Vanilla Guestbook Lemon ReadMe File
Table of Contents
- Versions History & Change Log
- Fresh Install of Vanilla Guestbook
- Styling this beast
- Can I change your script? Can I redistribute it? Can I sell it?
- So how do I get help? To whom do I complain?
- Credits
Version History & Change Log
- Version 0.1 - October 29, 2005
- Beta version
Fresh Install of Vanilla Guestbook
You need to be a little familiar with computers and the Internet. The more experience you have with PHP and MySQL, the better, although no experience is required.
If you are reading this, you have obviously unzipped the package, that is a good first step. Next, upload this entire package to your website. The preferable method to do this is via FTP. However you manage it, you must chmod the file settings.php to 777.
Make sure you have a MySQL database prepared, with a user that has permission to create and alter tables.
Next, go to the install.php file in your browser. Fill out the form, an explanation of each element is below:
- Hostname - The MySQL server to which the script must connect to access the database. It is usually localhost
- Username - The name of the MySQL user you created prior to installing the script
- Password - The password of the MySQL user you created prior to installing the script
- Database - The name of the database where the script will create all the tables. It must already exist
- Access Password - The password you will use to access your admin CP after the install
- Access Path - The absolute path (must start with http://) where the script resides. If you still don't know what I'm talking about, just do this: take the address in your web browser, remove the install.php part, and you have the path.
- Server Path - The path on the server. It'll automatically try to set this.
The install should be successful. If an error occurred, double check that you chmodded settings.php correctly, and that all information is accurate.
After install, it is recommended you delete the install file.
Upgrade from Previous Versions
First, upload everything in the package except settings.php. Make sure to chmod settings.php to 777, however.
Locate the appropriate file in the upgrade folder. For example, if you are upgrading from version 2.3.3, then run upgrade_from_2.3.3.php. This file will make the necessary changes to the database and update settings.php.
Once again, it should run smoothly and you shouldn't encounter problems (yeah, what else am I supposed to say?)
Styling this beast
You can style Vanilla Guestbook by including the lines from the style sheet in your own style sheet. The style sheet is named styles.css and is located in the templates directory. Copy and paste everything below the following comment, changing it to what you want, of course.
/*************************************************************************** * Copy the following into your CSS if you aren't using this document. * The following controls the look of news articles, wherever they may be. ***************************************************************************/
Can I change your script? Can I redistribute it? Can I sell it?
Indeed, you can change the script as much as you want, go wild. My script is far from perfect, I'm sure you can make many improvements.
You may redistribute Vanilla Guestbook as well. Whether it is an untouched or a modified version, you must distribute the source code as well. Vanilla Guestbook is copylefted under the GNU General Public License. A copy of the license is available in the file copying.txt.
If you do make useful modifications to release, I don't mind being notified either. But this is not absolutely necessary.
Under the terms of the GNU GPL, you are allowed to sell my script, however you must still make the source code available with the script.
So how do I get help? To whom do I complain?
You can contact me in a variety of ways. My website usually provides up to date information on contacting me. You may seek help from my forums as well. Or, if you prefer, you can contact me at support@tachyondecay.net.
Credits
Thank you to the following people and resources for making Vanilla Guestbook a reality:
- PHP.net - The home of PHP on the web. I don't know what I'd do without its handy online reference manual.
- PHP Freaks - A great community of PHP coders who offer a variety of tutorials, including those on sessions.
- Practical PHP Programming - A free, online PHP manual that has taught me a lot about PHP, and I still refer to it.
- The GIMP, a free, open-source graphics manipulation program, is responsible for the Vanilla Guestbook logo.
- And of course, I cannot forget Google