Install osDate

To install osDate is simple, quick and easy. Before you start, you need to know a few things first.


 * You can download software to load on your own personal computer, that turns your computer into a webserver. This server is not accessible to other people who access the internet, unless you have set the configurations for people to do so. This is done by web developers to develop and test websites "locally" first, before the website is loaded to a "live" webserver for the public or other parties to access. This is called a local server.
 * A live webserver refers to a webserver that is specifically setup for hosting websites, and in general can be accessed by anyone who has internet connectivity.

Hosting
Quite obvious, isn't it? You need to have a website hosting solution to host your website. Get a hosting solution that is suitable for your needs. The technology you need to meet your requirements will change because it is always advancing. At the time of writing, typically you'd need:

On the server side:


 * PHP 4.3.0 or higher
 * MySQL 3.23 or higher
 * Ability to change the permissions of files and folders
 * PHP GD or GD2
 * Flash 7 Player or higher

On the client (your) side:


 * An FTP client. The FTP client is an application that allows you to transfer files from your computer to the webserver.
 * Cpanel access. Cpanel access to the webserver is vital, as you will need to log into the admin side of your user account on the webserver to be able to create a new database.

Download Installation Files And Patches
The Domain tutfat.com is NOT registered with the same owner and so osdate script and help files are NOT available on tutfat.com, so a waste of all resources, unless you get all files from some other domain owners.


 * Download the latest version of osDate
 * Download the patches and updates
 * Patch the files before uploading to the server.

Patching normally involves replacing existing files with the new "patches", for example, in the downloaded patches, there could be a folder called public_html, and in this folder there might be a file called config.php . What you do now is this:

In the downloaded installations files folder, you look for the folder called public_html, and in that folder you look for the file called config.php . You now replace the original config.php  file in the public_html folder from the original downloaded files with the new config.php from the downloaded patches files.

Simple, isn't it?

Load The Files To The Webserver
Using your FTP Client, create a directory in your user account folder to load the files to. Call it what you like, for example osdate. In this newly created folder (osdate), create another folder and name it what your website will be called. For example: my-dating-site.

The directory structure should look something like this:

your_user_account\osdate\my_dating_site

Using your FTP Client, upload the files to this directory on the webserver. Use an FTP client that has an Auto function.. Core FTP has been used for a few years with no issues, set it to Auto and forget it.

Setting File And Folder Permissions
These settings are for the files and folders on the webserver.

Using your FTP Client, right click on a folder or file, in the pop-up menu, click on properties, and there the properties (CHMOD) for that file or folder will be displayed. Before installation:

In the "public_html" folder, set the following folder permissions:

FOLDER ==> banners      ==> change CHMOD to ==> 777

FOLDER ==> cache        ==> change CHMOD to ==> 777

FOLDER ==> emailimages  ==> change CHMOD to ==> 777

FOLDER ==> temp         ==> change CHMOD to ==> 777

FOLDER ==> templates    ==> change CHMOD to ==> 777

FOLDER ==> templates_c  ==> change CHMOD to ==> 777

FOLDER ==> userimages   ==> change CHMOD to ==> 777

In the folder "public_html", set the following file permissions:

FILE ==> config.php     ==> change CHMOD to ==> 777

In the public_html folder, there is another folder called forum.

In the forum folder, set the following file permissions:

FILE ==> config.php     ==> change CHMOD to ==> 777

After installation set the file permissions as low as possible. Start with 400. Some servers will not allow permissions lower than 644.

Create A Database
Using phpMyAdmin, in the CPanel of your user account on the webserver, create a database on your server and name it your_database_name. I suggest using a simple name related to what your site is going to be called. For this tutorial, I will name the database mydatabase.

osDate Installation Screen (1)
You are now ready to begin the installation. Using your webbrowser, enter the location of your osDate files:

If osDate is installed on a local server, in your browser's addressbar you will type in: localhost/osdate/my_dating_site.

your_user_account\osdate\my_dating_site

If osDate is installed on a live server (non-local server), in your browser's addressbar you will type in: www.yourdomain.com (or net, or org, or whatever yours is)" if your osdate is the main part of your site.

If osdate will only be a secondary feature of your site, i.e., you want your main site to load, then people will click on a link to actually access the osDate part of it), then put your osDate files into another folder within your public_html documents, and access it like so: www.yourdomain.com/thefolderosdateisin/.

Don't forget to change the Doc Root entry in your configuration files to show you have placed it in a secondary folder. Instead of it being "/", it would now be "/thefolderosdateisin/"

The following screen will appear:

Click on install.php in the above screen to continue.

osDate Installation Screen (2)
The next screen will appear after clicking on "install.php".

If there are any errors, or you didn't set the correct file and folder permissions first, the following screen will appear.

You can use the script to fix the errors, I just find it easier to do the CHMOD settings using my FTP Client.

If there are no errors, a screen will appear - click on Continue

osDate Installation Screen (3)
The next screen will appear - fill in the relevant information.

Database Name: (enter your database name here) mydatabase

Database User: (enter the database username here) your_user_account_name

Database Password: (enter the database password here, if you created one) your_database_password

Database Host: (the default is localhost) usually localhost

Database Type: (the default is MySQL) This is the type of database that is running on the webserver

Table Prefix: (the default is osdate) Change this if you want to, but can be left as is.

Document Root: /osDate/my_dating_site/public_html/ (leave default)

Admin Password: (enter the password you want to use for the admin section of your dating site)

Confirm Password: (re-enter the password you want to use for the admin section)

Default Language: (the default is English) (leave this as default, will install later)

Country: (the default is United States) (select the country where the webserver is)

If you load extra languages at this point, the installation may time out. Rather leave it until the whole installation has completed successfully and then load the other languages you want to install from the Admin Page.

When all is done, and all the information is correct, you can continue. Click on Continue. If any of the information you entered is incorrect, you will be returned to the above screen with an error message.

Edit the information and make sure that this time the information is correct and click on Continue

osDate Installation Screen (4)
If you try to load zip codes at this stage, there is a chance that the server may time out. Rather leave it until the whole installation has been finalized, and then you can load zip codes from the Admin Page. Don't select any zip codes, and click on Continue without loading

osDate Installation Screen (5)
Dance around the room or office, as you are very close to being finished!

Click on Continue

osDate Installation Screen (6)
In this screen you enter your SMTP settings. This will all depend on how your hosting is setup, and how you want the mail to be sent.

More on this to follow soon!

After entering the correct information, and making sure all is correct, click on Continue

osDate Installation Screen (7)
The next screen will appear:

*** CONGRATULATIONS ***!!

osDate is now successfully installed!

But wait!

We are not quite finished yet!!

After installation set the file permissions as low as possible. Start with 400. Some servers will not allow permissions lower than 644.

Click on Finish to continue... ...

osDate Installation Screen (8)
On live webservers you might get an error screen, telling you to delete a list of files and folders and then to click Reload osDate. Using your FTP client, delete these files, and folders from the webserver, and then click on Reload osDate. If you installed onto a local server, the next screen you should see is a dating site with predominately blue colors!

CONGRATULATIONS!

osDate is now installed and ready to be configured!


 * tips hat*