[Resolved] RELAUNCH: Best way to switch template MELLOW

[Stephane]

Hello Support,

I’m proceeding to the relaunch of a website using your theme.

Before that I worked on a test site setting up the design using the template MELLOW. There I loaded MELLOW and I’ve built the website from the scratch as you can see here:
https://stephane-hugel.de/testsite-02

Today I want to relaunch my client’s website with GeneratePress/Mellow Template.
I’ve build the new data architecture in Generate Press.

As the website is in Maintenance Mode I’ll send you a login so you can have a view on that (URL field only admins can see).

What is the best way to proceed to the design relaunch and switch properly MELLOW?

1. Should I laod MELLOW’s template to change the basic design? Is there a risk of killing the existing posts as mentioned on a notice on the test site by doing so?

2. Should I re-build MELLOW step by step by activating the passing ELEMENTS on my client’s site? Is this solution more secure?

Thank you very much for your help, Stéphane

[David]

Hi there,

the Sites aren’t designed to be imported on a pre-built site. As the results may not be what one expected. If you wanted to see how it works out then i suggest creating a Staging site and then import the Site. That way your live or production site won’t be affected.

Your existing posts and pages will remain intact.

Things to be aware of:
GP Settings will change. So some content may be hidden or displayed differently.
Menus are imported from the Site will be set in place of your existing menus. But the old menus won’t be removed.
Customizer > Additional CSS will be added – this could replace any existing Additional CSS or conflict with external / child theme style sheets you may have added.
Plugins are installed that again may conflict with your existing plugins.

Which sounds like a lot of work. So testing first would be the correct thing to do.

[Stephane]

Hello David,

Thanks for your help. I would precise some points with you before loading MELLOW.

I don’t really understand your sentence in first paragraf: “If you see how it works…” I tested this on testsite seeing how and where the settings of MELLOW affect GP, installing it from the scratch.

As GP was newly installed today on the website of my client without any changes or child theme, importing all the settings of MELLOW template should work properly, shouldn’t that?

My most important concern is not to loose the data/posts of my clients site.

Thanks in advance for your help, Stephane

[David]

No existing data / posts will be lost.
If the newly installed GP Website has no settings, then the only real thing to be aware of is the Site Navigation will be updated to that of the Mellow Site.

But i would always recommend that backups are taken or a staging site is used before trying this.

[Stephane]

Hello David,

Yes doing backups is mantra number one by doing a relaunch.

The SOLUTION #1 worked properly and I was able to install MELLOW in GP on the domain of my client.

The last step for me is to add all the customizations I did on the test site.

Thank you for your help + best wishes, Stéphane

[David]

Thats great to hear. And glad to be of help!

[Author]

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