Installation Steps
If you are upgrading from an earlier version, make sure you have a backup of your existing database and files. At the minimum make sure you don't overwrite your Web.config file. The existing Web.config should work, but you might want to compare it with the new one and see what has been added (or removed). After upgrading you should open install/default.aspx and your database should be automatically updated.
- Download the latest version from http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=90539
- Unzip all the files and upload the entire directory structure to a directory on your web server.
- Download and install SQL Server. Create an empty SQL Server 2000/2005/Express database for YAF and add a user with valid permissions to the database. (Information to be used in the next step.) There are many ways to create a SQL database. It really depends on the tools at your disposal and the version of SQL Server you plan to use. Here are some URLs showing methods of database administration/creation:
- Modify the *.config files:
- If Web.Config is not present, copy one of the samples provided in the /webconfigs/ folder into the root of the web application and rename to web.config. Earlier versions of YAF may have had a default.config or other "recommended" config files for this same purpose.
- Setup a valid connection string. In YAF 1.9.3, this is in /db.config. Earlier versions of YAF may have had a
connstr somewhere to set.- For examples of connection strings visit http://www.connectionstrings.com/.
- The database pointed to in your db.config or <connstr> can be an already existing database, or you can create a new database to install to. (You will be prompted later if choosing to create a new database.)
- Configure the SMTP settings in mail.config as per your hosting environment.
- Hint: If upgrading, copy over any customized values from your old web.config to your new web.config.
- If YetAnotherForumNET isn't installed at the root directory of your web server or host, make sure the files in the bin directory of the zip file is copied to /bin on your web server. Also you'll need to add the element to the web.config to point to the correct URL. Example: If you have install the forum in the directory "http://www.yoursite.com/forum/yaf/" you will need to add <root>/forum/yaf/</root> to web.config. Please refer to these URLs if you still have questions about the application root:
- Open the file <YAFroot>/install/default.aspx on your web site. If you are testing on your local computer, under a directory called "YetAnotherForumNET", the address should be: http://localhost/YetAnotherForumNET/install/
- Follow the directions provided in the wizard.
- Note: If creating a new admin user, the password must conform to your membership provider's rules. For example, the default rules require you to have a "special character" in your password in order to proceed, or else a rather generic error message will be given.
- Modify the address bar in your browser to navigate to the root of your forum (e.g. http://localhost/YetAnotherForumNET/)
- Log in with the administration account information (Username and Password) you provided during the setup.
If you need additional installation help, please do a search at the official YAF forum and post a question if it hasn't been answered:
http://forum.yetanotherforum.net/.
Installation FAQ
How to I get/ Install SQL Server Express?
Visit
Microsoft and download the two programs from the left column:
(1) SQL Server 2005 Express Edition
(2) SQL Server Management Studio Express
The first download is the database engine itself; the second is a tool which makes it easy to do the configuration you're going to need. Install the programs in sequence accepting the default options.
How do I run YetAnotherForum inside my existing asp.net website?
By default the YAF install sets the forums up as an application, which doesn't allow you to use any existing master page , sitemap or other structures you have on your website.
Here are instructions on how to configure a standard YAF installation to work seamlessly inside your existing asp.net 2.0 site.
How do i integrate YAF's login system with my existing asp.net Membership system
Asp.Net Membership Integration
Can I convert a phpBB forum to YetAnotherForumNET?
A couple people from the YAF forums have offered up solutions. Please visit this URL for more information:
http://forum.yetanotherforum.net/default.aspx?g=posts&t=782
How can I install and use a Rich Text Editor such as FCKEditor or FreeTextBox with YetAnotherForum?¶
Please take a look at
this forum post. You may want to read the newest stuff first there as things have been getting better in this area.
In summary, you can use just about any editor with YAF. The default install has just the built-in editor in it. If you want to use something else, then there's a drop down in the administration section which allows you to chose an alternative editor. However you do need to
download and install any other editor you want to use before that drop down will do anything. Check the thread above for what you need to do in each specific case.
For TinyMCE on the latest build of YAF you just download the package from the thread above, bung it into the YAF \editors directory and you're away. You can tweak the TinyMCE configuration in \editors\tiny_mce\tiny_mce_init.js. No compilation required.
What is the difference between YAF-*-BIN.zip & YAF-*-SRC.zip?
The BIN file contains the necessary files that you will need to deploy and run the forum software. The SRC file contains the actual source code. If you wish to modify the functionality of the forums, you will want to grab the source.
Be aware that YAF builds as a DLL, so you'll need a tool (such as Microsoft Visual Studio, usually) which can build that for you. Visual Web Developer 2005 Express Edition (the free thing from MS) can't build DLLs, but now the 2008 Express Edition with Service Pack 1 can. There are also command-line tools out there that can build DLLs from source code, but that is out of the scope of this article.
Other Common Problems when Building from Source
- YAF 1.9.3 Final ships targeting the .NET Framework version 2.0. If using 3.5, update your projects' properties accordingly.
- If you get errors regarding 'nStuff.UpdateControls' and 'nStuff:UpdateHistory', be sure you've copied the appropriate 'nStuff.UpdateControls.dll' file from either the /Bin/Net2.0/ or /Bin/Net3.5/ folder (depending on your chosen framework version, of course) up into the /Bin/ folder, then rebuild.