Installation for Newbies

[magpies1]

Hi guys,

I recommend that a section be added at the start of your documentation for complete newbies like me. I had no idea that I had to first create a mySQL database.

I'm new to cPanel and RVsitebuilder and MySQL and have no programming experience. I lack much basic information, yet want to use some of the nice open source packages around.

YellowLD told me I can't get support for installations done by other packages like RVsitebuilder. Fair enough I thought, so I went to do a new installation from scratch.

I read the documentation and all went well uploading files and changing directory permissions. Went to install the database using the simple installation option and got error trying to connect to database. Being a complete newbie I had no idea what to do next. Reading these forums didn't help me. I went back to cPanel and stumbled across a link to MySQL databases. After trying various things (yes, I can hear you scream - no!!!! another newbie who has no idea) I finally worked out I need to create a database through cPanel and create a user. I then went back to the Serendipity install and matched the information I setup in MSQL. Voila! it worked and I have the start of blog (feeling very pleased with myself).

So, adding a section to your documentation for newbies would help people like me. I understand you can't give specific info as other people might use a different database engine to MySQL, however something saying like you need to FIRST create a database, name it, and create a user, before doing the install would help.

Looking forward to now using the blog.

Cheers,
Rod

[Mangek]

I'm happy to hear you got your blog up and running!

The FAQ states that you need both php and a database to run properly (or at all, even).

[magpies1]

True, but from a newbie perspective:

I knew php was on the server and I did not have to do anything to use php, so I also assumed that because mySQL is also on the server I didn't have to do anything with mySQL. Only need a short paragraph in the install manual saying that a db needs to created as well having php and a db program would have made it easier.

A bit pedantic but it will improve the manual.

[kleinerChemiker]

In my oppinion, if you have absolutely no knowladge of such web-stuff, its better if you use hosted blog engines like supersized.org. To me it sounds like you want to drive a car without knowing anything and complaining, that the car don't work and nobody told you, that you need an ignition key.

[Timbalu]

Well, why not?! We all started driving somehow...

If you search for 'cPanel' in this forum, you can see how much problems exist.

So, why don't you, Rod, write a nice and short installation tutorial for cPanel users and add that MySql specific thing and send this to Garvin to patch the docs.