Individual Report
ITEC 2336 April 28, 2008
My experience with the creation of a website that needed to meet the requirements of
including an ecommerce shopping cart, as well as, a MySQL database, lead to the discovery of a
unique technology called XXAMP. According to Apachefriends.org, “XAMPP is an easy to
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install Apache distribution containing MySQL, PHP and Perl.” The reason we went with
XXAMP is due to the fact that we knew very little about installing or using the Apache web
server and even less about MySQL, PHP, or PERL. In addition to, “XAMPP is really very easy
to install and to use [simply] just download, extract and start.” So where can you find XXAMP
and begin hosting of your own personal websites? Simply follow these easy steps:
Download XXAMP from the ApacheFriends.org website:
Note: XXAMP is offered in many different flavors, such as, Linux, Mac OS, Windows, and
Solaris.
Figure 1: XXAMP for Windows
Installation with the Installer
Using the installer version is the easiest way to install XAMPP.
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Figure 2: Select a Download option
Note: We chose Installer 34MB option
Figure 3: Select Save or Run option
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Figure 4: Save to desktop location
Figure 5: Run the application
Figure 6: Select Language option
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Figure 7: Easy to use wizard select Next
Figure 8: Install XXAMP
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Figure 9: Select all XXAMP and click Install.
Figure 10: Installing XXAMP
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Figure 11: Apache Server Installation
Figure 12: Select Finish to Complete the XXAMP Wizard Setup
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Figure 16
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Figure 17: XXAMP Control Center appears at bottom right desktop tray
Note: After the installation is complete, you will find XAMPP under Start / Programs / XAMPP. You can use the XAMPP Control Panel to start/stop all server and also install/uninstall services. The XAMPP control panel for start/stop Apache, MySQL, FilaZilla & Mercury or install these server as services
Below is some more information gathered from the Apache Friends website:
Start, stop & test XAMPP
The universal control center is the XAMPP Control from www.nat32.com which is not included in the Lite version.
.\xampp\xampp-control.exe Some more server scripts: Apache & MySQL start: .\xampp\xampp_start.exe Apache & MySQL stop: .\xampp\xampp_stop.exe Apache start: .\xampp\apache_start.bat Apache stop: .\xampp\apache_stop.bat MySQL start: .\xampp\mysql_start.bat MySQL stop: .\xampp\mysql_stop.bat Mercury Mailserver start: .\xampp\mercury_start.bat (Mercury only GUI. Stop with GUI) FileZilla Server setup: .\xampp\filezilla_setup.bat FileZilla Server start: .\xampp\filezilla_start.bat
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FileZilla Server stop: .\xampp\filezilla_stop.bat Test: After Apache starts, open the URL http://localhost or http://127.0.0.1 and examine all of the XAMPP examples and tools.
The XAMPP Security console
As mentioned before, XAMPP is not meant for production use but only for developers in a development environment. XAMPP is configured is to be as open as possible and to allow the web developer anything he/she wants. For development environments this is great but in a production environment it could be fatal.
Here a list of missing security in XAMPP:
• The MySQL administrator (root) has no password. • The MySQL daemon is accessible via network. • PhpMyAdmin is accessible via network. • Examples are accessible via network. • The user of Mercury and FileZilla are known.
Please secure XAMPP before publishing anything online. A firewall or an external router are only sufficient for low levels of security. For slightly more security, you can run the "XAMPP Security console" and assign passwords.
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To fix the most important of the security weaknesses simply call the following URL (access only from localhost): Before version 1.4.15: http://127.0.0.1/xampp/xamppsecurity.php Since version 1.4.15: http://127.0.0.1/security The root password for MySQL, PhpMyAdmin, and also a XAMPP directory protection can be established here. For Mercury and FileZilla, please remember to change the configuration settings (e.g. user and passwords). Or if you do not need any of these servers, simply do not start them -- That is secure, too.
Unistalling XXAMP
The Installer version
If you installed with the Installer version, please use the Uninstaller! The Uninstaller will delete all XAMPP entries from your registry and it will uninstall some installed services included with XAMPP. We highly recommend that you use the Uninstall program for removing XAMPP installations from the Installer version.
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Questions that pertain to our website project?
Where should I place my web content?
The main folder for all WWW documents is at \xampp\htdocs. If you put a test.html file here you can browse for it at http://localhost/test.html (if Apache server is running). Use the same procedure with all PHP or cgi files. You can create subfolders for your content too. For example, create the folder \xampp\htdocs\new and copy your test.html file there. Then enter the URL http://localhost/new/test.html to view this in your browser.
Further file characteristics in the overview:
• CGI - Executable: Overall, Allowed endings: .cgi => base package • PHP - Executable: Overall, Allowed endings: .php .php4 .php3 .phtml => base package • MOD Perl - Executable: .\xampp\htdocs\modperl, Allowed endings: .pl => Perl addon • ASP Perl - Executable: .\xampp\htdocs\modperlasp, Allowed endings: .asp => Perl Addon • JSP Java - Executable: .\xampp\tomcat\webapps\java (u.a), Allowed endings: .jsp => Tomcat
addon • Servlets Java - Executable: .\xampp\tomcat\webapps\java (u.a), Allowed endings: .html (u.a) =>
Tomcat addon • MOD Python - Executable: .\xampp\htdocs\python, Allowed endings: .py => Python addon Spyce
Python - Executable: .\xampp\htdocs\python, Allowed endings: .spy => Python addon
How to move your XXAMP installation?
Copy the XXAMP folder to your USB flash drive and place into any computer and run XXAMP directly
from the drive.
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Where can I change the configuration?
You adjust XAMPP settings with plain-text configuration files. The following files exist:
• Apache basic configuration: .\xampp\apache\conf\httpd.conf • Apache SSL: .\xampp\apache\conf\ssl.conf • Apache Perl (only addon): .\xampp\apache\conf\perl.conf • Apache Tomcat (only addon): .\xampp\apache\conf\java.conf • Apache Python (only addon): .\xampp\apache\conf\python.conf • PHP: .\xampp\apache\bin\php.ini
(with the apache actually running php version) • MySQL: .\xampp\mysql\bin\my.cnf • phpMyAdmin: .\xampp\phpMyAdmin\config.inc.php • FileZilla FTP: .\xampp\FileZillaFTP\FileZilla Server.xml • Mercury Mail basic configuration: .\xampp\MercuryMail\MERCURY.INI • Sendmail: .\xampp\sendmail\sendmail.ini
Do I have to go online to work with XAMPP?
No! You can work "offline" with XAMPP. In other words, you do NOT have to be connected to the Internet, because your own computer will provide all the hosting and serving features.
Where is what?
Directory Content
\xampp\anonymous Anonymous FTP example folder
\xampp\apache Apache server directory
\xampp\cgi-bin Dir for executing cgi scripts
\xampp\FileZillaFTP FileZilla FTP server directory
\xampp\htdocs Main http docs directory
\xampp\install For Setup XAMPP (do not delete!)
\xampp\licenses Dito
\xampp\MercuryMail Mercury Mail SMTP POP3 IMAP server dir
\xampp\mysql MySQL server directory
\xampp\perl Perl directory
\xampp\php PHP (4+5) directory
\xampp\phpmyadmin phpMyAdmin directory
\xampp\security Extra directory for security configs
\xampp\tmp The temporary folder
\xampp\webalizer Webalizer web statistic directory
\xampp\webdav WebDAV Authoring example folder
