Migrating - when to delete OLD content?

fabthi · October 2, 2013

Hi all
In concurrence with migration to the new SmugMug, I will completely renew my website and all of the present content (images, texts, menu, everything) will be removed and replaced with totally brand new one; I will obviously back-up all of my old content, just in case.
My question is: should I remove ALL present content before to actually migrate or should I otherwise migrate first and then remove all old content?
Having the creation of the new website as my most important goal, which one of the two is the most effective way to re-start from scratch? :scratch
thanks

Fabio

ChancyRat · October 2, 2013

You are saying none of your current photos will be in the new smugmug?
Or just things like gallery descriptions or other text?

Making the leap to the new format too quickly can result in having a public site with problems.
Don't delete your folders or photos, as those will delete in the legacy account also.
I suggest go ahead and begin to customize your new site.
You will see all your galleries and folders and photos. Use your current folders, galleries, photos, and text content, as a draft so you can see the look that will come.
"Publish" will show you and you only the new site, so that you can detect problems and continue tweaking.

If you need to delete lots of text from galleries (that is the content you refer to when you say "everything will be removed"), then, that's a question of timing those content changes to right before you make the new site public. Maybe someone else can comment on how to think that through.

I expect to take several months to finish my new site, so won't be switching before then.

fabthi · October 2, 2013

ChancyRat wrote: »

You are saying none of your current photos will be in the new smugmug?
Or just things like gallery descriptions or other text?

Maybe few pictures will be used in the new SM, but in a completely different context.
It's going to be a completely different and new site from every perspective, so I was wondering what was the best way to start the new project.

ChancyRat · October 2, 2013

fabthi wrote: »

Maybe few pictures will be used in the new SM, but in a completely different context.
It's going to be a completely different and new site from every perspective, so I was wondering what was the best way to start the new project.

Are all of the folders and galleries - the entire structure - going to change too?

fabthi · October 2, 2013

ChancyRat wrote: »

Are all of the folders and galleries - the entire structure - going to change too?

Yes, that's what I mean

ChancyRat · October 2, 2013

What kind of volume is involved here: Number of folders, galleries, and total photos?
I'm trying to imagine what it would take to do this kind of task.
I think I would leave the old content as is, so that you have it as a test environment.
Inside the new site customization, I would create all the new folders, galleries, entire structure, BUT, everything would be on lock-down private so that no one could see anything. The system that gives you a private "new format customization" environment, does not include folders/galleries/photos as part of what's private. Those are viewable in both modes.

Then because lock-down private ends up imposing restrictions on what the public can see, I would use the old folders and photos that are still public, as my testbed to see what I'm aiming for.

On the navbar on the home page, you get to assign the links there. I had trouble when I inadvertently assigned a private gallery to one of the links. It didn't appear to 'stick'. So the navbar might have to be one of the last things you set up. But by setting up a nav bar for some existing public folders, you can at least get the structure and formatting of it the way you want in advance.

For the moment, don't do anything except enter the customization option and start checking things out. In particular the "organization" section, where moving folders and photos and galleries is now done entirely differently. I'm not completely comfortable using it (plus I don't have a lot of changes to make there at the moment). You may find it much easier to set up a parallel set of private new folders, and even get the new photos into them, as a way to manage "two universes" for awhile.

Others with more experience may have better ideas.

denisegoldberg · October 2, 2013

I migrated and then I cleaned up my site (before I unveiled).

My goal was to have a site with photos that match my current abilities as a photographer. I had galleries that I no longer wanted visible. I thought about deleting them all but I quickly realized that while I didn't want the (old ) galleries in their entirety there were often one or two photos that I might want to move or save. I decided not to delete the galleries. Instead I created a top level folderand set that to private. Then I created folders within "unpublished" that indicated to me where the galleries came from (as in what category / folder I moved them from). Then I moved the galleries I no longer wanted to show to site visitors to the folders inside of the "unpublished" folder. Now I have access to the photos but they are not available to anyone else.

--- Denise

fabthi · October 2, 2013

Denise and ChancyRat, I know it might sound naive but, can't I just wipe it out completely and bring it back to the blank default condition I would find if I'd been a new user?

huh
What are the possible drawbacks of undertaking this way?
Please keep in mind my new site will have very little, and most likely nothing, in common with the actual one.

denisegoldberg · October 2, 2013

fabthi wrote: »

can't I just wipe it out completely and bring it back to the blank default condition I would find if I'd been a new user?
What are the possible drawbacks of undertaking this way?
Please keep in mind my new site will have very little, and most likely nothing, in common with the actual one.

Your customizations will be wiped out completely by moving the to new smug.

Your photos will stay unless you choose to delete them. I chose a middle ground - I wanted to keep a good chunk of my photos and I wanted to remove another fairly large chunk. I accomplished the removal by placing the galleries in a private folder. I could just as easily have deleted them.

The only drawback of deleting all of your photos is if you decide you want them back again. In that case you would need to reload them.

It's your decision. There are no rights or wrongs here.

--- Denise

ChancyRat · October 2, 2013

Love your "

".
My reasoning:

1. If you just delete everything you have now, that will mean you have no public site for anyone to visit between now and when you finally have a new site up and running. Does it matter to you that you will "disappear" for awhile?

2. There is something to be said for not deleting your current site - keep it as an archive, or historical legacy. I get a YIKES in my head because "deleting is forever". Locking down to private gives you much flexibility to change your mind. What if you want to show your great grandchildren what you did back in the 2000s?

3. If it's okay with you that no one will be able to visit your site until you get the new one up, I would still not delete everything. I think I would create a high level folder and then move alllllll the folders and galleries of the old, into it, and lock it down. This would leave you with "nothing", which is kind of what you're thinking would be easier to work with. You'll start from scratch to create a site, construct theme, lay in content blocks, colors, etc., etc., all around your new concept. You just won't have - deleted the original. Delete is a frightening concept. You may 100% believe it will all turn out okay, and then a year from now SMACK yourself in the head.

fabthi · October 4, 2013

denisegoldberg wrote: »

The only drawback of deleting all of your photos is if you decide you want them back again. In that case you would need to reload them.

It's your decision. There are no rights or wrongs here.

--- Denise

I did that, as also suggested from SM helpdesk: migrate first and then deleted ALL galleries with Organizer tool.
But what I have now in NewSmugMug is an empty homepage, regardless of the template I choose hence I can't tell any difference over the layout I should be working on.
I don't think this is the way it should be.....:help

denisegoldberg · October 4, 2013

fabthi wrote: »

I did that, as also suggested from SM helpdesk: migrate first and then deleted ALL galleries with Organizer tool.
But what I have now in NewSmugMug is an empty homepage, regardless of the template I choose hence I can't tell any difference over the layout I should be working on.
I don't think this is the way it should be.....:help

And now your legacy site has no photos. I would suggest you update your legacy homepage to let people know they should come back later to see your new site.

You will have an empty homepage until you design a page. I'm not sure what you expect to see on the homepage. Select a layout, then start customizing it.

You might start learning by watching some of the videos at http://school.smugmug.com/SmugMug-Tips. Start with http://school.smugmug.com/SmugMug-Tips/SmugMug-In-5-Minutes-or-Less.

--- Denise

fabthi · October 4, 2013

denisegoldberg wrote: »

I'm not sure what you expect to see on the homepage. Select a layout, then start customizing it.

Well, when I usually work on a template (on any platform that I know) I have sample content (photos, text, blocks, an so on) displayed that lets you understand the appearance of the layout you have choosen; you then replace the sample content with your own and start customizing it if necessary....but I am sure you know what I mean.
Now I have just nothing displayed; this is a screenshot of Nyx template selected

And this with Pixie

Out of a different background color (which I changed in NYX), in both cases (and with all other template I might use) there's no sample content to show me the difference between the two and to show me how my website will look like once I have made my choice.
To confirm what I mean, this is an excerpt from the help page you pointed me:

Because your site looks best with photos, we've included a few to fluff it out. But don't forget to upload your own as soon as you can.

denisegoldberg · October 6, 2013

fabthi wrote: »

To confirm what I mean, this is an excerpt from the help page you pointed me:

Because your site looks best with photos, we've included a few to fluff it out. But don't forget to upload your own as soon as you can.

I suspect that the sample photos are only provided if you were starting from scratch. You weren't; you had an existing smugmug site with photos in galleries.

You might try contacting the help desk to see if they have a means to provide sample photos for you - although I believe it would make more sense for you to upload some of your photos into several galleries and folders so you have something that reflects your end goal.

--- Denise

Migrating - when to delete OLD content?

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