====== Changing The Domain Name ======

<tip c n>**Note:**  Make sure this applies to your situation or you may need a different set of steps to follow.  These would apply if you had simply changed the domain name your software is associated with.  This means no server move was needed by you to make the move.  Otherwise you may need to follow the full migration instructions in [[tutorials:server:migration:start]].</tip>

It is easy to change the domain used with your Geo auction or classified software.  There are a few things that will need to be updated when you change the domain name, which are listed below in each of the steps.  But one of the things to establish with your host is whether the installation path to your domain will change or not.  If this changes there are a few extra steps to check within our software and one extra piece of data to change in your license key.

Note that a host may say that nothing changes but the domain name but we have seen too many times where the installation path was changed despite hosting assurances that it wouldn't.  If it does there is still only an extra step of two to do.

===== Step 1 - Update License Key =====

Log into your Geo installation admin panel in the **new installation location** and it will show the license key page, usually with an error message saying that the installation folder does not match.  On the page it will list the detected **installation folder** and the **installation domain**, copy and paste this data exactly as it appears in the admin panel, and send it to **sales@geodesicsolutions.com** with the title of **License Update Request** so that it gets routed to the correct personnel as fast as possible.  They will let you know if any further information is needed.

===== Step 2 - Software Settings =====

The following settings will need to be updated in your admin panel, to reflect the new installation folder:

  * **[[admin_menu/site_setup/general_settings/start#site URL|Site Setup > General Settings > Site Url]]**
  * **[[admin_menu/site_setup/general_settings/start#Base File Name|Site Setup > General Settings > Base File Name]]** (if changed)
  * **[[admin_menu/site_setup/general_settings/start#Secure SSL Site URL|Site Setup > General Settings > Secure SSL Site URL]]**
  * **[[admin_menu/registration_setup/general_settings/start#URL of register.php file|Registration Setup > General Settings > URL of register.php file]]**
  * **[[admin_menu/registration_setup/general_settings/start#SSL URL of register.php file|Registration Setup > General Settings > SSL URL of register.php file]]** (if used)
  * **[[admin_menu/listing_setup/file_upload_display_settings/start#Server Path to Root of Photos Directory|Listing Setup > File Upload & Display Settings > Server Path to Root of Photos Directory]]**

===== Step 3 - Update Links in Templates & Text =====

Within the default design all HTML links are relative to the base directory of the installation, so they will dynamically be correct when the move is complete.  However, if you have gone into any page templates or sub-templates and edited them placing absolute links within the software then these will need to be modified to reflect the new location.  You can follow the instructions in this step to update any such links.  If you are absolutely sure that you have not added any absolute links or image locations you can skip this step, however we still recommend at least double checking to make sure there are not any places found.

Go to **[[admin_menu/design/text_search/start|Design > Text Search]]** and search for the old domain name, as it would be used in a link or image tag.  For example if your old domain name was in **www.example.com** you would do a search for **"example.com"** without the quotes.  Start with the first search results tab, **Pages/Modules Text**, and click the button to edit text for each of the places that the old domain name is found.  Make sure the WYSIWYG editor is turned off, and update any places in the text that use the old installation, to use the new one instead.

Keep doing this for each of the found results for Pages/Modules Text, then move on to **Addon Text** and repeat the process if any are found.  Once you are through with addon text, repeat the process for **Template Contents** search results, when editing templates make sure to use the **<..> Source Code Editor** tab in the template editor.

<tip c n>**Note:**  If you have multiple template sets, or sometimes if you have **design mode** set to **advanced**, when you attempt to edit a template it may give the error similar to:

  File is from (my_templates) which is not within the current template sets being edited.

If this happens, on the page in the top left next to **Template Set: ___** click the **change** button, and select the template set that the template is in that you are trying to edit.  Once the page re-loads, you will be able to edit the template just fine.</tip>

===== Step 4 - SEO Addon =====

If you use the SEO addon to rewrite your URLs to more Search Engine friendly ones you may need to recreate the "rewrite rules" within your .htaccess file to reflect the new location.  If you do not use SEO addon you can skip this step.

In your admin, go to **[[admin_menu/addons/seo/general_settings/start|Addons > SEO > General Settings]]** and click on **Apply All Settings**, then **Yes**.  Then copy/paste the generated .htaccess file contents, and paste into your .htaccess file in the new installation location.

===== Step 5 -- Clearing Cache/Pre-Compiled Templates =====

<tip c w>You only need to follow the steps here is you needed to copy the file set from one location on the server to another.  But it does not hurt to do these steps anyway if seeing an issue after the move.</tip>

FTP into your site and empty the following folders in your Geo installation.  DO NOT delete the folders themselves.  Just remove all files within each of the following folders within your Geo installation's file set:

  /templates_c
  /_geocache