[macnab]

Howdy. I'm wondering whether any satisfied customer of ASO has tried to install Tracks, an app built with ruby and apparently installable on a host server.

The problem is that I know NOTHING about this stuff. Not a lick. I get lost in the first sentence of instructions. Would any didactically-minded person out there be able to give some tips to a pre-newbie?

Thanx!

[jaseone]

Hmmm that looks interesting, might have to check it out.

For instructions try searching for Typo install in these forums and just substitute Tracks wherever it says
Typo as they are both Ruby on Rails applications so the install should be similar.

[hgupta]

Did you ever get it installed? I am struggling with it now.

[hgupta]

Hmmm that looks interesting, might have to check it out.

For instructions try searching for Typo install in these forums and just substitute Tracks wherever it says
Typo as they are both Ruby on Rails applications so the install should be similar.

Quick question,

I was directed to the ultimate guide for installing Typo, and I was wondering if everything in the guide applies to asmallorange as well.

Thanks!

[vw-si]

Hmmm that looks interesting, might have to check it out.

For instructions try searching for Typo install in these forums and just substitute Tracks wherever it says
Typo as they are both Ruby on Rails applications so the install should be similar.

I'm trying to install this as well, and am in the same painfully-new situation as macnab.

I follow the instructions for installing Typo, but have found this not to be working for me. I get the"Ruby on Rails: Welcome aboard" page. Which, while comforting, is not what I want.

I think there is some additional configuration that needs to be done with Tracks. If I'm reading the Tracks install correctly:

www.rousette.org.uk/projects/manual/index/new-installations/

the default configuration is to have the program installed on a local machine, with the ability to change the configuration to point to another server:

www.rousette.org.uk/projects/manual/comments/other-servers/

I'm assuming that I might need to change the routes.rb file, but I'm not sure.

On the Tracks site, there is also a link to someone posting install instructions on Dreamhost, but I couldn't make a modified version of this to work either:

www.rousette.org.uk/projects/articles/comments/installing-tracks-on-dreamhost/

Any suggestions?

[hgupta]

Paul K wrote this short guideline on installing it. It really is easy on ASO.
Generally: combine this instructions found here: http://typoforums.org/index.php/topic,19.0.html for typo with the installation.html instructions found in the Tracks directory.

here goes:

Prep:
1. Download latest tracks.zip
2. Submit a ticket for SSH access
3. Download Putty (if necessary)

Setup:
1. Upload and unzip tracks in root directory
2. Create database and user (probably through cpanel)
3. Get rid of .tmpl extension on database.yml, environment.rb and log directory
4. Edit database.yml with name of database and user
5. Do 'rake migrate'
6. Change /tracks/public/.htaccess to use the .fcgi something-something.
7. Set up a symlink to /tracks/public in the www directory.

[hgupta]

I would recommend skipping step 7 of the typo instructions (creating the virtual link) . If you skip this step, then you would access the Tracks from www.yourdomain.com/tracks

If you do step 7 then you access Tracks directly by going to http://www.yourdomain.com

However, the symbolic link created problems for me when I tried to install other subdomains on my ASO account, and when installing programs using fantastico in the control panel.

AND... please please add some tips to this bulletin board post after you install. Its a fantastic program with an intimidating installation procedure.

[vw-si]

I would recommend skipping step 7 of the typo instructions (creating the virtual link) . If you skip this step, then you would access the Tracks from www.yourdomain.com/tracks

If you do step 7 then you access Tracks directly by going to http://www.yourdomain.com

However, the symbolic link created problems for me when I tried to install other subdomains on my ASO account, and when installing programs using fantastico in the control panel.

AND... please please add some tips to this bulletin board post after you install. Its a fantastic program with an intimidating installation procedure.

OK. I finally got things to work last weekend, but didn't have the time to update the forum until today.

I got everything working except the rake didn't seed the production database. It seeded the development database, but not the production database... so instead of setting up three databases (dev, test, and production), I just set up two production and test, and pointed the database.yml dev and production to the same database.

This was the trick that got everything working for me. It helps to RTFM closely...

If I can put everything together and remember what I did step by step, I'll write something further. But until then, I did something like this... (Again, I'm new at this stuff, so I had to refer to a lot of foum and websites to help be with a lot of the basics -- special thanks to wanderingfocus.net/blog)

1) got my ssh setup by asking ASO for access in a ticket.
2) log in to your site using SSH. Mac users can use terminal once things are set up.
ssh -l asousername yourdomain.com

3) from the tracks website, you can find out the svn information: www.rousette.org.uk/projects/downloads/comments/tracks-1041/

4) in your SSH terminal type:
svn checkout h-t-t-p-://www.rousette.org.uk/svn/tracks-repos/tags/tracks-1.041 tracks

(you need to take out the dashes in h-t-t-p. I have them in there because as a forum noob, I can't post links yet...)

You'll be asked for a username and password from the svn server - you can find those by reading the site as well...

5) use c panel to create two SQL databases: production and test. Now create a database user and give that user all privleges to both databases.

6) I used cpanel file manager to edit the files, but I'm sure there is a better way. from the ../tracks folder that was created, you need to rename two files and one folder.

config/database.yml.tmpl to config/database.yml
config/environment.rb.tmpl to config/environment.rb
and (folder) log.tmpl to log.

7) I used cpanel to edit the config/database.yml file:

login: &login
adapter: mysql
host: localhost
username: yourASOid_usernameyoupicked
password: usernameyoupicked'spassword

development:
database: yourASOid_productionSQLyoucreated
<<: *login

test:
database: yourASOid_testSQLyoucreated
<<: *login

production:
database: yourASOid_productionSQLyoucreated
<<: *login

8) Again, using cpanel to edit the environment.rb file, you need to edit the line that reads SALT = "change-me"

Type some password there of your chosing. There is also a timezone setting you can change.

9) using your SSH terminal again, while in the ../tracks directory, type "rake migrate" -- this populates your database.

10) edit the environment.rb file again (this could probably be done in step 8) and remove the # from the line near the top:

#ENV['RAILS_ENV'] = 'production'

(so it looks like ENV['RAILS_ENV'] = 'production')

11) edit the /tracks/public/.htaccess line:
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ dispatch.cgi [QSA,L]

to

RewriteRule ^(.*)$ dispatch.fcgi [QSA,L]

12) again from the SSH terminal...

cd ~/www
ln -s ../tracks/public tracks

now try going to www.yoursite.com/tracks/signup and create your admin.

In full candor, these are an altered version of what I used to first set up tracks, but I was using 3 databases (dev, test, production) and it didn't work. I fooled around and things finally did work. Again, I think the key was only using two databases rather than three.

I also changed the permissions on a few of the files (like the environment.rb that has the SALT) but I'm not sure if it is necessary or helpful.

[PaulieK]

For simplicity's sake (that is, the simplicity of my understanding here-), I managed to get it working by creating only one database and user, and using the same database/user for development and production in database.yml. Rake migrate worked fine and I didn't have to edit environment.rb at all except to remove the ".tmpl" from the filename.

[Wes]

I'm having problems getting this working. I've gone through the steps (excluding the symlink) and I am not getting anything when I go to my site. Is there anything else to it?

[PaulieK]

I'm having problems getting this working. I've gone through the steps (excluding the symlink) and I am not getting anything when I go to my site. Is there anything else to it?

Is all the database information in database.yml correct? Notice that ASO prepends MYSQL databases and usernames with your ASO username.

[forrest]

Hi i wonder so far has anyone installed/using Tracks successfully ?

Please share.

Thanks

[PaulieK]

Hi i wonder so far has anyone installed/using Tracks successfully ?

Please share.

Thanks

Yes, still using tracks here and very happy. Just wanted to add a note about my post above. It's best not to put the same database/user info into database.yml for both development and production. Tracks ran in development mode that way, which was not only slower, but created a growing log file that threatened to eat up my Tiny disk space. Best to just fill in the info for production.

[mooseant]

Hi, I've been trying to get tracks installed and I believe I am followinng the directions carefully but I get this error when I try to load the signup page...

Any ideas on what could be causing this?

Thanks

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mysql::Error: Table 'username_prod.sessions' doesn't exist: SHOW FIELDS FROM sessions
../config/../vendor/rails/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract_adapter.rb:120:in `log'
../config/../vendor/rails/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/mysql_adapter.rb:185:in `execute'
../config/../vendor/rails/activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/mysql_adapter.rb:293:in `columns'
../config/../vendor/rails/activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb:696:in `columns'
../config/../vendor/rails/activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb:704:in `columns_hash'
../config/../vendor/rails/actionpack/lib/action_controller/session/active_record_store.rb:103:in `setup_sessid_compatibility!'
../config/../vendor/rails/actionpack/lib/action_controller/session/active_record_store.rb:77:in `find_by_session_id'
../config/../vendor/rails/actionpack/lib/action_controller/session/active_record_store.rb:281:in `initialize'
../config/../vendor/rails/activerecord/lib/active_record/base.rb:794:in `silence'
../config/../vendor/rails/actionpack/lib/action_controller/session/active_record_store.rb:281:in `initialize'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/cgi/session.rb:273:in `new'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/cgi/session.rb:273:in `initialize'
../config/../vendor/rails/actionpack/lib/action_controller/cgi_process.rb:111:in `new'
../config/../vendor/rails/actionpack/lib/action_controller/cgi_process.rb:111:in `session'
../config/../vendor/rails/actionpack/lib/action_controller/cgi_process.rb:141:in `stale_session_check!'
../config/../vendor/rails/actionpack/lib/action_controller/cgi_process.rb:107:in `session'
../config/../vendor/rails/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb:885:in `assign_shortcuts_without_flash'
../config/../vendor/rails/actionpack/lib/action_controller/flash.rb:141:in `assign_shortcuts'
../config/../vendor/rails/actionpack/lib/action_controller/base.rb:373:in `process_without_filters'
../config/../vendor/rails/actionpack/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:364:in `process_without_session_management_support'
../config/../vendor/rails/actionpack/lib/action_controller/session_management.rb:117:in `process'
../config/../vendor/rails/railties/lib/dispatcher.rb:38:in `dispatch'
dispatch.cgi:10

[ukdmbfan]

Mysql::Error: Table 'username_prod.sessions' doesn't exist: SHOW FIELDS FROM sessions

The first line of your error info shows you the problem; the rest is just Rails complaining about the initial problem in multiple ways. Basically, the SQL command "SHOW FIELDS FROM sessions" is throwing an error because the table "sessions" doesn't exist in your database. Have you checked to make sure you've created all the initial tables and data required by the program in your database first?

[mooseant]

I ran "rake migrate" which should have performed this step from what I understand.

[ukdmbfan]

I'd check the database you've specified anyway using phpMyAdmin in cPanel to make sure the database structure exists.

[mooseant]

I'd check the database you've specified anyway using phpMyAdmin in cPanel to make sure the database structure exists.

Thanks, only the dev database was actually populated. I couldnt find a way to copy the contents over to prod so for now i changed the environment.rb to point to development.

Thanks again

[ukdmbfan]

You want to make sure that the program doesn't run in development mode though, as it uses up a huge amount of resources and produces an awful lot of log files when it's not in production mode.

You can export and import database tables with ease in phpMyAdmin using the "Export" tab, and copying the SQL that produces into the "SQL" tab in your other database. You can just update your database.yml/environment.rb code to point to the correct database then.

[mooseant]

Thanks, after I wrote that I remembered that running in dev was a bad idea and instead just hunted around until I found out how to rename a database.

After using it for a day I went to school and discovered that the layout broke in IE. Didnt notice at home since I use Firefox. The names of items are invisible unless I drag an item. Sounds like an IE rendering bug.

Thanks for all of the help.
Mark