Readme file for EasyMOD.

[Nux]

I'm suggesting ;) a readme file for EasyMOD. I mean something to go with the installation files - like in the mods directory or something like that.

Anyway, I've already collected the knowledge gathered on this forum into the suggested readme file :) (the link is in my sig).
________________________________________________

ReadMe for EasyMOD (on-line)
http://easymod.sourceforge.net/readme/" target="_blank

Recent problems that are not answered in the ReadMe (yet):
viewtopic.php?t=20420#p127178


Changelog:
viewtopic.php?t=20420#p124227


ReadMe (HTML+images) download:

readme.zip

Source of the script (PHP+images) download:
readme_src.zip

ReadMe (ALL above) download:
readme_all.tgz

[Nux]

Changelog:

version 0.0.4

• Updated: notes for latest version of EM (0.3.0) (also e.g. "MOD Authors" part is much nicer).
  
• New: Post installation/upgrade (optionally).
  
• New: No subSilver information.
  
• New: File Access Info - info
  
• New: How to set file access on local/test machines?
  
• New: About this: "Warning: main(./../extension.inc): failed to open stream: No such file or directory..."
  
• Added: link for phpPgAdmin (web-based administration tool for PostgreSQL)
  
• Added: some smilies to chear things up
  
• Updated: MODs reappearing (shouldn't happen any more)
  
• Updated: some links that had an old folder in the URL (area51.../phpBB22)
  
• Changed: Link for GP's Version Changer (to the post with the attachment).
  
• Changed: After installing a MOD I get SQL errors. What do I do?
  
• Changed: About & Credits.
  
• Changed CSS (styles) for the ReadMe a little so the TOC is much more readable.
  

version 0.0.3

• Reinstalling EasyMOD.
  
• Version Changer is not so obsolete (very helpful if EM settings are unreachable).
  
• More subSilvery looks .
  
• Copyrights.
  
• Script changes - content.php means now almost all visible contents.
  
• readme.css - separated (finally ).
  

version 0.0.2

• Link for uninstalling MODs.
  
• ReadMe file - About & Credits.
  
• How to uninstall EasyMOD?
  
• Added on point to each "Reporting problems with..." (about experience with EM).
  
• MODs reappearing.
  
• Some lang bugs .
  
• Images from ./images .
  

version 0.0.1

• Some style corrections.
  
• Some self links added (Support & troubleshooting).
  
• Notes changed to v0.2.1a.
  
• Installing Attachment MOD v2.3.13 with EM (rewritten).
  
• Manual sections list added.
  
• Version Changer is obsolete as this works in settings (EasyMOD Installation FAQ, Add Ons).
  
• New link for EMC topic
  
• v0.2.1 unchanged stuff
  

version 0.0.0

• First knowledge compilation.
  
• Simple TOC.
  

[wGEric]

Hmm, I need to look over this and see if it should be put up on SF.

From the first glimpse, could you please subSilverize it or atleast make it look like the user guide at phpBB.com? Also make sure you have any links and proper credits given to yourself as the author.

[Nux]

OK, thanks .

I didn't really wanted to make it look like subSilver but I may cahnge it. Also I wasn't sure were to put it (in admin or in admin/mods/ or in /admin/mods/easymod/) and copying image files used by subSilver would be a waste of space.

There is a php version for that also. I'll PM you a link for it if you want.

And I'm not really an author of this - it was kinda of a knowledge robbery .

I'm not sure how to solve the FAQs problem - they are kinda mixed up now. Maybe some of the questions should be reapeated or something...

[wGEric]

It wouldn't be included in the download, it would be a separate page that we would be hosting instead of you (so users don't suck up all your bandwidth, also that advert isn't any fun).

[Nux]

It wouldn't be included in the download, it would be a separate page that we would be hosting instead of you (so users don't suck up all your bandwidth, also that advert isn't any fun).

OK, you may realease it now, I think . Please look at the copyright if it's correct. I wouldn't want to offend anybody.



The source (PHP) is here, if anyone would be interested (it's GNU GPL).

[Nux]

Things not in the ReadMe (yet):

• EasyMOD won't install MODs on my templates (different form subSilver) - what sould I do?
  Answer:
  http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic ... 21&t=22487
  
  
• I'm getting an error like "FIND FAILED: In file [some file name] could not find: ...".
  Answer:
  http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic ... 35#p128935
  
  
• I'm getting some error other then FIND FAILED...
  Answer:
  http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic ... 84#p129084
  (check the syntax with given links)
  
  
• Upon installing EM...
  "create the /mods folder if it doesn't exist" (or even, "create the /mods folder, since it doesn't exist on a brand new phpbb installation") ?
  
  
• How to install the Attachment MOD, now?
  Answer:
  http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic ... a&start=10
  
  
• How to update MODs (with or without EasyMOD)?
  Answer:
  http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=21769
  
  
• I've tried to install EM, but it looks like my host has locked it out some how...
  Answer:
  http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic ... 36#p131790
  
  
• Where is my Debug Info?
  Debug info starts with the words:
  

  (formatted for forum posting)
  

  And it means that! So do not place it in [ code ] tags.
  OK, so when you will see those words you will know that you found it.
  There are three cases here:
  
  1. If you didn't installed EM yet and you've gotten some error, then the debug info should already be displayed in most cases - include this one in your post.
     
  2. If you didn't installed EM yet and just want to see the debug information, then it can be found by clicking the link on the bottom of the installation page "Display Debug Information".
     
  3. If you already (more or less) successfully installed EM, then debug info will be shown for you when you enter the EM installation page.
     
  
  
• EM installation keeps asking me to log in.
  You should check your cookies settings and (if you change anything) clear your browsers cache and restart it (just to be sure). Then test it again.
  
  Use Auto Cookies MOD if you will have problems with setting those up.
  
  If this won't work or you don't want to use cookies then follow this fix:
  http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic ... 11#p130711
  
  
• I need to change permissions for my files and I don't know how to do that.
  Please see this articles at wikipedia.org: File system permissions, chmod.
  
  
• How to find out what user/group my PHP scripts use?
  Create and run this script:
  

  Code: Select all

  <?php phpinfo(); ?>

  
  Search for text "User/Group". If you can't find it then you might check the server settings directly (instructions for Apache here).
  
  The user (and group) should be the same as your FTP user. If it's not it should be changed in settings of the server (instructions for Apache here).
  
  Ask your hosting provider or server administrator to find out more.
  
  
  
• What to choose in the first step of the installation?
  Probably the best thing to do is to let EM decide - choose "I don't have FTP access. Have EasyMOD suggest what to do please!".
  If you will get "Automation Technique detected!" then scream "hurrray" and hit submit button.
  If not, then you should:
  1. Check your file permissions.
     
  2. Contact you hosting provider or your server administrator to find out about any additional restrictions.
     
  3. If this won't work then choose that you want to use FTP (then follow the instructions in "How to set up the FTP?" - below).
     
  4. If and only if you will still fail to install EM and your host (or server administrator) will tell you that it should work, then please report your problem here. Remember to share the knowledge that you've got along the way (in particular about any restrictions that are on your server) and include Debug Info (from the EM installation page) otherwise we usually won't be able to guess what is wrong.
     
  5. If all will fail you can usually go to "Advanced Mode" and choose "Download"/"Manually Load" for "Writing"/"Moving". This will make EasyMOD not so very easy, but it should still be usefull.
  Also see: About File Access Info, About access to files with PHP scripts, How to set up the FTP? (below), How to find out what user/group my PHP scripts use? (above)
  
  
• How to set up the FTP?
  
1. Firstly you need to choose to use FTP in the first page of the installation (or switch to advanced mode).
   
2. Then peek in the "More information" links to get more information (yes, it is sometimes that easy).
   
3. Fill the settings fields and hit submit.
   
4. If something is wrong EM will usually tell you what it is (READ THOSE MESSAGES! TAKE A MINUTE TO UNDERSTAND THEM!)
   
5. If you know all should be correct then use "FTP Debug Mode" to get more information about your problem.
   
6. If you still can't get those settings right, then DO NOT ask for help here at this forum. You should contact you hosting provider or your server administrator first. There could be some restrictions that won't let you use EM (in automatic version) at all, so you might want to know about that.
Also see: About File Access Info


• Having problems changing the password of EM?
  Try to run this SQL statement:
  

  Code: Select all

  UPDATE phpbb_config SET config_value = 'd41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e' WHERE config_name = 'EM_password' LIMIT 1

  
  This will set your password to a blank one, so you can enter the settings of EasyMOD (in your Administration Control Panel) and change your pass to whatever you want.
  
  Note: that SQL statement assumes that you haven't changed the table prefix (phpbb_) when you installed phpBB! You'll have to correct this if you changed it.
  Warning: If you use FTP in EM then you will have to run the settings and retype your FTP pass. You will get FTP login problems if you don't.
  
  
• I get a "INVALID PASSWORD SUPPLIED" error when trying to enter the install page.
  Change to:
  You have entered a password other than the one set for entrance to EasyMOD or you have not entered a password at all. If this is the first time you run it, try entering a "blank" password, otherwise you can reset or change the password
  by following the instructions here {link to above}
  
  
• Link in EMC
  http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic ... 38#p128938 - examples on some fancy FIND actions
  

Things answered or changed lately:

• GP's Version Changer link changed:
  http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic ... t=17#92295
  
• Critical Error: EasyMOD cannot be installed. The subSilver template is not present in the templates directory.
  http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic ... 48#p127948
  
• Add link for phpPgAdmin (web-based administration tool for PostgreSQL)
  
• About File Access Info
  http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic ... 61#p126261
  
• About EM and file access on local machines (apache conf)
  http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic ... 69#p126469
  
• About most common error of manual loaders (blank ACP page).
  http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic ... 51#p126151
  
• You get this:
  Warning: main(./../../../extension.inc): failed to open stream: No such file or directory...
  during the installation?
  
  Most probably you moved the installation files of EM to a bad installation directory - should be admin/mods/easymod (See more...)
  http://cakecrossing.webpark.pl/readme/#installing_EM
  
• Installing MODs on different templates
  http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic ... 76#p127176
  
  
• Add to "EM won't see your MOD? Here's why"
  Link to phpBB's MOD template and to the MOD validator
  
• Change phpBB2 in the examples to "your_forums"
  http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic ... 61#p126261
  

Things irrelevant now (e.g. fixed in new version 0.3.0):

• [FIX] path errors like: admin/./mods/ and .../easymod//...
  http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic ... 34#p124634
  
• [FIX] FTP ERROR: login failed
  http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic ... 23#p126823
  The above fix should also help when EM suddenly stops during the installation and all attempts to retry make no difference (still stops at the same place).
  
• About FTP path to phpBB2:
  Most of all it is important that you don't put the slash (/) at the end of the path.
  
  Second thing to remember is that (in most cases) this path is not the same as you would put in your main configuration settings (in Administration Panel). Usually the path is different because servers hide their directory structure form users visiting the forum.
  
  So the path needs to be the same as the one that you have to walk through to get to your forum (there should be a file like extension.inc there).
  Common settings would be:
  public_html/phpBB2
  public_html/forum
  httpdocs/phpBB2
  httpdocs/forum
  board_name/phpBB2
  board_name/forum
  phpBB2
  forum
  / {this usually means that you don't actually have anything else on your FTP then the forum}
  
• About FTP Server
  This should usually remain localhost, but some servers (like Lycos) need a different name.
  
  If you don't know what to put in here then try the default (localhost) and then try to use the same setting as you use in you FTP manager or ask your host (administrator of your server).
  
• About FTP Port
  As said above - this should usually be the default value (that is 21), but some (rare) servers use different port.
  
  If you don't know what to put in here then try the default (21) and then try to use the same setting as you use in you FTP manager or ask your host (administrator of your server).
  

[wGEric]

http://easymod.sourceforge.net/readme/

Whenever you update it, tell me and I'll upload the changes. Thanks.

[Nux]

OK .

[deaduser]

Most probably you moved the installation files of EM to a bad installation directory - should be your_host/yourforum/admin/mods/easymod (See more)