COAP:COAP-3110/week4

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Week 4 learning goals

  • Initial configuration of WordPress
  • Theme selection
  • Relational dabase principles, including looking at the table structure of Wordpress (if time left)
  • (more .... TBA)

Monday Part I

... finishing the basic installation, preparation of next steps

Hands on- Worpress installation

  • In principle, each participant does have a running wordpress

Installation problems:

  • Wrong database name
  • Wrong database user and/or password name
  • file permissions (will happen when you move to a provider, change permissions)

Apache/PHP configuration:

Your web server and PHP configuration may have "low values" for execution time, memory use and upload file size. In particular, if you work with a slow USB stick, installation procedures may require more time. You can edit these values in the configuration files that you can get in the XAMPP console:

  • Not enough memory for PHP (php.ini)
memory_limit = 256M
  • Not enough execution time, often due to slow memory stick/computer. You may need as much as 600 seconds)
max_execution_time = 600
  • File upload size must be changed in both Apache and PHP in in several places, e.g. see this stackoverflow Q/A

Hands on - Selecting themes and configuring the layout

Discussion

Things to do in class (ask your neighbor or the instructor for help)

  • Select a theme: Dashboard -> Appearance -> Themes
  • Please configure the theme, including a picture: Use the "Customize your Side" link from the Dashboard.
  • Add two static pages and make sure that they show up in a menu
  • Add two stories.
  • Add an Atom/RSS widget: Dashboard -> Appearance - Widgets

Wednesday Part I - Term project and web hosting

  • 10 minutes catch-up for Monday hands-on activity: Theme installed, configured, pages created, menu changed.

Hands on - Identify a provisional project

Short discussion of term project ideas

PHP/MySQL/Apache hosting

Be prepared to move you sever from the USB stick to a hosting company (ca. week 6 or 7)

Free hosting exists (see below). Prices for low cost hosting start around 3 Euros / month, but you have to add fees for a domain name to that if you want your own.

Well-known free (read the fine print)

You can search the web for alternatives, e.g. read TechRadar, but be careful. Cross-check information about a provider.

Well-known cheap, HostGator is best according to PC Mag

Recommended local (Geneva, Switzerland)

  • Infomaniak (10 CHF / month). Probably one of the best in that range (quality/speed)
  • HostPoint (10CHF/month, 30 day trial)

Domain name registration

  • Most hosting companies will provide that service
  • You many check if they are accredited with ICANN (i.e. first-level registrars)

A very short introduction to relational databases

  • [SQL_and_MySQL_tutorial#Relations_between_tables Relations between tables] (Wiki article)