[thelist] synchronizing test and production

[VOLKAN ÖZÇELİK]

> invest some time in ensuring that the links are all relative, and to
> remove all server-specific items to a config file of some sort;

I second that.

I do it generally on my web.config file.

I have developement constants (such as db connection strings,
predefined directories etc)
and their production counterparts declared the same web.config file.

So far, I have done the syncing in two different ways:

- Either at code execution phase I sniff the url (Request.URL in
asp.net) and decide which constant to use.

- Or define yet another variance on the web.config file (say Environment)
and choose local connection string if Environment is "LOCAL" and
development connection string if Environment is "DEVELOPMENT" etc.
Just change this single variable and upload the config file.

Although what I do is .net specific, imho, it can be implemented to
any server-side (scripting or compiled) language such as Classic ASP,
JSP, PHP, CF etc.

HTH,
--
Volkan Ozcelik
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