Chapter 2
Getting Started
With Drupa
D
rupal is an open-source project released under the cannot use Microsoft's SQL database, so Windows users
GNU General Public License Version 3, or GPLv3. would still need to install MySQL and PHP.
A detailed overview of the licensing can be found The school library system of Genesee Valley BQCES
in the Drupal installation archive or on the GNU General is running Fish4Info for over 30 libraries, along with
Public License page. This license requires that any proj- quite a few additional Drupal sites, on a single server. The
ects developed using Drupal also be released under the server is, as servers run, about average. It has dual proces-
same GPL. It is important that anyone considering the sors and 4GB of memory and uses a RAID setup for faster
use of Drupal read and understand the requirements of hard drive access. We expect this $8,000 server to scale
the GPLv3 and how it interacts with any institutional poli- up to meet our Drupal needs for the next few years as we
cies or expectations for development projects. add more libraries to Fish4Info. For smaller sites, a basic
Web server will run about $3,000 for a decent amount
of memory and RAIDed hard drives. Libraries without
GNU General Public License page the technical support or infrastructure to run their own
www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html server can easily purchase Web hosting services for their
Drupal site.
System Requirements Installation
Ol
o Drupal is designed to run under what is commonly referred Drupal installation is actually very easy once the required
to as a LAMP environment. This refers to the Linux operat- support systems of Apache, MySQL, and PHP are set up.
ing system, the Apache Web server, the MySQL database, To start using Drupal, download the latest stable version
and the PHP language. This environment is built from from the Drupal.org Web site and copy the files from the
open-source software, which means the only startup cost downloaded archive to your Web documents directory.
for Drupal is the hardware for a Web server. Most com- When you download Drupal, it will come in a compressed
mercial Web hosting companies provide these services . t a r . g z file. You need to extract this file to add it to
as a default package, though you may need to confirm your site. If you are using Linux or Mac QS X, this is no
oa that all of Drupal's specific requirements for settings in problem. In Windows, you may find that your regular zip-
a
Apache and PHP are met. The core Drupal software will centric compression utility does not know how to handle
run under Microsoft's Server software using the IIS Web . t a r . g z files. You can use the free software Extract Now
server, but user-contributed add-ons and advanced func- at to access the files.
tionality may not be fully supported. At this time, Drupal
Drupal.org Website Testing Drupal: No Server Required
http://clrupal.org
If you want to take a look at Drupal and work through some
Extract Now ot the intormation provided here, there is a way to install
vvww.extractnow.com a test site that does not require a Web server. It must be
stressed, however, that the method discussed here is for
testing purposes only and is not intended for use as a live
After downloading and extracting the installation
server. To try Drupal on a Windows computer, you can
files, the first thing you will need to do is create a data-
base within MySQL to hold the information from Drupal. download and install XAMPP, a single Windows program
Qnce you have a database created, you can run the Drupal that provides an easy-to-use package of Apache, MySQL,
installation program by pointing your browser to the root and PHP XAMPP is a free download. There is also a Mac
of the directory into which you installed Drupal. The OS X version available for XAMPP, but we had better luck
installation dialog will ask for the name of your MySQL with MAMP, a Mac-only free download. Once you set
database as well as the database username and password
up one of these packages, follow the regular installation
(see figure 1). Assuming there are no problems, Drupal
will then proceed to install itself with a default set of con- instructions.
figurations. If you do encounter problems, you can find
additional help in the handbooks on Drupal.org.
When everything is installed, you will be taken to
XAMPP download
your new Drupal Web site. The next thing you must do
http ://www,apachefriends,org/en/xampp,htnni
MAMP download
http://mamp,info/en/index,php
Database contiguration
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Figure 1 O
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Drupal installation dialog. 7)
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is create your first user. Click on the link Create the First
Account under Step 1. This first account is a super-user
account that has complete access to the entire Web site.
Protect this account password! After logging in with your
new user, you can click on the Administer link in the left 9-
sidebar. This will take you to the administration section,
which will show a message about some problems with
your installation. Click on the Status Report link to see
any issues that Drupal may have found. After this, you are
ready to begin working with your site.
