Upgrade from HelpChat Server 12

The full steps for upgrading from HelpChat Server 12 to 13, including data migration, configuration mapping and notes.

Read before upgrading

Before upgrading, stop Server 12 and back up the entire Server 12 directory and the database. Version 13 renames every field named order in the database to rorder. This change cannot be undone, and 12 can no longer read tables that 13 has upgraded.

Windows Server upgrade steps

HelpChat Server 13 supports Windows Server 2008 through 2025. The steps below assume:

text

Server 12 directory: C:\HelpChat Server 12\
Server 13 directory: C:\HelpChat Server 13\

1. Migrate chat data

Copy the data subdirectory under imdata\ in 12 to the imdata\ directory in 13.

2. Migrate profile photos

Copy the groups and users subdirectories under public\ in 12 to the public\ directory in 13.

3. Fix profile photo file extensions

Profile photo files in version 12 have no file extension, and version 13 requires the .png extension. Double-click add_png_ext.bat in each of these two directories to run it:

text

C:\HelpChat Server 13\public\groups\add_png_ext.bat
C:\HelpChat Server 13\public\users\add_png_ext.bat

4. Migrate the server ID

Open config\serverid.dat in 12 and enter the values in config\helpchatsvr.ini in 13:

serverid.dat (12)	helpchatsvr.ini [server] (13)
id=xxx	id_office = xxx
idex=xxx	id_market = xxx

Warning

The server ID must match the one in 12, or clients cannot recognize the server.

5. Migrate the database configuration

Open config\mysql.ini in 12 and enter the values in config\helpchatsvr.ini in 13:

mysql.ini (12)	helpchatsvr.ini (13)	Section
host=xxx	host = xxx	[database]
port=xxx	port = xxx	[database]
user=xxx	user = xxx	[database]
pswd=xxx	password = xxx	[database]
db=xxx	db_office = xxx	[database]
dbex=xxx	db_market = xxx	[database]
charset=xxx	charset = xxx	[database]
runmode=xxx	run_mode = xxx	[runtime]
threads=xxx	worker_threads = xxx	[runtime]

Warning

Change type in the [database] section from sqlite to mysql.

6. Start and verify

Start HelpChat Server 13

Start the server program.

Sign in from a client

Confirm that accounts and message history are intact.

Check profile photos

Confirm that group and user profile photos display correctly.

Linux Server upgrade steps

The steps below assume:

text

Server 12 directory: /opt/HelpChatServer12/
Server 13 directory: /opt/HelpChatServer13/

1. Migrate chat data

bash

cp -r /opt/HelpChatServer12/imdata/data /opt/HelpChatServer13/imdata/

2. Migrate profile photos

bash

cp -r /opt/HelpChatServer12/public/groups /opt/HelpChatServer13/public/
cp -r /opt/HelpChatServer12/public/users  /opt/HelpChatServer13/public/

3. Fix profile photo file extensions

bash

cd /opt/HelpChatServer13/public/groups/ && chmod +x add_png_ext.sh && ./add_png_ext.sh
cd /opt/HelpChatServer13/public/users/  && chmod +x add_png_ext.sh && ./add_png_ext.sh

4. Migrate the server ID

As on Windows, enter id and idex from config/serverid.dat in 12 into the [server] section of config/helpchatsvr.ini in 13.

5. Migrate the database configuration

As on Windows, enter each value from config/mysql.ini in 12 into config/helpchatsvr.ini in 13. See the mapping table above.

6. Start and verify

bash

cd /opt/HelpChatServer13
sudo ./helpchatsvr start

Notes

Version 13 uses the same ports as 12. Before starting 13, make sure the 12 services are completely stopped, or the port conflict will prevent 13 from starting.

If 13 keeps using the MySQL database of 12, make sure the MySQL service stays running when you stop the 12 services.

Suggestions

For a new deployment, install MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.6+ as the database. Both perform better and are more stable than MySQL 5.7, the default in 12.

With around 50 users online, you can use SQLite directly. No database installation is needed.