Setup guide for Tetra-WebBBS 6.xx

Tetra WebBBS Documentation

Setup of Tetra-WebBBS is extremely easy. FTP access to your website is all you need.
Setup from scratch should be achieved within a few minutes following step-by-step instructions below.
The following brief instructions will get you going quickly.

However, Tetra-WebBBS setup IS completely different to older WebBBS implementations of versions 5.0 and 5.1x!
More information for upgrades from prior versions is provided further down on this page.

If you're short in time or in doubt if you can manage an install/upgrade on your own, then you may consider install service.

How to set up Tetra-WebBBS 6.2x from scratch:

download the tar-file. Unpack on your local PC.
upload the /webbbs folder under /public_html to the DOCUMENT_ROOT of your domain
(place the /webbbs folder alongside your homepage document).
Chmod the /webbbs folder to 777.
Point your browser to http://www.yourdomain.com/webbbs/smileys/biggrin.gif.
The smiley appears. It it doesn't appear, redo #2 until you see the smiley.
create a folder /bbs on your server. Preferably in a place that is NOT accessable by your browser.
Chmod this /bbs folder to 777.
DON'T upload anything yet!
Write down the /full/path/to/folder/bbs on a piece of paper, you'll need it later.
open the /cgi-bin/bbs62x folder.
Edit the 3 *_config.pl files found in there.
Set $data_basedir to the /full/path/to/folder/bbs that you noted in #3.
DON'T make any other changes yet --neither in the *_config.pl files nor in ANY other files!
upload the /cgi-bin/bbs61x folder and ALL its contents (in ASCII mode) to your server.
Retain the structure of this folder and ALL its subfolders!
chmod ALL three *_config.pl files to 755.
point your browser to
http://www.yourdomain.com/cgi-bin/bbs62x/webbbs_config.pl
The Message Index should appears.
Get the admin scripts going by pointing your browser to http://www.yourdomain.com/cgi-bin/bbs62x/admin_config.pl
- First you'll be asked to set an admin password first. Follow the instructions displayed on the screen.
- Then you'll be asked to create the first userprofile.
  Note though: While creating the userprofile you're prompted with the profile edit screen. You may set the password for the first user to a different value than the admin password. In fact it's recommended to use different passwords for profile and admin access!
- Last thing you'll be notified that no licensekey is yet registered.
  Registering Tetra-WebBBS is free of charge and pretty simple. Just follow on-screen instructions to obtain and install a licensekey on your server.
last step: FTP again to the /bbs folder you created in #3
On your first call of webbbs_config.pl (#7), the script created all the required subfolders under /bbs.
Now upload all files and subfolders under the /bbs subfolder from the download (#1) to their corresponding place on the server -- Should be simple.
Congrats!
Your forum is up'n'running.
Edit the *_config.pl files and webbbs_settings.pl (found in the bbs61x/lib subfolder.)
Redefine any configuration variables that don't fit your needs.
Add some basic security and disable debug mode.
FTP to the /lib folder. Rename webbbs_debug.pl to webbbs_debug_stopped.pl.
In case you later want to re-enable debug mode simply revert this change and debugger is ON again.

IMPORTANT:
$data_subdir is supposed to point to a subfolder IMMEDIATELY under $data_basedir!
Good: $data_subdir = '/folder'; --> ALWAYS go this way!!
Bad: $data_subdir = '/folder/subfolder'; --> NEVER do this!!

Important notes for ALL upgrades:

Make sure you don't use any old variables which are no longer supported in later versions.
Finding out is very simple:
Check each variable used in your old settings.pl file and in section(3) of ALL your entry scripts. Whenever a variable used is NOT mentioned in the NEW settings.pl file, then look it up on the variables board.
Do NOT use any variable when the docs state it to be unused or unsupported! - If you do, you may create a mess which can't be resolved later!

Updates from 6.1x and 6.2x

Download the *.tar file and unpack on your local disc.
Before updating the core scripts and configuration scripts on the server apply your configs to the NEW webbbs_settings.pl file. open the NEW webbbs_settings.pl file found in the /lib folder of downloaded files and set all variables according to the values used before in the OLD webbbs_settings.pl file.
NOTE:
Do NOT copy any OLD variables into the NEW webbbs_settings.pl file which are not listed there already unless you know what you're doing.
Use ONLY those variables which are listed either in the NEW webbbs_settings.pl file or listed on variables board and confirmed OK for the current version.
Don't forget to adjust the special settings for registered users in sub registered_users - IF you use that feature.
Upload the new scripts to your server:
Update everything in the /lib folder, *except* webbbs_custom.pl and smtp_settings.pl.
Update the file /public_html/webbbs/css/webbbs.css
Update the file /public_html/webbbs/js/
For updates from 6.1x
Upload the new CSS file /public_html/webbbs/css/fix_IE6.css.
Update the file /bbs/_tmpl/Meta.txt.
Before uploading, ensure you've added any (custom) code found in your old Meta.txt file which might be specific to your site.
Done.

Updates from 6.0x

Before updating the core scripts and configuration scripts on the server apply your configs to the NEW webbbs_settings.pl file. open the NEW webbbs_settings.pl file found in the /lib folder of downloaded files and set all variables according to the values used before in the OLD webbbs_settings.pl file.
NOTE:
Do NOT copy any OLD variables into the NEW webbbs_settings.pl file which are not listed there already unless you know what you're doing.
Use ONLY those variables which are listed in the NEW webbbs_settings.pl file.
Don't forget to adjust the special settings for registered users in sub registered_users - IF you use that feature.
Upload the new scripts to your server:
Update everything in the /lib folder, *except* webbbs_custom.pl and smtp_settings.pl.
Update the file /public_html/webbbs/css/webbbs.css and upload the new CSS file /public_html/webbbs/css/fix_IE6.css.
Update all JavaScript files in folder /public_html/webbbs/js.
Update icons in folder /public_html/webbbs/icons.
Entry scripts:
All prior 6.0x entry scripts for public and admin access are supposed to work just fine. If you want to keep them, you'll need to point them to use the new codebase as is described in #3 of advanced setup guide.
In the long run you should replace the old 6.0x entry scripts by 6.1x entry scripts though!
Reason is simple: On the next upgrade to 6.20 I'll take care version 6.1x entry scripts to be working but can't guarantee for older entry scripts.
Point your browser to your admin script and login. You'll be asked to register Tetra-WebBBS. Registration is free of charge and pretty simple. Follow on-screen instruction to obtain a licensekey for the current version and install it on your server.
Done.

Upgrades from 5.3x

Make a backup of your forum! At least make sure you have a backup of the pre-upgrade /lib folder and the file /public_html/webbbs/css/site.css!
Upload the new codebase in folder /cgi-bin/bbs61x/lib and all it's subfolders
Open webbbs_settings.pl included in 6.1x download. Apply your sites configuration like on any other prior install. Upload webbbs_settings.pl to the /lib folder on your server.
Reupload your sites other configuration files "smtp_settings.pl" and "webbbs_custom.pl" if you used them before. - Both files can be reused in version 6.00
Upload new icons:
Upload everything found in the download package in /public_html/webbbs/icons to the appropriate place on your server
New default stylesheet:
Update the default stylesheet /public_html/webbbs/css/webbbs.css and upload the new CSS file /public_html/webbbs/css/fix_IE6.css.
Do NOT reupload the file /site.css, keep your existing one as it's supposed to hold your site's non-default CSS!
Upload new JavaScript files:
Upload the entire folder /public_html/webbbs/js to the appropriate place on your server
Entry scripts:
All entry scripts from 5.xx versions must be replaced. Some 5.3x entry scripts "may" work, but that's untested and would be more by accident than intentional. - So better replace the old entry scripts before going live.
Done.

Upgrades from 5.2x:

Those who DID follow our advice to go with the default setup for 5.2x only need to
- follow all advice given for upgrades from 5.3x to 6.1x
- replace your old *_config.pl files with version 6.1x entry scripts.
Those who DID NOT go with the default setup for 5.2x
must perform a setup from scratch as described above.
Those in doubt how they set up 5.2x should
- perform a setup from scratch as described above but use a folder separate from their live forums for $data_basedir (described in #3)
- check see if the self-created structure of 6.0x fits the structure of your 5.2x install.
  If yes, simply replace your old *_config.pl files with version 6.x entry scripts.
  If no, you'll need to perform a setup from scratch as described above plus move all forum related data into their new locations as is described in the next section for versions older than 5.2x

Upgrades from older WebBBS implementations (4.3x, 5.0x or 5.1x):

FIRST, follow the steps mentioned above and set up the forum from scratch. Create the *_config.pl files for public and admin access AND run the *_config.pl files once to let the script create all appropriate subfolders in $data_subdir and below /webbbs folder in public_html!

SECOND, move all data from your old forums into their new locations:

all old message data (the /bbs subfolders) goes to the folder defined in $data_subdir
Make sure all /bbs subfolders are chmod 777 and all message files are chmod 766
all profiles go to the /_profiles subfolder created by the scripts.
Make sure all profile files are chmod 766.

OPTIONAL, if your forum allows for images to be uploaded with profiles:

move all profileimages to /webbbs/profileimages. Make sure the folder is chmod 777 and all images chmod 666.

OPTIONAL, if your forum allows for images to be uploaded with posts:

for each live forum create a subfolder below /webbbs/images using the same name for the subfolder used for $data_subdir in the live forum. Chmod the subfolder 777.
move ALL images related to this live forum AND related to all archives derived from this live forum into the newly created subfolder of /webbbs/images. Chmod all imagefiles 666.
in all archives of this live forum set $live_subdir to the same value used for $data_subdir of the live forum from which the archive once derived

NOTE:
Moving data into the new locations may either be done by copy/move from the commandline by SSH or Telnet (prefered)
or you may upload the files by FTP.