Basic MediaWiki Installation - Revision history

Saruman!: added AdminSettings.php and outlined config files

2009-02-28T15:03:08Z

added AdminSettings.php and outlined config files

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:03, 28 February 2009
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	chmod 444 LocalSettings.php		chmod 444 LocalSettings.php
	If you now follow the link to ''<nowiki>http://yourserver.lan/mediawiki</nowiki>'', you'll find yourself on the default start page of your new Wiki instance. You can immediately start using your Wiki, or you can add things like extensions.		If you now follow the link to ''<nowiki>http://yourserver.lan/mediawiki</nowiki>'', you'll find yourself on the default start page of your new Wiki instance. You can immediately start using your Wiki, or you can add things like extensions.

			Furthermore, should you ever need to run a maintenance script (contained in ''/var/lib/mediawiki/maintenance'') you will want to provide those scripts with the database admin password. To this end, copy ''/usr/share/doc/mediawiki/examples/AdminSettings.sample'' to ''/etc/mediawiki/AdminSettings.php''. Then, secure this file by ''chmod''ding it to 600 and ''chown''ing it to ''root:root''. Finally, put in the MySQL root database user, something like
			$wgDBadminuser = 'root';
			$wgDBadminpassword = 'waYacUbaT2uW';
			Of course, you need to put in ''your'' MySQL root user data. Furthermore, you'll probably understand that you need to be ''really'' careful with this data.

			==The configuration files for MediaWiki under Debian==
			When you've installed MediaWiki under Debian, the configuration of it is contained in the following files and databases:
			* ''/etc/mediawiki/LocalSettings.php'' - exists only after configuration is completed; contains the settings PHP needs to run all its PHP scripts according to your wishes for your wiki.
			* ''/etc/mediawiki/AdminSettings.php'' - optional configuration to facilitate using maintenance scripts.
			* ''/etc/mediawiki/apache.conf'' - contains the Apache2 configuration lines.
			* MySQL database ''wikidb'' - exists only after configuration is completed; contains the wiki content itself.

Saruman!: /* Preparations */ described virtualhost behaviour

2009-02-23T19:42:29Z

Preparations: described virtualhost behaviour

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:42, 23 February 2009
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	apt-get install mediawiki		apt-get install mediawiki
	This installs all mediawiki files, including a default configuration. For your convenience, we've created a [[MediaWiki directory structure]] map. If you run Apache2 (as we recommend), then that is automatically configured (for the most part) as well. By the way, you can reconfigure MediaWiki with ''dpkg-reconfigure'', but that will only ask you for which web servers you'd like to generate a default configuration (those web servers being apache, apache-ssl, apache2 and cherokee).		This installs all mediawiki files, including a default configuration. For your convenience, we've created a [[MediaWiki directory structure]] map. If you run Apache2 (as we recommend), then that is automatically configured (for the most part) as well. By the way, you can reconfigure MediaWiki with ''dpkg-reconfigure'', but that will only ask you for which web servers you'd like to generate a default configuration (those web servers being apache, apache-ssl, apache2 and cherokee).
	To get Apache2 to serve the Wiki on the default alias ''/mediawiki'', edit /etc/mediawiki/apache.conf. Uncomment the alias line, so that the top of the file looks like this:		To get Apache2 to serve the Wiki on the default alias ''/mediawiki'', edit ''/etc/mediawiki/apache.conf''. Uncomment the alias line, so that the top of the file looks like this:
	# Uncomment this to add an alias.		# Uncomment this to add an alias.
	# This does not work properly with virtual hosts..		# This does not work properly with virtual hosts..
Line 16:		Line 16:
	Then restart or reload Apache2:		Then restart or reload Apache2:
	invoke-rc.d apache2 reload		invoke-rc.d apache2 reload
			What does the config file mean with "does not work properly", you might ask? Well, the Mediawiki config file is placed in ''/etc/apache2/conf.d'' using a symlink, so that it is loaded "generally", and not included within any Virtual Host. The consequence is, that the Mediawiki configuration, including the alias, works in ''every'' Virtual Host that you'll configure. If this is not what you want, despair not and just follow these directions. Further on down we will describe how you can fix this potentially unwanted behaviour.

	Now the MediaWiki instance is being served on your webserver; you should be able to visit ''<nowiki>http://yourserver.lan/mediawiki</nowiki>'', and see the friendly MediaWiki sunflower, and a link to "Please set up the wiki first".		Now the MediaWiki instance is being served on your webserver; you should be able to visit ''<nowiki>http://yourserver.lan/mediawiki</nowiki>'', and see the friendly MediaWiki sunflower, and a link to "Please set up the wiki first".

	==Configuring the Wiki instance==		==Configuring the Wiki instance==
	Clicking the "Please set up the wiki first" link will bring you to a single, long web page, that'll help you to actually create the Wiki instance. The first section contains the result of an environment check. It should end with the sentence "<span style="color:green">'''Environment checked. You can install MediaWiki.'''</span>". If not, then you'll first have to fix whatever is holding back your MediaWiki installation.		Clicking the "Please set up the wiki first" link will bring you to a single, long web page, that'll help you to actually create the Wiki instance. The first section contains the result of an environment check. It should end with the sentence "<span style="color:green">'''Environment checked. You can install MediaWiki.'''</span>". If not, then you'll first have to fix whatever is holding back your MediaWiki installation.

Saruman!: Finished first version

2009-02-01T14:18:51Z

Finished first version

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:18, 1 February 2009
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	* PHP5 (including php5-mysql)		* PHP5 (including php5-mysql)
	Furthermore, you have the following credentials (name and password) or equivalent rights:		Furthermore, you have the following credentials (name and password) or equivalent rights:
	* root (for installation)		* root (for installation and configuration of both MediaWiki and Apache2)
	* MySQL root (for database creation)		* MySQL root (for MySQL database creation)
	Update your APT sources, and run		Update your APT sources, and run
	apt-get install mediawiki		apt-get install mediawiki
Line 16:		Line 16:
	Then restart or reload Apache2:		Then restart or reload Apache2:
	invoke-rc.d apache2 reload		invoke-rc.d apache2 reload
	Now the MediaWiki instance is being served on your webserver; you should be able to visit ''<nowiki>http://yourserver.lan/mediawiki</nowiki>'', and see the friendly MediaWiki sunflower, and a link to "Please set up the wiki first". Clicking ~~this~~ link will bring you to a single, long web page, that'll help you to actually create the Wiki instance. The first section contains the result of an environment check. It should end with the sentence "<span style="color:green">'''Environment checked. You can install MediaWiki.'''</span>". If not, then you'll first have to fix whatever is holding back your MediaWiki installation.		Now the MediaWiki instance is being served on your webserver; you should be able to visit ''<nowiki>http://yourserver.lan/mediawiki</nowiki>'', and see the friendly MediaWiki sunflower, and a link to "Please set up the wiki first".
			==Configuring the Wiki instance==
			Clicking the "Please set up the wiki first" link will bring you to a single, long web page, that'll help you to actually create the Wiki instance. The first section contains the result of an environment check. It should end with the sentence "<span style="color:green">'''Environment checked. You can install MediaWiki.'''</span>". If not, then you'll first have to fix whatever is holding back your MediaWiki installation.

	The rest of the page is one long form. You'll have to provide all data to define your wiki. Questions are a.o.:		The rest of the page is one long form. You'll have to provide all data to define your wiki. Questions are a.o. the following.
	* The Wiki name: Must not be blank or "MediaWiki" and may not contain "#". Preferably a short word without punctuation, i.e. "SaruWiki".		* Site Config questions:
	* Contact e-mail: Displayed to users in some error messages, used as the return address for password reminders, and used as the default sender address of e-mail notifications.		** The Wiki name: Must not be blank or "MediaWiki" and may not contain "#". Preferably a short word without punctuation, i.e. "SaruWiki". Will appear as the namespace name for "meta" pages, and throughout the interface.
	* Language: determines the wiki interface localization. We only have experience with "en - English" but the pulldown list reveals an impressive list of languages, from "nl - Nederlands" to "jut - Jysk" and from "ak - Akan" to "yo - Yorùbá".		** Contact e-mail: Displayed to users in some error messages, used as the return address for password reminders, and used as the default sender address of e-mail notifications.
	* the Copyright/license: you can have your Wiki display the GNU Free Documentation License, a Creative Commons license (that you'll have to select in a page under a hyperlink), or no license metadata at all. Think careful what you want with the materials that you and others create in your Wiki instance!		** Language: determines the wiki interface localization. We only have experience with "en - English" but the pulldown list reveals an impressive list of languages, from "nl - Nederlands" to "jut - Jysk" and from "ak - Akan" to "yo - Yorùbá".
	* an Admin username and password: the proposed default is ''WikiSysop''		** the Copyright/license: you can have your Wiki display the GNU Free Documentation License, a Creative Commons license (that you'll have to select in a page under a hyperlink), or no license metadata at all. Think careful what you want with the materials that you and others create in your Wiki instance!
	* Email address authentication: if this is enabled, then users have to confirm their e-mail address using a magic link sent to them whenever they set or change it, and only authenticated e-mail addresses can receive mails from other users and/or change notification mails. Setting this option is recommended for public wikis because of potential abuse of the e-mail features just above this particular question.		** an Admin username and password: the proposed default is ''WikiSysop''. Provide a strong password!
	* Database type: You can choose from a list of one, being MySQL :-).		* Email notification and authentication setup:
	* Database host: can be localhost, if you've installed MySQL on this same machine, but can also be an IP address or a DNS name to a remote MySQL server		** Email address authentication: if this is enabled, then users have to confirm their e-mail address using a magic link sent to them whenever they set or change it, and only authenticated e-mail addresses can receive mails from other users and/or change notification mails. Setting this option is recommended for public wikis because of potential abuse of the e-mail features just above this particular question.
	* Database name: Here you choose under what name the database will be created in the MySQL server. The default is ''wikidb''.		* Database options:
			** Database type: You can choose from a list of one, being MySQL :-).
			** Database host: can be localhost, if you've installed MySQL on this same machine, but can also be an IP address or a DNS name to a remote MySQL server
			** Database name: Here you choose under what name the database will be created in the MySQL server. The default is ''wikidb''.
			** Database user: With the MySQL root privileges, we can have the MediaWiki configuration script create a new user within the new database, that has the necessary privileges to enter data in, and read data from, the MySQL database. The proposed name is ''wikiuser'', and you'll have to provide a strong (!) password.
			** Superuser account: check the box to signal that you have a root account for the MySQL server, fill in the name (presumably 'root'') and the password, so that the configuration script gets the authority to create the ''wikidb'' database and all necessary users, tables et cetera.
			* There are some MySQL specific options, most importantly:
			** Database table prefix: If you need to share one database between multiple wikis, or between MediaWiki and another web application, you may choose to add a prefix to all the table names to avoid conflicts. Avoid exotic characters; something like mw_ is good. However, if you plan to have only a single wiki, then this box can remain empty.
			** Storage Engine: choose between InnoDB and MyISAM. InnoDB is the default.
			** Database character set: "Backwards-compatible UTF-8" is the default choice

			Having provided all the above info, you can click the bottom button optimistically labeled "'''Install MediaWiki!'''". If you left something important empty (e.g. the Wiki name cannot be blank) or gave inconsistant information (two different passwords for "wikiuser"), you're thrown back to the same page with an urgent red box at the top:<br>
			"<span style="color:red">'''Something's not quite right yet; make sure everything below is filled out correctly.'''</span>".<br>

	~~Will appear as the namespace name for~~ "~~meta~~" ~~pages, and throughout the interface.~~		However, when you've gotten it right, you'll see a result page, ending with <span style="color:green">'''Installation successful!'''</span>

	The ~~installation also creates~~ a		==Finishing up the configuration==
			The above procedure has resulted in a new configuration file ''/var/lib/mediawiki/config/LocalSettings.php'' (owner: ''www-data:www-data''), and in a database in your MySQL server named as you've indicated (presumably ''wikidb'', right?).
			As the result page indicated, you'll have to now move the ''LocalSettings.php'' file to ''/etc/mediawiki'', and set the permissions so that no-one can mess with that file:
			cd /etc/mediawiki
			mv /var/lib/mediawiki/config/LocalSettings.php .
			chmod 444 LocalSettings.php
			If you now follow the link to ''<nowiki>http://yourserver.lan/mediawiki</nowiki>'', you'll find yourself on the default start page of your new Wiki instance. You can immediately start using your Wiki, or you can add things like extensions.

Saruman!: Working on config page description

2009-02-01T13:42:53Z

Working on config page description

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 * MySQL-server
 * PHP5 (including php5-mysql)
 Update your APT sources, and run
   apt-get install mediawiki

Saruman!: Page started

2009-02-01T10:30:21Z

Page started

New page

==Preparations==
In the following, we'll assume you already have the following packages installed and configured:
* Apache2
* MySQL-server
* PHP5 (including php5-mysql)
Update your APT sources, and run
apt-get install mediawiki