How to update your Joomla! website to Joomla! 3.7?

ET Digital Team May 6, 2017 11 Comments
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Last some days, we got many questions about problem during update Joomla! 3.x to 3.7. So, today I would like to make step by step how to process update your Joomla! system (from Joomla! 3.5) to Joomla! 3.7 without any problems for your website.

I/ Prepare to update to Joomla! 3.7

As my exp to update some websites for our customers to Joomla! 3.7 before, you must to do some tasks before run update:

1/ Backup your all website (you can make backup via auto backup in your hosting, or any backup service).
2/ If you’re using other templates (different with default Joomla! templates), ask your template provider about compatible problem with Joomla! 3.7, if they have patch update, process update for your template.

* If you’re EngineTemplates customers, feel free to process update, we tested wih all Free Joomla! templates from us, and make full support for Joomla! 3.7.

3/ If you’re using other extensions (except default Joomla! extensions), ask your extension providers about extension support issue for Joomla! 3.7.
4/ Check your PHP version, make sure that you’re using PHP version from 5.6.x or higher. If not, you will see alert update with PHP version as you showed.

joomla php warning problem

II/ Start to update your Joomla! 3.x to Joomla! 3.7

If above tasks are done, start to update Joomla! to 3.7. Process update can be done via Admin > Component > Joomla! update, or click to update alert in your Joomla! panel.
You also can go to Joomla! download area, and download update package for Joomla! 3.7 and install it via Admin > Extensions > Manage > Install.

After finished update, if you have alert with DB record problem, don’t worry, just go to Admin > Extensions > Manage > Database, click to button “Fix” to correct it.

fix-database-joomla-after-update-to-joomla3.7

If you see warning with custom fields (new features in Joomla!) and need to active plugins as screenshot below

custom-fields-in-joomla

Go to Plugin Manager, search for keyword ‘system – fields’ and enable it.

enginetemplates-update-to-joomla-37-custom-fields

* Joomla! 3.7 has some changes, at least HTML for com_content, so HTML override folder in template must to update in order to use new features such as article Custom Fields. That’s why I told you about template compatible.

III/  Troubleshoots

– If you have problem with saving articles, or fields in Joomla! system => Check all extensions in your website, special is plugins and make sure that you do not have plugins that hook to editor or Joomla! fields via back-end.
– If you have problem with template settings => ask your template provider about new version or framework.
– If you have problem with front-end display => most of problem related to template and extensions
– In case your website is broken and can’t access => It’s better is you should to restore your backup, make dev environment and test your update.
– If your editor stopped, please download new version of your Editor (only in case you use other editor, not default Joomla! editor TinyMCE).
If you have any problem during update your Joomla! system, please don’t hesitate to let me know by process reply in this post.

Interesting with this topic? You can read related articles:

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Comments

  1. Christian Sousa — Reply

    Hi, How are you? I just updated my site to new Joomla version (3.7) and now many errors occurred.
    1. When I click to add a new article, the tab Content is empty as image: http://www.thered.com.br/images/thered/outros/Screen01.png
    2. In the tab Publishing, after I click in the Calendar icon, the same, it doesn’t appear: http://www.thered.com.br/images/thered/outros/Screen02.png
    3. In Fields, I receive the message that the Plugins is disabled, but when I go to Plugins page, I don’t have the plugin mentioned System – Fields and I did what you recommend in this article, but the plugin is not available to enable:
    http://www.thered.com.br/images/thered/outros/Screen03.png
    http://www.thered.com.br/images/thered/outros/Screen04.png

    Please, could you help me? I have looked for help in forum, talking to other joomla Users, Google, but until now, I had found nothing that could help me and I need to add new articles to my site urgently.

    Thanks in advance!

    Chris

    • engine
      engine — Reply

      Hi Chris,

      As I see you have same troubleshot during update as instruction above, please check all extensions in your website, special is plugins and make sure that you do not have plugins that hook to editor or Joomla! fields via back-end.

      • Christian Sousa
        Christian Sousa — Reply

        Hi, please, Could you help me with that. I’m not an expert in Joomla. If yes, Do I have to send you anything? My WhatsApp? Skype? Email? Just some orientations to make these checks about extensions, plugins an others.

        Thanks.

        Chris

  2. John Stevenson — Reply

    I am having the same issue. I have updated my template (Warp Framework) to the latest version. I have taken OSMap out. I have disabled all the fields plugins and still get the issue. I then enabled all of them. I get the 1054 error saying that unknown column ‘enabled’ in the ‘where clause’.

    I have to have the site now as down for maintenance because it is embarrassing when you are a web developer and your website is down.

    • engine
      engine — Reply

      Firstly, you should restore your website (ask your hosting provider to get backup for last some days before run update).
      Then, you set up test env for your site, ask your template author (warp framework or author that using warp to build theme about compatible with Joomla! 3.7), and make update in your test site before with live site.

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