Re: For those that hand code...

Bergamot wrote:
Jeff wrote:
I don't write much PHP. I find that windows boxes (with perl) are clueless where the document root is, or for that matter where they are.

I've never had that problem. That's what the document root in the Apache
http.conf file is for. Virtual hosts handle different document roots
very well.

Well that may be my problem with windows servers as the ones I see are running IIS. Thanks, I hadn't really thought about it that way.

If you make a test page then that isn't really deployed, no one knows the URL.

Ignorance is bliss?

What does it matter if it is a test page. There's nothing of importance there.

As far as scripts go, I don't worry about breaking the server.

So what do you do if a change is dependent on things that cannot be put
into production immediately, for example redesigning a particular
feature or function, or even a layout change?

New template, new page and I can publish to a test directory if needed. I'm assuming those are standard CMS features.

I'm guessing you feel more comfortable working on your own local server.

It's more than that. It's the risk to the client that you run when you
update live files without prior testing. Maybe I have a different
mindset than you, since I was in software development for a long time
before switching to web stuff. Putting untested software into a
production environment is unheard of.

I don't see the difference between having the server on your floor or having it in a data room somewhere. I usually post development software to a test domain, and I just don't worry about compile time errors.

Now, looking back to all the *real* problems I've had they all had to do with the production environment and are impossible to find except on the server they will be deployed to. The last problems I've had have dealt with email, permissions and token returns from a CC processor (which requires knowing the path from the submission page). If you test only on a test server, you never see these.



I always pull off the web in case a colleague has modified the file.

You don't use some type of source control system? Even working alone, I
wouldn't want to be without one. It's saved me more than once,
especially recovering something that was lost.

My editor auto makes back ups. I'm assuming yours does also? If I was worried about something I drop it in a backup directory or I save it with the date embedded before the extension so I know when it dates to.


I suppose if you only work alone, you can have a different set of rules.

If you work in a team, you need a source control system more than if you
work alone.

Well, I'll look into this.

You still have to edit and upload all the files.

No, you don't. You only have to upload changed files.

Well, there's not much point in arguing here. Almost everything I do is CMS or data related so I would only be updating templates, stylesheets and defaults files.

Your system relies on you being the only one that touches the files. OK, for you and your friends that operate the same way I guess.

Jeff

What do you do if your host goes belly-up?

Between the sources on my local server and the database backups done by
clients, the full site can be restored elsewhere pretty easily.

.

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