Server installation

Configure programs

[Stuperfied]

Hello everyone, firstly I will tell you what I have.

WinXP
Apache web server
Selisoft ActiveHTML
PHP
MySQL

My problem is that I cant get the programs to work together. I need someone to take me through it step by step, from the beginning if need be but from where im at would be fine.

I want all programs to work for files in the c:\web directory and all sub directories but not outside of the c:\web directory for obvious security reasons. I want to host domains for the public as well as my own. eg: c:\web\killercomputers\, c:\web\flatstik\, c:\web\neo etc. All web sites must be able to utilize Apache, ASP, MySQL Database and PHP.

So far, PHP pages dont work and show as having no associated file type. ASP pages will open in any directory on my server and if there is an error in the code, it simply opens the page as if it were a .txt file instead of giving an error report. HTML pages will open in any directory on my server and have no problems. I can only open MySQL databases in the command prompt because I know of no other way. As far as I can tell, the MySQL databases are in c:\mysql\data\ but I dont know how to link to them in my asp pages.

Directories
c:\mysql
c:\php
c:\Program Files\ActiveHTML
c:\Program Files\Apache Group
c:\web

Any help would be appreciated, thankyou for your time.

[txbakers]

Hi and thanks for posting.

What you are asking for is about 10 hours of free consulting. for me that would be about $750, a little more than I'm willing to give away for free.

Most of what you ask for can be easily understood in the respective manuals.

First off though, Windows XP, being a desktop OS, not a server OS, will only allow you to host one website through their mini-IIS.

With Apache, you might be able to run more, but a post to the Apache forum might be useful on that subject.

You are correct in that the mySQL data is kept in C:\mysql\data, but to connect to it you will need to read up on PhP or ASP. For ASP, I recommend the tutorials at [w3schools.com....] PHP tutorials abound on the internet.

Also, why are you combining ASP and PHP in your requirements? There is no need to do that, as both will accomplish the same tasks.

I'm not an expert on using PhP on XP, having only installed it and used it on a server, but a post to the PhP forum might yield some more answers.

IF your goal is to host more than one website, and some for the public, you need to graduate to a server OS, and not run on XP.

[Stuperfied]

Thankyou very much for your reply. You have been most helpfull, as at least now I know im on the right track. I know im not far off it but finding the right information is the key.

I understand what you mean about server os and desktop os but I only have desktop os's and since what I want to do doesnt desperately require a server os, im content to make do.

As for the ASP/PHP combination, I get where your coming from and I only need ASP myself but since I wish to offer hosting to the public with ftp access, I concidered the fact that some of them might be running game oriented sites and realized the benefit in offering PHP to my customers as most game site developers lean towards PHP.

I also wish to add a console to the server but havent looked into any apps yet, I think i'll get it working before I do.

[txbakers]

I wish to offer hosting to the public with ftp access

Again, I will warn against doing this on a Windows XP platform and a PC.

If you are taking money from the public for hosting, or even if you are doing it for friends, multiple websites on a PC with a non-server platform is courting disaster.

[Stuperfied]

Thanks for the warning. The public part of the hosting is for businesses which I design sites for or which simply require hosting. I know and work closely with such businesses which also allows me to monitor the activity closer than if I were openning it up to the private sector. If I were going private sector, I would use a proper server and spend a lot more time researching the technologies involved.

I have Apache and ASP working now but still need to work out how to connect to the MySQL. The MySQL is installed correctly but I need to find out what the connection string should be or if there is anything else I need to do first to allow it to connect.

The web root is c:\web for Apache and MySQL is installed in c:\mysql. Im thinking I have point the connection string to c:\mysql\data\[database]. Not sure if an alias or scriptalias is required for ASP or Apache.

[txbakers]

For Windows, you will need to install the mySQL ODBC connector version 3.5.1 is the latest I believe.

Here is my connection string for ASP:

var STRINGSQL ="Driver={MySQL ODBC 3.51 Driver};server=localhost;Database=charms;Option=1,user=#*$!xxx password=xxxxxxxx";

Then I create a connection object globally:

var SQLCONN = Server.CreateObject("ADODB.Connection");
SQLCONN.Open(STRINGSQL);

The rest you can find in any decent ASP tutorial.

[Stuperfied]

Thanks, with some help from Mr Lindinger at selisoft support and your connection string I have been able to get it going.

[0.0.0.0...]
[0.0.0.0...]

The first one is a trouble shooting page I set up just so I could tell if the server was working or not. The seccond one is an actual site im working on for a client. I realise there is a lot more I need to learn but I am confident that with so much excellent support from everyone at webmaster world, I will prevail.

Ive seen some mention about .htaccess, can you tell me what that is for? Also im looking for a control pannel and pop3 server for the new web server, know any good ones?

[edited by: txbakers at 2:42 am (utc) on Mar. 25, 2005]
[edit reason] no direct linking to personal sites. [/edit]

[txbakers]

htaccess is a unix,apache device to control access to directories and help manage a webserver. You can't use it on Windows.

To do this on Windows you use NT authentication.

There are good Mail servers available for a variety of platforms. Do a google search.

control panels are available but are very expensive.

[Stuperfied]

Hmm, maybe i'll have to make my own control panel then. Thanks.