eGW 1.8.007 - upgrade to current version or run the old version

[novak]

Hello everyone,

we have been using eGroupware for 15 years (version 1.8.007). Now we need to upgrade the server from Debian 6 to Debian 12.
In eGroupware, we made a lot of modifications during the period of use. We modified some eTemplates, we added some functionality by creating a new class for the given eGw class and adding the functions we needed.
Now I am dealing with a situation where if we upgrade to a new version of eGW, we will have to redo all the templates and re-program the new functions. Or run the old version of eGW, which does not limit us in any way and suits us. I just don’t know if it’s possible. I think that if I try to install the current apache, php and mysql, eGW will still crash on outdated (depreciated) functions.

So I want to ask:
1/ is it possible to upgrade eGW 1.8.007 to the current 23.1 ?
2/ do I assume correctly that we will have to modify all eTemplate templates again?
3/ can the old version 1.8.007 be installed on the new debian 12, i.e. apache 2.4.62 (or another current web server) and php 8.2.24? Just run on current versions of webserver, php and database?
4/ is there an easier way to install and run an older version of eGW on the debian 12?

[RalfBecker]

1/ is it possible to upgrade eGW 1.8.007 to the current 23.1 ?

Yes, the update from old versions is support, thought for 1.8, which is quite ancient, you need to install the old phpgw API, see here

do I assume correctly that we will have to modify all eTemplate templates again?

That is a hard question, we try hard not to force you to update customized eTemplates on every release-update, thought 1.8. is pretty old …

can the old version 1.8.007 be installed on the new debian 12, i.e. apache 2.4.62 (or another current web server) and php 8.2.24? Just run on current versions of webserver, php and database?

No, 1.8 will not work with a current PHP version!

is there an easier way to install and run an older version of eGW on the debian 12?

No, our recommendation is to use the latest release, and always install the newest releases, to minimize the things you have to change. Skipping many versions, is always a hazzle

We (EGroupware GmbH) offer to support you in updating to the current version, thought the effort depends on what and how much you changed in the old version: just eTemplates, own themes or even own applications …

Ralf

[novak]

Thank you Ralf !

I will try to upgrade to the latest release.
Is there any howto available?
I have already installed the eGW 23.1 at the new server. So I have to install old (phpgw)API according to the info here.
We have used Wiki from the depreciated applications, we do not need to use it more. If there is another such application in the new eGW, we can rewrite the information to it manually.
Maybe we have more depreciated applications installed, but we do not use them. Should I uninstall them before upgrade?

What are the next steps?
On the old server I am using LDAP to manage the users and groups.

I need to keep the original server running until the new version is up and running.

[itwo]

Buy a few hours of support, that helps the project and your system will run after the update…
(my opinion).

[RalfBecker]

Look at Update recommendation and troubleshooting page in the wiki:

1. make a DB backup
2. rsync files and backup directory to the new installation
3. restore the latest backup
4. restart container or visit setup for the update

Ralf