This tutorial explains how to migrate to WordPress from various CMS on a Mac local server.
The same tutorial can be used to migrate:
- Joomla to WordPress
- Drupal to WordPress
- Magento to WooCommerce
- PrestaShop to WooCommerce
- SPIP to WordPress
Files you will need for the migration:
- ampps for Mac -> http://www.ampps.com/downloads
- WordPress -> https://wordpress.org/download/
- and of course the corresponding FG Plugin xxx to WordPress https://www.fredericgilles.net/
Preparing the Mac for the migration to WordPress
Double click the downloaded ampps file and drag and drop it to the applications folder.
Go to your Applications folder and open the AMPPS folder.
While holding the Control button on your keyboard, double click the AMPPS icon and click open.
You should see the AMPPS window open:
Setting up the Apache, Mysql, Php, Perl server aka AMPPS
To migrate to WordPress from another CMS you will need to setup the server first. To do this please click the house icon in the opened ampps window to open the settings:
On the main page click “Add domain”
enter “wordpress.test” and then click “Add domain”
To test your new domain please open your favorite browser and enter in the location bar:
http://wordpress.test
Do not forget the http:// part, it is important!
Right click on the AMPPS icon in your taskbar and choose Configuration -> Apache
In the textedit page find this line:
Timeout 600
Replace it by:
Timeout 7200
Then click File > Save.
Then Right click on the AMPPS icon at the task bar and go to Configuration -> MySql
In the opened textedit find the below lines and change them as follows:
net_buffer_length = 64k
max_allowed_packet = 512M
Then click File > Save
Return to the main AMPPS settings screen (localhost/ampps) and click on the “PHP configuration” icon:
Then enter the settings as below and click save
Do not forget to tick the Restart Apache box.
Installing WordPress to AMPPS
To be able to migrate to WordPress your CMS on your Mac your will need to have a… WordPress installation.
Return to the main AMPPS settings screen (localhost/ampps) and click the “Add database” icon:
Enter wordpress and click Create
Go to your downloads folder, extract the WordPress file to a folder, open it and copy all the contents of the folder to Applications -> AMPPS -> www -> wordpress.test
Now open your browser and go to:
http://wordpress.test
Now you can setup your WordPress as usually:
The default information for WordPress is:
Database: wordpress
MySql Username: root
MySql Password: mysql
Click submit -> Next and enter the final information:
Please change the username and password as you want. DO NOT USE admin/admin as above!
Please also enter your real email address.
And click Install WordPress.
Importing the CMS database from another server to AMPPS MySQL server
Since you will be working on a local AMPSS server on the MAC to migrate to WordPress your CMS, you will need to import that database to your local MySql.
Copying your database from your CMS to your AMPPS:
- Export your database in a .sql file
- Copy this file to Downloads folder if it is not already there.
- Return to the main AMPPS settings screen (localhost/ampps) and click the “Add database” icon to copy your CMS database with collation utf8_general_ci:
- Click Launchpad and open terminal
- In the terminal enter:
/applications/AMPPS/mysql/bin/mysql -uroot -p mycmsdatabase < /Users/yourusername/Downloads/mycmsdatabase.sql
Where “mycmsdatabase” is your cms database and “yourusername” your Mac username.
At the “Enter password” prompt enter your MySql password. In our case “mysql” without the quotes and press Enter.
It is natural not to see the typed password, so please do not worry.
Starting the actual migration to WordPress!
After all this preparation you are now ready to start the actual migration of your CMS to WordPress.
- Return to your WordPress site at the FG plugin page: Tools > Import > {choose your CMS to import from}.
- Do not tick Remove only new imported data or Remove all WordPress content.
- Do not tick Automatically remove all the WordPress content before each import.
- Enter your LIVE CMS URL (not your WordPress) for example https://www.myprestajoomlashop.com/
- Enter as database the database you created and copied earlier:
Database: mycmsdatabase
Username: root
Password: mysql
CMS (prestashop, joomla etc) Table Prefix: ps_ - At media do NOT check these options unless you had issues from a previous import:
*Import external media
*Import media with duplicate names
*Force media import. Keep unchecked except if you had previously some media download issues. - Since we are at localhost we may need more timeout for the media:
Timeout for each media: 60 seconds - Press import!
- You can find an example configuration at the fg-plugin page and an explanation of all the options if you press the Help button at the top right corner.
The migration process can take from a few minutes to several hours depending on the size of your data, the speed of your machine and the speed of your connection. Please be patient and let FG Plugin save you hundreds of hours.