The Multisite Manager contributed module allows creation of new Drupal sites from a central Drupal site without the creator having access to database info. The new site is installed either in the same database with a different prefix or if the drupal db_user has access to create a database and grant privileges, then possibly there.

Get started by reading the INSTALL.txt documentation.

More help on some gotchas exists below.

File names

In a situation where you have an existing file for a site http://www.mysite.com and you want to multi-site http://www.myothersite.com into it you need to make a new directory to the /sites directory you will find within the mysite file system.

This directory should be called /sites/myothersite.com.

When you set up a new Drupal site you are asked for the database name, username, password and the prefix of files relevant to the site. This information has to be entered into Database Manager in http://www.mysite.com/admin/settings/multisite_manager and will generate a script

This script - which currently does not include the database password and omits the initial <?php - should be copied into a file called settings.php and pasted into the directory you set up above.

What Happens Next

Log into http://www.myothersite.com normally and the normal Drupal set up screens will appear.

Complete this and then create the new site as if it were free standing.