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I currently run two sites. I closed the third one down a few weeks ago.

You're correct, I do run 1.3.0 and most of the Github updates up until 4 months ago.  I pick the eyes out of the updates, but the forum one does interest me.

I now know why the forum is so quiet. One Boonex member moved over a few weeks ago, but I'm not sure he's tried Cheetah yet. It's so difficult to get people interested.

Actually you have several database changes. Keep in mind you installed your site from a version from github which is somewhere in between the last official release and whats currently there. So there are many database changes from the actual last official release.

I could do a simple update method as you suggest. Based on my license server hits for license checks, there are only 4 people using cheetah. And includes you and me. So there are actually only 2 others still using it.

PHP 8 updates are not yet complete, but i intend to keep cheetah backwards compatible with PHP 7 for a while at least.

I hear you.

I've made hundreds of changes to my site., but most are in the template areas. However, I have made a few changes to the core, but none have involved updating the database to my knowledge. Most are just cosmetic enhancements.

I tried keeping a record of the core changes, but they got out of hand. Before I replace a core file from Github, I compare it with the file on my site. So far I've been lucky and the changes are minimal.

I am concerned about an upgrade, especially to PHP 8, because it also involves "several" third-party modules which probably won't be 8 compatible.

With regards to the updater,  is it really worth the effort you're putting in? GG's old clients may need help, but I somehow think there weren't that many. Because the forum is so quiet, it implies that a lot of people are seeking professional help, or they've gone fishing.

Professionals shouldn't need an updater and I'm wondering what problems I'll have using one. Could a more mechanical approach be taken?

For example, a package containing the cluster of files needed to upgrade the core, with changes highlighted (Github style for example) and a database dump necessary to update the database? The same could then be done for each of the modules based on their popularity. I use about 4 Cheetah modules and I feel that others may only need a few.

I thought the Boonex method was flawed and it nailed me a few times.

In a nutsell, it would be remarkable if my site could be updated to 8, but I'm happy to beta test if you need a guinea pig.

The only way to do it is to locate the code changes in github and apply them. And yes, a database change is needed too.

But this method of doing updates is what is preventing the supplied update script from working which is the reason i have not yet released a update because i know it will not work on your site without producing database errors.

There are other possible sites that GeekGirl had patched in a similar way that also may have problems.

Thats the reason i am trying to develop a new updater that will work even if partial manual updates have already been done.