Installing XAMPP to create a localhost for Vanilla

Sevenupcan

I was wondering if anyone could provide me with some help setting up a localhost to test vanilla on. I'm using XAMPP made by Apache Friends because what I've read makes me believe it might be easy to set up. So far it's been alright, however I can't seem to find any documentation on their site, nor a link to their forum. My problem is that in the status of my local setup it says my MySQL database is deactivated, however I don't know how you activate it. Does anyone know how I do this? Maybe you can suggest another method for setting up a local version of vanilla, however I'm a bit of a newb when it comes to this sort of stuff. Best reagards

Bergamot

Linux?

Sevenupcan

Sorry I should have mentioned the platform. I'm currently using it on Mac OS X. Having a further look, I have found some terminal commands via http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp-macosx.html#903. Sorry to have bothered you. My next task will be to see if I can get it to php4 for Vanilla.

c-unit

You could try this guide for installing PHP http://developer.apple.com/internet/opensource/php.html And use the MySQL package for Mac OS X http://mysql.he.net/Downloads/MySQL-4.1/mysql-standard-4.1.18-apple-darwin8.2.0-powerpc.dmg I've used the MySQL package for Ruby on Rails with no problems, but I've never tried to install PHP locally.

Sevenupcan

Thanks c-unit. I'll check those out. I think I already have MySQL installed, just not sure how I would set up my mac to act as the server now. (also bare in mind, I know little php and sql just enough to set up applications like Vanilla and WordPress)

I have now configure XAMPP however now I set a password from the root of my MySQL it's changed phpMyAdmin slightly. The homepage to phpMyAdmin now says the following...

The configuration file now needs a secret passphrase (blowfish_secret).

Now after doing some research I realise blow fish is an algorithm interface for encrypting data. So I did a search for blowfish in my XAMPP folder and found a file dedicated to it, however I can't find where I should put the pass phrase, if that's what I need to do.

I could show you what is in the file, but it's quite a big page and copyrighted.

lech

First things first, in mysql you need to set up the mysql admin password, after that you can go ahead and create seperate users unless you don't mind running apps that require mysql with root access (this is highly unrecommended). Unless xampp does this for you, you should have to do it via console. Depending on which version of mysql you're using, it should be roughly the same between 4 and 5. After this is done, you should be able to go ahead and create users/databases via either mysqladmin or other mysql applications. I suggest the mysql query monitor along with mysql administrator tools directly available @ mysql.com :D

Sevenupcan

Thanks Lech. I've decided to set up a local testing server manually as hopefully by the end of it I will have had gained a better understanding as how servers work.

So far I can see it as the following steps... correct me if I'm wrong

1 - Installing Apache or updating to latest version
2 - Installing PHP or updating to latest version
3 - Installing MySQL or updating to latest version
4 - Configuring virtual hosts
5 - Setting up FTP
6 - Downloading and using a MySQL client to manage databases

What I've done so far is.

1 - I have Apache, however I'm not sure which version I have, and which of the latest versions run on Mac OS X
2 - Completed
3 - Completed
4 - I can access mysite.dev from my system but I don't know how to make it accessible within my network from other computers. My machine has a static IP address, so I would think it would be possible. Anyone know of any links or resources for this?
5 - I'm not sure how I set up an FTP for a local server anyone know of any resources?
6 - Completed

Am I going about this the right way?

lech

If you're computers are behind a router, you can simply tweak each machines host file (providing they each have one and it's similar to how you do it under nix/win) and assigning a name and IP to that address. if you've assigned the domain of 'mysite.dev' to the box in question and want it accessible the same way on other machines, in your hosts file for the other machine you'll add 'mysite.dev' then the ip of that computer within your local network. As long as a vhost in apache exists for 'mysite.dev' apache will serve you that site or serve up the default vhost. If you want to get creative, I suggest registering a couple dyndns.org domains static/dynamic whichever may apply to your service type and tying down those names to the vhost file to familiarize yourself further with how things work :) Accessing it all via ssh/ftp would be not much more difficult than pointing to your client from one machine on the network to the ip and port of the other machine that's acting as the ftp server. If ftp/ssh isn't answering, make sure the service is enabled and double check all your ip/port settings. Once you work out all the little bugs and get set up, it's quite fun to have your own personal little server to mess around on.

Minisweeper

Just as a thought, if it's only network based you dont even need ftp. Normal fileshares will do the job fine.

lech

this is only true if the computer acting as server isn't in the DMZ range of the network, and is truely secure from any type of an attack. Typically, if I expose any machine to wide open internet, or even a few ports forwarded to it, I tend to kill all forms of network sharing and limit transfers to ssh/ftp.

c-unit

CocoaMySQL is simply the best MySQL manager out for Mac (I think), just a heads up.

Sevenupcan

Thanks for the tips guys, having trouble with virtual hosting at the moment. I'm not sure if I may need a new httpd.conf file, does anyone know where I might be able to download a fresh one?

EDIT: Also what will a DnyDNS allow me to do?

lech

If you look around, you should have a httpd.conf.example file sitting around in one of your directories if you weren't stupid enough to rename and over-write it's contents. Not sure whether it would be helpful to use a different one as sometimes installation options differ or are system specific and the settings occasionally reflect it. Best thing to do would be to follow the apache manual and correct whatever could be killing or annoying you. DynDns like similar services allows you to allocate a subdomain.domain.com/net/org/nu address to your IP address. It's not necessary, but it does help if you want a (semi) qualified domain name attached to your server. And it's helpful if you want to point other people to your machine without having to look up what dynamic IP you've been assigned by your isp. There's many similar services out there like noip.com but dyndns.org seems to be the easiest to manage and set up cron'd update services for.

Sevenupcan

Thanks. I found out that some settings in NetInfo Manager were confliction with the httd.config file and had to resolve them by making sure they were the same. I'll have a look into the DynDNS.

Thanks again.