XS4ALL installation

Contents

1. Introduction
    1.1 To Dutch readers
    1.2 Preparations

2. Activating the database

3. Preparations revisited

4. Downloading files

5. Uploading, unpacking, data directory
    5.1 Uploading files
    5.2 Unpacking files
    5.3 Creating the data directory

6. Installing Website@School on XS4ALL

7. Concluding remarks

1. Introduction

The Dutch ISP (Internet Service Provider) XS4ALL offers all Dutch schools low priced Internet access, server space and a database.

This appendix to the Website@School Users' Guide describes how to handle a Website@School installation on an XS4ALL server. Their installation procedure has, like those of many ISPs, its own anomalies and quirks. This appendix might thus serve as just another installation example, illustrating the problems one encounters at some ISPs.

NOTICE:
One of Website@School's features are proxy server friendly URLs, as described in the Configuration Manager, paragraph 4. Site. This feature is not functioning at XS4ALL and is automatically disabled during the installation.

1.1 To Dutch readers

Although this appendix is meant for Dutch readers, it is in English. Reason: there are many ISPs that operate more or less like our XS4ALL, so other users might benefit from this short guide.
Some specific XS4ALL Dutch terms are in Dutch followed by an English translation.

1.2 Preparations

When your school has an XS4ALL account, it has received a letter from XS4ALL with information needed during the installation.

NOTICE:
Also in this appendix we use the (fictional) Exemplum Primary School, with the URL (Universal Resource Locator) http://exemplum.eu.
In the letter you find something like:


Server: Advanced Unix Website
Domein: http://exemplum.eu
Login name: exempps
Password: dwwinmG!
FTP host name: exempps.websites.xs4all.nl
The website is also accessbile via: http://exempps.websites.xs4all.nl.

This information is needed to activate the schools database at XS4ALL. For this appendix we assume it's not activated. If it is activated, you can skip the next paragraph and proceed to 3. Preparations revisited.

(top)

2. Activating the database

It's very well possible that the schools database at XS4ALL is not yet activated. Proceed as follows to activate it:

In the next paragraph we will gather data that is required for the Website@School installation.

(top)

3. Preparations revisited

Now that the database is activated, we can obtain the necessary information to successfully install Website@School. Proceed as follows.

The Admin password was obtained when entering the the database name in paragraph 2. Activating the database.

These data are required during the installation of the Website@School program on the XS4ALL server. Please make notes of all data, for later reference. Keep the data in a safe place!

(top)

4. Downloading files

NOTICE:
The download procedure for the Website@school program, manual and optional language packs is described in the Installation chapter, paragraph 1.3.1 Downloads.

(top)

5. Uploading, unpacking, data directory

In this paragraph we will use Linux and the CLI (Command Line Interface) with SCP (Secure CoPy) to upload files and SSH (Secure SHell) to do our job on the XS4ALL server.
Both programs are available for Windows as PuTTY, created by Simon Tatham. PuTTY can be found on http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/download.html. We assume you either use the Linux command line or use PuTTY on Windows.

NOTICE:
In the examples below, The user ffrint is logged in on the server of the Exemplum Primary School (name: praeceptor) to upload files. He uses his home directory, where he has created a download directory: /home/userdata/home/users/ffrint/downloads. In the examples below the user imput is bolded.

5.1 Uploading files

To upload the files to the right directory on the XS4ALL server, you can use an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) program or SCP (Secure Copy Protocol).
The FTP procedure to upload files to an ISPs server is described in the the Installation chapter, paragrapth 1.3.2 Installing on a server without root access.

[ffrint@praeceptor downloads]$ ls
websiteatschool-0.90.3.zip websiteatschool-manuals-en-0.71.zip
[ffrint@praeceptor downloads]$ scp websiteatschool-0.90.3.zip exempps@wh-shell1.xs4all.nl:~/Webhosting/htdocs
exempps@wh-shell1.xs4all.nl's password:dwwinmG!
The authenticity of host 'wh-shell1.xs4all.nl
(194.109.21.5)' can't be established.
DSA key fingerprint is
81:09:4a:72:ac:95:25:45:7b:49:c5:b0:91:e7:ae:f5.
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no)? 
yes
Warning: Permanently added
'wh-shell1.xs4all.nl,194.109.21.5' (DSA) to the list
of known hosts.
websiteatschool-0.90.3.zip           100% 1797KB  85.6KB/s   00:21
[ffrint@praeceptor downloads]$

Copy the manual and optional language packs in the same way.

5.2 Unpacking files

To log in on the XS4ALL server, open a terminal or PuTTY, using the data below:

SSH hostnaam:wh-shell1.xs4all.nl
SSH loginnaam: exempps
Password: dwwinmG!

After a successful login you are on the server:


exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps$ 

Proceed as follows:


exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps$ ls
cgi-bin htdocs 
exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps$ cd htdocs
exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps/htdocs$ ls
401.html                        index-xs4all.html
403.html                        index.php
404.html                        websiteatschool-0.90.3.zip
forum                           websiteatschool-manuals-en-0.71.zip
exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps/htdocs$

The htdocs directory is already occupied by the Exemplum Forum. Thus we decide to make a directory for Website@School.


exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps/htdocs$ mkdir -p was
exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps/htdocs$ chmod 755 was
exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps/htdocs$ ls
total 24
... [skipped files]
drwxr-xr-x  3 exampps  user  4096 Jun 26 09:39 was
-rw-r-----   1 exempps  user  1838600 Jun 26 09:21
websiteatschool-0.90.3.zip
-rw-r-----   1 exemppps  user 6397321 Jun 26 09:25 websiteatschool-manuals-en-0.71.zip
exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps/htdocs$ mv websiteatschool-0.90.3.zip websiteatschool-manuals-en-0.71.zip was
exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps/htdocs$ ls
401.html                index-xs4all.html
403.html                index.php
404.html                was
forum
exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps/htdocs/$ cd was
exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps/htdocs/was$ ls
websiteatschool-0.90.3.zip websiteatschool-manuals-en-0.71.zip 
exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps/htdocs/was$ unzip websiteatschool-0.90.3.zip
  inflating: admin.php
  inflating: config-example.php
  inflating: cron.php
  inflating: file.php
  inflating: index.php
  inflating: program/languages/en/admin.php
  inflating: program/languages/en/was.php
  inflating: program/languages/en/loginlib.php
  inflating: program/languages/en/en_manifest.php
  inflating: program/languages/es/es_manifest.php
Many files later...
  inflating: program/install/tabledefs.php
  inflating: program/install/index.php
  inflating: program/install/tabledata.php

Also copy and unzip the manual and optional language packs and proceed.


exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps/htdocs/was$ ls -l
total 1828
-rw-r--r--   1 exempps  user     2204 Feb  3 15:04 admin.php
-rw-r--r--   1 exempps  user     7821 Feb  3 15:04
config-example.php
-rw-r--r--   1 exempps  user     2198 Feb  3 15:04 cron.php
-rw-r--r--   1 exempps  user     2647 Feb  3 15:04 file.php
-rw-r--r--   1 exempps  user     2669 Feb  3 15:04 index.php
drwxr-xr-x  11 exempps  user     4096 Jun 26 09:26 program
-rw-r-----   1 exempps  user  1838600 Jun 26 09:21
websiteatschool-0.90.3.zip
-rw-r-----   1 exemppps  user 6397321 Jun 26 09:25 websiteatschool-manuals-en-0.71.zip
exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/a/exempps/htdocs/was$ exit

The files are unpacked. Please carefully check if file and directory permissions are set as above.

The files and the directories are in place, ready for installaton.

5.3 Creating the data directory

For a general discussion on the data directory, see the Installation chapter.
At XS4ALL it is possible to place the data directory outside the document root directory. This improves security. Proceed as follows:

exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps$ ls
cgi-bin htdocs
exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps$ mkdir -p wasdata
exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps$ chmod 701 wasdata
exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps$ ls -l
total 16
drwx-----x  2 exampps  user  4096 Nov 29  2005 cgi-bin
drwx-----x  4 exampps  user  4096 Jun 28 15:16 htdocs
drwx-----x  4 exampps  user  4096 Jun 28 09:30 wasdata
exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps$

we are ready on the server and can move on to the Website@School installation at http://exemplum.eu/was/program/install.php.


exempps@wh-shell1:/WWW/e/exempps$ exit

In the next paragraph we will install the Website@School program.

(top)

6. Installing Website@School on XS4ALL

The installation on http://exemplum.eu/was/program/install.php is rather straightforward.
Follow the installation as described in 2. The installation, until you are on step 2.4 Database. To stay in our example, enter:

4. Database:
Type             MySQL
Server           exempps.mysqlservers.xs4all.nl
Gebruikersnaam   exempps_wwwa
Wachtwoord       ********
Databasenaam     exempps_www
Voorvoegsel      was_

NOTICE:
The 'Voorvoegsel' (Prefix) is only accessible when a 'Aangepast' (Custom) installation was chosen.


5. Website:
Naam                    Exemplum Primary School
From: e-mail-adres      webmaster@exemplum.eu
Reply-To: e-mail-adres  webmaster@exemplum.eu
Website-directory       /usr/local/WWW/E/.5c1/e/exempps/htdocs/was
Website URL             http://www.exemplum.eul/was
Programma-directory      /usr/local/WWW/E/.5c1/e/exempps/htdocs/was/program
Programma-URL           http://www.exemplum.eu/was/program
Datadirectory           /usr/local/WWW/E/.5c1/e/exempps/wasdata

NOTICE:
The Reply-To: e-mail-adres, the Programma-directory and the Programma-URL are only accessible when a 'Aangepast' (Custom) installation was chosen.

Now please follow the Installation, paragraph 2. The installation.

(top)

7. Concluding remarks

None so far

(top)

Author: Dirk Schouten <dirk (at) websiteatschool (dot) eu>
Last updated: 2014-09-06