User:Aeric/Configuration

Configuration Notes

• The wiki is hosted at Rackspace.
• The server can be accessed with a VPN connection, using either FTP or SSH.

FTP gives access to all of the Wiki files, which is generally sufficient.

(Access details are in emails.)

• DNS entries that point to the server are agileappslive.info and platformatyourservice.com.
• Location of any given wiki is /usr/share/mediawiki/{wikiName}
• Multiple subdomains are set up using Apache, the DNS server, and LocalSettings.php.
• The DNS entries determine which subdomains are known to the world.
• The wiki name in the url determines which wiki is accessed. (E.g. /wiki)
• The LocalSettings.php file in that wiki uses the subdomain to determine which skin is used.
• The skin determines which logo is shown, which platform name to use, and the settings for several other variables, including the site name.

Organization of the mediawiki.conf Configuration File

• There are two <VirtualHost> sections, one for each virtual server:
  (agileappslive.info and platformatservice.com).

• Inside each virtual host, there is a <Directory> section for each wiki that can be accessed, as well as an Alias setting that maps the {domain}/xyz URL to the /usr/share/mediawiki/xyz wiki folder.

• In the AgileAppsLive domain, the "/wiki" alias points to the aawiki wiki, as does the "/aawiki" alias.

• When scripts/versionProductionWiki is run to make a versioned copy of the production wiki, a new directory-section and alias are created for it. E.g. "aa90".

• Each <Directory> contains a number of URL rewrites that are needed to make the wiki work properly. Unfortunately, they need to be copied for each directory.

• Attempts to do global rewrites failed, as recorded in notes at the top of the file. However, the rewrites were not attempted inside the <VirtualHost> headings, as those came later.
• So it is possible that a clever configuration could cut down the size of the <Directory> segments.
• But, as the notes in the file attest, the Apache rewrites frequently do not work as documented--so the actual semantics must be discovered by trial and error. (A rainy day project for sure, not worth the time given that we have a working system.)

Configuring Apache

• The Apache configuration file is /etc/httpd/conf.d/mediawiki.conf.

• Always preserve the original and edit a copy in /usr/share/mediawiki/apache_config

• To edit, either:

1. SSH to the server using PuTTY or the SSH shell, and use a line-oriented editor like nano.
2. Use FTP to bring the file back to your workstation, and use a terrific editor like NotePad++

Maintenance Scripts

To use these scripts:

1. Using PuTTY, log in to Rackspace
2. cd /usr/share/mediawiki/apache_config

Scripts:

• ./get_conf

Gets a copy of the three main configuration files, primarily for backup:

httpd.conf

phpMyAdmin.conf

mediawiki.conf

• ./try_setup

Copies the current config file as mediawiki.conf_sav.

If no else is editing mediawiki.conf, then mediawiki.conf_new has the same content, and is ready to be edited. Otherwise, copy _sav to _new before you begin.

• ./try

Put mediawiki.conf_new in place and restart the server.

For a quick test, refresh the page for each of the main wikis:

• http://agileappslive.info/wiki
• http://agileappslive.info/aadev
• http://lj.platformatyourservice.com/wiki

If you can see the page and the generated links are correct, the wiki is usable.

If you've done any work on the skins, then test the changes, as well

• ./revert

Put mediawiki.conf_sav back in place, in case the _new version didn't work.

Apache References

• http://net.tutsplus.com/tutorials/other/a-deeper-look-at-mod_rewrite-for-apache/
• http://www.addedbytes.com/download/regular-expressions-cheat-sheet-v2/png
• http://www.addedbytes.com/cheat-sheets/mod_rewrite-cheat-sheet/