Last week, a fellow Blogcritic, Mark Sahm, alerted the Blogcritics community that WordPress 2.0 (WP) had been released. I investigated the details and learned that 2.0 includes an improved import tool for Movable Type (MT) posts.
I've wanted to migrate from MT for a while, and the improved import feature was just what I'd been waiting for. While it was technically possible to import MT entries into WP 1.5, the process required file hacking and other work-arounds that I just wasn't willing to try.
I've now successfully migrated my MT posts into a new WP 2.0 installation, but the process was not without a few hiccups, one of which required me to download and install a patch for the MT import file (mt.php).
Here's an overview of what you need to do for an easy migration from MT to WP 2.0.
Download and Install WordPress
You can download WP 2.0 from the WP site. I had my web host install WP for me. I've actually installed older versions of WP before just to explore a little, but this time I wanted someone on the geek side to do it. I actually plan to use the software this time around, so I thought it worth $15 to have an expert set things up correctly.
Download and Install the MT Import Patch
The released version of WP 2.0 has a couple of bugs in the MT Import tool. Unfortunately, I didn't learn about two of the bugs until after I imported my MT entries, and then I found myself starting over.
The first noteworthy bug: The MT Import tool appears to be importing your comments with each entry, but it actually doesn't. All your posts will show up in WP, but none of them will have a single comment with them.
The second noteworthy bug: WP creates a new user for each text file you import, even if that user name already exists in WP. So, for example, after installing WP, I created the bhw user name. When importing my files, I selected bhw as the name to associate those posts with. But WP still created a new bhw user name for imported each file, so that I ended up with 9 users called bhw. Nine. With the exact same name. Oddly enough, WP assigned all the imported posts to the very first bhw user name, as I'd requested during the import. All the other bhw's had no posts assigned to them.
Article comments
1 - Aaman
Great report
I have a question that's somewhat related. A website I manage had Wordpress installed on a website hosted on yahoo webhosting. Recently, Yahoo rolled out Wordpress (and MT) integration. I went in, selected a new directory to install wordpress to, and click-click the WordPress 2.0 installation was complete. When I navigate to the old directory, however, I get a message that WordPress is not installed. Is there any way I can retrieve the posts from that old Wordpress installation?
2 - bhw
Thanks, Aaman.
Unfortunately, everything I know about WordPress is contained in the post above. Maybe the WP support forums can help?
3 - Mark Sahm
BHW: Thanks for the plug, although I was simply trying to spread the word on WP's good blog software. I've used it for my blog since June (after Blogger decided to boycott my server) and aside from having to brush up a bit on protocols, it's been lovely.
Aaman: I don't know specifically how to help you, but here is the page on WordPress's site about their Yahoo endeavors, as well as the WP Codex which contains all the troubleshooting and guides. You should be able to find your answer there. Good luck!
4 - Temple Stark
Good post. I am a blogging software retard, and I don't think it has helped that I'm on a Mac. I know these things are supposed to be cross-platform but the stuff is always in different directories from where people tell me.
I plan to get better but I'll work on my old WP and old MT before advancing.
5 - Aaman
Does the Mac also use a FAT-style file system? Or is it POSIX-based (UNIX)?
6 - Temple Stark
I guess it would matter more what the server is, on second thinking. OSX .4 is very much unix based and i don't know what the other means :-)
At some point I'm going to go begging. But first i'll contact the peple who installed my software. I paid 'em after all, and they host the site I'm particularly thinking of.
7 - Ichank Ijo
Good info. Now, I think to migrate my blog to wordpress. Install wordpress is easy and no charge to download. Just if we want looks be a pro, we must have private domain.