Convert Microsoft to LINUX: Joomla


If you want to install a content manage system that everybody can add to try Joomla. To get it you also have to have php5, mysql (client and Server), httpd/Apache2 installed. Here is how to do it using Ubuntu. Type as root in a terminal window:
apt-get install apache2 php5 mysql-client mysql-server php-mysql
Restart Apache2 to be safe with the command:
/etc/init.d/apache2 reload
Fetch the zipped file by going here and selecting the latest download. You can then click on the package and the archiver will automatically open. Extract the file to a directory called /var/www/joomla. If the directory is not already there, you can create it. Note, your version may be newer, at the time of this writing 1.5.14 was the most recent version.
You are now ready to create the database that joomla will use. Go to the terminal window and type:
mysqladmin -u root password 'your-brand-new-password' [quotes are required]
Make additional security-related changes to mysql. Type:
mysql -u root -p
You will now be at a mysql> prompt.
mysql> DROP DATABASE test; [removes the test database]
mysql> DELETE FROM mysql.user WHERE user = ''; [Removes anonymous access]
mysql> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
Create a database and database user for your data. You will use this database and user name in your database connection string. The GRANT statement actually creates a new MySQL user account.
mysql> CREATE DATABASE joomla_mysql;
mysql> GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON joomla_mysql.* TO 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'thepassword';

You are now ready to run the install, type:
http://localhost/joomla/index.php
in your Browwer. The install will automatically happen. Be sure to install the default data if you are new to Joomla. Note, you have to click on the bar that says install default data. You will then get a message that the default data has been installed. You must then click the radio button a second time to install the default data. To continue at the end go back to the terminal prompt and type:
rm -R /var/www/joomla/./installation directory
You can then login as the Joomla Administrator and configure the rest of the website. For more help, please see here . To get started, type http://localhost/joomla/index.php in your browser.

Note, you probably want to do some administration first by typing:
http://localhost/joomla/administrator/
in your browser. Note, the default administrator login is admin. You may want to change it for security. If you do not want to use the mysql commands to do this, you can use the PhpMyAdmin graphical interface.
If you wish to have the apache mod rewrite module used go to global configuration as administrator and click the button that says Use Apache mod_rewrite.

There is a nice WYSWYIG editor you can install to work on the website called fckeditor . It is avaiable at this website. The latest version is available as a tar file. Here are instructions for installing:
cd /var/www/joomla/tmp /
Take the tarfile and expand it in this directory:
tar -zxvf /path_to../bot_JoomlaFCKeditor2.6.4.1.tgz
Follow the instructions here to use the Joomla GUI to install the fckeditor. Note, since I am in Linux, I put in the install directory the path:
/var/www/joomla/tmp
I still got one error, so I had to copy this file by hand, i.e.
cp /var/www/joomla/tmp/language/en-GB.plg_editors_fckeditor.ini /var/www/joomla/administrator/language/en-GB/en-GB.plg_editors_fckeditor.ini
Now, when you log on as administrator, under editor, you should see fckeditor in the drop down box and be able to select it. Note, this editor is very similar to the built in open office web editor, if you are familiar with that.

It is a good idea to download one of the sets of themes to make things look prettier. This will go in the extensions manager under the main admin page menu. You will be installing this theme template, which will show up under the template manager . You can do this by going here . Note you may want to change the picture at the top of the theme, i.e. the ladybug to an image of your own choosing. Do this by simply modifying the file:
/var/www/joomla/templates/themza_j15_13/images/green/banner.jpg
renaming the original to banner_orig.jpg first. This is the image you will now see at the top of every page of your Joomla blog.

Another useful extension is the one for subscribing to a newsletter via email, this is called the newsletter subscriber and will be listed under the plugin manger under the extesions manager. You find it here. Note, there are many variations of all these extensions and plugins. Some of them you pay for and some are for non-profits. Shop around for what you like.

Sooner or later you will probably want to make your site multilingual. To add Spanish, I went here after registering my account with joomlacode.org Note, the installer is a little buggy, so you need to first unzip the site zip file in this directory, i.e.
unzip /home/victor/Desktop/es-ES_Joomla_lang_site.1.5.9v1.zip /var/www/joomla/languages/es-ES
You may have to create the es-ES directory first. Then use the installer under extensions manager browsing to:
/home/victor/Desktop/es-ES_Joomla_lang_admin.1.5.9v1.zip
When you are done, you will have the additional language choice under both Site and Administrator in the Language Manager . Next you need to download and install the joomfish multilingual extension . There is really good documentation tutorial here . Note you may have to create some directories to make this work, but it does install flawlessly. I had to create the following directories:
mkdir /var/www/joomla/components/com_joomfish
mkdir /var/www/joomla/modules
mkdir /var/www/joomla/modules/mod_jflanguageselection
Note, this is incredibly powerful. You can translate absolutely everything in the Joomla Data base. I changed Main Menu in English to Menu principal in Spanish by going to the translate tab under Components | Joomfish and selecting modules, modifying the mainmenu and then publishing it.

Lastly, here is an example of a Joomla website I assisted with installing and administering. It is for one of the non profits that I have been volunteering with since 1998.
Enjoy!