How can I automate the MODx Install?

Hi,

I’m currently writing an application pack for Helm Control Panel http://www.parallels.com/en/helm which is a windows web hosting control panel and very popular.

Is it possible to automate the MODx Install at all?

For Extra Users will be able to do the following:

1. Log into Helm
2. Click Domains - Domain Name - Application Packs
3. Click MODx Application Pack
4. Enter details such as name, email, database name, modx admin name, password
5. Helm will then copy the latest version of MODx to the domain (and ideally install MODx by doing sql imports).

However Im not sure if the license agreementhas to be agreed first by the user, if so my other thoughts were for my Helm App Pack to pre populate all the fields for the end user so when they visit their domain it runs the normall MODx install script and the user just has to agree and click next. next , finish.

Any tips would be much appreciated.

Thanks Aaron

According to the FSF, it isn’t. It’s functionally a fork of modx updating the installer behavior. In this case for a very good cause of making it much easier to install.

Sorry I’m not quite sure what you mean?

Quote from: rthrash at Sep 10, 2008, 07:46 AM

According to the FSF, it isn’t. It’s functionally a fork of modx updating the installer behavior. In this case for a very good cause of making it much easier to install.

The FSF says that you can change GPL software to suit your needs including removing a click to acknowledge the license page. You’d be making your own installer for the very-good purpose of making modx easier for your users to get started. I like that a lot and encourage it, just like SimpleScripts installs of modx.

Ah, ok that sounds great I’m going to have a play around now and see what I can come up with.

Once the application pack is created it will be available to my customers but I will also post it to the Helm website for other web hosts to use, I guess its all down to how they have setup their windows servers and php.ini but it should certainly help spread MODx a little more.

It will definitly put a smile on my customers faces being able to install MODx with just a few clicks.

Thanks
Aaron

Thanks Aaron ... love to see some spreading of the modx-love.

Great idea. You might want to check out simplescripts.com since they already have a MODx install that works well (or so I hear). Their install goes through cPanel and might work for you.

Web host, Bluehost.com has the simple scripts MODx install implemented.

Heres what Ive done so far

My plan is for helm to ask the questions such as new database or existing, and the admin login / email address for modx, this will then create the database copy the latest version of MODx to the users specified folder.

I’m planning on adding a new action page to the install dir which will read in the values and install MODx and this will be called in the background of asp. Once the user clicks install they will then get a screen to confirm what has been created with the links etc.