Specific Local Testing Server Guide

Hello,

I'm putting together a video tutorial hoping to solve the problems users are having getting PS3 to work. However, after attempting this with a live server and it not working owing to many hosts not allowing certain permissions and stating security issues, I thought I'd make this a local testing server.

However, I'm not sure if it's a problem with Adobe Dreamweaver CS4, Wampserver, PHPMyAdmin or PS3 but the simple installation wizard won't allow me to get past step 2. And, there doesn't seem to be any way of using the program without the 'Simple Installation wizard'.

For speed, in addition to here, I'll post on Adobe's forums too to see if anyone there has any insight.

OK - HERE'S WHERE IT'S UP TO:

I've installed 'Wampserver', after having tried it and Xamp. Whichever you use, you need to ensure cURL is working. Inside of Wampserver there is a quick click setting that allows this, rather than having to go through textually changing php.ini files manually. Without this being enabled, you can't get past step 1 of the Simple Installation Wizard. Many Hosting companies don't allow this though owing to what they say are security risks - so, you'll need to choose carefully.

I've unzipped the PS3 files bought from WA and placed the resulting files inside of my Local Host The path is: C:\wamp\www

I ran Wampserver and Started All Services.

At the top of the Wampserver 2 interface is a folder called 'Localhost'. When this is opened, the 'Simple Installation Wizard' opens and halts on Step 2 without certain details being entered. I looked at the PS3 page at WA's site but there doesn't seem to be specific information relating directly to PS3 detailing what gets entered here. So, at present, I'm guessing this is up to the user.

In Wampserver 2, I therefore go to phpMyAdmin, open this and create a new database. I assume you can call this whatever you like (I can't find any suggestion in the PS3 Getting Started guide as to what this needs to be called.)

Open 'Adobe Dreamweaver CS4' and define the site as local and set up as PHP etc.

In the Database tab of DWCS4, create a new database.

When I preview (F12) the INDEX page using the 'Local Host', the same Simple Installation Wizard' opens as earlier and halts in the same place on Step 2. I marry up the database name with the one set in phpMyAdmin, set host as localhost, choose root as user and create a password.

The installtion breaks down here everytime !!!!

..........................................................

I'll keep you posted on what the Adobe forums suggest too, although I won't get chance till later in the week - away on business sadly!!!

To help speed things along though, my neighbour's son said he'll take my laptop down to his 6th Form College on Monday to see if he can get the software running. Hopefully, he'll get chance before I get back.

Hi

at last I have now got PS3 working on my local test server.

Firstly I have WAMP installed latest version.

If I click on the server icon in the tray and select php and then php extensions I found that Curl was not running. I enable it by clicking and then rebooted my PC.

In terms of dreamweaver cs4 setup ans my PC

my www folder is at

c:\wamp\www\

with my individual sites in sub folders such as mbsuk

so that site is at

c:\wamp\www\mbsuk\


Ok within CS4 DW site definitions I have under the testin server option:

server model: php/Mysql
access: local/network
testing server folder: c:\wamp\www\mbsuk

url prefix: mbsuk/

lastly in my connections folder the connection file has:

<?php
# FileName="Connection_php_mysql.htm"
# Type="MYSQL"
# HTTP="true"
$hostname_PowerStoreConnection = "localhost";
$database_PowerStoreConnection = "databasename"
$username_PowerStoreConnection = "root";
$password_PowerStoreConnection = "root
$PowerStoreConnection = mysql_pconnect($hostname_PowerStoreConnection, $username_PowerStoreConnection, $password_PowerStoreConnection) or trigger_error(mysql_error(),E_USER_ERROR);
?>

Don't think I've missed anything and that as they say works for me, but if anyone wants any other settings I am as they say around

HTH

Ian

Hi Ian,

Cheers for that. Yes, the cURL setting is a simple click as you said. Not sure why others here have previously said it needs to be activated by using a text editor and opening the php.ini file.

But, that's what I'm looking to do; provide a simple walk through what's required from start to finish.

Cheers

Hi

yes was not easy, luckily my knowlege of DW vastly exceeds that of mysql and PHP, infact my knowledge is limited to includes etc.

This is why I like the solutions because as the moment I don't have the knowledge to start from scratch.

Modifying the CSS etc is fairly easy for me. So the solutions are great.

Cheers

Ian

There will still be problems unique to everyone. For some, uncommenting cURL and the GD libraries will be all there is to it. For others, the cURL extesion (and therefore the necessary dlls) will be physically absent from your machine, even if PHP thinks they are still there.

It can take some scraping to remove the previous install of mySql completely from your machine (including System directory files and Registry entries, and removing info from the OS system paths) in order to reinstall mySql clean so that the various inis will 'join the dots' in a new install.

I went through XAMPP and WAMP before realising that it was (for me) a choice of total reinstall - including OS - or going back to IIS.

Others will be having problems with the PS3 database set-up because of authentication problems caused by the different ways the mySql 4.1 v 5.x mySql root user's password has been written to the db. Even when you can see your password in the root users database and send that from an application it will still 'look' different to that same database as far as authentication goes, depending on what combo of versions you have, and have had.

I'm preparing to do OG's suggestion of setting up a linux webserver on a reprieved machine.

In the meantime, I understand that Ray is revising some of the technical aspects of the PS set up in order to negate the problems that some people have been having.

A few points on XAMPP:

1. XAMMP does all the heavy work installing and configuring Apache, MySQL, PHP, and Perl for you, and includes some extra tools to make it easier to manage.
   
2. XAMPP installs the Apache web server, which listens for requests on port 80. This is the default port used by most web servers, including Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS). If you have IIS enabled, you should turn it off to prevent conflicts. Only one web service can use port 80.
   
3. If you decide that XAMPP isn't needed any more just delete the XAMPP directory and it's completely removed from your system.

I haven't found an easier way to setup a PHP testing environment for free. This guide also includes instructions for enabling CURL in XAMPP:

How to set up a local testing server for Dreamweaver
144/

Keep in mind that a local testing server is just that. It does not make it any easier to install applications on a remote server. You have to meet the same requirements on the remote server to run it successfully.

  My connections folder the connection file has:

<?php
# FileName="Connection_php_mysql.htm"
# Type="MYSQL"
# HTTP="true"
$hostname_PowerStoreConnection = "localhost";
$database_PowerStoreConnection = "databasename"
$username_PowerStoreConnection = "root";
$password_PowerStoreConnection = "root
$PowerStoreConnection = mysql_pconnect($hostname_PowerStoreConnection, $username_PowerStoreConnection, $password_PowerStoreConnection) or trigger_error(mysql_error(),E_USER_ERROR);
?>  

Hello Ian,

Sorry, I got confused about the last points you made. Do you mean you entered all that in the Database tab in DWCS4?

See screenshot - mySQLinDWCS4

Is the password here supposed to be entered as 'Root' as you have done? I couldn't see that in the Powerstore 3 getting started user guide.

In phpMyAdmin, it suggests there is no password set but doesn't seem to allow me to enter one that makes any link to the DWCS4 Database tab. See 3 x screenshots.

When I run an F12 preview, the Simple Installation Wizard fails at step 2 each time no matter what settings I decide to put into it. Should I copy your longer settings to see if it works? See screen shot.


I realise you might not get chance to respond before I disappear for a couple of days. I hoped to have more info to give to my neighbour's son before he takes my laptop into his college. He did suggest I make sure I get the latest version of the software before he looks at it. I think I have this - I'll check.

I'll download it again if I get chance in case my version was somehow corrupted.

Cheers.

This post has been deleted.

Hi

Sorry if I confusd you.

The code is what I have in the file in the connections folder called powerstoreconnection.php

The username and password are what I set when I created the database on my local server.

Root is the "standard" but you could set it to anything as you can the password.

Sorry this is a bit rushed but I'm off out for the day, If you get stuck re email me when you get back
cheers

Ian

Hi esms,

One of the problems I had setting this up on another machine of mine was that (at stage 2) PowerStore insists on a MySqul user password.

Quite often default installlations of mySql don't have a password unless you specify it during setup. You therefore have a catch 22 situation in which PowerStore demands that you enter your mySql username password (and won't continue till you do) , and you're shouting at the screen that you don't [/i]need one.

If that is the case, you will have to set an Admin root user password for your mySql installation, in order for PowerStore to carry on with the installation.

Some 'installer' versions of mysql - whether a microsoft .msi installer package, or part of a server 'package' (WAMP, XAMPP etc) can allow the whole setup to go through without you setting a root user password for your mysql database. If you don't remember setting a password during the install, then the chances are that there isn't a password that you can actually enter during the PowerStore install.

If you are using IIS as a testing server, you may or may not have been given the opportunity during install to specify an Administration root mysql password, if you haven't then you need to set it using mysqladmin which you access via the windows command prompt (NOT the mysql command line).

With Wampserver, I belive that the option is there (briefly) during install, but it says that you don't need to specify a mysql password now, you can do it later. You can check if you have set a password by opening the wampserver menu from the taskbar system tray (notification area) and selecting the MySql console from the MySql menu item. With the console (mySql command line client) open and asking for your password, if you just press your 'enter' key and you get the 'Welcome to the MysQl monitor' line (& some stuff about commands) and the mysyl> _ prompt, then you have not set a password. If that is the case, then PowerCMS wont get set up until you set the password.

If you need help doing this then post back.

With Xampp, you don't get the opportunity to set a user password during set-up, you're expected to know about setting it if you want to. However, it is easy to do in XAMPP. Either open your XAMPP homepage (localhost) and clickon 'security', or just open your browser and enter security . In fact, if you have XAMPP, you could just click that link.