, this means moving any custom themes and plugins, and it often entails exporting data from the development server’s database and copying it to the live web server.

With small databases, your content management system’s built-in import/export functions might work, or you can even search and replace an exported .sql file using a simple text editor or IDE.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t always work with larger databases, which can often be unruly and cause programs to hang, crash, spit, choke, and curse.

I searched around and found this PHP script by Mark Jackson which makes it much faster and easier to search and replace data across an entire MySQL database.

MySQL Search & Replace Project is Born

I created a quick little front end for Mark’s script using a little XHTML markup and CSS, tweaked a little PHP, and Mark and I decided to package up this tool and release it to the community under the GPL in hopes that it might help some other folks.

The MySQL Search & Replace project is hosted on LaunchPad, where you can report bugs, request features, checkout the latest version, read FAQs, contribute, and collaborate.

Using MySQL Search & Replace with WordPress

Before attempting to search and replace, please make sure to backup your database.

While this tool is easy to use, it’s also quite powerful and could easily cause harm to your database, if you’re not careful. Please make sure to read the included readme.txt file for more detailed instructions.

Since I develop WordPress sites on my local Ubuntu machines using a local LAMP install, the URLs of my work-in-progress sites usually look like:

http://localhost/projects/sewmyheadon

Of course, once I move the site to the web, it’ll probably have an address more like:

http://sewmyheadon.com

Since these URLs usually occur many times in a WordPress database, search and replace can be an invaluable tool in making sure they’re all corrected before moving the database.

Prepare a WordPress Database for a Move:

NOTE: Before running an actual replace, you can simply search to see how many times, and where, the string occurs in the database.

1. Backup, backup, backup.  Use phpMyAdmin or a WordPress plugin, but make sure you have a backup. You can’t say I didn’t tell you.
2. Download or checkout the latest version of MySQL Search & Replace
3. Unzip the files, if necessary, and place the mysql-replace folder on your server.
4. Double-check that you covered Step #1
5. Visit the URL for the MySQL Search & Replace Tool in your browser.  The URL might look something like: http://localhost/mysql-replace/
6. Fill in the necessary fields and click Start.

Get MySQL Search & Replace

• Download MySQL Search & Replace Tool
• MySQL Search & Replace Tool Project on LaunchPad.net

WordCamp Seattle is September 26th, 2009 and there’s already an impressive line-up of speakers.

WordCamps are informal conferences where you can learn about the world’s most popular blogging platform, WordPress.- WordCamp Seattle

I’ve registered – if you’ll be there and want to connect, contact me.

More details at www.wordcampseattle.com

Edit: I’ll be giving a 5 minute Ignite presentation at WordCamp Seattle entitled “5 Free Ways to Bulletproof Your WordPress Site” – hope to see you there.

I’ve been using the betas for a while and have grown to love it, especially:

• the design and increased usability of the admin interface (backend)
• upgrading WordPress from within WordPress
• adding new plugins from within WordPress

Download WordPress 2.7

screencasters.heathenx.org by HeathenX and Richard Querin features video tutorials on Inkscape, a vector graphics program similar to Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, or Freehand.

Both programs are free software and run on Linux, Mac, Windows and BSD.

Identi.ca is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License, which pleases Free Software nuts like me. It also supports OpenID.

I don’t spend a lot of time microblogging and can’t imagine why people would care what I have to say, but you can find me at: http://identi.ca/sewmyheadon.

There are a host of new features, enhancements and bug fixes. Some of my favorites so far:

• Version control
• Better plugin management
• Enhanced security including full SSL support
• Better handling of very large numbers of categories and pages.

There’s plenty more, so check out WordPress 2.6 for yourself!

Details are still being discussed on the Google Group for this event.

There will be great speakers, interesting topics and I’d really encourage anyone interested in WordPress, blogging, and website design and development to attend.

WordCamp Portland still needs sponsors so check the site for details on sponsorship opportunities.

Matt pointed out a user-maintained post on the WordPress Codex titled “WordPress CMS.”

There’s a lot of good info in this page. I’d love to see even more documentation and community spring up around using WordPress as a CMS for non-blog websites.

Maybe even a gallery where people can show off their latest WordPress-powered sites.

Hmm . . . maybe that should be part of my contribution to the WordPress community.

Of course, there’s plenty of invaluable information throughout the Codex and I use, and recommend, it regularly. With a little digging and forum forum posting, you can find answers to most questions.

Other links related to using WordPress as a CMS:

• WordPress Makes Sense For Many Non-Blog Websites
• Building alexking.org 2.0
• WordPress (as CMS) Hacking Tips
• Five WordPress ?CMS Enabling? Plugins
• WordPress as CMS

Of course, a quick Google search will turn up a lot of other helpful pages.

There’s a new listing of upcoming WordCamps at WordCamp Central.

One that’s not listed is WordCamp Portland, which is taking place this Sunday, May 4th during BarCamp Portland.