Magento – Convert a production database into test data

database

The closer a test is to production, the better it can emulate production behavior. I would like to copy the database backups from production into our test environments, but what do I need to change so that test works, and to keep from interfering with production or accidentally emailing real customers (besides setting web/%secure/base_url with the test url)?

Another way to think about this question would be to consider how to generate something like Magento Sample Data from my own production data.

Best Answer

1) DB Dump

When you do the export, you can export only the structure for the following tables:

core_cache
core_cache_option
core_cache_tag
log_customer
log_quote
log_summary
log_summary_type
log_url
log_url_info
log_visitor
log_visitor_info
log_visitor_online
enterprise_logging_event
enterprise_logging_event_changes
index_event
index_process_event
report_event
report_viewed_product_index
dataflow_batch_export
dataflow_batch_import

Also core_url_rewrite can be imported only with the structure and run a Catalog URL Rewrites reindex after the import, unless you need all those records (for various tests).

You can also clean abandoned carts (hint: sales_flat_quote), you can also remove orders if you don't need them and just keep a limited number

2) Config Settings

web/(unsecure|secure)/base_url
contact email addresses
disable email (system/smtp/disable) so you don't send emails by mistake

3) Anonimize customer information

you can use Anonygento module for Magento
write your own script to obfuscate customer information/sales orders/etc

4) Module Settings

you can enable sandbox mode for payment/shipping modules and make the proper settings
check modules used for various integration (either disable or set them to sandbox mode)

Related Solutions

Magento – How to sync Database between live and test system, when scheme has changed (How to export orders)

Your main problem in this whole scenario is that you need live data (orders and history). Magento's import/export mechanisms do a reasonable job on basics like product and customer account data, poorly or not at all on categories and sales data (orders, invoices, etc), the latter being your interest.

Assuming you meant in your description that your live server is 1.7.x.x and your test is 1.4.x.x

Test your backup abilities, you will need to know if this works sooner or later.

Tar your application and backup your database on the live server.

Empty everything off the test server and clear all the tables in the database.

Restore your application and database to your test server, set file/folder ownership and permissions, change your baseURLs and make local.xml changes. Instant update of your test server from 1.4.x.x to 1.7.x.x

Reapply your changes to take it back to the configuration you had.

Now, if you're going in the other direction (1.4.x.x on the live and 1.7.x.x on the test), do all the above and then upgrade your test server to the new version. It will ensure you have done the upgrade several times before the final upgrade to the live server. You will have worked all the kinks out and the live upgrade goes a lot smoother that way. Reapply your changes to take it back to the configuration you had.

It truly is easier this way, all that import/export pie-in-the-sky goofiness recommended for version upgrades over on the MagentoCommerce forums and Wiki is a recipe for disaster and membership in the local looney bin. Nobody working with live ERP software puts up with the added complexity for the incomplete results it delivers.

IMPORT/EXPORT UPGRADES ARE THE REAL LIFE EXAMPLE OF "WORK HARDER NOT SMARTER".

Plus, being really good at doing site restores on a separate server banishes the adrenaline freeze, panic and heart attack you have when your site goes up in smoke without current backups. Keep current backups with a tested restore routine and it probably won't happen, but you know what to do if it does.

NOTE: And start by doing a full backup on your test system.

Magento – pull database data into a text field

To answer your second question first :)

The first and last name information is added via a widget:

app/code/core/Mage/Customer/Block/Widget/Name.php
app/design/frontend/base/default/template/customer/widget/name.phtml

In the registration process these are added via:

echo $this->getLayout()->createBlock('customer/widget_name')
         ->setObject($this->getFormData())
         ->setForceUseCustomerAttributes(true)->toHtml()

I guess this was done as the name can be used in many locations, registration, address and checkout. By doing this via a widget you only need once place that adds the form fields and will cut down on duplication of code.

Now onto your first question. To pass data from the database into a textbox I would suggest that you add a new function into your block for this example getPrefcentreData.

What this function would do would take your snippet of code and load the information that you need from the database.

Then in your template you can simply call something like:

<input type="text" name="your_field" id="your_field" value="<?php $this->getPrefcentreData() ?>" class="text" />

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Magento – How to sync Database between live and test system, when scheme has changed (How to export orders)

Magento – pull database data into a text field

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