By ifixyourpc on

Hi All,
I am getting messages suggesting i update to 7.18 wheni am on 7.2?

NAME INSTALLED VERSION RECOMMENDED VERSION
Drupal core (Security update) 7.2 7.18 (Release notes)

Is this correct?
Thanks

⋅ Categories: Drupal 7.x

Comments

Je K Ryan’s picture

Je K Ryan commented

The sub-version numbering is not like decimal numbering but rather like normal numeric order.

7.1 --> 7.2 --> 7.3... 7.9 --> 7.10 --> 7.11... 7.17 --> 7.18

7.2 was released on 25th May 2011

Hope that helps
JK

ifixyourpc’s picture

ifixyourpc commented

Ahhh i get it thanks JK..
basically in laymans terms i'm on 7.02 and need to be in 7.18..

Do i have to do them in sequence or just jump from 7.2 to 7.18?

All new to me,
I need to work out how to backup my database first in myphpadmin..
Is there a monkeys guide to doing that? lol

Thanks

Stuart

Je K Ryan’s picture

Je K Ryan commented

You can jump straight from 7.2 to 7.18. As long as you are within the same major version, ie. 7 in this case, you can skip minor releases as they are cumulative, so 7.18 contains all the bug fixes and security updates added since 7.2 (7.02 ahem!).

As for a monkey's guide, try these
http://drupal.org/node/120630
http://drupal.org/node/81993

Hope that helps
JK

ifixyourpc’s picture

ifixyourpc commented

Thanks again JK,
I'll try and get my head around it today and make my first back up just in case :)

Road Runner’s picture

Road Runner commented

Just because Drupal numbered that way in the past doesn't mean it needs to continue doing so. The rest of the world numbers versions in a consistent way, here at drupal we number differently why? Why continue with a confusing practice. In my opinion there are any number of things that add unnecessary confusion. Node anyone? I'll bet there are many out there who have their own pet peeve. The numbering is an easy fix but if we can't even do that imagine the difficulty in fixing the more contentious issues.

Je K Ryan’s picture

Je K Ryan commented

This method of sequential numbering is not Drupal specific, but rather the standard way in software development.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_versioning

As for Node, well my being a Star Trek fan kind of made that one more amusing really.

Drave Robber’s picture

Drave Robber commented

There are some efforts to make it better:
#586146: [policy, no patch] Decide if and how to implement semantic versioning for Drupal 8.x
#1612910: [policy, no patch] Switch to Semantic Versioning for Drupal contrib extensions (modules, themes, etc)

Je K Ryan’s picture

Je K Ryan commented

Yes, indeed, that old chestnut.

The two posts you link to would still follow sequential numbering, though granted that splitting the minor version into two parts would make for smaller numbers, but at some point one of the minor numbers is going to go beyond 9 and at that point we'll still get the same result as at present.

JK

ifixyourpc’s picture

ifixyourpc commented

Ok, successfully updated to 7.18 from 7.02..

Noticed there is another drupal (8x?) what is it whats the difference ?

Je K Ryan’s picture

Je K Ryan commented

Version 8 is currently in development and due to be released towards the end of this year, and by all accounts is going to be an incredible piece of work.

Take a look at http://drupal.org/community-initiatives/drupal-core