Generic Validator installation guide (Was: Validator install on Linux (Slackware))

Hello Nick, all.

On Thu, Dec 04, 2003, Nick Talbott wrote:

> No problems really.  It was just took a bit of time to figure out what to do 
> with the various downloads from the Validator source page, and then watching 
> the web server error log to figure out what I'd got wrong.

That's good. This is also the way I performed a local install long ago,
and while I did not run into any kind of big problem, I gather that many
are not so lucky, and that a good guide for local installation of the
Validator is something that is missing.

> I made notes on the installation process

The notes you sent are very good, close to what I remember, and there
does not seem to be any mistake. I do have a question or two (see
below) but overall I think your notes are extremely interesting,
especially since they're pushing me to compile and edit a guide for
installation, and because your notes are very close to be a "generic"
installation guide (Linux Slackware being a regular setup for a system
with a Web server, Perl etc.). 

I would like, if you don't mind, to take your notes as a strong basis
for the upcoming installation guide (while still linking to your notes
for slackware-specific install, just as it will link to Stephen Yoch's
work for OSX).


Below are "my notes about your notes". Not actually criticism (I think your
notes are very good), but more ramblings and thinking-out-loud in
preparation for a generic guide.

> W3C Validator installation
> --------------------------
> Create a new virtual website.

Assuming that people will work on Apache, suggesting to use a separate
configuration file may be a good idea. This keeps configuration about
the validator separate (you never know, perhaps an automated apache
upgrade may want to overwrite httpd.conf, etc.) and all in one place
(you can keep the file with the other validator config files)

Example, in your httpd.conf:

	Include /usr/local/validator/config/validator-httpd.conf

And then you can copy and edit the sample httpd.conf distributed with
the validator and adapt it to your need. You chose to use a virtual
server, I chose to link /validator/ to where all the validator files
are:

	Alias /validator/ /usr/local/validator/htdocs/

This actually has an interest, because you wouldn't have to copy so many
files between the serverroot and the validator's root (which you chose
to be the standard /usr/local/validator as I did).
 
> Unpack the Validator tarball to a temporary directory, then...
> 
> - Move all the files and subdirectories from [tempdir]/validator/htdocs to 
> the document root of the virtual site

Alternatively, Move all the files from [tempdir]/validator/ to
/usr/local/validator

> - Move all the files from [tempdir]/validator/httpd/cgi-bin to the document 
> root of the virtual site

Alternatively, copy (or link?) /usr/local/validator/httpd/cgi-bin/check
and checklink to /usr/local/validator/htdocs/ and add to / edit the
httpd conf file as follows:

<LocationMatch "/validator/check(link)?">

  SetHandler            cgi-script
[etc.]

> - Copy the uncommented lines in [tempdir]/validator/httpd/conf/httpd.conf to 
> wherever you have the Apache configuration for the virtual website, adapting 
> all the directory references to reflect the paths used in your installation.

Ditto. good.

> Restart the web server to activate the updated configuration.

using 'apachectl graceful' might be recommended over restarting, because
if you have an error it will not break everything and let you fix the
errors before restarting.

> Unpack the DTDs tarball sgml-lib.tar.gz to a suitable location such as 
> /usr/local/validator

Ditto. good.

> Copy all the .cfg files from the [document root]/config directory in the 
> document root to a new subdirectory of /usr/local/validator called config

Not needed if you use /usr/local/validator as [document root]

> Copy header.html and footer.html from [document root] to a new subdirectory 
> of /usr/local/validator called htdocs

Not needed if you use /usr/local/validator as [document root]

> Make the directory /etc/w3c and create a file called validator.conf using the 
> file [document root]/config/check.cfg as template.  This file is well 
> commented.  Make changes to reflect where files are in your installation.

ditto. good.
 
> You can now delete the [document root]/config and [tempdir] directories.

Not to be done if you use /usr/local/validator as [document root]

> 
> Check it out!
> -------------
> 
> Point your browser at the new virtual site.  Check the error log of the 
> webserver to get clues on what may be wrong if you get any server errors.

Works for me :)

This, overall, looks good. I think it's fairly system-agnostic (except
of course with regards to the Web server, but I remember reading about
*attempts* at installing the validator on IIS, though I don't remember
reading any record of its success) and could be used for a generic
installation guide...

A good idea might be to add to the FAQ the "Frequent Installation
problems", such as those caused by early versions of OpenSP,
"main::iana_charset_blurb()" warnings, etc. 

Since this e-mail thread will be used to produce the installation guide,
I welcome everyone with such experience to give their impressions and
send comments.


Thanks a lot everyone, especially Nick.

olivier
-- 
olivier Thereaux - W3C / Quality Assurance / Tools
http://www.w3.org/People/olivier | http://yoda.zoy.org/

Received on Tuesday, 16 December 2003 03:46:27 UTC