[Solved] Where's the install instructions?

[mdg]

Did I miss something? I've looked in all the obvious places and I can't find any install instructions. Nothing on the download page, or the documentation section. Checked the zip file and the readme's after I downloaded the program, nothing there.

 

Well, let's unzip it to my root directory ans see what happens. Still no obvious start or install process.

 

Then I thought I'll just open the index file in my browser and see what happens.

 

Got a page witht he presta logo (well that's a start) but it said I couldn't start prestshop as I hadn't installed it yet. (Yeh, I know, that's what I'm trying to do.)

 

There was an install button on this page (talk about hiding the essential) so anyway I pressed it.

 

Then I got a Welcome page (very nice) and a start install button.

 

Pressed that.

 

Next page was System permissions and required configurtion.

 

All green ticks except for

 

Graphic library must be installed (GD)

 

with no instruction as to what that was and how to install it. (I'm thinking this is something really simple, but without knowing exactly what the program wants, I'm stuck.)

 

So the program won't go any further until I do that.

 

As I said at the start, some installtion instructions , pdf, tutorial etc would be really helpful about now.

 

Even if I figure this one out, there are two more stages to go thru, database and Shop Settings, and who knows what mysteries are contained in those.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Thanks/merci

[mdg]

Ok, I'll answer my own question.

 

Found an installation guide of sorts. It's hidden under the section "How to be a good e-Merchant. " (Maybe somethiing got lost in the site translation.)

 

Anyway, hit the link and then scroll down on the page as the link to the install instructions is still below the fold.

 

 

Next issue: Found out for myself what GD library was and also that it should automatically be installed with php.

 

Ooops! Time to check my php version number.  (Murder) As I expected, not the latest, time to upgrade.

 

I feel like such a fool.

 

I will upgrade and report back.

[Peter Wilson]

Hi mdg,

 

Welcome to the PrestaShop Forum!

 

We are sorry you had such a hard time finding the installation instructions located here.  All our documentation is in the process of being completely re-written and will be posted in stages starting Monday.  We thank you for your patience and appreciate your dogged determination to forge ahead in the meantime.

 

After you've upgraded your PHP version, do let us know if you encounter any further problems.  Many bugs in the current release (v0.8.5.1) have already been reported elsewhere in the Forum (mostly in French) and fixed for the next release, v0.8.6, due to hit the Download page late next week.

 

By the way, another part of our Documentation road map is to create a FAQ which will include English translations of the most common/important questions posed in French, and their answers.

[mdg]

ooops again.

 

Turns out I did have the correct version of php after all. (Looking at the wrong properties)

 

However on a normal php installation the graphics library is turned off by default.

 

For Windows to turn it on the standard instructions are:

 

uncomment the line "extension=php_gd2.dll" in php.ini and restart the PHP extension. Change:

 

#extension=php_gd2.dll

 

To:

 

extension=php_gd2.dll

What this means is just delete the ; (there is no #) in front of extension=php_gd2.dll in this file. (It's about half way thru the file in the middle of load of other extensions)

 

On my installation the file is actually named php.ini-recommended

 

It's located in the root directory of your php folder.

 

After deleting the ; restart the services.

 

OK, now some more issues.

 

Don't forget to create your database first, before you start the install process.

 

After having done all that, I can proceed to the next step and set up the database in the presta install process

 

Ok all fine, go to next step.

 

Murder, Murder Murder the whole install process has just changed to French.

 

(I know the French have a Gallic plot to make the rest of the world speak French, but this is beginning to smell like elderberriesl)

 

Anyway, the francais instructions are not that hard to figure out.

 

Filled them all out, then press the button I get a sql admin box asking me which password I'm changing? I'm not changing any, so I ignore it and cancel it.

 

Next page

 

Félicitations

L'installation est à présent terminée !

 

Felicitations sounds good, but terminee sounds, well terminal.

 

However there are links to

 

Ma boutique

Mon back-office

 

(Do I really have to translate those?)

 

Clicking on backoffice brings up a familiar looking log in screen, so I login and  Merci, Mon Dieu it's in English.

 

All seems to be working.

 

Here endeth today's lesson.

 

(PS Yes there is a python joke in here as well as some anglo/french wordplay. I have to maintain my sanity somehow.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Peter Wilson]

Good job getting your problems sorted on your own. "Ouf!" as the natives like to say, which means "Whew!" and should never be confused with "uf". 

 

FYI, the next release will feature a new installer wizard, complete with full instructions (and congratulatory messages) in English.

[brian]

When do you expect the next release to be issued? Would rather wait for that then attempt to install in it's present format.

 

Brian

[Peter Wilson]

Hi Brian. Welcome to the PrestaShop Forum!

 

Hehe, I understand your reluctance.  Rest assured, the current build, v0.8.5.1, is very stable and usable, as the online store owners already using PrestaShop can attest.

 

If you're not in a hurry, you can certainly wait until the next build, which we're planning to release a week from tomorrow, on Monday, November 26.

 

However, you might want to download the current version and start entering your product data and other information in preparation. All that data will then be automatically transfered to the new version after you upgrade.

 

The current installer wizard does work, but in case you run into a problem feel free to post it here and we'll get you past it.  (If you get the apparently common error, "Can't connect to database server," try mdg's handy workaround.)

 

Good luck!

[mdg]

Hey Brian,

 

don't let my experience put you off.

 

Compared to other programs I've installed, my problems were minor and very easy to fix.

 

There is an installation guide here:

 

http://www.prestashop.com/doc/doku.php/installation_guide '>http://www.prestashop.com/doc/doku.php/installation_guide  in English.

 

My problems were not strictly related to the Prestashop installer per se.

 

They were to do with how a default php/mysql environment is normally set up.

 

So before you you run the prestashop installer there are a few things to do to make sure the install runs smoothly:

 

1: Make sure have the necessary prerequisites:

 

http://www.prestashop.com/download.php

 

2: Create your database folder first, which, if your running it on your PC local host will be something like C:wampmysqldatapresta 

 

- where "presta" is the name of the new database folder.

 

You can call it whatever you want, but remember the name as you'll need it during the install process.

 

(If you're installing it on a live server then change the associated directory details.)

 

3: If you have a default/normal installation of php you will still need to turn the graphics library on as per my post above.

 

Once you've done these three steps, then start the prestashop installer. Everything should run smoothly.

 

If you get the change in language halfway thru like I did, then go to installation guide http://www.prestashop.com/doc/doku.php/installation_guide for a translation.

 

As I said above, most of the fields are pretty obvious.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

 

 

[brian]

Thanks guys - now for a real basic question - having unzipped the program onto my harddrive - how do I start the installer?

 

;D

[mdg]

Yes, I had the same problem. The solution is explained above in my first post but here it is again for clarity.

 

When you say you've unzipped it to your hard drive, I assume you mean you've unzipped it to the root folder of localhost? If not it won't work.

 

Anyway, assuming you have open your browser and navigate to the index.php file in the root of the prestashop folder.

 

A webpage will open with a small install button on the righthand side.

 

Press that and the install will proceed.

[brian]

Surprising what you can accomplish when you know what to do  ;D

 

Thanks for your help