[plug] further LAMP

[Onno Benschop]

On Sat, 2003-12-27 at 23:05, smclevie wrote:
> What does one do when something doesn't work on Debian?  Cameron says
> 'don't wipe the disk...' but is there a clever
> Windows-like repair procedure?  Say something quite structural ....
> apt-get or dpkg ... how would repair happen??

What makes you think that apt or dpkg are broken?

You can reinstall a package:
	apt-get --reinstall install {some package}

You can reconfigure a package:
	dpkg-reconfigure {some package}


> Explanation of previous post:  I installed apache perl and php at one
> stage and had apache working but php wouldn't (from apt-get).  
> I then started down the road of installing according to a couple of
> nice fat texts I recently bought and
> saw there were a great many "--with-" and "--enable-" options.  So
> this is basically how I came to the conclusion that I needed
> to work from sources.  Also, there are many pages on the net
> installing from source....

These authors have not yet been converted to Debian users - give it
time... >:-)


> I've also had a look at a package called ApacheToolbox.  This also
> indicates a heap of options.  I want it all.. (Freddie & Queen)

Dunno


> Sorry guys, I'm a bit of a Windows man (in my thinking).  Perhaps I'm
> listening to too many marketing gurus ... 
> When I install things I want every bloody option even though I may not
> ever use them!! (just like Windows)
> If it then becomes a problem THEN I'll rethink it ... rather than try
> to think of all the possibilities before installing ...

This is a *really* bad idea.

While I understand what you are attempting to describe, installing
everything (as others have pointed out) is not actually possible because
of conflicts. 

Also, there is no need to do this.

Let me elaborate:

If for example, someone comes along and tells me that I need to use
hddtemp to read the s.m.a.r.t. temperature from my hard-disk, my typical
response to that is:
	apt-cache search hddtemp
	apt-get install hddtemp
	hddtemp /dev/hda

While you are talking about Apache and all the trimmings, this is also
true. Someone tells me that I need php4, apt-cache search php4, apt-get
install php4


> Is there a 'SELECT ALL' option!?!  

The most useful response to that would be to run the tasksel command,
which will give you the list shown during install. Select all the
options and you will have more than you'll likely ever use.

*I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS*

I install my system the other way around. During install I choose
tasksel, select finish without selecting anything, then only choose to
install those packages I desire.  It makes my system faster, cleaner,
easier and quicker to maintain and it appeals to my idea of lean and
mean.


> Thanks again for the replies at least I learn ...!!!

Pleasure...


Now as to why php is not working for you, there are many possibilities,
but I've found that the apache configure script that gets run for some
reason is poor at uncommenting the php module in the modules file, so
open up /etc/apache/httpd.conf and find the line that looks (a bit)
like:

	LoadModule php4_module /usr/lib/apache/1.3/libphp4.so

Make sure that the first character is *not* a '#'

Also, this is what my /etc/apache directory contains related to php;

        httpd.conf:	LoadModule php4_module /usr/lib/apache/1.3/libphp4.so
        mime.types:	application/x-httpd-php                              phtml pht php php3 php4 php3p
        mime.types:	application/x-httpd-php-source                       phps
        srm.conf:	DirectoryIndex index.php index.php4 index.php3 index.html
        
You can see what you get by doing:

	grep -i php *

(For clarity I actually removed the commented out list of lines)


Onno Benschop 

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