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232 CHAPTER 8 INSTALLING AND CONFIGURING PHPBB come across plans that offer hosting on a BSD-based server. BSD operating systems generally offer improved performance, reliability, and security over a Linux server. If you decide to use a Windows Server-based host, rest assured that phpBB does indeed run under Internet Information Services (IIS), but you will experience a small delay when you log in to your forum, and performance is not guaranteed. Plus, if you run into a problem with your board, it may be harder to troubleshoot under IIS, mainly due to the nature of the community, which typically uses Apache. If at all possible, install Apache on Windows and avoid IIS altogether (which I generally recommend due to IIS s history of being vulnerable to attack). PHP Interpreter:Version 4.4 The current releases of phpBB, as of this writing, are fully supported on the 4.x series of the PHP engine. I recommend that you have at least PHP 4.3.10 installed, because earlier revisions of PHP prior to 4.3.10 are vulnerable to some nasty exploits (manifested in the form of the Santy worm in late 2004, which targeted phpBB installations and defaced them). Caution The most recent versions of phpBB 2.0 no longer support PHP 3. If you still have PHP 3 installed on your server, note that it is not actively maintained. I strongly recommend that you migrate to the 4.3.x series. While PHP 4.3.10 is a good minimum, shoot for PHP 4.4, which offers improved performance and contains all of the features of the PHP 4.3 series. If you lease space from a hosting service and find an earlier version of PHP installed on your server, I recommend contacting your host provider and lobbying heavily for an upgrade to PHP 4.4. If you run your own box, it s time to bite the bullet and brave a little downtime to upgrade PHP the security of your box should be worth it. (Security is covered in Chapter 10.) Note In late 2004, the PHP project released the first iteration of the PHP 5 series of interpreters. The latest versions of phpBB 2.0 currently operate under PHP 5 with no known ill effects; however, this configuration, as of this writing, is not officially supported by the phpBB Group. The upcoming phpBB 3.0 (code-named Olympus), tentatively slated for release in early 2006, will fully support PHP 5. Database:MySQL MySQL is by far the most widely used database in the phpBB universe. Like phpBB, it is released under the GNU General Public License (GPL). MySQL 4.1 includes a number of performance and feature improvements. It s still a new release, so some hosts may not have migrated to it yet. If your host doesn t have MySQL 4.1, don t fret; phpBB works at the very least with 3.23.58 (which is the version my production host uses). Although MySQL does not come with some of the power-user features of PostgreSQL and Oracle, it still performs just fine for a great majority of users. Plus, MySQL is a part of just about
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Installing and Configuring phpBB CHAPTER 8 Now that you ve been introduced to the basics of message board administration, it s time to bring your community online. I ll walk you through the entire phpBB setup process, from ensuring that your host has what it takes to run phpBB to having live forums that are ready for your visitors, with as little aspirin as possible. Additionally, I ll preview the new setup routine for phpBB 3.0. Let s get started! Installing phpBB Installing phpBB is as simple as running its install script. However, to ensure that the process goes smoothly, you need to do a little preparation. This includes making sure your system meets phpBB requirements, obtaining phpBB, and preparing your server. Meeting phpBB Requirements Before you install phpBB, make sure that your host has the necessary software in place to run the install script. Luckily for you, phpBB s requirements are very modest, and any host worth paying for will run phpBB like a champ. Whether you re shopping for a hosting service for your phpBB or configuring your own dedicated server to run phpBB, it s smart to check a few details to help ensure a smooth installation. Operating System and Web Server: Anything *nix + Apache The so-called LAMP platform Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP has a track record of being very reliable, fast, and cost-effective for your web applications. Many hosting services offer such a configuration in their packages. LAMP s track record is why you will find excellent free applications, such as phpBB, are designed with that environment in mind. The Apache version you use does not matter that much. Some people think that Apache 1.3 outperforms Apache 2.0 when serving PHP pages, but your mileage may vary considerably. phpBB is compatible with both versions of Apache, so as a phpBB administrator, you should not concern yourself too much over which version of Apache to run (unless, of course, it s your box). Linux hosting is extremely common and reliable. It s also relatively inexpensive and provides a great return on your investment in terms of uptime and performance. You may also
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CHAPTER 7 INTRODUCING PHPBB 229 phpBB 3.0 will prove to be an exciting release. In addition to the preceding features, expect a brand new theme to be unveiled at release, which promises to be an exciting event. At the time of this writing, the phpBB Group has not publicly committed to a release date, so estimates are our best hope. The current estimation is that we will see phpBB 3.0.0 in early 2006, but only time will tell. As a result, the features described in each phpBB 3.0 preview section at the end of each chapter will contain a standard disclaimer reminding you of the software s pre-release nature, because procedures and the interface can (and most likely will) change between the time of this writing and the time phpBB 3.0 is released to the public. Summary In this chapter, I ve introduced you to the basic concepts and lingo involved in forum administration. I ve showed you the important qualities in any good piece of forum software, and shown you how phpBB fits that mold. In the next chapter, I ll walk you through the process of installing your phpBB and making it operational. I ll take you through every nuance of the installation process, and give you a guided tour of the phpBB administration panel. You ll learn how to make basic configuration adjustments, create forums, and assign them moderators, all in an effort to get a basic community underway. Finally, I ll also preview the phpBB 3.0 installer and administration tools.
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228 CHAPTER 7 INTRODUCING PHPBB Figure 7-2. phpBB 3.0.0, codename Olympus, in all its pre-release glory Revamped forum Administration panel: The Administration control panel in this version has been seriously revamped as well. All administrative actions are now logged, and those logs are fully configurable. You can set access control lists for specific forums, making for unprecedented configuration of permissions. There are plenty of new settings for optimizing the board for server load, which will be a major help to exceptionally high-traffic boards. You can even add new BBCode tags via the administration panel. Administrators will find they have unparalleled control over their board in this version. Lots of posting enhancements: You can now define post icons to be shown next to a post, similar to features found in UBB and vBulletin. phpBB also visually delineates what threads you have posted in. You can report misguided posts to moderators for further action. Security enhancements: As mentioned before, permissions have been totally revamped, and you can apply permissions to more facets of the board, including the member list and the search functions, which some automated robot scripts have been known to abuse. The administration panel uses extra checking to prevent unauthorized logins. Visual confirmation is very pervasive in this release, making you type in a special code to verify that you aren t an automated robot that s designed to sign up on all sorts of sites to help their
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CHAPTER 7 INTRODUCING PHPBB 227 The ins and outs of installing and creating hacks: I ll show you how to use the phpBB hack template to install modifications to your board. You ll get the benefit of my experience with hacking phpBB s code to make it work the way you want it with a tour of the built-in phpBB programming interfaces. I ll introduce you to several modifications I feel you can t live without. Plus, I ll show you how to document your own modifications so you can release them to the world so others can use your features. Harnessing the power of the phpBB template system: Using phpBB s template system is an essential for your board to get the professional look you covet. You ll get the full walkthrough of phpBB s template variables and control structures so you can make your forums look the best they possibly can. Looking Toward Olympus In addition to my coverage of the phpBB 2.0 series, I m also going to provide a preview of the next-generation phpBB software, to be known as phpBB 3.0.0 and currently codenamed Olym pus. As of this writing, the only pre-release versions of phpBB 3.0.0 are development versions pulled straight from the phpBB source code repository, so bear in mind that a lot of things could change between now and then. Figure 7-2 is a screenshot of a preview version of phpBB 3.0.0, known in its development stages as phpBB 2.2. phpBB 3 is a major overhaul of the phpBB software with a noticeable performance improvement, a revamped template system, and tons of new features designed to make using and administering the forums easier. Some of the more notable features include the following: Revamped User Control Panel: Instead of having separate areas to edit your profile and check your private messages, phpBB 3 offers a unified User Control Panel, similar to what is found in commercial products such as vBulletin. The UCP currently offers modules for editing your profile, checking private messages (which has been vastly improved in this version), managing forum subscriptions, and a buddy list of people on the board that you are friendly with. Plus, the new UCP is fully modular, so more modules can, and likely will, be written for it to further extend the functionality of the board. You ll be able to specify your birthday and see it and others birthdays in a special section in the forum index (if the administrator so chooses). Attachments: Attachments finally will make it into phpBB as a core feature in this version. Attachments have been around as a modification to existing phpBB 2 series boards, but the phpBB 3 series integrates them and integrates them well, with even a User Control Panel module for managing your attachments. Revamped private messaging: As alluded to previously, private messaging has been seriously revamped in this version. You can save drafts of private messages, add storage folders, and even set up rules for filtering incoming private messages much like you do with your e-mail. It is already among the most flexible of private messaging systems, even in this early stage. Friends and Foes : You can set up a list of who you like on the board for easy private message access, or set up a list of people you don t like so you can ignore their posts automatically. This feature should be a boon to keeping peace on a board like never before.
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226 CHAPTER 7 INTRODUCING PHPBB Flexible template system: phpBB s template system is remarkably flexible and allows for a great deal of creativity in layout. You can use the template system to make phpBB easily fit the look of your existing web site. Continuity is a plus toward an aura of a job well done. Vast modification community: You can hack (modify) your boards however well you want. And with literally hundreds of hacks available for your phpBB, it s likely that any feature you want that phpBB may not provide is out there, ripe for the picking. With a solid support community, installing modifications is incredibly simple, and you have lots of people to help you out in case something goes wrong. phpBB s Scalability When choosing message board software, you want to have a solution you can implement and grow with for years to come. Scalability and reliability are important traits of any good forum software, and phpBB has both. phpBB scales well: Your phpBB is only limited by the limitations of your hardware. It performs reliably under stress and can handle high post volume. For those who operate ultra-high-traffic boards, power users in the modification community have published lots of performance tweaks to get even more power out of your phpBB. phpBB is also designed and bundled with database drivers to run on high-end database systems such as Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle, and can be extended to more databases. As you can see, phpBB has a remarkable set of features. My job is to take you through those and help put them to work for you in creating your community. What We ll Accomplish Here s a list of what I d like to accomplish with you, the reader, as you navigate this part of Building Online Communities with Drupal, phpBB, and WordPress: Installation and initial configuration: I ll walk you through the ins and outs of experiencing the painless phpBB installation. I ll introduce you to the main attractions in the phpBB Administration control panel so you can set up shop and begin to establish your community. Finally, you ll get a tour of the basics of managing forums, setting up basic permissions, and establishing moderators. Harnessing the power of phpBB s end-user features: As a phpBB administrator, you should know the ins and outs of phpBB s end-user features for those inevitable questions. Never fear I ll take you through a tour of those features and share some tips and tricks for making them work better for you. Securing and maintaining your board: The key to being an effective phpBB system administrator is keeping your board secured and maintained properly. I ll show you how to keep your phpBB updated with minimal problems. You ll get the full tour of phpBB s user management features. Finally, I ll discuss in-depth the best practices for keeping your phpBB secure from hackers, and show you some techniques for minimizing the impact from those annoying auto-registration robot scripts out there.
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CHAPTER 7 INTRODUCING PHPBB 225 Add a theme to your board: You can use the basic color and CSS controls in the theme administration system to make basic changes to your board s appearance, or you can install entirely new templates for even further customization. Additionally, phpBB permits you to modify the source code to all its templates, allowing a nearly unlimited level of flexibility. If you wish, phpBB permits you to export your finished themes to a file for release purposes. Set up the rank and file: You can set up a list of rank milestones for users to reach when they reach certain post counts. Additionally, you can assign special ranks to certain users if you desire. Manage every facet of a user s profile: You can edit any user s profile in its entirety, activate their accounts, disable their ability to send private messages, and much more. You can set permissions on a specific user if you wish. Ban offenders and make sure they don t return: phpBB offers banning of specific users, IP ranges, e-mail addresses, and e-mail domain names. You can disallow special names, such as admin, if you wish. phpBB s Security Features Security on your message board should be paramount. phpBB provides many features to assist you in tightening your community s security to keep miscreants out. In Chapter 10, I will go into further detail on how to secure phpBB. For now, I ll give you a brief introduction to phpBB s security features, which include the following: Visual confirmation: phpBB s later releases come bundled with a visual confirmation system, which aids as a deterrent against automated registration bots that use your member list as ad space for shady web sites that are interested in increasing their search engine placement. Humans should be the only people using your forums, and visual confirmation helps in ensuring that is the case. Selectively enable HTML: If you wish to permit the usage of HTML in forum posts, you can at least disable certain tags (such as