I feel like I'm missing something very basic here, but can't get it to work so I'm asking:
I was able to get a successful installation (according to the screen message), but when I go to the base url page, it is blank. I'm sure it's because I misunderstood the question about what the base url should be. The default that it suggested I believe was http//www.customstrength.com/projectpier/ (my domain is customstrength.com), but I changed it to http//www.customstrength.com/clients/ and then continued with the install. But I didn't have a /clients directory, so would that be the problem? I've tried going in to the config file to change the ROOT_URL to http//www.customstrength.com/projectpier/ but still just get a blank page when I go there.
I just don't understand - what I should have put as the base url? and then does the installation process move the necessary files there, because there is no /projectpier director? Is there a way I can make this work now, or do I have to go and delete and then reinstall? And if so, do I have to use /projectpier? Or can I create the directory name I want, and if so, how do I make sure the appropriate files end up there?
I hope this isn't too basic a question, but I've just wasted several hours on this with nothing to show for it. It would be great to actually be able to use this tool as it looks like it does everything I need.
Thanks for your help.
It sounds like you uploaded the program files in a directory called "projectpier", just under your root directory. You could have named this directory anything you wanted, but the directory name IS the part of the URL that follows the domain name: www.example.com/directory. So, if you want your url to be http://www.customstrengh.com/clients, then the proper course of action would have been to create a directory named "clients" just under your root directory and upload the program files there, then run the installation.
The installer does a pretty good job at guessing the URL, and it's really only shown to you for confirmation and correction in the event your files could be accessed by multiple URL's and the installer has chosen the wrong one. Sometimes a person might want to change the domain name, for example you may be installing it from the server using http://localhost/directory/ and when the installer prompts you, you realize people not on the server can't use 'localhost' and will need to access it by http://www.domain.com/directory/. If that happens, you change it during the installation (from 'localhost' to 'www.domain.com' and it should work fine afterward. If on the other hand you completely give it the wrong path, then it will not work, as you have discovered.
I would have thought that changing the ROOT_URL would have fixed it, so you may have another problem on top of the ROOT_URL being wrong. The simplest thing to do at this point is delete the database, delete the files on the server and start over, at least in my opinion.
Best of luck.
-Jon
Thanks Jon. Great answer. I actually managed to figure that out by trial and error - removing the install completely a couple of times and then reinstalling. I have a bit of a "need to know now" problem. :)
I seem to have it working now, and looking forward to getting it set up with my specifics.
I have to say though, while this seems like an amazing tool, the installation instructions leave a bit to be desired. I wonder if this is an inherent problem with open source software - it's supported by great people, but it seems the instructions are written by people who are intimately familiar with the software already and are the types who already know a tonne about software. Makes sense as they are developers; but it means that the software is inaccessible to the general public. Just an observation from someone who knows enough about software development to chose to muddle around in it, but not enough to be proficient. I'm someone who can easily install and adjust any purchased software because I can get technical support, but open source, for the most part, will not suit my needs because the documentation tends to be brutal.
I hope I haven't offended anyone with this mini-rant - it's really not intended as a knock, but rather a point in case it wasn't a known issue.
Elsbeth
Thanks Elsbeth, that is actually very good feedback for the community. As you get familiar with the software and find any areas where the documentation could be improved please feel free to share those specifics here on the web site so the documentation can be updated.