Publishing test site? Topic is solved

[SocketPup]

I'd like to test my project online before actual publication (I am on localhost atm).
What are my options here, and what is the best way? I do have access to the webhost where the final project is meant to be. I once saw a thread on here where someone suggested you could publish the test-version of the project in a sub-folder of that domain, but then someone else argued against it, claiming it could potentially cause issues once it was time to publish the final version.

Otherwise, is it possible to publish directly on Joomla, just during the test-phase?

[gws]

You could use the "site offline function" in global config, this way only logged in users can see the site.

[AMurray]

You could create a subdomain e.g. test.yoursite.com linked to a sub-folder on your hosting e.g. https://yoursite.com/test would link to https://test.yoursite.com.

You could also set the site "offline" (front-end), and that way, the public can't access it - all they will see is "This site is offline".

You would log on, e.g. using your superuser credentials (or perhaps create a temporary front-end type user, and set the permission appropriately so that login will work from the offline login form.

For moving the site from local to web host, follow these instructions: https://docs.joomla.org/Copying_a_Joomla_website

[SocketPup]

You could create a subdomain e.g. test.yoursite.com linked to a sub-folder on your hosting e.g. https://yoursite.com/test would link to https://test.yoursite.com.

You could also set the site "offline" (front-end), and that way, the public can't access it - all they will see is "This site is offline".

You would log on, e.g. using your superuser credentials (or perhaps create a temporary front-end type user, and set the permission appropriately so that login will work from the offline login form.

For moving the site from local to web host, follow these instructions: https://docs.joomla.org/Copying_a_Joomla_website

Yeah, I'd figure I'd use Akeeba to upload my project, like I did when switching from Xampp to Wamp.
The subdomain solution sounds good. But once I am ready to publish it, how do I take it from there? Do I just move all the files up to the main domain, or will that cause issues?

[AMurray]

Use Akeeba, even to move the site files between folders on the same server/web hosting account. I would expect the only thing to note would be the path to /tmp or /cache might change, but within Akeeba Kickstart, you have the opportunity to update that in Kickstarts ANGIE installer when restoring the site.

Or you can do so manually, drag/drop the Joomla system files between one file and another, or cut/paste. Your 'file manager' in cPanel (or equivalent) should have a 'move files' function.

If you move the files manually, and if you need to do so, you can update the file paths of /cache or /tmp within the configuration.php file.

[SocketPup]

Use Akeeba, even to move the site files between folders on the same server/web hosting account. I would expect the only thing to note would be the path to /tmp or /cache might change, but within Akeeba Kickstart, you have the opportunity to update that in Kickstarts ANGIE installer when restoring the site.

Or you can do so manually, drag/drop the Joomla system files between one file and another, or cut/paste. Your 'file manager' in cPanel (or equivalent) should have a 'move files' function.

If you move the files manually, and if you need to do so, you can update the file paths of /cache or /tmp within the configuration.php file.

So when you say move the site files between folders using Akeeba, is there a move-file-feature in Akeeba, or do I do it like when I moved my project from Xampp to Wamp (creating a backup file, delete the project from its current folder, then use kickstart.php to install it at the root instead)?

[Webdongle]

Depending on your hosting.
1. If you have your main site in \www then create a \test01 folder in \www
2. In dns settings point your Domain to the \www\test01 folder
3. \www\test01 folder will then be your site root
4. Put the .jpa and kickstart.php in the \www\test01 folder.
4. Point your Browser at yourdomain.com and install your test site
You can always point the Domain back to the original folder.

If your hosting doesn't allow that then use a subdomain but that can confuse paths.

[SocketPup]

Depending on your hosting.
1. If you have your main site in \www then create a \test01 folder in \www
2. In dns settings point your Domain to the \www\test01 folder
3. \www\test01 folder will then be your site root
4. Put the .jpa and kickstart.php in the \www\test01 folder.
4. Point your Browser at yourdomain.com and install your test site
You can always point the Domain back to the original folder.

If your hosting doesn't allow that then use a subdomain but that can confuse paths.

Thanks, I have done steps 1-4. However, I was in touch with my webhost, and they weren't familiar with Akeeba, so I didn't get any good answers from them. My concern is in regards to the Kickstart, where I am supposed to enter the Connection info (database type, server host name, un, pw, dbname, db table name.)
What information from my webhost should I provide here?
The support I talked with told me it wasn't certain the db inside my .jpa would be created doing it this way, instead he suggested I should export the db from phpMyAdmin and upload it. Would this cause issues with the Akeeba extraction process?

Not sure which way I should pursue here in order to get my project online properly...

[AMurray]

Kickstart unpacks the archive, then runs its own installer (ANGIE). It is similar to the normal Joomla installer, and will ask for the database details as normal.

Create the database first, so you have an empty database, then when Kickstart prompts for the information enter the info for that new database.

[SocketPup]

Kickstart unpacks the archive, then runs its own installer (ANGIE). It is similar to the normal Joomla installer, and will ask for the database details as normal.

Create the database first, so you have an empty database, then when Kickstart prompts for the information enter the info for that new database.

Thanks, the process worked out nicely =)