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+ OpenACS docs are written by the named authors, but may be edited + by OpenACS documentation staff. +
According to Philip Greenspun:
“The ArsDigita Community System (ACS) is a toolkit of software @@ -14,24 +14,19 @@ 1995.”
What's OpenACS? OpenACS was born when Don Baccus, Ben Adida, - et al decided to port ACS from Oracle to - PostgreSQL, thus making it a fully open-source solution. -
- OpenACS 4.5 is the next generation of the web toolkit. It's based on + et al decided to port ACS from Oracle to PostgreSQL, thus making it a fully open-source solution.
+ OpenACS 4.6 is the next generation of the web toolkit. It's based on ACS 4, but no longer follows ArsDigita development. Unlike both ACS (which required Oracle) and OpenACS 3.x (which required PostgreSQL), - OpenACS 4.5 allows you to use either database. It's also built in such + OpenACS 4.6 allows you to use either database. It's also built in such a way to allow enterprising hackers (in the good sense of the word) to extend it to other databases. Don Baccus leads the development and numerous developers (and non-developers) contribute from around the world.
- This document will describe how to install OpenACS 4.5 from scratch, - using the source code. We will assume that you have an OS installed, - but we'll discuss this more in the next section. For most of this - guide, we will assume that you are using Linux on a PC, but we'll - also point you to excellent step-by-step guides for other operating - systems. + This document will describe how to install an operating + system, OpenACS 4.6, and all supporting software, from + scratch.
You will need a PC (or equivalent) with at least these minimum requirements: @@ -41,24 +36,27 @@ need a network connection of some type.
Note that these are minimum requirements to get a development system - up and running. For a production system, we recommend you read about - the ArsDigita - Server Architecture + up and running. For a large production system, we recommend you read about + the (now slightly obsolete) ArsDigita + Server Architecture article.
Running a reliable database-backed web server requires experience with the server's environment, in this case UNIX. UNIX is not always an intuitive environment and this guide cannot hope to explain every - nuance. You should be comfortable with the following tasks before + nuance. If you follow the reference implementation, all of + the unix commands you need will be in the text. However, + you will have trouble indentifying typos or other problems. + Ideally, you should be comfortable with the following tasks before attempting an installation:
Adding users, groups, setting passwords
- Starting an X server and running an X program remotely + (For Oracle) Starting an X server and running an X program remotely
Basic file management using cp, rm, mv, and cd
- Compiling a program using a Makefile + Compiling a program using ./config and make.
If you've never done these things before, consider exploring UNIX in greater depth before installing OpenACS. Some useful resources for @@ -70,12 +68,29 @@ development purposes. This is described in the Acquire Oracle section.
The basic steps to getting OpenACS up and running are: -
Install an OS
Install a webserver (AOLServer)
Install a database (Oracle or - PostgreSQL)
Install a database - driver (allows the webserver to talk to the database) -
Configure the webserver and - database
Start the OpenACS - installer
+
Install an OS and supporting software
Install a webserver (AOLServer)
Install a database (Oracle or + PostgreSQL)
Install a database driver (allows the webserver to talk to the database) +
Start the OpenACS + installer, which will configure a database.
This is text that + tells you to do something, like click a + or +
This is an option you will see + on screen, such as in a radio button list or menu.
This is text that you will type.
This is text from a program or file which you may need to +examine or edit:
if {$database == "oracle"} {
+ set db_password "mysitepassword"
+}This is text that you will +see and type in a command shell, including text you may have to +change. It is followed by a list of just the commands, +which you can copy and paste.
[root@localhost root]# su - nsadmin +[nsadmin@localhost aolserver]$ svc -d /service/openacs-dev +[nsadmin@localhost aolserver]$ dropdb openacs-dev +DROP DATABASE +[nsadmin@localhost aolserver]$ createdb openacs-dev +CREATE DATABASE +su - nsadmin +svc -d /service/openacs-dev +dropdb openacs-dev +createdb openacs-dev
We'll do our best to assure that following our instructions will get you to the promised land. If something goes wrong, don't panic. There are plenty of ways to get help. Here are some tips: @@ -91,7 +106,7 @@ worry if you feel overwhelmed by all the information in the error logs. Over time, you'll find that they make more and more sense. Soon, you'll actually look forward to errors so that you - can run to the log and diagnose the problem. + can find the problem in the log.
Search the bboards at openacs.org - you'll often find many people who have @@ -110,86 +125,87 @@ together.
If you find errors in this document or if you have ideas about - making it better, please post them in our bug tracker - the - SDM. -
- After reading through this tome, you may ask yourself if there is a - better way. And there is! Jonathan Marsden has done all the dirty - work to create RPMs for OpenACS 4.5. These RPMs will install AOLServer, - all the AOLServer modules, PostgreSQL and OpenACS 4.5 simply by typing - one magic command. They're currently at http://www.xc.org, - but will eventually also be available at http://openacs.org/software. They're - quite new and Jonathan invites (and is quite responsive to) - feedback. Leave comments at this thread. -
- This document was created by Vinod Kurup, but it's really - just plagiarism from a number of documents that came before it. If - I've used something that you've written without proper credit, let me - know and I'll fix it right away. -
These are a few of my sources:
- Please also see the Credits section for more acknowledgements. -
- Here are some resources that OpenACS users have found useful. -
+ making it better, please post them in our + BugTracker. +
- Philip - and Alex's Guide to Web Publishing - A very readable - guide to database-backed community websites. + After reading through this tome, you may ask yourself if there is a + better way. Well, not quite. Jonathan Marsden has created RPMs (at + http://www.xc.org) + for OpenACS 4.5 but there are not yet any for version + 4.6. There has been talk about automating the install process, + but that hasn't happened yet. Stay tuned! -
+
+ This document was created by Vinod Kurup, but it's really + just plagiarism from a number of documents that came before it. If + I've used something that you've written without proper credit, let me + know and I'll fix it right away. +
These are a few of my sources:
+ Joel + Aufrecht's OpenACS 4.5 Quick Guide. +
</listitem>+ Please also see the Credits section for more acknowledgements. +
+ Here are some resources that OpenACS users have found useful. +
- UNIX - Power Tools - An excellent introduction to the - command line tools and basic programs of UNIX + Philip + and Alex's Guide to Web Publishing - A very readable + guide to database-backed community websites. -
+
- UNIX - System Administration Handbook (formerly the "red book" - - now the "purple" book) + UNIX + Power Tools - An excellent introduction to the + command line tools and basic programs of UNIX -
+
- UNIX - System Administrator's Bible - (LePage and Iarerra 1998; - IDG) + UNIX + System Administration Handbook (formerly the "red book" + - now the "purple" book) -
+
+ UNIX + System Administrator's Bible - (LePage and Iarerra 1998; + IDG) - Linux - in a Nutshell +
-
- The Linux Documentation - Project + The UNIX + Reference Desk -
+
- LPI - certification exam preps - A series of articles from - IBM developerworks on basic and intermediate Linux skills - (requires registration) + The Linux Documentation + Project -
+ + LPI + certification exam preps - A series of articles from + IBM developerworks on basic and intermediate Linux skills + (requires registration) + +