Upgrade/Install openHAB using Backup Files

[papa]

        Upgrade/Install openHAB using Backup Files

Previously, I had used text config files to install openHAB.  Almost a year ago, as reported in the thread, Install OH 2.5.0.M1, MQTT 2, etc, I installed an upgraded version. I started fresh on a Windows 10 laptop. My goal was to install an (as current & as safe as possible) OpenHAB 2 version with the 2.xx bindings of NTP, Network, & MQTT AND if possible the new embedded MQTT message broker.  In the early stages of that install, I used PaperUI & was successful

Now I wanted to try installing the latest stable version of openHAB using backup data not only from openHAB's \conf folder but also from \userdata\jsondb where Things & channels are stored. In preparation, I saved a copy of all files in openHAB's \conf folder & \userdata\jsondb folders.  In openHAB's \runtime\bin folder are backup scripts (which may have saved more data), but I did not use one of those. (More on this later.)

In the jsondb Thing file, openHAB 2 stores Things in alphabetical order, but channels are stored in the order in which they are created.  As an experiment, I edited one Thing's channel into numeric order.  After the new install, when I look at PaperUI/Configuration/Things, that Thing's channels were still in the order of their creation.  Perhaps some other file controls order.

Update, Nov. 14. 2020: Although this thread's posts refer to earlier openHAB versions, I've successfully used this method for later versions, including openHAB 2.5.10 so far.

        Next, Starting the New Install of openHAB 2.5.0

[papa]

        Starting the New Install of openHAB 2.5.0

This latest install was also on a Windows 10, 64 bit laptop. I removed an older version of Java.

To satisfy the prerequisite, I downloaded & installed the latest version of Zulu Java, version 8 (build 25.232-b18 .msi). I edited the JAVA_HOME environment variable to contain the path to Java.

I downloaded the latest openHAB 2.5.0 stable & unzipped its files into a C drive folder.

Next into the new openHAB's \conf & \userdata\jsondb folders, I copied over the files I backed up from 2.5.0.M1.

        Initial Results of the New openHAB Install

[papa]

        Initial Results of the New openHAB Install

In the jsondb Thing file, openHAB 2 stores Things in alphabetical order, but channels are stored in the order in which they are created. As an experiment, I edited one Thing's channel into numeric order. After the new install, when I look at PaperUI/Configuration/Things, that Thing's channels were still in the order of their creation. I hoped that some other file controls sort order & could be changed.  However ...

In this post, David_Graeff, Maintainer, Apr '19 wrote, "It doesn’t sort. It gets the results from openHAB core and presents them exactly like that. If the core stores Thing channels in a hashmap there is no obvious order to them."

For a short list of a Thing's channels that is inconvenient & annoying.  For a long list, it could add much time & trouble trying to find a channel unless we carefully create channels in (mostly) numeric order.

        Initial Results of the New openHAB Install, continued

[papa]

        Initial Results of the New openHAB Install, continued

                I ran openHAB's start.bat

In a browser, I opened the openHAB dashboard at http://127.0.0.1:8080

In the dashboard, I chose expert package (which provides several UI choices) & waited while openHAB booted in the background

        When I had the opportunity, I opened PaperUI.

Transformations were already listed in PaperUI. Things & channels were also listed, but as "not initialized."

These addons were not installed: bindings, persistence, misc/mqtt broker, & misc/openHAB cloud

So far, how I used backed up openHAB files gave me a head start on an operational openHAB, but it was not complete.

        Progressing on the openHAB Install

[papa]

        Progressing on the openHAB Install

At PaperUI\Addons\Bindings, I entered NTP in the search box & for the NTP binding, clicked install.
   The icon spins, refresh shows NTP binding is installed, & the related Thing is now online.

   At PaperUI\Addons\Bindings, I did the same with Network & OpenWeatherMap.

     I did not install the openHAB Cloud Connector so this openHAB did not interfere with my main install in another geographical location.

  At PaperUI\Addons\Misc, I did the same with MQTT Broker Moquette & MQTT.

     As a result, the Addons were all installed & related Things & channels were online.

At PaperUI\Configuration\System\Regional Settings, I clicked Show More. Under "Measurement System" I chose Imperial (US). I clicked Save in the lower right of the Regional Settings window. I believe I also stopped & restarted OpenHAB for the change to register.

With a moderate amount of extra steps, my openHAB was back in business.

    Turns out most of what I did in this post was not necessary because of ...

         A Better Way to Upgrade/Install openHAB using Backup Files

[papa]

        A Better Way to Upgrade/Install openHAB using Backup Files

As I wrote above, in openHAB's \runtime\bin folder are backup scripts. I ran backup.bat to create a zip file backup from a working openHAB install. As I expected, it included more files than what I saved on my own before. Though there is also a restore.bat script, I just copied files from the .zip backup to their indicated folder located in a fresh install of openHAB. I then started that openHAB install.

This worked very well. I immediately had an upgraded openHAB which included my chosen installs, Things, channels, etc.

The only thing that was still needed was setting the Imperial System of measurement as I did in the post just above.

Setting up openHAB via PaperUI requires much clicking & filling fields. However, once done, this can be easily copied into a new installation with the help of a provided backup script.

[papa]

          A New Install of openHAB 2.5.1 Using Backup Scripts & Files

Since an attempt at a virtual machine blew up my Windows 10 install on a testing laptop, I was reinstalling.

        This latest install was also on a Windows 10, 64 bit laptop.

To satisfy the prerequisite, I downloaded & installed the latest version of Zulu Java, version 8 (8u242b20, Zulu: 8.44.0.11).

    I edited the JAVA_HOME environment variable to contain the path to Java (C:\Program Files\Zulu\zulu-8)

I created a folder for openHAB: C:\openHAB2.5.1 & the subfolder C:\openHAB2.5.1\backups

        (There are linux script equivalents of the Windows .bat scripts used below.)

From a working openHAB 2.5.0.M1 install, I ran /runtime/bin/backup.bat & got a .zip of essential files.

    which I copied into C:\openHAB2.5.1\backups

I downloaded the latest openHAB 2.5.1 stable & from its .zip, copied folders/files into C:\openHAB2.5.1

In C:\openHAB2.5.1\runtime\bin I ran restore.bat     The resulting folders & files look good.

    Next, Initial Results of the Latest openHAB Install

[papa]

            Initial Results of the Latest openHAB Install

I ran openHAB's start.bat

    In a browser, I opened the openHAB dashboard at http://127.0.0.1:8080

In the dashboard, I did not have to choose expert package. Via the backup, all expert package UIs were already displayed.

        I was able to open PaperUI much quicker than before

PaperUI already listed Transformations, Bindings, & the embedded MQTT broker as installed.

Things & channels were also listed & ONLINE !  Channels were linked to items.

For the time being, I uninstalled openHAB Cloud Connector because this is a test computer now my main openHAB system that automates my home.

So far, how I used backup AND RESTORE scripts gave me a quick start on an operational openHAB.