Ticket #127: Install.txt

PHP-Nuke: Web Portal System
===========================

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS. IF YOU DO THIS,
YOU WILL HAVE YOUR SITE UP AND RUNNING IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.

##############################################################################
#                        I M P O R T A N T    N O T E                        #
##############################################################################
# IMPORTANT: I saw many sites that removes the copyright line in the footer  #
# of each page. YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO REMOVE NOR CHANGE/EDIT THAT NOTE.      #
# You can sell services based on PHP-Nuke, you can make money from it, you   #
# can do almost whatever you want with PHP-Nuke but DO NOT REMOVE NOR EDIT   #
# THE COPYRIGHT NOTICES!!! Removing it is a GPL license's violation.         #
# If you do not agree with this simple rule, delete all PHP-Nuke files       #
# rigth now and move away from it. Thanks.                                   #
##############################################################################

Base Requirements
-----------------

In order to setup PHP-Nuke the folowing prerequisits are necessary.

- A Linux or Windows Box installed and working properly.
- Apache Web Server (http://www.apache.org)
- PHP version 4.2.x or better (mod_php) Apache module (http://www.php.net)
- MySQL database server (http://www.mysql.com)

NOTE: From PHP-Nuke version 5.3, I added a new SQL abstraction layer,
this means that PHP-Nuke now supports MySQL, mSQL, PostgreSQL, PostgreSQL_local,
ODBC, ODBC_Adabas, Sybase and Interbase servers. The official test server
is MySQL which is used to develop PHP-Nuke. Any feedback about others SQL Servers
and how it works will be very appreciated and useful.

The above doesn't mean it will not work with other configurations, OS's, DB's, etc,
but we only provide INSTALL instructions for the above configuration.
In fact PHP-Nuke works under Windows (all), FreeBSD, OS/2, MacOS, etc.

Setup of these required packages is beyond the scope of this document
and if you are unsure you should check with each of the appropriate web
sites for further details.


Installing the Package (The fast and easy way)
----------------------------------------------

Unzip the package into the directory you want to use on you web
server, if you're unsure where that is, ask you system administrator.

Point your browser to your site, for example: http://phpnuke.org

The system will show you an error message with a link to the web based installer utility (introduced
with PHP-Nuke 8.0), follow the very easy steps and you're done.


Installing the Package (The hard way)
-------------------------------------

Unzip the package into the directory you want to use on you web
server, if you're unsure where that is, ask you system administrator.

Now go to the directory where you uncompressed all files and edit the
file "config.php". Change all the fields until you are happy with the
changes and they fits the need of your web site. Give special attention
to the database configuration section. When you have finished to edit
config.php file change to the /sql/ directory and there is a file called
"nuke.sql" this file contains the commands to build the database structure,
tables and the default data.

If you're using a software like phpMyAdmin go to step 3.

1) Create a database called, for example, nuke:

    mysqladmin create nuke
    
2) Now fill the databases with the tables in /html/install/sql/nuke.sql file:

    mysql nuke < nuke.sql

3) In order to use the ultramode.txt news file please be sure to chmod 666.
   This file is used to show news from your site in some old programs and
   frontends and is reserved to future use in PHP-Nuke. For backend use
   backend.php file instead.

4) That's it!... now you need to edit the file "config.php" to set the
database options. Please read carefully the instruction on that file!
After that, point your browser your site's administration area,
for example:

        http://phpnuke.org/admin.php
    
    We use MySQL as the example and nuke.sql file is in MySQL format
because PHP-Nuke was made using this database server. You can find
many programs out there to convert the database schema from MySQL to
whatever else you want. But this is a task for you.


First Run
---------

    Create your Super User following the on-screen instructions.
    Now click on "Preferences" and change whatever you want to fit your
site info. All the options you need to change are in the Preferences
menu. If you need help just click con the help icon at the right-top
of the Administration Menu. This will open a new window with the help
you need for each section in the administration system.

SECURITY TIP: It's a good choice to put your config.php file outside the
Web Server path, then you can create a new config.php with the line:

<?php include("../config.php"); ?>


Upgrading from previous versions
--------------------------------

    To upgrade a prevoius PHP-Nuke installation to this new version you
need to edit the selected upgrade file from upgrades directory and launch
your web browser to:

    http://www.phpnuke.org/upgrade80-81.php

    all the new tables will be added and updated automagically without touch
your old data.

IMPORTANT: Remember to backup always your database before any upgrade, just
in case. If something goes wrong don't come crying to me.


Testing the Installation
------------------------

Go to your homepage, for example:

    http://phpnuke.org/index.php
    
To initiate your activities in your site, you need to login as Administrator at:

    http://phpnuke.org/admin.php
    
    this will give you full administrator priviledges to your installation of Nuke.

*** For security reasons please remember to create a Super User IMMEDIATELY!!! ***

    Remember to "Logout" from admin after you use it, from this area you can
delete or add content on your site, never leave your computer without logggin out
from the admin account. If something bad happens don't come crying to me.

    I recommend the use of phpMyAdmin. It's a good administration system for
MySQL databases. To download it just go to http://phpmyadmin.net

    I also recommend to set a password for your MySQL access. This is important
as some data in the nuke database is not encrypted, so for security reasons you
need to set a password, not only that, it's a good practice!

    For Banners System, when you setup a new client, you need to assign a new
login/password for him. The login and password is used by the client at the url:

        http://phpnuke.org/banners.php?op=login
        
    in order to let the client view and track the banners stats in real time
just pass that url to your clients. Take a look yourself before you do.


Final Notes
-----------    

    That's it! You're done with PHP-Nuke. Just navigate around, play with it, 
abuse it and if you like PHP-Nuke, use it. Spend some time getting used to the 
administration interface.

    To change your site's logo, go to the themes directory and make a custom
logo for each individual theme. Just navigate around all themes and change
the graphics you want.

    A note for the PHP-Nuke site's administrators: Only admins (authors) can
view the following data in the site:

    - Administration Menu
    - Number of New Submissions
    - Edit button for each link in Web Links
    - Edit and Delete options for each Article
    - Delete option for each comment
    - IP/Host address of the comment poster
    - Moderation option and button (if set for admin only)
    - and MANY more...

    If you plan to give something in change for PHP-Nuke as a contribution,
please read the file SUPPORT included in this package to have some ideas.



*** Special Thanks to all the people who help sending bugs reports, fixes, new
add-ons, requests for new features, etc... I really appreciate you all! ***

************************************
* PHP-Nuke URL: http://phpnuke.org *
************************************

Enjoy!

-- Francisco Burzi