How does one set up a test environment for SMF + Tiny portal....

[Homer_J_S]

This may sound like a dumb question but I want to really try the new version of TP and even play with creating my own template but I don't want to screw up my site. I am a programmer by profession but still relatively new to the web world so although this may seem like a dumb question I don't want to experiment and screw something up. So any help or if you could point me to a thread or documentation on how to do this I would be eternally grateful.

And Bloc keep up the good work.   

[IchBin]

Homer, if you want a test environment this will require you to setup a server that runs IIS/apache for a webserver, along with php and mysql. Either way, here's a website www.diywebserver.com where there are a bunch of helpful people that will help you do it if you need it. They have some great tutorials on that site too. Let me know if you need to know anything else.

[Tarzan]

You can download ready to go packages like Uniform Server http://www.uniformserver.com/index.php EasyPHP http://www.easyphp.org/?lang=en or Wampserver http://www.wampserver.com/en/index.php I believe these are some of the most recommended. I have no experience with them but have seen references 1000 times, fastest way of setting up fully working local server.

There will be, or should be, help/faqs/forums on sites but main reason for these total packages is ease of use so you shouldnt have to fiddle around too much. Then you might as well get real PHP, Apache, Mysql etc.

[burglar]

You can better install them as separate modules

like this

Apache 2.x
MySQL 4.0.x
Php 4.3.11

so there won't be installed any un-nessary stuff

[IchBin]

The problem with that is sometime is requires some pretty good configuration on your end. The pre-packaged stuff usually eliminates this.

[burglar]

So what do you need:

Apache Webserver 2.0.54
MySQL Database server 4.0.24
PhpMyAdmin 2.5.6 Final
Php 4.3.11

Download these to an temporily directory
and unpack all those zip files in it.

Installation

step 1 install apache to (example X:/www/apache)
follow the wizzard !!

step 2 Install MySQL to (example X:/www/mysql)
Follow the wizzard !!
when done go directly to (X:/www/mysql/bin) and start mysqladmin.exe
now you need to give an username and password
if all went allright then you have to see near the clock some traffic lights these should be green at this moment.

Step 3 Install phpmyadmin
copy all files and directories from phpmyadmin to (X:/www/phpmyadmin)
Open now X:/www/phpmyadmin/config.inc.php and change these lines

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$cfg['PmaAbsoluteUri'] = 'http://localhost/phpmyadmin/';


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$cfg['Servers'][$i]['auth_type']    = 'http';    // Authentication method (config, http or cookie based)?
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['user']          = 'user';      // MySQL user
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['password']      = 'password';          // MySQL password (only needed


save file !

Step 4 PHP

copy all files whitin php temp dir to (X:/www/php)
rename php.ini-dist to php.ini
copy php.ini and libmysql.dll to your systemroot C:\windows or C:\winnt

Now we gonna make some changes to php.ini and should like this

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;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
; Paths and Directories ;
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

; UNIX: "/path1:/path2"
;include_path = ".:/php/includes"
;
; Windows: "\path1;\path2"
include_path = "./"
;c:\php\includes"


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; Directory in which the loadable extensions (modules) reside.
extension_dir = "x:/www/php/ext/"


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;Windows Extensions
;Note that ODBC support is built in, so no dll is needed for it.
;

;extension=php_bz2.dll
;extension=php_cpdf.dll
;extension=php_curl.dll
;extension=php_dba.dll
;extension=php_dbase.dll
;extension=php_dbx.dll
;extension=php_exif.dll
;extension=php_fdf.dll
;extension=php_filepro.dll
;extension=php_gd2.dll
;extension=php_gettext.dll
;extension=php_iconv.dll
;extension=php_ifx.dll
;extension=php_iisfunc.dll
;extension=php_imap.dll
;extension=php_interbase.dll
;extension=php_java.dll
;extension=php_ldap.dll
;extension=php_mbstring.dll
;extension=php_mcrypt.dll
;extension=php_mhash.dll
;extension=php_mime_magic.dll
;extension=php_ming.dll
;extension=php_mssql.dll
;extension=php_msql.dll
;extension=php_mysql.dll   
;extension=php_oci8.dll
;extension=php_openssl.dll
;extension=php_oracle.dll
;extension=php_pdf.dll
;extension=php_pgsql.dll
;extension=php_shmop.dll
;extension=php_snmp.dll
;extension=php_sockets.dll
;extension=php_sybase_ct.dll
;extension=php_tidy.dll
;extension=php_w32api.dll
;extension=php_xmlrpc.dll
;extension=php_xsl.dll
;extension=php_yaz.dll
;extension=php_zip.dll


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[mail function]
; For Win32 only.
SMTP = mail.domain.com
smtp_port = 25

; For Win32 only.
sendmail_from = you@email.com


Save the file

open X:/www/apache/apache2/conf/httpd.conf and find this

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DirectoryIndex index.html index.html.var index.php


we should make an extra alias for phpmyadmin like this

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Alias /icons/ "x:/www/apache/Apache2/icons/"

<Directory "x:/www/apache/Apache2/icons">
    Options Indexes MultiViews
    AllowOverride None
    Order allow,deny
    Allow from all
</Directory>


Alias /phpmyadmin/ "x:/www/phpmyadmin/"

<Directory "x:/www/phpmyadmin">
    Options Indexes MultiViews
    AllowOverride None
    Order allow,deny
    Allow from all
</Directory>


go to the end of file and add these lines

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AddType application/x-httpd-php .php
LoadModule php4_module "x:/www/php/php4apache2.dll"


Save the file !

now we gonna make an info.php file with notepad
and put this code in it

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<? phpinfo(); ?>


Restart Apache Now!

open your browser and go to url

http://localhost/info.php

you should now see the php info page

that's all!!

[JustClem]

You could also install a test version to your existing website.

Just use a new directory and database and it will be independent of anything else.  If you want to keep it private, password protect the directory.

I guess this way of making a test install would be more risky than making a test install on your local PC, in that there might be some way it could mess up your site.  However, to me, it seems low risk and much easier.  Whatever works best for you ...

[snowcrash]

If it's any help, I managed to install Easyphp on my pc without too much trouble. And I know next to nothing about servers etc.

[burglar]

if you wanna keep it as private server you csn search your httpd.conf file and replace allow from all to something like this allow from 127.0.0.1 this acts as only access for your localhost

[Bjørn]

I use KF Web server and it has worked fine..needed to add support for PHP, but once that was done(in a nice and simple setup page in your browser btw), everything has run nicely since.

Since requests to the net is monitored by my firewall, I can see any outgoing requests.