Need help installing behind firewall

[deck2deck]

Help! I've reached a dead-end and don't know where to go from here. I'm trying to install the calendar for a school, whose web server is behind a firewall. The auto-installer doesn't work (I'm assuming because of the firewall, which I don't have the authority to turn off). So, I tried to install manually through ftp and altho the test script worked (Zend), when I try to access the setup/index.php file on the server, I get the error message that Zend is not installed. OK, so I went to the Zend website and downloaded the software there; it tried to install it on my local machine (not remote). I went along with that but during the install it asked for the root folder of my web server (?) and said the web server needed to be shut down. Again, I don't have the authority to do. I'm at a stopping point as I don't know where to go from here. :1crysad: Can someone help me? Thanks in advance!!

[Brian]

Sounds like you're going to be at the mercy of the school's server admins. Zend needs to be installed at the server level on the web server and it will need to be restarted before the changes will take affect.

You can either try the ionCube version manually (if the server will support it) or you will need to contact their server admins for help.

[deck2deck]

Thanks, Brian. I've run the test script and it says that both versions will work on the server. Just downloaded the ioncube zip, unzipped it and uploaded it to the server via ftp, but when I try to access http://www.YourDomainName.com/calendar/setup/index.php, it launches DreamWeaver (?) and opens a file which is gobbledegook... (at least the Zend version had text which was readable on it!)

Any suggestions as to what to do at this point? I MIGHT be able to get access to the server to try the Zend approach, but I don't want to break anything... can you help walk me through installing the Zend software on the web server step-by-step so a whole school district's website doesn't go down (and I get fired)?

Or, can you perhaps point out what I might be doing incorrectly on the Ioncube install?

By the way: I've purchased this calendar 4 times now... I just LOVE it! It's always a little tricky for me on the install (I'm not a programmer), but once it's up, it works and looks great and everyone loves it!! I have 4 very happy customers (hoping for 5!!!) Also I think the support is really great... thanks for not treating me like a dumb 5-year-old.

[Brian]

Actually, I've never installed Zend on a server. :eek:

It should be installed at the server level, so it's best if the server admins perform this task.

However, ionCube supports runtime loading if the option is enabled on the server. This means that there isn't anything that needs to be installed at the server level, it can be installed just in your web space. If you run the loader-tester script in the calendar/ioncube directory, it should give you an idea of what needs to be done to make it work. :)

[deck2deck]

Hi again... I'm not sure what you mean by run the loader-tester script... didn't I do that already? (Isn't that the test script on your help page?) If so, then it said the server is compatible, and I've uploaded everything manually via ftp, but I'm still unable to make it work.

I just tried to open that file that you mentioned; again it launches DreamWeaver as the default software application (?) and shows a blank page.

Now what?

PLEASE don't give up on me... we REALLY want this calendar on our website, there's gotta be a way to do it....

Thanks!!

[deck2deck]

Just came up with another idea: the server admin is afraid :chicken: to install the Zend software (she said she doesn't want to "blow up" the web server... lol...) but I have to agree with her, we would be taking a risk since neither of us knows what we're doing.

However, I just talked with our network guy (who controls the firewall) and he said he might be able to give me an open port temporarily... long enough to let the auto installer run... will that work? When I tried to run the auto installer earlier, it worked up until the point that it asked for the URL. When I put that in, no matter how many different combinations of the name I used, I kept getting an error message saying the server was unavailable.

Will the temporary open port method work? thanks!

[Brian]

The loader-tester script is a full ionCube tester that is found in the ioncube directory after install the ioncube version of the calendar script. (It can also be downloaded from ioncube). It is a more thorough test than the one provided on the Free Download page. It will give more details as to what needs to be done to configure the server properly to allow ioncube encoded files to be executed.

Do you have other PHP applications running on the server? (Sounds like the server it sending the wrong headers if Dreamweaver is opening...)

[Brian]

That still wouldn't install Zend. You can try it for the ioncube version...

[deck2deck]

It's a Dell server running Windows (not sure which version, I didn't check that) but so far as I can tell, there are no other php applications running (I ran a search for the .php extension; is that the way to do it?)

I'm trying now to download the test script from Ioncube; having a few issues finding it but hopefully that will help.

Thanks for trying.

[Brian]

The ionCube test is also located in the ioncube version of the calendar in the Zip release (not the auto-installer).

[deck2deck]

OK, here's a loaded question: any chance of migrating it from php to asp.net? :classic:

[Brian]

Probably not. But, I'd never say never. ;)

[deck2deck]

OK... more information: The ionCube test will not run in any form. PHP is NOT installed on my server. Are you familiar with that install? Again, I don't want to break anything, but I'm really in love with this calendar and am not ready to give up yet.

I've been to php.net and see the free download; looks simple enough. Do you know if I'll break anything if I install it on our web server?

If I do install, where does it go?

AND, most importantly, will that make the ionCube test run? (ultimately leading to a solution to this problem)?

[Brian]

Ahh, that would be a problem if PHP isn't installed. Unfortunately, I haven't personally set up a web server, so I don't know if I can help. (Plus, we couldn't really support setting up a server).

However, I use a system called WAMP that will setup and configure a windows server with apache, php and zend:

http://www.wampserver.com/en/index.php

[deck2deck]

OK, let me throw this out there to anyone who may be reading this and want to help:

Anyone know how to install php on a Windows 2000 web server? Unfortunately, the guy at work who installed ours is in China on vacation until after Thanksgiving, and we want to make this calendar work today.

We are all Windows-based and (obviously) none of us are programmers, so speak slowly and don't use big words . I went to the php.net website, and I don't even know which version of their software should be downloaded! :crybaby:

If anyone out there can help, thanks in advance! P.S. This is for a school, and is inside a firewall, in case that makes a difference.

[ve9gra]

Ask and ye shall receive...

http://www.php.net/manual/en/install.windows.php

Installing on Win2k is easy as pie. If you follow the instructions, you can't really go wrong.

Good Luck!

[deck2deck]

Thanks!! I've actually been to that site already and downloaded the instruction manual. It scared me off :chicken: because it talked about server crashes and disabling .asp files (which we have a lot of). Yikes!

BTW: I know that server support is not your responsibility, so let me just say THANK YOU SO MUCH for the support you've offered so far.

At the risk of overstepping my boundaries, can I pick your brain on a few more things? Namely, they had several options for the download file and I have no idea which one to download. Secondly, I don't know where on the server to install it (C: drive, D: drive, wwwroot? This is an internal server with an address of c://inetpub/wwwroot/mydomainname.com... (I realize a programmer would know these things, but I know FrontPage and that's about it). [I'll wait while you throw up.]

If you can't help me further, I understand. I've used this calendar successfully a number of times before with great results; if I have to give it up on this one, I guess that's the way it will be. I'll still be a loyal customer!! :classic:

[ve9gra]

I guess, first of all, it depends on which version you want to install, 4 or 5.

Then it depends if you want the CGI version (executed at run time, ok for small installations, but resource hog for big ones), or if you want the API version (runs along-side with your IIS server).

There's an automatic installer for the CGI and it will automatically configure your IIS for you. If you want the API (recommended) then you'll have to get the .zip version and install it yourself.

The one I recommend is the PHP 5.0.5 zip package.

And for the installation instructions, first, read this link (http://www.php.net/manual/en/install.windows.manual.php) and then follow only the sections for the ISAPI and IIS (don't bother about IIS6/Win2k3) at this link (http://www.php.net/manual/en/install.windows.iis.php).