Installatron is a feature within DirectAdmin that allows you to install an application, such as WordPress or Joomla, on your web hosting package in just a few simple steps. Installatron also provides the ability to copy an existing application to a subdirectory.
This can be useful if you want to use an existing application as the basis for a new website. You can update the website in the subdirectory while the current website remains in its original location. This guide explains how to copy an application.
While this guide uses WordPress as an example, the same steps apply to any other application in Installatron.
Copying your application
In this example, the WordPress installation is located in the /public_html/ directory of the domain 'newapplication.com'. You can access the website by visiting https://www.newapplication.com in your browser.
We now want to copy this application to the subdirectory /public_html/new/, so that the same website can also be accessed via https://www.newapplication.com/new/. Here's how:
1. Log in to DirectAdmin.
2. Under 'My Applications', click on the name of the application which you want to copy. In this case the 'Installing WordPress' application.
3. To copy the application, click the 'Clone' button (the button with the split arrow).
4. Under 'Destination', in the field 'Directory (Optional)', specify the location where the copy should be placed. In this example, we specify the subfolder 'new'.
5. In 'Database Management', you can keep the default setting. A new database will automatically be created for the copy of the application.
6. You can also leave the 'Setting Management' setting as is, unless you would like to customise the settings of your copy to your own preference.
7. When you are ready, click the 'Clone' button at the bottom of the page to initiate the copy to the subfolder.
8. The application is now being copied, and you can see its progress on the screen. Once the process is complete, the application will be shown in the overview, and you can click the link of your domain to view your website at the new location.
After following these steps, you successfully copied your WordPress application to a subdirectory using Installatron. You can now make changes to the copied website without affecting the website at its original location.
Important Notes
- For WordPress and Joomla, Installatron will automatically adjust the file paths for the copy. However, this does not happen automatically for every application. Therefore, after copying the application, check carefully that all references are correct and adjust them where necessary.
- This method is an automated process. For more complex websites, or when using specific themes or plugins, this method may not always be the most reliable. In such cases, it is recommended to create a manual copy by transferring the website files via FTP or the File Manager in DirectAdmin. The database can then be exported and imported manually using phpMyAdmin.