Topic: Can you run multi forums on SME 7.4

[alpallan]

Hi I have been asked to run two possible more forums on SME 7.4, can it be done first, and second how does one do it?

[Franco]

Sure, you already have SMF running, how did you install your first one?
Will the login/pass be same for all forums?
The basic idea is to have either different directories or different ibays, each pointing to a different database.

[alpallan]

Now let me see, I used the yum package / document on the sme server site. I am a nebbie to this with limited knownledge. I attached the forum to the primary server site. The two forum need to stand alone, two seperate groups.
I also notice there was an upgrade available, but couldn't get pass ftp screen. Any Ideas?

[janet]

alpallan

The following could be considered a "generic" method or description of installing a second or third or more iteration of any application that has been released as an rpm package.

...I used the yum package / document on the sme server site.....The two forum need to stand alone, two seperate groups.

So you cannot install again that way or you will overwrite your existing install You will need to do some other modifications first.

The trick is to move the existing install to another location (eg either /opt/xxx or ibayxxx), and then amend the config files for the application to point at that location.
When you move files, make sure you use the correct method to ensure permissions and ownership do not change. Using mc, I think the Move function (F6) is OK, or you can tar the whole folder and untar it to the new location, man tar for all the commands you need.

It's also necessary to create a new mysql database for the first iteration of the installed app, so that each installed version uses a different db. The mysql db's are in /var/lib/mysql/dbname. You can copy the whole mysql db folder to a new folder name eg /var/lib/mysql/xxx. You should close the app first and ideally stop mysql before copying (and remember to restart it afterwards).

phpmyadmin or the mysql command line commands can be used to do similar, whichever way you prefer really.

You will also need to change the applications config files to use the new db.
They are usually in the installed folder, check the app's instruction/install  manual for where to find these.
You will also need to setup correct user permissions for the new db name.

It may also be necessary (and usually is) to create specific custom template files for the app, see Web Application tutorial links below for examples/requirements.
You can also copy and rename the default custom templates that get installed by the rpm package.
Look in the /etc/e-smith/templates tree for changes made by the installed rpm.
You would them move (& rename) these to the /etc/e-smith/templates-custom tree as you are doing custom mods to your server, ie related to non standard application installations.

Then delete (ie uninstall) the application and the associated db files, config files, custom templates etc for the first installed app, that was installed using the rpm package to the default location eg /opt/appname

Doing rpm -e package will remove the package, but you will usually also need to manually remove the mysql db (& users). See the mysql Howto
http://wiki.contribs.org/MySQL

So now you can reinstall from the rpm (to the default location) and do the whole moving/renaming procedure again.

If you need a third version installed, then go through the whole process again.
Each time you end up with an app installed to a different location than the default done by the rpm package.

There are other ways to achieve the same, eg manual install from the tar.gz files, and manual configuration of config files and db and templates etc, but it can be hard work.

This tutorial Howto will also assist
http://wiki.contribs.org/Web_Application_RPM

and this (while seemingly unrelated) will also give you some clues.
http://wiki.contribs.org/Web_Application_Redirect_Tutorial

I also notice there was an upgrade available, but couldn't get pass ftp screen.

Unless an rpm package with the upgraded version of the applcation has been released (which unfortunately does not seem to happen often), then you will have to upgrade manually.

Usually you will need to download the app-upgrade.tar.gz file to your server, login as root and perform the upgrade that way, following the online install/upgrade instructions from the applications website.
At the end of the process after installing the new files using the tar command, you usually go to your websites URL location and run the upgrade.php file (or similar).
You are often required to change permissions on the config files temporarily while completing the upgrade. Some apps hold your hand and do this for you as part of the upgrade funtionality, other apps require you to manually do this as the root user.

The specifc commands for all the above are missing from here as this description is generic in nature.

[Franco]

I would go to the SMF forums and learn how to install the application directly. You can use PHPmyadmin contrib to easy the creation and control of the databases. This will allow you to install the latest version.