elgg + wamp

I’m attempting to use WAMP from bitnami to host ELGG social networking for an internal network of about 250+ Computers. This is mostly just a project that I think would be neat for a work environment.

The only thing is – while decently computer literate, I’ve never messed around with Apache, MySQL, or PHP; all of which ELGG requires.

I intend to use this experience as a start into learning a little about all of the these programs.

There are a few things that I’m not understanding right off on how to edit.

How do I enable mod_rewrite in Apache?

With this WAMP stack, is PHP installed as module to Apache?

How do I increase memory available to PHP?

How do I add libraries for PHP?

Hi,

How do I enable mod_rewrite in Apache?

You can do so in the Apache configuration file, located in installation_directory\apache2\conf\httpd.conf. Simply look for mod_rewrite and uncomment it.

With this WAMP stack, is PHP installed as module to Apache?

Yes.

How do I increase memory available to PHP?
How do I add libraries for PHP?

Edit the file installation_directory\php\php.ini. I don’t know exactly the directives that you need to change, but it should not be difficult to find out.

Thanks for all your help!

In \apache2\conf\httpd.conf it has a list of modules and beside it has a # I’m guess that means “load this one!”, right? I noticed a few with it, and a few without – so I’m thinking that is a good assumption.

in \php\ all I see is php.ini-recommended and php.ini-dist not just a plain php.ini file.

Actually, is the other way around :)

A # means “ignore this line”

Are you completely sure about php.ini? I just checked and it should be there.

Ah, I was close – but no cigar. Fixing that portion now.

Ahh, I found it. I was looking for php.ini file but it is just listed as php and listed as a type “configuration settings”.

I need to make sure the following the libraries are in the php.ini file:
o GD (for graphics processing, eg user icon rescaling)
o JSON (for API functionality)
o mbstring (to allow emails to be sent with non-Latin characters)
o SOAP
o DOM

Whenver I go to the php.ini file and just ctrl+f to search for them I find the .dlls listed – some have ; before (like the # in apache) the .dll, does that mean on or off in PHP?
GD, MBSTRING, and SOAP were all in there already, I’ve just got to find JSON and DOM libraries and figure out how to add them.

; means off

Apparently, JSON and DOM libraries are part of the core of PHP, so you don’t need to enable them :)

http://es.php.net/manual/en/dom.installation.php
http://es.php.net/manual/en/json.installation.php

Awesome about the libraries. That was easier than I expected!

For some reason my mod_rewrite module is still not being loaded. I’ve restarted the apache services to make sure that wasn’t the issue. Any idea on how to resolve this issue?

Mmmmm not right now, try to have a look at installation_directory\apache2\logs too see if you can find something in there

(Wed Feb 18 10:57:09 2009] error File does not exist: C:/WAMPStack/apache2/htdocs/favicon.ico
Wed Feb 18 10:57:15 2009 [client 127.0.0.1] File does not exist: C:/WAMPStack/apache2/htdocs/elgg1.2
Wed Feb 18 10:57:35 2009 [client 127.0.0.1] File does not exist: C:/WAMPStack/apache2/htdocs/favicon.ico
Wed Feb 18 11:04:21 2009 [client 127.0.0.1] File does not exist: C:/WAMPStack/apache2/htdocs/favicon.ico
Wed Feb 18 11:04:24 2009 [client 127.0.0.1] File does not exist: C:/WAMPStack/apache2/htdocs/favicon.ico
Wed Feb 18 11:05:05 2009 [client 127.0.0.1] * FATAL EXCEPTION * : exception ‘InstallationException’ with message ‘Once you’ve corrected any configuration issues, press reload to try again.’ in C:\\WAMPStack\\apache2\\htdocs\\elgg1.2\\engine\\start.php:143\nStack trace:\n#0 C:\\WAMPStack\\apache2\\htdocs\\elgg1.2\\index.php(17): require_once()\n#1 {main}
Wed Feb 18 11:05:52 2009 [client 127.0.0.1] File does not exist: C:/WAMPStack/apache2/htdocs/elgg1.2/action, referer: http://localhost/elgg1.2/install.php
)

There is no error related to mod_rewrite. How do you know it is not being loaded?

That is what I thought, too. No error related to mod_rewrite.

The reason I think mod_rewrite is not being loaded is by using elgg’s troubleshooting guide.

http://docs.elgg.org/wiki/Install_Troubleshooting

They constantly state that mod_rewrite is a big issue, and they have a few different ways of testing to make sure mod_rewrite is loaded. I’ve tried all of them (besides the phpinfo one, because I can’t find the spot where I put in the code they’ve written to test it.)

Midway through the page it states that:
“The install script redirects me to “action” when it should be “actions”
This is a problem with your mod_rewrite setup (see previous troubleshooting item).
DO NOT, REPEAT, DO NOT change any directory names! “

And they have a test (http://docs.elgg.org/wiki/Mod_rewrite_test) that I’ve tried here, and it still doesn’t do what it say it should.

There are 3 different AllowOverride directives in the configuration file, which one have you changed? I have configured mod_rewrite correctly in LAMPStack, and tested it with the last link you provide.

I want to say the first one. I just used ctrl+f to find allowoverride and edited it. I’m not so sure now – I’ve uninstalled and reinstalled everything a bit ago to make sure it wasn’t something in an install.

So as of now, all 3 are still set to none. Which one (two, or all three?) would be the correct configuration?

It depends on where you are installing elgg. I’ll try to explain myself, the directive AllowOverride is applied to a directory. The first one is applied to the directory / of the url (so if it itself is not overriden in another directory, it applies to all, I think). The second one to the directory htdocs, which was the one that I had to change (though I had the first one set to All to be honest, from a previous attempt). Are you installing elgg in the htdocs folder?

Yeah, I’m installing it in the htdocs folder.
C:\WAMPStack\apache2\htdocs\elgg1.2 is the full directory.
Should I make all the files in \htdocs?
Rather than a subdirectory within \htdocs\elgg1.2?

I tried the first one only – didn’t work.
Then I tried the second one only – still didn’t work.
Tried both at the same time – still didn’t work.

So, I created a test folder in htdocs, moved the php files there, and also .htaccess. It still works :S So, set AllowOverride for both the first and the second directives we were talking about, and create the appropriate .htaccess file in elgg1.2. Restart the server (this is important, but I think you are doing it already) and try again. If it works, set the first AllowOverride to None, restart and try again.

Well, now we got a bit further than before. Using the testing.php to test mod_rewrite before it would say “does not work!”, now it says “cannot be found”.

http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y140/homey_g_bob/?action=view&current=wtf.jpg

As you can see, all 3 files that are needed for this are in there. I don’t get it. =(

First 2 AllowOverride are the only ones that are selected for All.

But it is working now! See how it is trying to rewrite the url from testing.php to modrewrite.php :) I think that the problem here is the rewrite rule itself, try to install elgg now to see if it works, please.

Bah! A tad further, I suppose. Before it was stating it couldn’t find /actions/systemsettings/install

now it says

Not Found

The requested URL /engine/handlers/action_handler.php was not found on this server.

it is there, though.

Tried a restart again, just to make sure.

Still no cigar.

Woot!
Figured it out.

I had to point where the mod_rewrite was going. Since in a sub directory, I had to make RewriteBase /elgg1.2/ in .htaccess.

Thanks for all of your help, Antonio! I appreciate it greatly! =D

There you are :) You’re welcome!

And to return the favor, would you be able to write a guide on how to install elgg over the WAMPStack? We can put it in the front page and send it to the elgg site, too.

I can definitely try. I’ve never really written any technical guides before, though.