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Installation LinksSQL

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Installation LinksSQL
Hi there!

I have a german linksite for law students and lawyers, I am using Links V2. My database is now getting to big (9.500 Links) and I want to install LinksSQL. And now I have two questions:

1. Is it possible, to have both Links 2.0 and LinksSQL on the same server? I want to have a "mirror-site" if something works wrong with LinksSQL. And I want my visitors to search some links while I am installing LinksSQL.

2. I do not have the slightest idea how to install a SQL-Database. But I have also handled with Links 2.0, so I do want to install LinksSQL on my own. Otherwise I don't know what to do if there are problems later. Therefor my question: is there an installation-description how to install LinksSQL? If yes, is this description useable for "greenhorns" (in German you call this "Laie", so I don't know the right word).

Thanks for your answers!

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Re: Installation LinksSQL In reply to
1) Yea, you could. But in terms of syncing data between the SQL database and flat file database would involve some tweaking of the scripts. I would not recommend using both since there is a high risk of inconsistencies between the Links 2.0 and Links SQL version.

2) Unfortunately, the installation documentation is written for Intermediate Perl programmers who have some knowledge of how relational databases, like SQL, work. Although the installation scripts are pretty to use and many novice programmers have faired well with Links SQL. So, to answer your question, not really.

Regards,

Eliot Lee

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Re: Installation LinksSQL In reply to
I would suggest setting up a test site, to install the SQL version. Once it's running, you empty the database, re-import the current Links 2.0 database, move the Links 2.0 site offline, and replace it with the Links SQL site. Depending on what sort of access you have to your server, this whole dump/import/switch activity could take anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours. Not bad.

It could take you 3-4 weeks to get the Links SQL site running the way you want it to, or you could have it running in a few days. Everyone has been different, and has different requirements for the program.

The program is not hard to install. You just really need to make a checklist, and follow it. Start with the install doc, and don't take short cuts.

Use all the default layouts, and you won't have to "think" about much.

1) create a directory /cgi-bin/links
2) create a directory /public/links (or whatever your document tree is).

3) copy the cgi-bin files over
4) set the permissions on all the .cgi files in the /cgi-bin/links, /cgi-bin/links/admin and /cgi-bin/links/admin/setup areas to 755. Also set the .pl files in the set up area to 755.

5) set the directory permissions on the backup, defs and templates directories to 777 (chmod -R 777 templates) (change "templates" to defs and backup for each of the other directories). (Templates is the only directory that should have files in it, you can use chmod 777 defs and chmod 777 backup for those).

6) set the directory permissions on the /public/links directory to 777

7) you now need to edit Links.pm to all your system area defaults.

8) once you do all that, run /cgi-bin/links/setup/setup.cgi and create the database tables and .def files. You need your database, ID and PW, and the machine name of the SQL server. This is the one really variable part. If you run your own SQL server, you know all this. If you don't, you need to use the database, ID, PW and machine that was given to you.

9) once the tables and .def files are created, run the "admin" and should be running. The admin will advise you to password protect that directory. You _really_ should, same as you did for Links 2.0.



If you want to run Links SQL and Links 2.0 side by side, just change the install directory to "LinkSQL" from "links". When you are ready to make the site "live" rename your links 2.0 directories, and rename the "LinkSQL" directories to "links" and do a search/replace in the Links.pm file to do the same, rebuild your site, and you should have seamlessly made the switch.

I might have forgotten a tweak here or there, but I doubt it. The process is really straight forward, and on my server I can create a new links site in about 10-15 minutes.

Granted, that's on my server. On other servers, with telnet access and all the right information at hand, it's about 30+ minutes +data import.

The first install is the longest, since it's a new beast, but follow the steps above, and layout in the install docs, and you won't have any problems.

BTW... the first install is free, so they'll do all that for you. Just "plan" to have them set it up on a test site, as above, and when you are ready to go live, just make the few renames, rebuild, and go live. (That will preserve all your search engine links, and bookmarks, etc.)



http://www.postcards.com
FAQ: http://www.postcards.com/FAQ/LinkSQL/

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Re: Installation LinksSQL In reply to
Thank you very much for your answers. Doesn't sound to difficult. I think I'll try it.

Just one question: how do I edit the database? I don't know how an SQL-Database works. With Link 2.0 it is easy, just download the links.db and edit it. How is it with an SQL-Database? In with format is it written? May I edit it offline or just in the admin.cgi?

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Re: Installation LinksSQL In reply to
Uh...it is easy...you can edit the databases via three methods:

1) Use the built table management system (editor.cgi).

2) Edit records via the administrative script (admin.cgi), which is very similar to the Links 2.0 administrative script.

3) Download and install MySQLMan, which is found in this web site.

BTW: Both the editor.cgi and MySQLMan have export options built-in that allows you to export the data if you want to edit the "databases" (tables) via a text editor and then all you have to do is import the text files back to the SQL tables.

Regards,

Eliot Lee

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Re: Installation LinksSQL In reply to
I vote for the MySQLMan route. It should install on any server, and it gives a great web-based interface to the site.

The _best_ place to install it is in /cgi-bin/links/admin/mysqlman
subdirectory. By doing so, it seems to work seamlessly with Links.

MySQLMan is supposedly built in to the next release of Links SQL.

http://www.postcards.com
FAQ: http://www.postcards.com/FAQ/LinkSQL/

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Re: Installation LinksSQL In reply to
It will be good if MySQLMan is built in. Personally I redid my site in PHP/MySQL because I want to use my Links SQL license for another site I am making, but I actually incorporated the new PhpMyAdmin into the admin section of my site, and its a very useful tool to have.

Michael Bray