[Closed]: Where do I start? Any "idiots" step by step guides anywhere?

[Woodster]

Hi,
I really want a photo site with my own domain name but want an easy to use one where I dont need to know a lot of HTML, msDOS language etc. I was hooping to find one where I can just upload my pics and add text and hyperlinks here and there, using buttons already installed on a template, Is this possible with Coppermine?

I would be using NTLworld/Virgin hopefully to host it, but to ask them if they can host it, its a premium rate number Does anyone know if they can?

I take it I dont need MYSQL if someone else is to host it?

So do I only need to download Coppermine and Imagepick to get running if I do?

Is there an EASY "step by step" guide to do all this?

Cheers
W

[François Keller]

start wit reading the doc (Documentation link on the top of this page) et see if your server has the minimum requierment to run Coppermine

[Woodster]

I just called my ISP (NTL) They said they just allow me 55MB of webspace free for me to do what I want with it, and they couldn't answer whether it would support mySQL or not.
I'm assuming here they are the "host" of the website I am to create?

I'm getting a bit confused if they cannot tell me anymore on this , and on the documentation it says the webserver needs to be mySQL compatible? I take it my ISP free web space would be the webserver?

[steveeh131047]

Woodster.

I sympathise - it can all be very confusing at the start!

MySQL is one of the most common databases provided by web hosts on their servers. When you upload Coppermine onto your web server it expects to be able to "see" a MySQL database - it uses that database to store information about your pictures, the gallery users, their privileges etc. If there's no MySQL database, Coppermine cannot operate.

Usually, the web host will create a MySQL database for you and then provide a facility for you to administer it - for example making regular backups, examining the entries in the database tables etc - a commonly provided programme for doing this is called PHPMyAdmin.

It sounds as if your provider is not being very helpful - they should be able to say definitively whether they provide MySQL or not. If, as they seem to be saying, they just provide web space and nothing else, you have a problem. The real "techies" among us would probably install MySQL on the web server themselves (it's free) but it's not something for the newcomer to try.

Your alternative is to move to a paid hosting service which is almost certainly likely to provide MySQL - you may find you need to do this anyway because you exceed your 55MB of space - that's not a lot once you start storing pictures. My experience has been that it's worth paying for a decent service.

Hope that helps you up the learning curve a bit!

Steve

[Woodster]

Thanks Steve,
Could I not upload a pre-made basic trial page to see if its MySQL compatible? Is one available somehwhere?

I really dont want to start paying for anything much more than the domain name at this stage really, I might not use it enough. If I only upload small pictures of around 100kb and text, this would give me loads of room in 55kb, surely?

Do I also need to download a FTP browser to do all this?

W

[tfischer]

Thanks Steve,
Could I not upload a pre-made basic trial page to see if its MySQL compatible? Is one available somehwhere?

I really dont want to start paying for anything much more than the domain name at this stage really, I might not use it enough. If I only upload small pictures of around 100kb and text, this would give me loads of room in 55kb, surely?

Do I also need to download a FTP browser to do all this?

W

You can't just "upload and see" because you need your MySQL database name and password as part of the Coppermine configuration.  This information is either given to you by your host, or created by you via the MySQL administration facilities provided by your host.  If the host doesn't "know" whether they provide MySQL, then they almost certainly do not. 

Without a database name and password, Coppermine doesn't have a prayer of working.

Coppermine-compatible hosting can be had for $5 a month or less, including the domain name.  I'm very happy with my host, which is in that price range, and you can PM me for info if you're interested (not sure what the board policies are on promoting stuff like that).

-Tim

[steveeh131047]

Woodster,

I agree with tfischer - it's not expensive to go with a host who can provide the facilities you need to support Coppermine.

A couple of other points:

1) Don't underestimate how quickly you might "eat up" the 55MB. If you really do only need a few pictures, is Coppermine the right tool?

2) There is a Live-Demo version of Coppermine which you can download and run on your PC to explore its capabilities; but this is **NOT** for use on a live web-site.

[Woodster]

Thanks guys,
So it sounds like my webspace people do not have mySQL then. Could I not upload and install MySQL there myself myself? I guess not, my next alternative,  I have downloaded MySQL on my home PC, could I not use its functions from there before uploading to the webserver, but I also feel it needs it while the website is running, yes?

$5 a month isnt that bad I guess, but I want to host 3 names, which I have already bought, to give you an idea I want 1 personal one with holiday photos, 1 with scuba diving photos that hope one day grow some business from, and 1 as a 1 page site for my small company. Could I charge the monthly fee for all, thru my small company?

[steveeh131047]

Could I not upload and install MySQL there myself myself?

Not something for a newcomer to undertake, in my opinion.

could I not use its functions from there before uploading to the webserver,

No, it has to be running on the same server as Coppermine.

but I want to host 3 names, which I have already bought,

Assuming the domain names have been registered to you, and not your host, you can easily move them to a new host.

[Woodster]

I'm thinking this may be too complexed for my first website, I have been just introduced to this one http://jalbum.net/ it seems a lot more basic for a beginner like me, would people think?

[tfischer]

I'm thinking this may be too complexed for my first website, I have been just introduced to this one http://jalbum.net/ it seems a lot more basic for a beginner like me, would people think?

I can't comment on that product as I've never used it.  I wasn't terribly impressed with their "sample albums" though.

Coppermine is not hard to use, you just need a 'real' webhost (not something that comes with your ISP). 

Setup goes something like:
1) Create a MySQL Database (usually via a control panel supplied by your hosting)
2) FTP the coppermine installation to the web space
3) Follow the installation documentation, which basically involve running a script which prompts you for some info and does everything for you.

Again, this is just abbreviated, you should follow the provided Coppermine docs for actually doing the install.  I'm just trying to show you that it isn't hard or very technical, as long as you know your way around ftp and the like.

Once you're up and running, you can, if you wish, start exploring things like plugins, etc. that add more customizability and features to Coppermine, but you don't have to if the basically gallery does what you need.

Also, with most hosts, you can have several domains pointing to the same hosting plan in such a way that each domain is entirely independant as far as your visitors are concerned.  I host three different domains with my one $5/month plan, and they are entirely separate webspaces...

-Tim

[Woodster]

Thanks Tim appreciate all that

.  I'm just trying to show you that it isn't hard or very technical, as long as you know your way around ftp and the like.

The answer to that is no I'm afraid, never used it before

[steveeh131047]

Woodster,

Learning how to use a ftp client is a basic step in bulding a web site. It's the way you transfer pages from your local PC to your web host's server. If you don't feel confident about using a tool like this, I'd suggest that Coppermine is not the right application for you at this stage.

But when you get more confidence and want to try something more ambitious in the way of a picture gallery, come back to Coppermine 

[tfischer]

Thanks Tim appreciate all that

The answer to that is no I'm afraid, never used it before

Well in that case, you either need to so some homework, or go with some "stock" sites like Flickr.  It's pretty hard to manage a website without knowing anything about FTP...

Good luck!
-Tim

[Joachim Müller]

The real "techies" among us would probably install MySQL on the web server themselves (it's free) but it's not something for the newcomer to try.

Nope, we would not. In fact you can't install mySQL at all when webhosted. You need to have admin privileges, shell access and good skills to install mysql. Just good skills alone won't help. You'd need a dedicated server or root server to accomplish this. Regular webhosting, and especially free webhosting definitely won't allow you to do that at all.

@Woodster: judging from your postings I guess you should indeed go for something more simple (but of course in return less powerfull). I have no idea about Jalbum, but maybe you should start with something as simple as Arles Image Web Page Creator, which will just need very basic skills.

I really want a photo site with my own domain name but want an easy to use one where I dont need to know a lot of HTML, msDOS language etc.

Hehe, MS DOS doesn't fall into the category "programming languages" and is not related at all to coppermine, not even remotely. As I said: your skills really seem to be very basic (no bashing intended), so you're not the target audience for coppermine.

Joachim

[steveeh131047]

Jaochim,

Thanks for the correction:

Nope, we would not. In fact you can't install mySQL at all when webhosted. You need to have admin privileges, shell access and good skills to install mysql.

I'm slowly learning   

My son installed the MySQL db for me on his server so I assumed it was straightforward - now I know different.

[carmas]

I must be a bigger "idiot" than you. I can't even find my way around Coppermine. It's more like a minefield. This is the only way I can findout how to post a problem and finding the ADMIN area is impossible. If you are still having a problem with your site, you could try the freeweb site http://000webhost.com (this is an unsolicited advert that triggered the stop-word filter)    who now include Coppermine as one of the recognised companies,avail for their site..
I hope someone can help me with my problems!!!

[Joachim Müller]

Locking. Start your own thread and describe exactly your issues, posting a link to your gallery for a start.

[François Keller]

and have a look to the coppermine doc to undestant why you must not use autoinstaller like fantastico http://coppermine-gallery.net/demo/cpg15x/docs/en/auto-installers.htm