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Getting Started

Assuming that you want to build a site on your PC (with Windows), I suggest a visit to DeveloperSide.net< to download their package. Hey - there's no need to re-invent the wheel!

This package has already integrated the following things:

  • Apache 2.2 HTTP Server
  • MySQL 5.0 Database<
  • PHP 5.2 and Perl 5.8 Scripting Languages
  • GUI WAMP-stack Controller
  • Dynamic DNS Client
  • Tomcat Servlet/JSP Container
  • mod_aspdotnet ASP.NET Host Interface
  • OpenSSL Cryptography Toolkit
  • mod_security Web Application Firewall
  • phpMyAdmin MySQL Administration
  • Joomla
  • Drupal<
  • WordPress
  • MediaWiki
  • phpBB

Don't ask me what all of those mean, because I have no idea. Did I need them all? I doubt it. But disk space is cheap, and the key thing I looked at was that it had Drupal 5.0 (the latest release) integrated.

I followed their instructions, which built me a working system! Yay! I don't remember if it was automatic or not, but you will find it useful to have the "Web-Developer Controller" icon on your desk top.

The only "fly in the ointment" was that when I went to the Drupal web site to start pulling my modules and themes, there was a big announcement on the front page saying that 5.1 had been released and was highly recommended.

What's a girl to do? Do I stick with 5.0 any way, or try to update it to 5.1?

Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. I downloaded 5.1. I then unzipped it (using WinZip).

Of course, that created a directory called "Drupal-5.1," but the other software I had installed was looking for a directory called "Drupal." Well, by getting Apache and its services shut down, I managed to rename the two directories so that 5.1 was now called "Drupal." It worked! I now had a running 5.1 system!

And it was all fairly painless and straight-forward. [Well, you know the plot will thicken, don't you?] But at least I'm not as afraid to install a new release of Drupal any more.

Comments

Wed, 04/28/2010 - 06:59 — John Buehrer (not verified)

Up-to-date?

Are the technical details listed here still relevant in early 2010, when Drupal v6.16 is standard and v7 looming on the horizon? Chasing software versions is always time-consuming, but from a visitor's perspective, "the Internet is full of old, outdated advice".

Mon, 05/31/2010 - 16:01 — admin

Sort of

They are still largely relevant, although DeveloperSide now has to be downloaded from SourceForge because they have chosen to sell their latest product.

Another comment lists some other (probably better) sources.

Tue, 04/27/2010 - 18:52 — Visitor (not verified)

Wamp stacks

Thought you might want to mention the free alternatives to developerSide net.

Acquia Drupal installs drupal 6.16 with a wamp(or is it damp?) stack for localhost on your pc, very easy to use. I had no problems, site was up in few minutes. Link to acquia<

Wampserver, just installs the wamp stack, no drupal, but you can download the lastest version easily.
Some problem about what php version is included, use old version of wampserver, I never managed to get this working, but others do. LearnByTheDrop have good tutorial on this, I would have preferred this method as you can use whatever drupal version you want.
Link to wampserver<
Hope this helps
Happy gardening
Jan

Mon, 05/31/2010 - 16:07 — admin

PHP Indeed

It appears that PHP 5.3.0 is included. As of this writing, Drupal 6 still has trouble with 5.3, and many contributed modules simply don't.