Message Boards

[MemorY]

I'm not sure about simluating it....but with the mods, you first upload them(install them) then modify them in the admin CP ....or like www.stekdoza.com/example/example.php and u may have option there...

[Dhej]

I run a MySQL server and an Apache server compiled with PHP on my laptop, and on my desktop for development purposes.

If you run Windows, this looks promising http://sourceforge.net/projects/phptriad/

OR there's this site: http://www.firepages.com.au/

Or there's the google search I just did:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...ache+mysql+php

Just as a note, you'll probably access your server with the url http://localhost or http://127.0.0.0

I'm just assuming you run Windows, the most common platform for Apache, MySQL, and PHP are on Linux, a setup typically referred to as LAMP. I run it on both my MacOS X laptop and my OpenBSD test box. The only windows box I run is for my mom and sis so that I don't have to take the time to show them "where the internet is" or any such painful concept.

I dunno about those blank pages and jumbled code then, never had that experience, well not when opening them from teh desktop, sometimes I've forgotten the <?php and ?> to encapsulate the file and been scratching my head for a second or to wondering why I'm reading code rather than looking at a website..., or I've accidently navigated to an include file and wondered why it showed up blank..., but then that is why I run a copy locally, so that I can make those stupid mistakes before the public can do those same stupid mistakes.

Peace,
Dhej

[Soda_Popinsky]

When I started using phpbb I had no experience with servers. I had to struggle through it.

Phonedog-
install the apache web server at apache.org.
Then install php at php.net
Configure apache to use php, details in the php instructions
Install mysql at the mysql site.

Put the php folder into your apache root folder (usually htdocs)
make sure you apache server is running, windows has a monitor in your system tray.
go to your http://localhost, you should see a apache page
this comes from the htdocs folder, so http://localhost/phpbbwhatever will go to your phpbb installation.

It will ask you to fill in mysql database information, google to find tutorials on adding tables and such.


Reading your posts it seems you are getting blank pages because you do not have a server installed. Thats what apache is. The .php files are interpreted by the server with php installed. When you double click the file on your desktop, you completely skip the whole parsing of php code, therefore nothing shows. When you browse to it with IE to your localhost server in the browser, you send a request to apache. Apache then reads and interprets the code with PHP, and then sends HTML to the browser, not PHP. So set up the apache server first, When you get Http://localhost to show you the feather logo, then that works. Then install PHP. Try to find a hello world script in php and put it in your htdocs folder. then browse to http://localhost/helloworld.php and youll see how php pages work by server side scripting. Then the big boy, MySQL. Keep posting if you have any problems, ive done this a few times by now.

[Phonedog911]

sounds good, ill do it tonight

[valhallen]

easiest way to install apache/php/mySQl IMHO is using phptriad

you can pick it up free of sourceforge and is just one exe you run which installs all 3

once installed go to (asuming you used the default directory) c:\apache\mysql\bin\winmysqladmin.exe to setup up your username/pass

then to add databases first ensure mySQL is running (in the system tray you should see a set of traffic lights) then open apache (under start >> programs >> phptriad >> apache >> start apache)

in your webbrowser got to localhost/phpmyadmin type in whatever name you wish for your dtatbase and hit create

that should be you - to install your message board software simply put it in c:\apache\htdocs and then in your browser type localhost/forum/install.php or wherever the install file is for the forum software

the normal things these scripts ask for is (i think)

database location = localhost
username = the one you set in mySQL
password = again one you set in mysql
database name = the one you set in phpmyadmin

fill those in and you should be fine

v_Ln

[Soda_Popinsky]

Just remembered...

This is a bundle of php, apache, mysql that is preconfigured to work on localhost for php developers.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/phpdev5

I used it, worked great, click a button and start developing.

[Phonedog911]

i just installed using the php5dev and i can view the install pages and stuff, but when i try to fill out the information in install.php and submit it, it give me a "critical error, could not access the database" error. whats this? i thought it was going to create a database during the installation. im pretty sure im using mysql 3.x or 4.x but i tried it with both and it does gives me the same error

[Soda_Popinsky]

http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/...tw=programming

Try to make the database by hand. Use the instructions in the link to create your own database through the program in DOS, set your own password, maybe try to throw a -version flag to see what you have. The documentation should give you info about versions, though.

[Phonedog911]

thanx, ill do that now

[Phonedog911]

ok, i got the server running, installed the board and made my admin account... now i just have a few more problems

1. when i try to make a regular user account it has some kind of "could not send email" error. i guess there needs to be some kind of email authentication. do i need to be running an smtp server for this? if so, do most webservers(for when i host it) come with smtp functionality?

2. the database is saved outside the actual web content folder in the "mysql/data" folder as "mydb" right now in my local setup. if i put it on a webserver, where will the database be? would it be in my folder or in some "mysql/data" folder that everybody on the server uses? if thats the case, will i need to modify phpbb and tell it to look to the new place for a message board? also, do most servers let you login to mysql and query your databases in command prompt? that made things alot easier for me, id hate to have to write a php script(since i dont know php very well) everytime i want to do some adminy stuff on my site.

edit:
3. is it hard to modify these things aesthetically? i want to spiff it up a little, anybody know where i can get some good templates to customize it with and some instructions on how to use them?