I have a project where I have made the decision to use Drupal 6. I am not (yet) very experienced in linux. I have received a hosted site on a dedicated server where there has been some setup as follows:
site/www/site1.com
site/www//site2.com
.
.
site/www//site10.com
/cgi-bin
/logs
I have a single site drupal 6 install with openx on another machine and have created the base theme and layout of the site which uses several modules including openx but am having a difficult time wrapping my head around how to get what looks to me like a complicated drupal scenario working. Especially since this is my first drupal project and I don't want to messed up the setup.
I need to get my single site base proof of concept site moved to the new server and implement the redriect logic and be able to support the potential differences, mostly the openx advertising information and content layout differences tested and running in the next week...so I am in a bind to figure out how to get my base drupal site which is working into the more complex production environment to test and validate how the information flow will work in the multi site setup.
So, there are 10 base domains setup and for each base domain we will be redirecting several other domains to one of the base 10 domains.
Being my first project in Drual I have several questions:
1) Is there significance in where I install drupal in the above directory structure scenario?
I would like to share the code base for any nuances point a main domain to another database.
What I don't know yet is how the drupal multi site will react.
2) When reacting a url is it better to have a single install that has a site entry for the domain to call a different database and mix any page layout differences between all the sties or have separate drupal install for the above 10 already installed urls and manage the 10 separate?
3) Also, can a single code base support say up to 200 sites with 10-20 variations of themes and perhaps layouts thru the theme support in drupal?
Excuse the lack of knowledge but this projects scope just shot up way over my knowledge level of linux and how drupal works internally for multiple sites and redirect logic. I have found information on 301 redirects and some helpful info on drupal multisite, but not quite enough to pull it all together.
4) I would like to share my user base which would mean using some information I picked up about drupal installed tables and excluding some table from all but the main database. However, that is another area I would like to know if anyone has done this in a production environment.
Any help would be very appreciated...as I have bit off a big chunk of project that I hope is not more than I can chew.
Thanks,
Comments
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Anytime you want to share items across drupal sites I recommend the http://drupal.org/project/domain module. The standard multisite functionality can be adapted to share items, but it requires somewhat advanced knowledge and configuration of drupal and you'll have less access to assistance when you need it.
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Thanks, I remember running
Thanks, I remember running accross that module earlier in the process but wasn't sure it would do what I needed in this instance. I'll go thru it and read the case study...mostly I was looking for advice on if any of the above items would present any unique problems in the install.
About moving over the site, are there any issues with changing the root directory of drupal or does that affect the database. I think that is my main concern here.
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It depends on what kind of urls you've used in your content and whether or not the root is in a subdirectory. For example, if you use absolute urls for images (ie http://example.com/sites/all/files/images/filename.ext) then obviously, they will break if you move the site to a different domain. Likewise, if the site is in a subdirectory (ie http://example.com/drupal) your urls will also break if moved to a location without a subdirectory. The bottom line is, urls have to be accurate.
_
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Ok, I realize that. My
Ok, I realize that. My question is should I change to the user home/site/www/ or should I stay in the var/www/html/ like the old server. Not doing this before, I am not sure what problems I will face if I want to make a /drupal6 directory path so I can add the /drupal7 path to make the upgrade when needed.
Also, since I was handed a server with a radially different approach coming in. Several new urls under the home/site/www/ directory how does that impact the drupal install. If it doesn't because I just add sites/site1 sites/site2 in drupal then I am just looking for the confirmation that I don't have to worry about it. Also, when a drupal 7 verision is ready to take over I can just add another path and it isn't a big deal.
Just looking for advice on whether I am worried over something or nothing.
Regards,
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I'm not sure how to else to explain it. If you use 'home/site/www' which puts drupal in the root (ie http://example.com) in one place and use 'var/www/html' which puts drupal in a subdirectory (ie http://example.com/html) then yes you will have problems unless you use some apache foo (or perhaps the $base_url setting) to rewrite the 'html' subdirectory out of the path. The same with using a drupal6 path and a drupal7 path-- if it's configured in such a way that it appears in the url, then yes it will cause problems. But it's hard to say 100% since there problem a dozen different ways this situation can be configured.
_
Don't be a Help Vampire - read and abide the forum guidelines.
If you find my assistance useful, please pay it forward to your fellow drupalers.
Ok, in this example the
Ok, in this example the var/www/html is the document root (I think as there is no issue with the /html) on the exiting server so that is the root where everything is working based on the initial install.
My trepidation is because I am not yet that experience in linux and while I am pretty comfortable with drupal, I have much to learn there as well.
I'm about the take the dive so I guess what you are saying is that it really doesn't matter how I install/move as long as the drupal and server config files point to the right place for the document root, etc.?
Here goes...I'll SOS if I run into anything bad.
Thanks..
Moved it and got this: Site
Moved it and got this:
Site off-line
The site is currently not available due to technical problems. Please try again later. Thank you for your understanding.
I changed the database entry in setting.php and then got a blank screen. Got to track it down but everything appears to be pointing to the right places.