WordPress site Import/Export Procedure

Transcription

1 Platform Export single site from WordPress single site (SOURCE SITE) Import to one site on VSB Blog site (DESTINATION SITE) This procedure does not require direct access to the file servers that host the WordPress sites nor to the record in the database that contain table set number in WP Network Iinstall. It does require user IDs that have administrator right. All posts together with date, author, replay, hyperlinks as well as majority of media files will be transferred. Procedures 1. Login to the source site. 2. Select Tools > Export Revised: Aug 17, 2015 Page 1

2 3. Make sure the option All Content is selected. Click the Download Export File button. 4. When prompted, choose to save the export file, remember the location. It is an XML. Revised: Aug 17, 2015 Page 2

3 5. Switch to the DESTINATION SITE and login. Select Tools > Import. 6. Select WordPress Revised: Aug 17, 2015 Page 3

4 7. Browse to the export file that you ve just saved and choose it for upload. Revised: Aug 17, 2015 Page 4

5 8. Map all author to this blog s user s account. Do not create new user login name. Check the bottom checkbox labeled Download and import file attachments. Click Submit to continue. Make sure this box is checked during the first time you Import. 9. This step is tricky. a. Wait until you see an Internal Server Error. It may take some time. b. Click reload, refresh or press the F5 key on the keyboard to reload the page c. Wait until you see the following Import result screen. d. You may see some fail messages which is expected. Revised: Aug 17, 2015 Page 5

6 10. Check to see if you have all the posts imported. 11. IMPORTANT EXPLANATION: If you check the blog site at this point, it may look like the images are all imported fine. However, if you check the link of any image, you ll see that it is loaded from the SOURCE SITE. This has to be fixed before the SOURCE SITE is taken down in order to prevent broken link later. Look in here to see that the image is still loaded from the SOURCE SITE Revised: Aug 17, 2015 Page 6

7 12. Go to All Posts. Check the Title checkbox to select all posts. 13. Select Move to Trash. Click the Apply button. 14. Repeat the last 2 steps until all posts are trashed. When all posts are trashed, you ll see that all posts are now in Trash. Revised: Aug 17, 2015 Page 7

8 15. Click on Trash to go to the trash list. Click on Empty Trash button 16. You may get a confirmation prompt. Then you ll see the Empty Trash result as followed. If you don t, try again until all posts are trashed and emptied 17. You must prepare the exported XML file for a 2nd Import. Replace the base links that include the upload directory to match that of your DESTINATION SITE. Edit the file with Notepad or other editor that does not inject formatting code. Revised: Aug 17, 2015 Page 8

9 18. For example, replace all with It is apparent that the WordPress site on VSB uses files as media upload directory. 19. Save the file to a different name, in case we need the original file later. Revised: Aug 17, 2015 Page 9

10 20. Go to the DESTINATION SITE, select Tools > Import again. Click on WordPress. 21. This time, choose the modified XML file. Click Upload file and Import. Revised: Aug 17, 2015 Page 10

11 22. This time, map author just like before, but make sure the Import Attachments link is unchecked. Click Submit. Make sure this box is unchecked during the second time you Import. 23. This round of Import should not take long. You ll see the following result screen again when it is done. You may note which files are not imported for follow up purpose if you want. Revised: Aug 17, 2015 Page 11

12 24. Check whether all posts are there. 25. Visit the blog site and mouse over any image link. You will now see that now the link point to DESTINATION SITE s media upload folder. That confirms that the links will be good when the SOURCE SITE is shut down. Look in here to see that the image is now loaded from the DESTINATION SITE Revised: Aug 17, 2015 Page 12

13 26. FOLLOW UP: It is known that the WordPress Importer plugin is buggy when used for transferring Single Site blog to MU site blog. The following manual process is needed after import is completed. Most of the followings can be performed by blog owner. a. Redo theme / appearance setup b. Redo any plugin related feature c. Redo any attachments d. Recreate thumbnails as needed Revised: Aug 17, 2015 Page 13