E107
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e107 is a content management system written in PHP and using the popular open source MySQL database system for content storage. It's completely free, totally customisable and in constant development.
In this tutorial we will learn how to install and configure e107. I believe the best way to learn is through practical application so my veterinarian friend has graciously consented to allowing us to create an e107 site called Cuddle Care Animal Hospital: http://www.cuddlecare.biz.
Requirements
To function, e107 requires that your web server or your hosting company's server meets the following basic requirements:
- At least one domain name
- At least one email account
- PHP 4.3.0 (or newer) http://www.php.org
- MySQL 3.22 (or newer) http://mysql.net
- A minimum of 25MB of storage space
Note. A full installation of e107 requires 8.53 MB but remember that you will need more space initially for both the compressed files and the expanded files during installation. Also, keep in mind your database will grow, and you will need space for email accounts, statistic programs, and other programs and/or databases you will be running.
The easiest way to ensure that you find a host that meets the requirements is to search for "e107 hosting" at search engines like http://www.google.com. The reason
for this is that some web-hosting companies install PHP differently, which can stop e107 from working properly. The hosting companies are always upgrading software, so if any known issues list were provided here it might be obsolete by the time the book is printed, so if you are not going to use the method suggested above then visit http://wiki.e107.org/?title=HOWTO:Install_troubleshoot#Host_and_platform-specific_problems before you go any further.
Operating System Requirements
The requirements for running e107 on both the operating systemsWindows and Unix/Linuxare the same. You must have Apache, PHP, and MySQL installed and running successfully. If you plan to use e107 on a web server that you do not own, you seriously will need to consider making a change to a web‑hosting service that uses Unix/Linux. However, if you wish to test e107 on your Windows computer at home, you will need to install Apache, MySQL, and PHP. You can install all three at once using:
- XAMPP http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp.html
- EASYPHP http://www.easyphp.org
- WAMP http://www.wampserver.com (only for Windows)
This list is by no means exhaustive or an endorsement over any others. You can also download Apache, PHP, and MySQL from their individual sites (see Appendix A), and install and troubleshoot each program.
If you have a dedicated web server and you are planning to run e107 site on this server, then it is better to install Apache, MySQL, and PHP independently. If you are operating your own server then you should be able to install, configure, and debug all three.
When possible, I prefer to develop e107 sites on the platform on which they will be running. This is easy with e107 as you can install it in the root directory or create a subdirectory in an existing website and install it. In this case, I am actually developing and hosting the website http://www.cuddlecare.biz, which we will be building together over the next few chapters.
Installing e107
Even if you are new to Linux, installing e107 is very easy. Before we begin let me caution those of you who have web-hosting accounts that feature cPanel. cPanel is a control panel very widely used in Linux hosting. Most cPanel accounts also offer Fantastico DeLuxe (a plug-in with a script library that automates script installation). If your web-hosting company activates e107 as an option then you can install e107 and the database with a mouse click. I strongly recommend against this type of installation as it often installs older versions of e107 and once it has finished you will still have to go to the e107 site, download, and install the updated files, so you really gain nothing.
Uploading e107 to Your Server
Now that you have a web space capable for handling e107 it is time to begin the installation process. First, you need to go to http://e107.org/ and download the latest version; at present it is version .0.7.7. Once you click on the Download link from the menu bar you will be presented with a page of download links :
No Command-Line Access
For security reasons, many web-hosting companies do not give you command-line access unless you have a dedicated server or dedicated virtual private server account. If you do not have the command-line access, follow these steps:
1. Download the e107 0.7.7 Full install (.zip) file to your computer.
2. Open your FTP client to your server. (If your web-hosting company supports secure FTP then use it instead of regular FTP). If you do not have an FTP client you can download a free open-source FTP client called Filezilla at http://sourceforge.net/projects/filezilla. If you are not comfortable with the interface you can do a search on FTP clients.
3. Select the folder, which is usually public_html for your HTML files. If you wish to upload to a subdirectory, you may create it and then select it. If you are worried about someone viewing your site before you are finished you will be able to deactivate the site from any visitors once the program is installed. Once you select the folder upload the ZIP file to the server.
4. Most hosting companies have a ZIP program or module. This is usually located within a file-management module within the operating panel. You need only to select the ZIP file then tell the panel to unzip it. Since there are several different panels available I can not provide more specific information; however, most reputable hosts have a knowledge base, flash tutorials, or as a last resort the customer support. Depending upon the speed of the server unzipping can take a few moments.
Command-Line (Shell) Access
If your web-hosting company provides command-line access, also known as SSH, shell, or jailed shell, then you can use a much faster method:
1. Download the e107 0.7.7 Full install (.tar.gz) file to your computer.
2. Open your FTP client to your server.
3. Select the folder for your HTML files or subdirectory where you wish to install e107.
4. Now log on to the server with your SSH client and navigate to the folder in which you placed the .tar.gz file.
5. Enter the following command to unpack the archive:
tar xvzf file.tar.gz
Setting File Permissions
When expanded, e107 will add 8 folders and 40 files to your directory. Keep in mind that this may change with updates.
Now we are going to set some directory permissions to enable us to configure and customize e107. You may not want to use all the features (plugins) of e107 so the following is broken down into core permissions and plug-in permissions. If you have never changed permissions before, start with using the Help menu on your FTP program and it should provide guidance. Whether you are using FileZilla or some other FTP program the screens will look similar to the screenshot below. Right-click the folder or file for which you wish to change the permission and look for either CHMOD (a UNIX Command) or File Attributes from the context menu.
Core Permissions
We are now going to change the file permissions to enable us to modify, configure, and upload files to our installation. To do this we need to change permissions to Read, Write, Execute or with some FTP clients that use the UNIX interface to the numeric value 777 also known as chmod 777. FileZilla gives you the option of either checking off the checkboxes or changing the numeric value.
Change the permissions of the following file:
e107_config.php
Change the permissions of the following folders:
e107_themes/e107_plugins/e107_files/publice107_files/public/avatarse107_files/cachee107_files/downloade107_files/downloadimages/e107_files/downloadthumbs/e107_images/newspost_images/
Note. Do not open the folders and change the files. Change the folders only.
Plug-in Permissions
Since e107 can be used for many different purposes its functionality is expanded by modular programming code called Plugins. The plugins below are the most common and are included in the zip/tar.gz file. To use the plugins you will need to chmod to 777 some additional directories.
Content Management Plugin
e107_plugins/content/images/cat/e107_plugins/content/images/cat/16/e107_plugins/content/images/cat/48/e107_plugins/content/images/file/e107_plugins/content/images/file/tmp/e107_plugins/content/images/icon/e107_plugins/content/images/icon/tmp/e107_plugins/content/images/image/e107_plugins/content/images/image/tmpe107_plugins/content/images/menus/
The Content Management System Plugin is hands down the best plugin for e107. It allows the management of content with great flexibility and if you are creating a website that will have large amounts of information then you will come to rely on this plugin. A book could be written on this one plugin alone; however, this is beyond the scope of this tutorial and for our small veterinary website we will not be using the CMS plugin.
Links Page
The Links Page Plugin is used to create a links page with categories and sub-categories.
e107_plugins/links_page/cat_images/e107_plugins/links_page/link_images/
Statistic Logging
Most hosts offer web statistics with their hosting accounts; however, e107 does have a plug-in for collecting statistics.
e107_plugins/log/logs
If you would like to gather information about the visitors coming to your site, such as browser type, country, pages accessed, etc., then you can set the file permission to enable you to use the Statistic Logging plugin.
Running the Installation Script
Now that we have finished changing the core permissions close your FTP client, open up your web browser, and navigate to the URL where your files are located. In my case, that is http://www.cuddlecare.biz but if you have another domain name, just substitute your URL or browse http://www.yourdomain.com.
If you are using Windows with the Apache server then locate your installation where you specified your folder structure when you installed Apache. Usually this will begin with http://localhost/html/cuddlecare.
Now follow along with me as we finish our installation:
Stage 1
If all the files were successfully uploaded you will see the first page of the install script. It will give you an option for the language you wish to use during the configuration.
Select Set Language to proceed to the next stage.
Stage 2
Now, it is time to create our database. This will happen in one of the following two ways depending upon your access.
Root Access
If you have root access you can create the database using the e107 installation script using your root username and password. Make sure to select the Create checkbox. If you do not have root access follow the alternative method explained next.
Select Continue to proceed to the next stage.
No Root Access
Unless you have a dedicated server, most likely you will not have root access. Before you can proceed, you will need to log on to your server following the instructions that you received from your web-hosting company. Almost all Linux web hosts offer a user panel these days that allows you to create email accounts, manage extensions, and to create databases.
I recommend you to name this test website as e107 to avoid any confusion. You will also need to assign a user to the database. You can consult your web-host support section if you need help, as this varies from system to system. If you use a browser-based interface, make sure to open a new window or tab so you do not have to start the installation process again.
Once you have created the database and assigned a user, return to the installation script, and enter data in all the fields except selecting the checkbox Create database as shown in the screenshot on the next page. Please note that when you create a database on a shared server most of the time you prefix the database name and then an underscore ("username_") in this case, it is cuddle_e107. If I entered only e107 I would receive an error message stating that e107 was unable to connect to the database. Again, if you are unsure, then check your web host's knowledge base tutorials, or submit a question through support.
Select Continue to go to the next stage.
Stage 3
If all the information is entered correctly in Stage 2 then the next screen will confirm the e107 connection to the MySQL database (see the screenshot below).
Select Continue to proceed to the next stage.
If you get an error message use the Back button of the browser, correct the necessary information, select Continue, and proceed as above.
Stage 4
Way to go! You are half way through the installation process. Stage 4 confirms that the installation folders and files have the necessary permissions along with the required versions of PHP and MySQL installed before proceeding. If all is well, you will see the next screen like that shown in the screenshot on the next page. Select Continue Installation to proceed.
Stage 5
You are almost there; keep up the good work! In this stage, you will enter details such as the admin username, password, and the email account you wish for e107 to use for the administration email (see the screenshot on the next page).
For security reasons, you should use a username and password other than the one you use for your web-hosting account access. If you want a quick way to generate passwords that are difficult to break, you can search for online password generation websites like http://www.techzoom.net/security-password.asp and follow the instructions.
Select Continue to proceed to the next stage.
Stage 6
At this stage there is just a confirmation screen confirming that the e107 install program has all the information necessary to create the database and tables that are required for the program's operations.
Select Continue to proceed to the next stage.
Stage 7
Congratulations! This is the last stage. If you see the screen as shown in the screenshot below then you have done a successful installation. If you are seeing anything else, then skip down to the heading Troubleshooting Common Installation Problems.
Select Continue to exit the installation. This takes us to the first page of our new cuddlecare.biz website (see the screenshot below).
Securing Your Installation
If you see the welcome screen as shown opposite then it is time to secure your installation. Connect to your site using your FTP client as we did earlier (see the screenshot under the section Setting File Permissions) and change the file permissions for file /e107_config.php to 644.
We have now completed a full installation of e107. However, before we move on to the next chapter let's look at updating an installation and some troubleshooting tips for when the install does not quite go as smoothly as above.
Upgrading an Existing e107 Installation
The e107 development team is dedicated to improving e107. In fact, the 0.7 version was almost a complete rewriting of code from 0.6. You should always keep your e107 up to date. Most version upgrades fix security problems or minor bugs in the code. Additionally e107 issues upgrades when updates to MySQL and PHP may affect functionality. Before you roll your eyes back into your head, updating is very easy.
Here is what you need to do:
1. You should make a backup of your e107 database before making any changes. With a hosting control panel this is usually done by locating the MySQL or some panels have a backup feature that allows you to make a full backup of your website or databases. If you have this feature, select backup of the database.
2. Locate the latest update from http://e107.org/edownload.php. This is usually the first file located under the section displaying full installation links and will be similar to e107 0.7.x to 0.7.7 Upgrade (.zip).
3. Click on the link and download into a folder on your computer.
4. Unzip the folder.
5. Usually updating consists of uploading the files to the server overwriting the existing files. But before you do this, make sure to check for any readme files. If present, these will contain any special instructions; otherwise you can continue.
6. Open your FTP client so that you have the upgrade source files as shown in the screenshot below.
7. Transfer all the folders and files to your web server overwriting existing files.
8. Once all the files have been uploaded log out of the FTP client.
You can see that upgrade process was easy and it only took a couple of minutes. I recommend that you check for updates preferably once a week or at least once a month.
Database Updates
There can be database updates within an upgrade release. In this case, when you log in to the admin area of your site, you will see a button in the center of the screen (above the welcome 'name' part with all the image buttons) stating that an update is needed on the database. Before updating your database, ensure that you make a backup first before you click on the button.
Troubleshooting Common Installation Problems
I was going to call this section "when things go wrong" and have a little guy pulling his hair out but didn't want to confuse you into thinking I was advertising an old B horror film. Like everything in life, things do not always go according to plan, especially when it comes to loading programs or updating them. I am sure that you have experienced a problem or two in your computing lifetime.
If you are the victim of a stuck installation or the files are installed but you have a blank screen where the welcome screen should be, do not bang the keyboard or throw your computer on the floor. It is all right to swear if you want. However, once your face turns from red back to normal go to http://www.e107.org and select forums. By using the search forum feature you can search for your specific problem. Chances are that with so many users, the problem and its respective solution will be available.
Note. When searching the forums it is best to start with the oldest response and work forward providing that you are viewing information for the version that you have installed. As you look at the forums you will notice that many people ask the same questions but usually you will only find a response to the first query. Please remember that the development team and support team members donate their time and we should all endeavor not to waste it on unnecessary queries.
Summary
In this tutorial we have learned where to obtain the latest version of e107 and gone through the installation process step by step. We learned the importance of backing up your database and finally we covered how to keep e107 in up-to-date form and provided you with a troubleshooting resource. Now go grab your favorite caffeinated beverage, stretch your legs, and we will proceed with creating our website.
Additional Refrences
If want to learn about customizing themes, click here
Source
The source of this content is Chapter 2: Installing e107 of Building Websites with e107 by Tad Boomer (Packt Publishing, 2007).
