Grr
I have a wiki set up to run on my computer, so that I can add things to a web page very easily. Why? Well, it’s a centralised place for me to keep all sorts of information that won’t go on my PDA. I have, for example, a list of upcoming ABC entries that I can edit and add to when I want (to mark them as written and posted, for example). I have a collection of links to web pages I visit frequently – a bit like my bookmarks, but seeing as the wiki is set to my home page it’s much simpler to have them there.
I also have a list of blog entries that I’m going to write some time in the future, as well as a list of half-formed ideas for entries. When I want to post an entry and can’t think of anything to write, I go there.
For the first time in about three weeks I needed something to write. For the first time since Gentoo decided to downgrade the version of PHP marked as stable, PHP broke.
Now whenever I go to my wiki, it asks me if I want to download the PHP script that runs the site. Not much good when all the information is in a database that only the PHP script really knows how to access.
Hence this entry. Grr. Now I need to fix PHP. It doesn’t help that I just tried to do something clever (never a good idea when you’re stupid) and Firefox keeps on disappearing whenever I try to go to a website.
Don’t be a computer geek. Or rather, don’t be a computer geek and try and do A levels while being all computer-geeky.
Grr.
Matthew @ 19:42, June 14, 2005 to Miscellaneous | Comments (7)
Comments:
Sparticus
Heh, I did that a few weeks ago. Well similar enough though my problem was with mysql not php. Just backup and reinstall! Sure…
Comment added at 12:00, June 15, 2005
Rory
Solution – learn mySQL. Access the database manually. The PHP around the edges isn’t your tool for accessing the database; don’t let it control you! The PHP is merely decoration to make the website look pretty. You should learn how to integrate yourself BEYOND the PHP. Look:
PHP You mySQL
You don’t need the PHP!
Well, you do, but not to access the database…
Sorry, I got a bit overexcited there…
Comment added at 13:22, June 15, 2005
Matthew
Mm, yes. I have two problems with that though. Firstly, I don’t know how to access MySQL through the command line very well; secondly, I haven’t the first idea about the database structure or where to find the information I wanted.
As to backing up… I always back up configuration files I’m overwriting, but the problem was it wasn’t me overwriting the files, it was an automated script – and the Gentoo devs assumed everyone knew that upgrading baselayout messed up the system a bit which would require fixing. Plus I’m not even sure that it was the baselayout issue causing this problem. I’ve had three different problems in as many days and I think they’re all completely unrelated (though one might have been caused in fixing another).
I’m reinstalling, having backed up httpd.conf and a vhost file. Hopefully it should work. (I’m installing the hard-masked PHP5 just to see if it works – hard-masking generally means it doesn’t but I’ve heard rumours that simple stuff like I do works fine…)
Comment added at 13:36, June 15, 2005
Rory
Use an SQL program to access the database. The structure should be fairly simple, if you’re familiar with DB design. And if you’re not…
Shame on you…
Comment added at 02:17, June 19, 2005
Matthew
Well it’s fixed so no worries. To be honest, it was more that I couldn’t be bothered to read the MySQL man page than anything else.
Comment added at 12:39, June 19, 2005
Rory
Oh yeah – by the way, this may interest you.
http://www.apple.com/uk/education/istudent/
Comment added at 14:52, June 20, 2005
Matthew
Yeah, I’ve seen that before. It sounds great but there are many problems, not least you can’t upgrade the RAM yourself and it’s dependent on your university running the scheme.
Comment added at 15:38, June 20, 2005
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