Looking/planning forward........

SimplyBea · #1 08-21-2006, 06:02 AM

Okay - primary domain has had DNS changed and email set up on Outlook - now to wait........

In the meantime - can someone PLEASE tell me about fantastico? Point me in the direction for info????

I have heard it is easy to use etc - but I don't even know what it is???

I mean - if I wanted to use cube cart for my online store........ where do I go for instructions ???

cheers
Bea

esl · #2 08-21-2006, 10:17 AM

When you login to cPanel you should see an icon called "Fantastico" and when you click on it it should have a list of scripts etc. You should then be able to install the script. Try it out, I find it very user friendly.

PsiPro · #3 08-21-2006, 04:14 PM

Log into cPanel at http://www.YOURDOMAIN.com:2082 this will only work if DNS system is happy with you... if not, use http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:2082 with your IP. This will bring up a log-in box. Put in the info from your welcome e-mail from HG. (cPanel login info, different from your billing account)

Once inside cPanel, look for the fantastico button (blue smiley face), click and pick the script you want to install. Then follow the directions.

slapshotw · #4 08-21-2006, 04:58 PM

Just to throw my two cents in--

If you can install the fantastico items yourself, do it manually instead of using fantastico. There have been reports of problems with some fantastico installers. In addition, you'll have more control over the installation and know exactly what is happening.

http://drupal.org/forum/fantastico-de-luxe

-Matt

esl · #5 08-21-2006, 09:25 PM

You should also see this page. It has links to some information that I found helpful.

http://netenberg.com/fantastico.php

SimplyBea · #6 08-22-2006, 03:38 AM

Guys

That's a lot of good info (and I am more confused......) - can you tell I am wading in DEEP water here??? Out of my depth........

So - it is NOT safe to install via fantastico?

If not - hmmmmm, how do I install in HG w/o fantastico???

Got to prep dinner - will look in again later........

cheers
Bea

lschaef · #7 08-22-2006, 08:41 AM

I think generally the scripts are safe if you install them through Fantastico, but there are some where the install isn't exactly correct and you need to tweek things to get it to work.

Also, it doesn't always install the latest version. I did a Fantastico install of a photo gallery and started to configure it. I found a "theme" I wanted to use and uploaded that only to find out you needed the latest version of the gallery to use the theme, so I had to manually install the update anyways.

How I've installed scripts like that is I download the script to my PC. Unzip it to a folder. And then FTP it to the server in the correct directory. Some scripts will run a configuration script the first time you run it. I'm anxious to hear if that's the correct way to do this, or if there is a better way.

vtrain · #8 08-22-2006, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lschaef

Also, it doesn't always install the latest version.

I find the fastastico install a nice feature but as others have said the version is many times lacking back the current version. So if you check on the developer site and the fantastico version is the same then it's safe to use fantatisco. If you find it's not the same but the new version is only bug/new features upgrade, again it's safe. If you see a security fix then it's better to install by hand. Fantatisco usually can be used to upgrade to a new version, the problem is that it takes a while before a cpanel upgrade comes with the new version for the script.... while you wait you can be at the mercy of a security hole.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lschaef

[snip]

How I've installed scripts like that is I download the script to my PC. Unzip it to a folder. And then FTP it to the server in the correct directory. Some scripts will run a configuration script the first time you run it. I'm anxious to hear if that's the correct way to do this, or if there is a better way.

That's the way to do it.

Sometimes you can unzip directly the files on the server using the Cpanel File Manager. It's a litle bit faster to upload one ziped file to the server then many small files. But if you want to do some configurations changes it's better to do the way you have been doing or after the changes at your local PC zip back everything, upload the new file and then unzip on server. Finally run the install script though the browser, if any.

Vtrain

esl · #9 08-22-2006, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SimplyBea

So - it is NOT safe to install via fantastico?

I wouldn't say that.. but I would recommend making sure all of your installs are up to date with security patches etc.

slapshotw · #10 08-22-2006, 06:42 PM

My opinion-- if you have the skills to do it yourself (and usually on these programs there's excellent documentation), I'd skip fantastico. The skills are not hard to pick up-- after 1 or 2, most of the items have extremely similar installation processes. In addition, you'll know a lot more about what's sitting on your server and which scripts are interacting with which databases.

-Matt

SimplyBea · #11 08-24-2006, 09:54 PM

hmmmmm - thanks everyone.......... I am going to re read everyone's posts several times more because I think I know what you are saying

but am still not confident and I am pretty sure I will have problems trying to understand how to install via the browser.......... haven't got the foggiest about that......

*sigh* - thanks anyway and I will take another (few more) look(s) at this.......

Bea