Creating an Online Forum - A HOW TO...
I've been toying around on my regular web site http://www.cellar-dweller.com and thought hey, all these other sites have a forum so why don't I give it a shot? How hard could it be???
Well this post is going to talk about 3 major things PHP, PHPBB, MySQL and we'll throw in XP SP2, IIS for good measure.
For those of you out there not knowing what I'm talking about. Frequent any normal web site and you'll see that many have what is called a Bulletin Board or for us Techies (FORUM)... This is where you can post things sort of similar to this blog and it's comments.
Well first off I must mention that PHPBB does not support fully PHP 5 but since I never listen and I'm in IT, I'm a know it all... LOL. So I didn't listen, but hey it all works like a charm, only time will tell if a major issue comes up.
Here is my HOW TO for all you Web Design want a be's out there. Now mind you I NEVER played with any of these items until last week but here is my HOW TO. Hope this is informative and something you'll all give a try. Just install it locally and play around with it it's great. I created one at work pertaining to those I work with and the company I'm currently working for AGAIN, equals some good fun. Enjoy.
Feel free to copy and paste this section for safe keeping and I must say before posting it that isn't it funny how OPEN SOURCE is FREE and usually works much better than the things you pay dearly for??? Wow another subject - I'm on a roll read my next post about Open Source Software...
Ok sorry about that here we go:
Install everything
Install MySQL by running setup within mysql-4.1.12-win32.zip
Extract php-5.0.4-Win32.zip to C:\PHP
Install MySQL Administrator by running mysql-administrator-1.0.20-win.msi
Extract PHPBB2 to your Web Server root example: c:\inetpub\wwwroot\phpbb2 and rename to forum or whatever you like
Create a NEW System Variable called PHPRC with value of c:\PHP or where ever PHP was installed to
Copy php.ini-recommended and paste in same place and rename php.ini edit these lines only by using find
extension_dir = "c:\php\ext\"
doc_root = "c:\inetpub\wwwroot" or whatever your root is on server
uncomment by removing (;) from in front of extension=php_mysql.dll
Copy the file libmysql.dll to your system32 folder
Create a Schema with MySQL with the MySQL Administrator call it forum or whatever you like by clicking Catalog after logging
in and then highlight any schema on lower left usually test or mysql - Once highlighted then click in white area below the
highlighted item and pick Create Schema
Start up your webserver and have MySQL service set up and running
Go to Default Web site and right click and pick properties and select Home Directory Tab Set Execute Permissions to Scripts
Only and click configuration button and pick Add and point to C:\PHP\php5isapi.dll and .php and then pick Documents Tab and click Add button and type index.php and Add it and move to top with arrow on left
Create a basic text file in the root of your webserver called test.txt with this in it and then rename the .txt file test.php and use your browser and type http://domainname/test.php if you only see the code above then PHP is not installed or working correctly but if you see an information page full of information about PHP then it's up and functioning properly - check within it to see that all the proper paths are set for MySQL and that there is a section for MySQL and if there is then both PHP and MySQL are up and functioning properly
Now go to http://domainname/forum and it should auto bring up the Install for PHPBB2 fill it out and place all proper items in this and hit install and you should get installed successful screen
If you are doing this locally it will ask you to ftp or download your config.php - download and just move this file to your forum folder
Now log into your newly created forum with what you set up for your admin username and password and you may get another error about deleting two folders - just go to your webserver and delete the two folders it mentions Install and Contrib
You have now succesfully set up your PHPBB Forum
Written by Cellar Dweller
Well there it is folks a quick and straight to the point way of getting that forum you've always wondered how other sites got set up. If you want to get support head on over to
http://www.mysql.com
http://www.php.net
http://www.phpbb.com/
Well this post is going to talk about 3 major things PHP, PHPBB, MySQL and we'll throw in XP SP2, IIS for good measure.
For those of you out there not knowing what I'm talking about. Frequent any normal web site and you'll see that many have what is called a Bulletin Board or for us Techies (FORUM)... This is where you can post things sort of similar to this blog and it's comments.
Well first off I must mention that PHPBB does not support fully PHP 5 but since I never listen and I'm in IT, I'm a know it all... LOL. So I didn't listen, but hey it all works like a charm, only time will tell if a major issue comes up.
Here is my HOW TO for all you Web Design want a be's out there. Now mind you I NEVER played with any of these items until last week but here is my HOW TO. Hope this is informative and something you'll all give a try. Just install it locally and play around with it it's great. I created one at work pertaining to those I work with and the company I'm currently working for AGAIN, equals some good fun. Enjoy.
Feel free to copy and paste this section for safe keeping and I must say before posting it that isn't it funny how OPEN SOURCE is FREE and usually works much better than the things you pay dearly for??? Wow another subject - I'm on a roll read my next post about Open Source Software...
Ok sorry about that here we go:
Install everything
Install MySQL by running setup within mysql-4.1.12-win32.zip
Extract php-5.0.4-Win32.zip to C:\PHP
Install MySQL Administrator by running mysql-administrator-1.0.20-win.msi
Extract PHPBB2 to your Web Server root example: c:\inetpub\wwwroot\phpbb2 and rename to forum or whatever you like
Create a NEW System Variable called PHPRC with value of c:\PHP or where ever PHP was installed to
Copy php.ini-recommended and paste in same place and rename php.ini edit these lines only by using find
extension_dir = "c:\php\ext\"
doc_root = "c:\inetpub\wwwroot" or whatever your root is on server
uncomment by removing (;) from in front of extension=php_mysql.dll
Copy the file libmysql.dll to your system32 folder
Create a Schema with MySQL with the MySQL Administrator call it forum or whatever you like by clicking Catalog after logging
in and then highlight any schema on lower left usually test or mysql - Once highlighted then click in white area below the
highlighted item and pick Create Schema
Start up your webserver and have MySQL service set up and running
Go to Default Web site and right click and pick properties and select Home Directory Tab Set Execute Permissions to Scripts
Only and click configuration button and pick Add and point to C:\PHP\php5isapi.dll and .php and then pick Documents Tab and click Add button and type index.php and Add it and move to top with arrow on left
Create a basic text file in the root of your webserver called test.txt with this in it and then rename the .txt file test.php and use your browser and type http://domainname/test.php if you only see the code above then PHP is not installed or working correctly but if you see an information page full of information about PHP then it's up and functioning properly - check within it to see that all the proper paths are set for MySQL and that there is a section for MySQL and if there is then both PHP and MySQL are up and functioning properly
Now go to http://domainname/forum and it should auto bring up the Install for PHPBB2 fill it out and place all proper items in this and hit install and you should get installed successful screen
If you are doing this locally it will ask you to ftp or download your config.php - download and just move this file to your forum folder
Now log into your newly created forum with what you set up for your admin username and password and you may get another error about deleting two folders - just go to your webserver and delete the two folders it mentions Install and Contrib
You have now succesfully set up your PHPBB Forum
Written by Cellar Dweller
Well there it is folks a quick and straight to the point way of getting that forum you've always wondered how other sites got set up. If you want to get support head on over to
http://www.mysql.com
http://www.php.net
http://www.phpbb.com/
posted by Cellar Dweller at 9:03 PM
2 Comments:
Funny you should put a post about creating a forum. I've been wanting to do this for my company website for some time. I wanted a way for my employees to collaberate ideas.
I don't currently host my own website, but that will probably change sometime this summer. I have a few questions that you may or may not be able to answer. Here goes.
1) My employee website already uses an Access database. Can I (or should I) use Access instead of MySQL?
2) I currently use ASP for my server side language. Can ASP and PHP run side by side on the same website?
3) With a private forum (which this would be) can I control who has access. I need to be able to be in control of adding and deleting accounts.
There's probably no easy way to incorporate the forum database with the one I currently have. I probably wouldn't want to anyway except to tie the login information together.
Well here are your answers I hope.
1.) MySQL is way to go
2.) Yes - (Not totally definate) but I think by setting up PHP all it does is allow your server to use php pages and doesn't effect any of the other extensions period.
3.) Yes you as administrator can do EVERYTHING you please and you can have it as a public or private forum and you set permissions and allow what users etc. You'd have to install locally just to see all you can do with the admin page of phpbb.
And to close I'd check the links I've supplied for any definative answers to any questions you may have. PHPBB's web site has a whole community and forum just for support.
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