- Unzip all
the UBB Files on Your Computer
Unzip the downloaded
ubb file into a folder on your desktop or in a location you
can find again easily. If you are unzipping files on your own
Linux or Unix machine, use the -a switch [i.e. unzip -a ubb550.zip].
When you have
finished you should have a folder contain 4 sub-folders called
cgi-bin, Members, NonCGI and variable_files
- Log onto Your
Web Server
Open your FTP
client and log into your web server with the hostname, username
and password your Internet provider has given you. Look at the
list of files or directories you find there.
Look for the
directory where your web pages are stored. You may already be
in this directory if you find files called index.html or default.html.
You *may* have to look in directories called wwwroot, docs or
public_html to find where the web pages are stored. If in doubt
ask your ISP Customer Support service.
If there is a
directory called cgi-bin or cgi-local remember where it is because
you will come back to it later. If your web provider requires
you to use a certain directory for your scripts, find it and
note the location. You will come back to it later.
- Upload the
cgi-bin Scripts
Use your FTP
program to find the cgi-bin, cgi-local or the directory your
web host requires for CGI scripts. Click to open this directory.
If there is not
already a cgi-bin directory, you will need to create one called
cgi-bin or ubbcgi. You may also create a subdirectory called
ubbcgi to keep UBB files separate from other scripts you may
have.
With the CGI
directory opened, set your FTP client to ASCII mode and upload
the contents of the unzipped cgi-bin folder on your computer.
- Upload the
Variables Files
Upload the contents
of the variables files to the same cgi directory as above. You
must set your FTP client to upload the files in ASCII mode.
- Make a Members
Directory and Upload Files
Create a directory
called Members [spelled exactly]. This directory should be located
above your web root wherever possible for greater security.
If this is not possible create this directory inside your cgi
directory.
Open this directory.
Upload the contents of the unzipped Members folder on your computer
in ASCII mode.
- Make a Directory
for Your Forum Files
Change directories
to your main web directory [see step 2] Create a directory there
called ubb. If you run into permissions problems later in the
process, you may also create this directory inside your cgi
directory.
Open the directory
and upload the contents of your unzipped NonCGI folder to it.
You may set your FTP client to upload in automatic. Or you may
choose to upload all .html files in ASCII and all the .gif and
jpg files in Binary.
- Edit Your cplinks.html
File
On your own computer
open up the file called cplinks.html in a text editor like Notepad.
You will see basic html code.
You must edit
only one link: Look for <BASE HREF = " ">. Edit
in the full URL to your CGI directory between the quotation
marks.
For example: <BASE HREF="http://www.mydomain/cgi-bin/">
Check
that the URL goes between the two quotes and be sure the URL
ends with a slash "/".
Save the cplinks.html
file and upload it again to the ubb directory.
- Open the Control
Panel in Your Web Browser
Open your web
browser and go to the URL http://www.mydomain.com/ubb/cp.html
[you will substitute in your domain name and directories to
match the names you have chosen in the steps above]
You will see
a UBB control panel with links down the left side. Click the
top link called General Settings.
The new page
that appears in the right side has a link called 'First Time
Install' Click it to open up a page of blank general settings.
Use the 'Socket Test' link [licensed version only] and follow
the special directions if it fails.
- Set the General
Settings Absolute Paths
A quick explanation:
The path is the full path from your server root, for example
c:/Inetpub/wwwroot/mydomain/cgi-bin [the exact path will be
different in each server]
You can sometimes
find this path exactly if you click on the environmental variables
link at the top of your page. Within the list look for one variable
called PATH_TRANSLATED. This will be the path to your script.
Cut off the "/cpanel.cgi" from the end and you will
have the absolute path to your CGI directory.
If the Environmental
Variables do not help you, download pathto.asp in a zip file.
Unzip it and and load pathto.asp to your cgi directory. Call
it from your browser [http://mydomain/mycgidir/pathto.asp
Use this path
as a reference.
There are 4 absolute
paths to fill in. Make sure that you use forward slashes "/"
in all the paths.
Absolute path
to your CGI directory [i.e.C:/Inetpub/wwwroot/myname/cgi-bin
Absolute Path to your UBB directory [i.e. C:/Inetpub/wwwroot/myname/ubb
Absolute Path to your Members directory [often the CGI path
with /Members added on the end]
Absolute path to your Variables files [usually identical to
the CGI path]
There are no
trailing slashes in an absolute path.
- Set the General
Settings URLS
The second section
of settings is called URLS.
These will all
begin with http:// ... If UBB has already filled in an URL,
leave it.
Check that each
URL ends with a directory name corresponding to the directory
names on your web server. For example the CGI URL in a common
installation will end with /cgi-bin or /ubbcgi
The NonCGI URL
will also end with a directory name i.e. /ubb
There are no
trailing slashes on any of these URLS.
The web site
URL should be the main URL for your web site.
- Choose Your
Options
Below the absolute
paths and the urls are many choices about the names, addresses
and functions of your UBB.
Fill them in
accurately or leave the defaults. In the licensed version be
sure to enter a valid SMTP server name and select the SMTP option.
Do not use the sendmail option.
- Submit Your
General Settings
At the bottom
of the general settings page fill in the default username Admin5
and the password 4tugboat. Spelling and case matter.
Click submit.
If your paths and permissions are correct, you will receive
a message saying the settings gave been updated.
If your get a
blank screen or an error message see these suggestions.
- Submit your
Styles Settings [licensed version only]
Click 'Styles'
on the left hand side of your control panel. You may change
any of the options listed or leave the defaults until your installation
is tested completely. Check that your Admin5 name and password
are filled in at the bottom and click submit.
- Submit your
Forums Settings
Click 'Forums'
on the left hand side of your control panel. You may change
any of the names or options there or leave them to change later.
Check that your Admin5 name and password are filled in at the
bottom and click submit.
- Submit your
Moderators Settings
Click 'Moderators'
on the left hand side of your control panel. You may add only
Admin5 as a moderator until other users are registered [only
a valid registered user can be a moderator]. Check that your
Admin5 name and password are filled in at the top and click
submit.
- Open your Bulletin
Board for the First Time
Click 'Your UBB'
on the left hand side of your control panel. A new window will
open with a list of forums. Click the first one to open it.
Look for a link to 'post new topic'. Click it and use the Admin5/4tugboat
login to post a new message.
Click Register
at the top right of your UBB page. Register yourself and make
sure you can post and reply to messages.
- Secure Your
Bulletin Board Admin Name
After you have
registered your own name successfully, go back to the control
panel and click on 'User Info and Permissions' on the left hand
side. Login with Admin5/4tugboat and search for your own name.
Use the option check box to make yourself an administrator.
Test that your own name is accepted for administrative functions.
Use the 'User
Info and Permissions' link to to delete the Admin5 user for
security reasons. If you wish to keep the Admin5 user, you must
change the password by clicking the 'profile' link on any regular
UBB Page.
- Bookmark the
UBB Technical Manual for 'How to' Questions
A technical manual
is available from your Control Panel main page or at http://www.ultimatebb.com/manual/index.shtml
There are also
Installation Support Forums at http://www.scriptkeeper.com/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi
where most questions have been answered before. Be sure to use
the appropriate forum and the search function for greater speed.