Upgrade from HelpChat Server 11

The full steps for upgrading from the HelpChat Server 11 series to 12, including table format conversion, database export and import, and chat data migration.

Warning

Work on the machine that runs the HelpChat Server 11 series server, and make sure HelpChat Server 12 is not installed yet.

1. Preparation

Download these two tools:

SQLyog (a graphical MySQL management tool):

text

https://helpchat.com/file/upgrade/SQLyog-13.1.8-0.x64Trial.exe

Table format conversion tool (v11 → v12):

text

https://helpchat.com/file/upgrade/v11_to_v12.zip

2. Upgrade the tables

Extract v11_to_v12.zip and copy v11_to_v12.exe to the root directory of the HelpChat Server 11 series server:

text

C:\HelpChat Server

Open a command prompt, change to that directory and run:

bash

v11_to_v12.exe

Press Enter to confirm, and the table format conversion runs. When it finishes, a new helpchat_office (office mode) or helpchat_market (operations mode) database is created, generated from the 11 series helpchatsvr database.

3. Export the database

Install and run SQLyog, and connect using the MySQL connection details in C:\HelpChat Server\config\mysql.ini.

Once connected, find helpchat_office in the database list (helpchat_market in operations mode), right-click it and choose "Backup/Export" → "Export as SQL Dump", then export it to a directory of your choice:

text

helpchat_office.sql

Info

This file contains the core data, including the organization structure, user accounts and groups. Exit SQLyog when the export is done.

4. Install HelpChat Server 12

Download the HelpChat Server 12 installer from the website:

text

https://helpchat.com/download/

Danger

Before installing, make sure all HelpChat Server 11 series background services are stopped, including the database service. Stop the related services manually in "Control Panel" → "Computer Management" → "Services", and set their startup type to "Manual" so they do not start automatically at boot.

After stopping all 11 series services, run the installer to install HelpChat Server 12.

5. Import the database

Run SQLyog and connect to the MySQL of version 12 with the default sign-in details (if you have not changed the port or the root password, the connection details are the same as before).

Right-click the 12 series database helpchat_office (helpchat_market in operations mode) and choose "Import" → "Execute SQL Script". Select the .sql file you exported earlier and click "Execute" to import it.

6. Migrate chat data

Copy or move all subdirectories in the 11 series imdata directory:

text

C:\HelpChat Server\imdata

to the same directory of the 12 series, and rename the club directory to group:

text

C:\HelpChat Server 12\imdata

7. Finish the upgrade

When everything above is done, restart the server machine. The upgrade from HelpChat Server 11 to 12 is then complete.

Tip

To continue upgrading to HelpChat Server 13, see Upgrade from HelpChat Server 12.