<br><br>
We have numerous other articles written on this very subject. Each one tackles a different <br><br>
aspect of this complex topic.<br><br>
When you're developing a website, you indigence to see it in action on a truly server, to see <br><br>
how it will work. While you could upload your pages to your web crowd every time you make a <br><br>
change, this quickly gets time-consuming and tiresome. Wouldn't it be great if you could have <br><br>
a little test server of your own? Well, the server is nothing but a member of software so you <br><br>
can! Please note that, for the purposes of this article, I will assume you're with Windows as <br><br>
your operating system.<br><br>
Installing an IIS analysis Server.<br><br>
While with IIS isn't recommended, a test server is very simple to install. All you indigence <br><br>
to do is open 'Add or eradicate Programs' in Windows' direct panel. All you indigence to do is <br><br>
click Internet Information army (IIS), click OK, and you're done.<br><br>
For the rest of this article, we will discuss the meaning behind what we have learned about <br><br>
this subject so far.<br><br>
Of course, there are downsides to this. Many versions of Windows don't come with IIS, and <br><br>
there's no way to ensconce it on them Windows XP Professional, for example, comes with IIS, <br><br>
but Windows XP Home does not. You might also want to ponder that installing IIS on your <br><br>
computer will often make it minus secure.<br><br>
Installing an Apache analysis Server.<br><br>
Compared to installing IIS, installing Apache is hard Linux distributions all have relatively <br><br>
simple ways of liability it, but Windows wasn't intended for it. To get Apache installed, <br><br>
then, you're available to indigence to have a little fight with the system.<br><br>
Note: If you want to skip all the next steps, you might ponder with an 'easy installer' <br><br>
edition of Apache, such as XAMPP (for Windows), which you can get at <br><br>
www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp-windows.html. The downside to this approach is that you will be <br><br>
relying on them to give new releases, instead of being able to renew things yourself.<br><br>
First of all, download Apache from http://httpd.apache.org/download.cgi. Make sure you <br><br>
download the Windows Installer (MSI) version. You'll find it easiest to make the server run as <br><br>
a service, as this will make it run automatically Apache will surface in your system tray (in <br><br>
the bottom-right bend of your screen).<br><br>
Now, you indigence to find your Apache configuration file. In the folder where you installed <br><br>
Apache, look for another folder named 'conf', and then a chafe named 'httpd.conf'. Open this <br><br>
chafe and look for a setting called DocumentRoot. You should change this to feature to a <br><br>
folder on your hard drive, such as 'c:/html'.<br><br>
Now, you've got Apache, but that's not regularly much good on its own. The odds are that <br><br>
you'll want to ensconce PHP and MySQL as well, so here's how:<br><br>
Download PHP from http://www.php.net/downloads.php. Again, go for the installer. Once you've <br><br>
installed PHP, find its folder, and rename the php.ini-dist chafe there to php.ini. Find the <br><br>
'doc_root' setting there, and set it to the same thing you set Apache's to.<br><br>
Back in Apache's httpd.conf, you should add these lines:<br><br>
LoadModule php5_module "c:/php/php5apache2.dll"<br><br>
AddType application/x-httpd-php .php<br><br>
PHPIniDir "c:/php"<br><br>
If you didn't ensconce PHP in c:php, change the outline above to replicate where you put it.<br><br>
Now, installing MySQL isn't as difficult, because it runs independently of your Apache <br><br>
configuration. Download MySQL from dev.mysql.com/downloads. Again, get the Windows installer <br><br>
version. This installer has a lot of settings, but you'll be minute if you just click Next <br><br>
through them to accept all the defaults.<br><br>
The only remaining walk is to allow MySQL help in PHP. item libmysql.dll chafe from c:php to <br><br>
your WindowsSystem32 folder, and then open the php.ini chafe you formed before. eradicate the <br><br>
semicolon from the boon of the line that says ';extension=php_mysql.dll', and keep the file.<br><br>
Shut down Apache and save it, and you're done!<br><br>
Visiting Your Server.<br><br>
When they've installed a server on their computer, many people marvel how they can access the <br><br>
server they just installed as if they were visiting it over the web. The answer is simple: <br><br>
just open your web browser, and go to this URL: http://localhost (you can also use <br><br>
http://127.0.0.1). This special address means 'the server on this computer'.<br><br>
You'll know if you installed Apache successfully because you'll see a page congratulating you. <br><br>
When you change your web pages, just use your browser's Refresh button to see the effect.<br><br>
Seeing is believing, but sometimes we cant all experience every subject in life. This article <br><br>
hopes to make up for that by providing you with a valuable resource of information on this <br><br>
topic.<br><br>
<br><br>
To learn more, please visit http://web-development-info.info/<br><br>
Keith Londrie II<br><br>
klondrie @ yahoo.com<br><br>
http://web-development-info.info/<br><br>