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This is a simple step by step setup guide for the Vanilla forum script. Yes, it is not that popular but it is sure getting there. This script has tons of very unique and visitor friendly features which no other forum scripts can provide. It is lightweight (always a plus point in my book) and can easily integrate into any existing website. The platform it is based upon is the Lussumo Framework. This framework allows developers to easily code and add new features to the forum. Not surprisingly, it is very easy to setup as well., All you need is some experience it web hosting, the basic knowledge of FTP and some windows commands and function. That’s all you need to setup Vanilla. Of course, I will go step by step and provide screenshots for every important step and you will setup Vanilla is just a few minutes.

Here are some of the requirements:

1. Basic FTP and webhost experience
2. Basic windows command knowledge
3. Webhost which supports PHP and MySQL.

I am pretty confident that most webhosts nowadays will be able to support what you need to setup the Vanilla forum script without any problems. When in doubt, just contact your webhost and check with them whether they do. You will also need the FTP password and account name to upload your files. Furthermore, you will need to setup a MySQL database to work with Vanilla. For this, you will also need your webhost control panel password and username. Yes, all of these information can be obtained from your webhosting company.

Now, we begin:

You have to download the software from Vanilla’s website.Their URL is http://getvanilla.com/. Click on Download Vanilla and save the file some place on your computer where you can remember. The file is zipped and you will need to extract the files out before you can use.

I am using IZArc to extract the zipped files. You can use any achieving software to do it. It should be around the same steps. However, I would recommend IZArc because it works very well for me. Plus, it is free.What you need to do is to open the zip file using your achieving software and extract it out.

It is important to note the location where the files will be extracted to. You will need to upload those files to your webserver.

For most webhost, you will be given an FTP user account for you to transfer files to and fro the webserver. Some webhost use a web-based uploading system, so it is better to check with your webhosting company for more information on how to do it. I am using Filezilla to upload the files through FTP. They are other FTP Clients out there. The reason why I choose Filezilla is because it is free and most importantly, it is stable. Futhermore, it is very easy to use. So, what you need to do is to upload all the previously extracted files (you do remember the location right?) to your server. Please upload ALL the files.  If you are uploading to a subdirectory, you will need to navigate to the correct directory in your FTP Client.

Remember, you should upload the files and folders and not the Vanilla folder to your webhost. If you upload the Vanilla folder, then you are actually creating a subdirectory and your URL will change. Of course, if that is your intention, then by all means, do it.

There all the files have been uploaded! Yes, it will take some time for the all files to get uploaded to your server.

The next step is to use your browser and browse to the URL you have setup your forum to be. For example, if your domain name is “google.com” then you will need to brose to “google.com”. If you have set it up on a subdirectory, let’s say “forums/vanilla”, then you will need to browse to “google.com/forums/vanilla”. You will be greeted with a screen just like above telling you that your Vanilla configuration is not yet setup. Click on “Click here to install a completely brand new version of Vanilla”.

This tutorial will not cover upgrading of the Vanilla script.

You will be again greeted by yet another page and it will provide you with the information as above. Note that they are asking you to chmod 777 for the conf folder and chmod 755 for the extensions, languages, setup and themes folder. But let’s not worry about that and click on “Click here to check your premissions and proceed to the next step”.

Yes, there is an error. You will have to chmod 777 on the “conf” folder. Well, what does that mean? Simple, you will need to provide some permissions so that the Vanilla forum script can do some changes. “777″merely means giving full access to Vanilla on the “conf” folder. Still don’t understand? Again, no worries, just follow the next few steps.

Go back to your FTP Client. If you are using Filezilla, just right click on the conf folder (of the remote site eg your website) and choose File attributes to set permissions.

Then key in “777″ on the numeric value. If your FTP client is not Filezilla, you will be need to allow ALL permissions to the folder, so choose Read, Write and execute on all permissions. Most UNIX or Linux servers allow chmod functions. Although there are quite a number of Windows servers out there, however most webhosts will be using Linux. In the case of Windows server, under security, choose your server’s username and allow all.

You will need to chmod 755 for the extensions folder. It should be “755″ by default.

The same for the languages folder. Chmod 755.

The same for the setup folder. Chmod 755.

And the same for the themes folder. Chmod 755.

Now, go back to your browser and click on “Click here to check your permissions and proceed to the next Step”. If everything is okay, the install script will then continue, if not, it will return to the same page andyou will need to do all the corrections to the permissions first before it can proceed.

Now, it’s time to configure your script to access your database. You will need your webhost’s contorl panel password and username to create a MySQL database. If you are using Cpanel as your webhost control panel, please read the tutorial for setting up MySQL database on Cpanel. If you are using DirectAdmin, then take a look at my tutorial on setting up MySQL database for DirectAdmin. For other control panels, please refer to your webhost for help.

You will need to key in the MySQL server (which is usually localhost), the MySQL Database Name, the MySQL user and the password. You do not need to change the prefix. However, if you want to, there is no harm unless you already using that same database with the same prefix. After you have keyed in all the necessary information, click on “Click here to create Vanilla’s database and proceed to the next step”.

There, you are almost done! Key in the Support Contact Name, Support Email Address and the name of your forum. The cookie domain and the cookie path should be done for you and you do not need to make any changes unless absolutely necessary. Once you have keyed in the information, your next step is to click on “Click here to complete the setup process”.

Wooohooo! You are done! Happy days! You have complete the setup for your first Vanilla based forum. However, you are not done yet.You will need to delete of a folder in your webserver for security reasons. We don’t want anyone to reconfigure your Vanilla forum again now, do we? It’s not good.

So go back to your FTP Client and delete off the setup folder from your webserver (remote site). Right click on the folder (if you are using Filezilla) and choose delete.If you are using another FTP Client, there should be a way to delete off a folder easily. Refer to your FTP Client documentation for more information. This is actually a very important step.

I am pretty sure that you had thought that installing the Vanilla Forum script is very difficult. But it is not. In fact, nowadays most of the scripts  can be easily setup in less than 15 minutes or so. And once you have done it, you will find it a breeze. So now, you should go and configure your new Vanilla based forum.

Tutorial sponsored by Singapore Small Business Directory.

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