UNIT 02 - Installation
Objectives
After completing this unit you should be familiar with the specific system requirements and the various options for a typical FarCry installation. Completion of this unit is necessary to set up your local development environment for the rest of the course.
System Requirements
ColdFusion Application Server
FarCry runs on a variety of different servers that can interpret the ColdFusion mark-up language.
CFML Server |
Version |
Download |
|---|---|---|
Adobe ColdFusion |
7.01+ |
http://www.adobe.com/products/coldfusion/ |
Railo |
3.0.2+ |
http://www.railo-technologies.com/ |
OpenBD |
1.0.1+ |
http://www.openbluedragon.org/ |
Database Platforms
FarCry supports a number of different relational database platforms.
Database |
Version |
Download |
|---|---|---|
MS SQL |
2000+ |
http://www.microsoft.com/Sqlserver/2005/en/us/express.aspx |
MySQL |
4.1+ |
http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/mysql/ |
Postgres |
8.0+ |
http://www.postgresql.org/download/ |
Oracle |
10g+ |
http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/products/database/xe/index.html |
Other Databases
You may have varying degrees of success with other database platforms or version numbers. Adding additional platform support is certainly possible, but talk to the community first before embarking on such an ambitious project.
Web Server & Operating System
FarCry will run on just about anywhere you can get a supported ColdFusion implementation working. As a consequence there are installations running on various versions of IIS and Apache web servers and on a variety of operating systems including Windows, OSX and Linux.
URL Rewrites
Your web server implementation will require some form of URL re-write engine in order to activate the FarCry Friendly URL sub-system. For example, mod_rewrite on Apache or an ISAPI Rewrite filter for IIS (several open and commercial options are available.
Installation Options
Deployment Configurations
Detailed information on deployment options is available on the developer WIKI
http://farcry.jira.com/wiki/display/FCDEV50/Deployment+Configurations
Standalone
Default installer configuration option.
Specifically aimed at one application per website. For standalone application deployment and/or shared hosting deployment that allows for a single project with a dedicated core framework and dedicated library of plugins.
Sub-Directory
Recommended for local development only.
For multiple application deployment under a single webroot. Specifically aimed at multiple applications per website.
Advanced Configuration (ColdFusion Mapping)
This installation configuration is not suitable for projects running in a shared hosting environment.
An enterprise configuration that allows for an unlimited number of projects to share a single core framework and library of plugins. Sharing is done through common reference to specific ColdFusion mapping of /farcry.
Advanced Configuration (Webserver Mapping)
New for Fortress. Considered an advanced deployment option similar to ColdFusion mapping.
An enterprise configuration that allows for an unlimited number of projects to share a single core framework and library of plugins. Sharing is done through common reference to specific web server mapping (aka web virtual directory) of /farcry.
Daemon Commercial Support
Daemon provides commercial priority support offerings for installation, and ongoing operational maintenance.
http://www.daemon.com.au/
Course Development Environment
This course and its associated walkthroughs, labs and sample code are based on the following local development environment:
- Adobe ColdFusion (Developer Edition)
- MySQL 5.1
- Apache 2.x
- Eclipse IDE
The courseware is based on a FarCry "Sub Directory" installation under the webroot of the local Apache web server. Please ensure that both the developer and the ColdFusion service have write permissions for the entire directory structure in which the FarCry solution is to be deployed.
Other Environments
The course sample code should work in any operational environment that supports FarCry. However, the specific references in the walkthrough may need to be adjusted to reflect your actual development environment.
Walkthrough: Installing Your Local Development Environment
The Jump Start course is suitable for any valid FarCry installation. The walkthrough details the "sub directory" installation as this is arguably the easiest to install (ie. you do not need to know how to configure the web server). Database references throughout the course assume MySQL 5.1, however, any supported database would be suitable for the course.
In this walkthrough you will install and configure your local development environment.
- Copy FarCry Bundle into Webroot (http://www.farcrycore.org/download)
- Copy Demo Media into webroot (Course materials will be available from your Instructor)
- Create a development project in your IDE
- Open the Eclipse IDE installed on your desktop
- Create a CFEclipse Project from the webroot of your local web server installation
- Browse the project and make sure you can see all the relevant FarCry code base directories
- Create a database (suggested steps assume mySQL 5.1)
- Open MySQL Administrator
- Create a new blank database (aka Catalogue)
- Open the ColdFusion Administrator and create a MySQL datasource pointing to your newly minted database
- Browse to http://localhost/farcry
- FarCry should have detected that you need to install and redirected you to the installation wizard; if it hasn't speak now or forever hold your peace.
- Run through the Install Wizard
- Select Sub Directory Install
Please ensure that your development environment is full functional before proceeding. This is critical for the success of the rest of the course.