Ultimate PHP Board 1.1
Readme
1. Introduction
2. Installation
2.1 Requirements
2.2 Pre-settings
2.3 Upload
2.4 CHMOD (setting rights)
2.5 First Stetps
3. Update-Installation
3.1 Update from Version 1.0 Beta
4. settings.php
4.1 Introduction
4.2 $path_to_forum
4.3 $adress_to_forum
4.4 $log_options
4.5 $warn_admin_fds / $close_forum_fds
4.6 $create_reg_pw
4.7 $uc
5. Forum Extern Tools
6. Last Remarks
6.1 The Newsfader Function
6.2 Forum Security/.htaccess Problems
7. F.A.Q.
8. License
UPB is free for use with non-commercial sites only! Otherwise a fee will be considered! I recommend visiting my website for more info. There you will also find more information about removing the copyright text and what it would cost.
1. Intoduction:
First of all thank you for using UPB!
In the following documentation you will be explained how to install and maintain
UPB. Even though I try to explain the procedure in a simple fashion, knowledge
of installing scripts is essential. If you encounter problems I recommend
reading through the F.A.Q.. If you don't find a solution
there visit the forum on my website.
You will surely find help there!
2. Installation:
2.1 Requirements
Following requirements are needed for UPB to work on your webserver:
- 2 MB of webspace (This may vary since it depends on how big your forum will be!)
- PHP 4.06 or higher
2.2 Pre-settings
If the requirements are met you may start immediately with the installation.
First of all you should open the following files with any text editor and edit
the configurations: "settings.php" and "mailsettings.php".
Each entry's significance is explained in the files themselves. Please keep in mind that
the semicolons should not be deleted! Head here for more
information on the "settings.php" file.
2.3 Upload
Once you've finished editing the files you may start uploading UPB. Please pay
attention to the two different uploading modes (Binary, Ascii). Your FTP-program
should support these two modes. If there's an automatic mode, make sure it's deactivated
so that each mode can be chosen manually.
First create a directory on your webserver (i.E forum). To this directory you then
upload the following files and directories with the following uploading modes:
Directory "foren" (+ Contents) Binarymode
Directory "members" (+ Contents) Binarymode
Directory "vars" (+ Contents) Binarymode
Directory "logs" (+ Contents) Binarymode
Directory "images" (+ Contents) Binarymode
Directory "jscripts" (+ Contents) Asciimode
Directory "templates" (+ Contents) Asciimode
Directory "styles" (+ Contents) Asciimode
Files *.php Asciimode
2.4 CHMOD (setting rights)
Set the rights of following files/directories (CHMOD):
Directory "foren" 777
Directory "members" 777
Directory "vars" 777
Directory "logs" 777
Files *.var in "vars" 777
Files *.xbb in "members" 777
Files *.php 755
2.5 First Steps
UPB is now nearly ready for use. Call up your forum using a web browser (i.E.
www.mydomain.com/upb). If all settings are correct the forum-overview should appear.
Now register by clicking on "Register" on the upper right hand corner. Fill in
all the necessary data and send it to the server (You have automatically been
registered as the admin). Now login using the data you have just entered . If
everything worked out you should be able to click on the following link "Administration"
(Or call up adminpanel.php over your web browser; www.mydomain.com/upb/adminpanel.php).
Click on "Forums/Categories" and then create a category (you must create a category before creating a forum). Then
head back and create a forum. Your forum is now ready for use!
If problems should occur during installation please consult the
F.A.Q before visiting the forum on my
website.
3. Update-Installation:
3.1 Update from Version 1.0 Beta
1: Edit all necessary configs in settings.php and mailsettings.php
2: Upload all *.php files to your UPB directory found on your webserver overwriting
any existing files (Make sure you are uploading in Asciimode!)
3: Upload the directory "styles" ( with contents; Asciimode!) to your UPB directory
4: Upload the directory "templates" ( with contents; Asciimode!) to your UPB directory
5: Upload the directory "jscripts" ( with contents; Asciimode!) to your UPB directory
6: You may delete the file ad.php found on your webserver (adminpanel.php overrides
it's functions) 7: Create the following two directories in your UPB directory:
"logs" and "vars"
8: CHMOD the two created directories (logs, vars) to 777
9: Upload the file .htaccess (Binarymode!) out of the update directory to: "foren", "logs", "members" and "vars" (this prevents the reading of these files over a webbrowser)
10: Upload the file "update_10.php" found in the update directory to your UPB
directory (Asciimode!). Then open the file in your browser (i.E. www.mydomain.com/upb/update_10.php).
This script checks your settings and then updates your forum
11: Delete "update_10.php" from your webserver
The forum should now be updated!
4. settings.php:
4.1 Introduction
In this chapter I will explain some variables found in the "settings.php" file.
When editing these variables please don't forget to add quotes ("").
These quotes don't have to be placed when using a digit. Please note that semicolons
(;) always need to be placed at the end of a line!
Comments can be added by using //. This way it's easier to keep track of what
each variable does.
4.2 $path_to_forum
This variable has lost its significance since version 1.0 Beta,
because all authorization data is saved in sessions and not in cookies.
It still has some importance though since a few things still use cookies.
The most common mistake is that the user sets his web address
(http://www.something.com/forum) instead of the path (/path/to/the/forum/).
A path holds the key to where something is found on the server's system,
where an Internet address holds information to where a page is located on
the World Wide Web. If you don't know where you can find your path ask your
provider. UPB also has a script (testsettings.php), which allows testing
the path you specify. To use the script upload it (Asciimode) to your UPB directory
located on your webserver and run it through your browser
(www.mydomain.com/upb/testsettings.php). When you have finished testing,
delete the file under all circumstances!
4.3 $adress_to_forum
This variable is import for the mail-function, since a lot of the mails automatically
add a link to the forum. Here you must add a www-address to your forum
(i.E. http://www.mydomain.com/forum). This link should then call up the forum-overview.
Do not forget to add the http://
4.4 $log_options
Here you can configure the log function. You can precisely decide what should be logged.
You should take in consideration that logging information may use a lot of web space
(especially with a lot of members). The log file can be found in the "logs" directory on
your web server. For each day a log file will be created called DDMMYYYY.log
(DD=day; MM=month; YYYY=year). To choose what you would liked logged add the corresponding
digits separated by a comma (i.E. 1,6,10).
Here are the following log options:
1 - System errors (read/write/memory space)
2 - Unsuccesful administrational-access-attempts
3 - Unsuccessful logins
4 - New topics/posts created
5 - Posts edited/deleted, Topics deleted/closed/opened/moved
6 - User connected to board
7 - Login/outs
8 - Administrational actions
9 - Mails/PMs sent
10 - Profile edited
11 - New registration
12 - New password request
Example: You would like to register all users that connected to your board (6) and register all login/outs (7).
You would write the following:
$log_options = "6,7";
4.5 $warn_admin_fds / $close_forum_fds
These variables are extremely important since they prevent your forum from being damaged.
The first variable $warn_admin_fds does the following: It sends the admin an e-mail warning
him that the size of the forum has exceeded the set memory limit (i.E. You set the limit
to 5 MB and there is 5 MB free web space left on your server the admin will be contacted).
It's important that the e-mail address of the admin is specified in "mailsettings.php".
The second variable $close_forum_fds does the same like $warn_admin_fds plus it closes the
forum at the same time. Once additional web space has been freed you have to delete the
following file "fds.var" which can be found in the "vars" directory, otherwise you won't
receive another warning!
4.6 $create_reg_pw
With this option on (1) the user is forced to specify a valid e-mail,
since the password will be generated and sent to the specified e-mail.
4.7 $uc
If you plan on updating your forum set this variable to 1.
This way you can only access the forum over the administration (ad_login.php).
Other users will get a page informing them about the situation (forum is being updated).
5. Forum extern Tools:
The external forum tools can be found in the "extern" directory. Their main function
is to display the last post and WIO somewhere else on ones web page
(i.E. on the homepage's portal). The page needs to be located on the same web server as the
UPB forum and it must have a php extension. To use these two files do the following:
1. Edit each file with a text editor and specify the path (you may specify the relative path).
2. Upload both files (in Asciimode) to wherever you need them on your webserver (not the directory of the forum!).
3. Now add the following lines to the web page you would like these two functions to be implemented:
include("ext_wio.php"); for WIO
include("ext_lposts.php"); for last post
6. Last Remarks:
6.1 The Newsfader Function
The newsfader has been successfully tested on IE 5.0-6.0. It doesn't work at all under
Opera/Netscape/Mozilla. It's recommended to use the normal news function ("static").
6.2 Forum Security/.htaccess Problems
It's recommended to use a provider that supports ".htacces" globally.
Without it users may (with a little knowledge) tamper/view forum data
(private posts, user data, etc.).
7. F.A.Q.:
Q: As an Admin if I change the order of something the site still displays the old order
after reloading. Only after refreshing the page does the new order take affect. What's wrong?
A: First of all you should deactivate
the Proxyserver (just in case you're using one). You should also check your browser's
settings. Make sure a page always reloads from the site and not from the cache since the cache
stores old data.
8. License:
1: You accept the license agreement by using this software.
2: This license allows the installation and usage of Ultimate PHP Board (UPB) on as many servers as you like without commercial interests.
3: You may alter any of the UPB code but may not resell the altered version!
4: All copyright information ("© 2001/2002 The X-Crew", "Ultimate PHP Board 1.1") and the links belonging to the copyright information (the copyright information found in the code and on the UPB page) may not be altered in any way and must be visible at all times!
5: X-Crew does not guarantee the functioning of UPB with any of the used Hard- Software.
6: X-Crew is not responsible for any material or contents that has been posted with UPB.
7: The user of this license takes all risks by using this software.
8: Without the authorization of X-Crew none of the UPB code may be used in another script.
9: Without the authorization of X-Crew UPB may not be offered for download.
© 2001/2002 The X-Crew
translated by DFME