Create Your own Discussion Forum

Our web server equip with a discussion forum Phorum which is developed in PHP3. Please follow the listed steps to setup your own discussion forum. The order of the steps are critical.

Step 1: Fill in the application form and return to computer_room@fed.cuhk.edu.hk so that we can create the necessary database for you.

            On completion of database setup, you will find a directory with the same name as your project account can be found at your $HOME directory.

            These files are database files and should not be moified/removed under any cases. Otherwise, your forum will be crashed.

            Pleas notice that this fourm will share the same disk quota with your homepage content. Therefore, you must do housekeeping job in a regulary basis to miniminze storage spaces.

Step 2: File Installation

            Login your own project account, execute the following script at unix prompt

                        user25$  /usr/local/phorum/install

           This command will copy all the necessary files into your project account. The following directories will be created automatically.

                         $HOME/public_html/forum

                         $HOME/public_html/forum/admin

Step 3: Launch your browser and go to your admin page at http://www.fed.cuhk.edu.hk/~your_account/forum/admin/admin.phtml

            Use the username and password specified at step 7 to login your administrator page.

            If you find errors, please check the content you have edited in step 3 to 7.

            Now, select (Master Settings) and click [Login].

            Fill-in the form with the following information and click [Update]. Take user25 as an example

                    database server:     -> localhost

                    database name:      ->  user25

                    database id :            -> user 25

                    database password: -> database_password (given by system admin )

                    ...

                    default email:         -> user25@fed.cuhk.edu.hk

                    forum url:                 -> http://www.fed.cuhk.edu.hk/~user25/forum

                    file extension:        -> phtml

                    front page name:    -> index

                    ...

Step 4:    New your forum and activate it.

                Go to main page of administrator page. Select (New Forum) and click [Login].

                Enter the name of your forum and table name. The table name is only for internal use.

                Please use the same password as the administrator page at Step 7.

                On completion, click [Add] to continue. A new item will be created in the list box [ forum /   action ].

                Select the new forum item and click [Login].

                Select [Activate Forum] and click [Continue].

                Your forum is now up. Cick [forum] to go to your new forum.

For details help, you may refer to Phorum major site.