Double checking *how* to upgrade 4CAT with docker from the command-line

[LAMaglan]

I can see the instructions for upgrading 4CAT here:
https://github.com/digitalmethodsinitiative/4cat/wiki/Upgrading-4CAT

I am specifically interested in the docker approach. Just double checking that it is sufficient to
just update the .env and docker-compose.yml files (i.e. get newer 4CAT image), and that it is
not necessary to update the rest of the files from the github repo (e.g. with git pull or similar)?

[stijn-uva]

If I understand you correctly, it would indeed be sufficient to update docker-compose.yml and .env. This Docker Compose file pulls images from DockerHub, so it does not rely on the local source code to build 4CAT. If you want to build your own containers based on local source code, you would use docker-compose_build.yml instead.

We don't really have instructions on how to upgrade in the latter case, since typically this would be done to be able to make your own changes to the code, in which case upgrading is tricky (since updates may not be compatible with your changes, etc).

[LAMaglan]

Great, thanks for the clarification. You may close the issue.

[LAMaglan]

I would like to upgrade 4CAT from v1.44 to v1.46 . From checking the commit logs (and my own files), there is no change in the docker-compose.yml file. However, in the .env file, the name of the DOCKER_CONFIG_VOL has changed from 4cat_4cat_share to 4cat_4cat_config. Will this have any practical consequence when following the upgrade instructions here? Or should I for instance keep the previous name (i.e. 4cat_4cat_share) in the .env file?

Also, for my own understanding: Is it correct that the mounted volumes (e.g. 4cat_4cat_data which has the harvested data) persist when upgrading 4CAT?

[awatkins1966]

Did you get this upgarde working, since I am looking at this and the problem I face is how to upgrade the postgres database.

I have upgraded before but the POSTGRES_TAG is stuck at 16 and it be nice to move on to 18.

[dale-wahl]

You may check the Postgres docker image repo for information on upgrading their image. But in principle, you can start the Postgres’s image and connect to it (via “docker exec -it 4cat_db bash” or perhaps something other than bash…) and run an upgrade. That would update the 4cat db and you could then use a new image.

It is highly recommended to backup the 4cat_db volume first…

[dale-wahl]

Super late @LAMaglan but the “share” vs “config” version would be dependent on what existing docker volumes you have. If it was originally called share then you would want to use share.

The config volume contains information pertaining to which version of 4cat you are using at a given time. It is mostly necessary for upgrade to work appropriately. It also contains some things like session and extensions if you happen to be using them. In hindsight, there should have only been one volume for 4cat data.

[LAMaglan]

@dale-wahl Thanks for the details - I managed to upgrade that time (essentially what you are describing, and how I understood it by keeping the same volume names). For my part, this issue can be closed.