Installing

[pomo]

I am missing a key foundation in my knowledge. I uploaded the NodeBB-master directory to my servers. Hoping to try this out to see how I can make it work but I hit the installing barrier. I must be the only one without the knowledge in the next step. I see the Readme file that list how to install it but I have no idea how to do and even where to go to do:

 # apt-get install git nodejs redis-server npm build-essential imagemagick

Can someone point me in the right direction. I am sure it is obvious and me asking is silly. Thanks.

[julian]

Hi @pomo!

That particular step means you need to make sure that you have all of the system dependencies installed.

Depending on the server, the command to execute may be different.

The hash (#) simply means that the command is to be run under the root user.

Ubuntu/Debian/Mint servers use apt as their package manager, and the command is apt-get... as above.

For distros like Fedora, you'll have to use yum, Arch uses pacman, etc.

What distribution are you using?

[pomo]

I have a dedicated server with hostgator. So it is cpanel based. So I need to establish a shell terminal connection to the cpanel an run these commands. THanks for the help.

[julian]

Best of luck! We monitor these forums daily, so if you run into any trouble, just give us a shout.

[pomo]

That is great. I am to much of a software developer to understand server instillation of software. A world I need to learn. Step A here is to learn how to install node.js

[psychobunny]

@pomo we are setting up a hosting service for NodeBB which will be live in the coming weeks - if that's a route that you would prefer to take instead of going through the hassle of installing on your own server then hang tight!

[aaron]

I am stuck on the same step and I appear to know even less than pomo.

I reached the point in the installation instructions where you run the command "node app --setup". But it ended up saying "Node setup aborted."

I'm using a mac and I have know idea what server I am using or what that even means. If you have directions for me or links to give me more context on the subject, that would be much appreciated!

I think this is the step that didn't work for me and caused the subsequent step to fail:

apt-get install git nodejs redis-server npm build-essential imagemagick

How should I do that command on a mac / do I need to set up some kind of database server first?

Thanks!
Aaron

[dylenbrivera]

This forum being daily monitored is an understatement lol.

[julian]

Hi @aaronclaytondunn, at what part of the installation is the setup aborted?

Can you paste the entire output?

[aaron]

I think the problem is that when I type in the first command:
apt-get install git nodejs redis-server npm build-essential imagemagick

On the page with instructions (

GitHub - NodeBB/NodeBB: Node.js based forum software built for the modern web

Node.js based forum software built for the modern web - GitHub - NodeBB/NodeBB: Node.js based forum software built for the modern web

GitHub (github.com)

), there is a "#" symbol at the start of the line whereas in my terminal, there is a "$" symbol.

I get this error when I type in that first command:
-bash: apt-get: command not found

What is apt-get and how do I download it so I can run the command?

[aaron]

Subsequently, here's what happens when I run this command:
node app --setup
(I hit enter at each step.)

Aarons-MacBook-Air-2:nodebb aaronclaytondunn$ node app --setup
info: NodeBB v0.2.1 Copyright (C) 2013 DesignCreatePlay Inc.
info: This program comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.
info: This is free software, and you are welcome to redistribute it under certain conditions.
info:
info: NodeBB Setup Triggered via Command Line
info: Welcome to NodeBB!
info: This looks like a new installation, so you'll have to answer a few questions about your environment before we can proceed.
info: Press enter to accept the default setting (shown in brackets).
URL of this installation (http://localhost) warn: Couldn't find convert. Did you install imagemagick?
URL of this installation (http://localhost)
Port number of your NodeBB (4567)
Use a port number to access NodeBB? (y)
Please enter a NodeBB secret (cefdd292-d74d-42b8-9ad8-a0161750c96f)
IP or Hostname to bind to (0.0.0.0)
Which database to use (redis)
Host IP or address of your Redis instance (127.0.0.1)
Host port of your Redis instance (6379)
Password of your Redis database
Which database to use (0..n) (0)
info: Configuration Saved OK
info: Populating database with default configs, if not already set...
error: undefined
warn: NodeBB Setup Aborted.

[baris]

Check out http://jason.pureconcepts.net/2011/12/installing-node-js-npm-redis-mac-os-x/.

Some of it is outdated, looks like nodejs has a package for macosx so maybe you can just install that. Then you need to install the other packages ie redis imagemagick.

Once all dependencies are installed node app --setup will work. The error you are getting right now is due to redis not running.

[aaron]

Thanks. I have node and I just followed the instructions on the link you sent to install redis. But I get the same error when I run "node app --setup."

How do you get the terminal to switch from $ to #?

Thanks!

[julian]

How do you get the terminal to switch from $ to #?

# just means "do this as the root user", so in short: prepend all of the commands with sudo

[baris]

Also make sure redis is running. Try redis-cli in console to see if you can get in.

[aaron]

Hmmm...can't get in. Here's what happened:

| $ redis-cli
| Could not connect to Redis at 127.0.0.1:6379: Connection refused
| not connected>

I think I just don't have Redis set up properly. I'll work on that. But now I'm wondering--should I be using Redis in the first place? I am creating a forum to host on AWS and the database needs to support svg, pdf, and png filetypes. Is Redis the right option? If not, what are my options?

Thanks for all the help!

[baris]

NodeBB doesn't store files in the database, it will store images and files locally or images on imgur if you provide a imgur clientID in admin panel. We will add s3 storage support too.

[aaron]

Do you have any suggestions for using this software to host a forum on AWS? I'm not clear on where everything would be stored...
Thanks!

[baris]

You would just create an EC2 instance and install all dependencies and then install NodeBB. That should work fine. After that you can either add a imgur client ID so that all images are uploaded to imgur or enable local file uploads. When local file uploads are enabled all the files go to the /public folder in the NodeBB installation folder. Obviously its more preferable to have S3 support so you can store files there.

[aaron]

Thanks for the overview!

Now I'm trying to run the project. I got redis set up. I managed to start the server the first few times I tried it, but then the next time, I got this result:

$ redis-server
[25313] 13 Jan 17:46:33.969 # Warning: no config file specified, using the default config. In order to specify a config file use redis-server /path/to/redis.conf
[25313] 13 Jan 17:46:33.971 * Max number of open files set to 10032
[25313] 13 Jan 17:46:33.972 # Creating Server TCP listening socket *:6379: bind: Address already in use

Additionally, even when I got the server to run, when I did "npm install" and then "node app.js," I got an error saying bcrypt wasn't installed even though I had listed it as a dependency.

Any ideas on how to solve these issues? Thanks!