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Installing
Uniform Server
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Uniform Server is one of those little gems found on the net, if you have ever experienced the heartache and frustration of installing Apache PHP and MySQL as separate components, you will understand my enthusiasm for this package. If you have no experience of this process congratulations are in order for retaining your sanity.
Uniform Server has to be the most painless way of installing production servers. All initialisation files are pre-configured and set for maximum security. It does not use an installation program read the introduction page to find out why.
What is Uniform Server 3.3?
Uniform Server 3.3 is a package for Windows that allows you to run a either a test or home web server. The package consists of the following:
- Apache 2.0.55 Web page server
- MySQL database server 5.1.17
- PHP & Extensions 5.1.1
- PHPMyAdmin 2.6.4-pl4 (a web-based tool for managing MySQL databases).
- phpMyBackupPro 1.7.1 (a web-based backup tool for MySQL databases).
- ActivePerl 5.8.7.815 (cgi programming language)
It works straight from the box and runs on a minimum system XP home edition.
Where do you get it from?
You can download the software package (Uniform Server3_3.zip) form the following address http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=53691&package_id=48193
For latest release check the Uniform Server web site http://www.Uniformserver.com/
How to install it summary.
Installation is a bit of a misnomer first down-load the zip file. Double click on the file you downloaded and follow the windows extraction instructions. Let windows extract all folders and files to a folder of your choice. That’s it installation done (yep no special installation program required).
Note: This is true for all versions on Uniform Server.
How to install it detail?
This section provides extra information. Note at step four you can use the default folder, once extracted you can move or rename the Uniform Server folder. I have extracted my files to drive H into a folder named A1_web_server.
- Double click on the file downloaded
- Select Extract all files in Folder Tasks
- Extraction Wizard now displayed click on Next
- Select a drive and folder to extract to. For example (H:\A1_web_server)
- Click on next and the extraction starts (may take some time)
- When complete click on Finish
Navigate to your installation and check out the Uniform Server folder structure
Starting the server
Click on the folder named Uniform Server here you will find three files Server_Start.bat, Stop.bat and Disk Start.vbs.
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Note 1: These two files start and stop the Apache server.
Note 2: Apanel controls the MySQL server (Start MySQL
and Stop MySQL).
After starting your server a browser window automatically opens displaying a page named apanel from this page you control and view various server properties.
Note 3: If you close apanel page it can be re-started by typing http://localhost/apanel/ into your browser browser address window.
Starting the servers (Alternative method)
An alternative method of starting the servers (Apache and MySQL) is to use file “Disk Start.vbs”. This allows you to change the drive letter and optionally start the MySQL server after starting the Apache server.
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Starting the servers (Alternative method 2)
If you do not like using batch files or prefer to use a tray icon consider downloading Unitray. It allows you to start and stop the server and contains most of the functionality of “apanel” To see what it offers check out this write up Unitray.
Note: Added (29/3/2007).
Running your web pages.
Confirm pages are being severed from folder www this is your home (root) folder by typing into your browser address bar localhost a Uniform server image displayed in the centre of the screen confirms pages are being servered.
Now take your index page ideally a simple test page named index.htm or index.html and copy it to your home folder www (see image above to locate your home folder). Type localhost into your browser and your index page will display. You are now ready to publish your site locally.
Clean up your home folder (www) by deleting all the files and folders in it with one exception do not delete the .htaccess file. Now copy your web site (all files and folders) in to your home folder www (also referred to as the top level of your site). In your browser type localhost and check your site.
Note: The file .htaccess with no changes provides a very secure local test server.
Note: Thank you Gemma for your feedback most appriciated (29/10/2006).
Known Problems:
My first encounter with Uniform Server was version 3.2 and yes if worked first time straight out of the box. However, version 3.3 has a few minor irritations, I found:
- One bug
- A case where it does its job too well
- Typos in apanel
- The bug manifest itself when changing drive letter (using either
the batch file or Disk Start.vbs). Solution is quick and easy requires
a single line change in one file see this page for details recursive
loop problem. Note: Not a problem if you use the default drive W.
Note: A similar problem exists when running as a service (29-3-2007)
- Uniform Server prides itself on security a job well done so check this page http refer problem before disabling the referrer security check.
- The typos cause a little confusion on the apanel Security Check list.
On the next page I cover this security not because of the typos but
because I want to provide more detail when you go live with your server.
Apanel
If you do not like the apanel triangle scrollers and prefer to use real scroll bars check out the apanel update page. Update apanel and correct the recursive loop bug I mentioned above in one go using the combined update file.
Where to next
Before going live with your server make sure you read this page.
