PHP-Nuke install

CADDMAN

If anyone can help I need some clarification installing PHP-Nuke. I have already installed and configured Apache, PHP and MySQL. I am working on WinXP and my local test server is \localhost:8080.

After Apache is installed and working correctly can I delete the apache static files in the apache2\htdocs folder?

Do I just copy php-nuke folders (4) to my apache2\htdocs folder, adjust config.php and then setup the MYSQL database using nuke.sql?

There is mention in the php-nuke docs.txt that the config.php should not be stored in the document root server for security reasons but is vague on how to move it elsewhere and configure everything when you do.

Here is the quote from php-nuke install.txt

--Security tip: It's a good choice to put your config.php outside the web server path, then you can create a new config.php with the line:
<?php include("../config.php"); ?> --end of quote.

Can anyone provide a simplified version of what this really consists of? It is not a prob on my local test server I am sure but I intend to eventually move it to my Production server. Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

eoghain

Yes you can remove everything in the Apache htdocs folder. These are just the defalut pages that ship with Apache to show you that you have everything setup correctly.
Yes put your nuke files into the htdocs folder.
The htdocs folder is what is called your DocumentRoot. This directory and all under it are readable over the web through Apache. All other directories on your server can't be read over the web through Apache. So if someone found a way to download your config.php file without it being processed by Apache then they would get the username and password for your database, which would be a BAD thing. So what PHP Nuke is recommending is that you put config.php in a directory that is not within the htdocs directory and then create a new config.php file in htdocs that all it does is include the actual config.php from wherever you decided to place it. I usually create an includes directory parallel with my htdocs directory and place files like config.php into it.

CADDMAN

Thanks eoghain! Im with you up until the creating new config and what directory I should use for the config.php, your help is really appreciated!

Originally posted by eoghain
So what PHP Nuke is recommending is that you put config.php in a directory that is not within the htdocs directory and then create a new config.php file in htdocs that all it does is include the actual config.php from wherever you decided to place it. I usually create an includes directory parallel with my htdocs directory and place files like config.php into it.

So if my directory looked like the following,

C:\apache\apache2\bin\
C:\apache\apache2\cgi-bin\
C:\apache\apache2\modules\
C:\apache\apache2\htdocs\
C:\apache\apache2\include\
C:\apache\apache2\logs\
C:\apache\apache2\conf\
C:\apache\apache2\include\ place config.php here?
C:\apache\apache2\a few others dir's\

Create a new directory similar to

C:\apache\apache2\any_name_ I_wish\

or do I place it in

C:\apache\apache2\include\ present at install

Cut C:\apache\apache2\htdocs\config.php
Paste to C:\apache\apache2\whatever_folder_chosen_above\

4.Create a new config.php? not sure what I should do here?

Thanks again for your help!

eoghain

Well, I'd create a new directory and not use apache's include as this is where apache stores it's included files.

So create a directory, call it MySiteInclude or whatever you want, and place the config.php file from PHP Nuke into this directory.

Then create a new config.php file in the htdocs directory that looks like this:

<?php
   include("../MySiteInclude/config.php");
?>

This new config.php file will just do the work of loading the information from your new include directory. Now if someone finds a way to download your config.php file directly from your Document Root they will only get the above information. And if they try to go get that file from it's directory Apache will stop them. (note: this doesn't mean that some ingenious person won't be able to get this file, it just makes it very difficult for the typical script kiddie)

CADDMAN

Awesome, thanks again. That makes perfect sense now.

I nOObed up somewhere though cause I have a config.inc.php and no config.php. I have apparently missed some crucial setup somewhere cause I remember renaming it or something the last time I set this up. Any ideas?

Everything seems to be working fine, no errors on myphpadmin or mysql at this point. It sounds like I should do the following,

Open config.inc.php and save as "../MySiteIncludes/config.php
Then open ../htdocs/config.inc.php, delete all lines and add the include line you indicated in last post then save as ../htdocs/config.php? Sound right? Thanks!

eoghain

I'd make sure that config.inc.php is the correct name for your version of PHP Nuke. I have PHP Nuke installed on my sites and it uses config.php. So other than the naming issue I'd say you have the correct steps.