site sculptor localhost preview error

Hi
Site sculptor will not preview via the F12 local host browser?
Xammp is up and running, everything except ftp and smtp.
Do I need to start up a localhost database?
Sabby76

Hey Sabby,

It seems that Site Sculptor may require database details in order for the integral CMS system to be able to store its data. I don't know if you still need one if you uncheck the boxes in the GUI to create a CMS for your pages.

I posted a beginning to end process example HERE in reply to someone else that you might find udeful.

If you have installed XAMPP and started both the Apache and mySql services, you can create a database using phpMyAdmin on your local machine, you should be able to access phpMyAdmin by typing (and bookmarking) phpmyadmin/ in to the address bar of your browser. You will HAVE to have set a 'root' (super-user) password for the mySql database before you can access it from DreamWeaver.

All of your site's files and folders must be in a sub-folder (your site folder) of your xampp/htdocs directory (wherever you installed it) so, if you installed xampp to your c:\ drive, your sites files and folders should be at C:\xampp\htdocs\mynewsite (for instance).

Your connection settings for your database on your local machine when you set it up in Dreamweaver would be something like:

$hostname_PowerCMSConnection = "localhost";
$database_PowerCMSConnection = "yourNewDatabaseName";
$username_PowerCMSConnection = "root";
$password_PowerCMSConnection = "yourNewPassword";

Hi neilo
Thanks for the Myphp DB info.
To use it I'm getting no where with axammp.
I create a password: xxxxxxxxxx.
It is the same as the DW testing server which, is the 1and1 ftp password.
I go to phpMyAdmin to create a DB and the login page requires a user name also?
Plus it is defaulting my email address?
No amount of combinations work...
I've added a post to freinds of apache with no responce.
Any advice.
Sabby76

Don't bother relpying, its "sussed" with the help of radzio at freinds of appache / xammp for windows forum.
Sabby76

Just to verify, you were able to get the site to upload and work correctly on your local server once you figured out the database credentials, is that correct?

Hi Jimmy Wu
Not Yet...
I'm trying to switch on to this issue and switch off to spare info.
I've just got home from work and to be honest, I really want to absorb this info rather than run it. Most stuff can be spurious at best online and webassist / xammp / dreamweaver offer a refreshing difference. I think, I will have bash tommorrow.
Sabby76

Hi
Jimmy Wu
No local server, xammp and does not run the site...
Just out of curiosity, the database tutorial defines the root differently in DW to the xammp set up; it defines the root at C:/inetpub/wwwroot when xammp requires C:/xammp/htdocs, naturally I'm running from xammps root.
Conflicting info raises questions like.
Can I really run a site sculptor site on a xammp local server?
Why would IIS be recommended?
Sabby76

You should be able to run a Site Sculptor site on xampp. I've never personally used xampp before, but IIS is recommended because there is more control over the server and how it is set up. Using xampp, you will most likely have some limitations on how to set up everything using the xampp interface.

Hi Jimmy,

I am a bit confused, as WebAssist's 'Support & Documentation page, under 'Dynamic Development Tutorials', the link 'Setting up a Testing Server for Windows' takes you directly to: What you need to start: * Windows XP, Vista, or 7 * XAMPP for Windows (Basic EXE package installer)

The tutorial tells you to make sure IIS is turned off (if it is installed). The link to 'Defining a Dynamic Site in Dreamweaver' takes you to directions for specifying XAMPP testing server settings.

My personal experience is that XAMPP is far easier to install and set up than IIS. IIS takes far more effort and understanding to get the various components working properly together (a chore you must do yourself). I'm not aware of any of the limitations you refer to. On the contrary, I found it to be far more immediately configurable and every bit as fully featured as IIS. If and when you want to update any of the components, XAMPP does it for you.

For instance, I have just cleaned out my second machine (Vista Ultimate) as I was installing new Dreamweaver. It had no testing-server, and no extensions installed. So:

From Download XAMPP
through install Sculptor in CS5
Through create site definition for sculptor site
Through create Sculptor Site
Through define connection in new MySql/XAMpp install
To testing new Sculptor(CMS) php site in browser (mynewsite)
12:03am - 12:46am = 43minutes

See attached images. I defy anyone to install and configure separate IIS, MySql, phpMyAdmin components (and get them installed as services working together), install Sculptor extension, and create and browse successfully in php environment in 43 minutes.

This is what I was about to post (before I saw your post!) :


Hi Sabby,

There are a couple of points you raised that I may be able to help with.

There are different 'packages' you can use for your local (testing) server. Some people on Windows machines use IIS, some use XAMPP, WAMPServer (or similar 'All-in-one' packages), and some build a testing server 'solution' by installing all the necessary components (Apache, PHP, MySql, phpMyAdmin) seperately.

In my experience, by far the easiest way to get up and running is with XAMPP - it has everything you need. So if you have that installed, ignore the settings for IIS, and trust your thinking about the testing server root directory being (usually) c:\xampp\htdocs\ . If your xampp folder is sitting in the root directory of your C:\ drive, then your testing server root directory is just as you stated. If you had a site folder called 'mynewsite', you would put that folder in the htdocs folder (so it would be at C:\xampp\htdocs\mynewsite\

The only thing that might prevent XAMPP from running as it should, is if your machine is already running IIS as a service. You can not run two testing servers concurrently. You can check this in one of two ways:

1. Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.
2. Paste 'InetMgr.exe' into the Start > Start Search (or 'Run') field.

If those options are not there (or fail to produce the IIS Manager), then IIS not installed. If they are there, and you want to see if IIS is running, click on one of those links and in the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager panel that opens, at the top-right under 'Manage Server', if the 'Start' icon is greyed out and the 'Stop' icon is dark and therefore 'live', then IIS is running.

[You can stop the service here with the 'Stop' button to leave the way clear for XAMPP] .

The likelihood is though, that if you haven't installed IIS as a service yourself, it will not be installed.

So yes - definitely, Sculptor and all the extensions will run sweetly on XAMPP.

Last two images.