Aardvark Topsites PHP 5.0 Manual

This manual is for Aardvark Topsites PHP 5.0.x. Manuals for other versions:
5.2.x | 5.1.x | 5.0.x | 4.2.x | 4.1.x | 4.0.x | 3.2.x

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Beginner's Guide

This guide is intended for people who have never installed a PHP script before. If you have some experience, you can proceed to the installation instructions. If you are a beginner, please read this document before reading the installation instructions or use it as a reference as you go through the installation procedure.

In this guide, I will try to explain how some things work and define any technical terms you will come across as you install Aardvark Topsites PHP.

FTP

FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. By using a program called an FTP client, you can transfer Aardvark Topsites PHP from your computer to your web server. There are tons of FTP clients to choose from, so if you are intimidated, I suggest that Windows users choose FileZilla. It's free and it does not have spyware. Linux and Mac users should already have an FTP client included with their operating system.

Transferring files from your computer to your web server is called uploading. To upload files, first you have to connect to your web server. You need three things to do this: your server address, your username, and your password. If you don't know those things, then just ask your host and they will be able to tell you.

After you connect to your web server, you should then create a folder for your topsites list (call it "topsites" or something) and then press the upload button to transfer the files there. If you have any trouble with these last couple of steps, consult your FTP client's documentation.

chmod

chmod is something that confuses a lot of people, but it is easy enough to understand. chmod is a program on your web server that can change the security level of files. All you need to do for Aardvark Topsites PHP is use chmod on one file.

If you are using FileZilla, you can chmod a file in a few easy steps:

  1. Right click on the file on your web server
  2. Click on "File Attributes"
  3. Type the number you want in the "Numeric value" field
  4. Press "OK"

That's it! The procedure is similar for FTP clients other than FileZilla. Consult Google or your FTP client's documentation for more information.

MySQL

MySQL is a database application that Aardvark Topsites PHP uses to store all the member data and statistics. It is also what many people stumble over during installation.

After you select your language in the installer, you will be asked a few final questions before the installation is complete. Most of them are straightforward (desired admin password, email address, etc.), but the SQL Settings section can be confusing.

Leave "Database Type" set to MySQL.

"Host" can almost always be left to the default value of localhost.

"Database", "Username", and "Password" can literally be anything. They have to be set up outside of Aardvark Topsites PHP. If you have a control panel like Cpanel, you can create your MySQL database and user and then put that information into the Aardvark Topsites PHP installer. If you can't do that, then you'll have to contact your host and ask them to set up an account for you.