Setup Guide

System Requirements

These scripts require PHP 7.0 or greater, and an SQL database to run. Luckily, there are many web hosting companies that offer this cheaply.

We no longer support PHP 5. If you try to run these scripts on a PHP 5 server, they will throw an error.

Steps

Clean Install

1. Buy web hosting. I recommend shared or VPS hosting from DreamHost.com. Make sure to click on "Monthly" to see monthly prices.
2. Buy domain name. I recommend NameSilo.
3. Figure out your hosting company's "name servers". Log into your domain name company (called a registrar), edit your domain, and set your name servers. Example: ns1.dreamhost.com, ns2.dreamhost.com, ns3.dreamhost.com
4. Be aware that things may be glitchy for a couple of hours while the domain name "propagates". The domain name system needs to process the domain name change.
5. Once your domain is working, get your FTP client working. FTP is how you move files from your computer to the web hosting (called a server), and vice versa. I recommend the FTP client FileZilla Client. Typical login info might be your web hosting username, password, choosing SFTP, and for the URL put ftp.yourdomainname.com.
6. Once you're logged into FTP, download the latest stable release of BlueThrust5 from GitHub. Unzip it on your computer. In Windows Explorer, navigate to the "src" folder (short for "source code").
7. In FileZilla Client, make sure you are logged in. Make sure the folder on the right side of the screen (the server folder) is in the /public_html directory or the /domainname.com directory.
8. Then drag and drop your files from Windows Explorer "src" folder to the FileZilla Client /public_html or /domainname.com directory.
9. Go into your website's control panel (cPanel, or DreamHost's custom panel, etc.), find the MySQL section, and add a database. Then add a user and pass. On some web hosts, these two things may be the same step. Then, if needed, grant your user permission to access the database. (Grant all permissions).
10. If you are given an SQL host name, or a chance to create an SQL host name, create one and write it down.
11. Navigate to your website. The installer will show. Enter your SQL database information. For host, put "localhost". If localhost doesn't work, then use the host name from step 7.
12. Finish the installer. You should be all set!

Upgrade

[TODO]

Need Help?

Setup can be complicated. You can hire me to set up and manage your website for you if you'd like. https://www.RedDragonWebDesign.com/contact/