[users@httpd] Apache 2 on a CD/DVD

[Michael Avila <ma...@mich.com>]

What I want to do:
--------------------------
I am wanting to put Apache 2 on a CD/DVD and start it when the CD/DVD is
inserted in the drive. This is part of a distribution CD/DVD to police and
fire depts with information about people in the community who will be part
of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteer organization and
could be distributed monthly depending upon changes during the month.
Currently this will only be for my community but I will eventually make it
available to any CERT organization in the US for free. That is why I will
not know what environment is on the laptop/desktop except knowing it will be
Windows XP. Could be any combination of applications, languages, and
versions of the components.


Environment:
------------------
Windows XP/XP Pro/and newer
Apache may or may not already exist on laptop/desktop


Details:
-----------
It is my understanding that Apache can have multiple instances on a
computer. I would like to install Apache on a CD/DVD and have it start up
via command file when the CD/DVD starts up. I will not know the environment
of all laptops/desktops that the CD/DVD is run on.

I would also be starting up MySQL. The database will contain authorized
people to help police and fire depts at disaster sites and other incidents.
It will contain pictures, skills, and other information. Badges will be
printed out on site for a specific incident.

The CD/DVD will be distributed monthly depending upon the changes during the
month. 


Questions:
----------------
1) Is this possible.

2) If so, please provide a hint of where to look for the answer or what to
do. (I am new to Apache.)

3a) Can I have multiple instances of PHP 4.3 and higher on a laptop/desktop?

3b) Can they be different versions? 
3c) How do I point the newly started Apache 2 to the PHP on the CD/DVD?

4) If someone is familiar with MySQL, how can I start a second instance in
memory of the MySQL database? (If no one knows, I will post to MySQL mailing
list.)

Thank you in advance.

Mike



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Re: [users@httpd] Apache 2 on a CD/DVD

[Joshua Kugler <jo...@uaf.edu>]

On Friday 20 May 2005 12:04, Michael Avila wrote:
> What I want to do:
> --------------------------
> I am wanting to put Apache 2 on a CD/DVD and start it when the CD/DVD is
> inserted in the drive. This is part of a distribution CD/DVD to police and
> fire depts with information about people in the community who will be part
> of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteer organization and
> could be distributed monthly depending upon changes during the month.
> Currently this will only be for my community but I will eventually make it
> available to any CERT organization in the US for free. That is why I will
> not know what environment is on the laptop/desktop except knowing it will
> be Windows XP. Could be any combination of applications, languages, and
> versions of the components.
>
>
> Environment:
> ------------------
> Windows XP/XP Pro/and newer
Wow...sounds quite ambitious.  Just reading over your ideas, I'm not sure 
Apache is what you want in this case.  I think it will be a lot of overhead 
and could be done more simply another way.  I'll comment below, and then give 
my thoughts.

> Details:
> -----------
> It is my understanding that Apache can have multiple instances on a
> computer. I would like to install Apache on a CD/DVD and have it start up
> via command file when the CD/DVD starts up. I will not know the environment
> of all laptops/desktops that the CD/DVD is run on.
>
> I would also be starting up MySQL. The database will contain authorized
> people to help police and fire depts at disaster sites and other incidents.
> It will contain pictures, skills, and other information. Badges will be
> printed out on site for a specific incident.
>
> The CD/DVD will be distributed monthly depending upon the changes during
> the month.
>
>
> Questions:
> ----------------
> 1) Is this possible.

Possible?  Yes.  You can provide both MySQL and Apache with config files when 
you start up that will point them to the correct directories.  But knowing 
what those directories are might prove to be a challenge.  You need to write 
a front end program to figure out which drive is the CD-ROM drive, and then 
point Apache and MySQL to the config files on that drive.  You may even have 
to generate some config files on the fly since you will need full path names 
in a  few places.

> 2) If so, please provide a hint of where to look for the answer or what to
> do. (I am new to Apache.)

Start reading Apache and MySQL documenation.  Especially the parts about 
running as non-root (or non-admin users), and the parts about multiple 
instances on a machine.

> 3a) Can I have multiple instances of PHP 4.3 and higher on a
> laptop/desktop?

Just point apache to the modules directories on the CD

> 3b) Can they be different versions?
> 3c) How do I point the newly started Apache 2 to the PHP on the CD/DVD?

See answer to question 1.

> 4) If someone is familiar with MySQL, how can I start a second instance in
> memory of the MySQL database? (If no one knows, I will post to MySQL
> mailing list.)

You just give it different parameters.  MySQL can listen on any port, and 
since you are going to be using this locally, I would recommend you tell it 
to --skip-networking and connect via a local socket (this might not work on 
windows, though).

Comments.
I understand you want to use a web server because it handles a lot of the 
client/server processing for you.  But an Apache server plus a MySQL server 
is going to be way to much overhead for a project like this.  I would wager 
that Apache + MySQL is going to be larger than your dataset.  If you *insist* 
on going with a web server, I would check out <http://www.lighttpd.net/> 
(heresy to suggest that here, I know). Much smaller, and would do what you 
want.

Suggestion (and in my opinion a much better idea).  Since all you want is a 
light program to access data (and print out some things), you really need a 
front end to a bunch of data.  For embedded databases, there is a mysqllib 
that lets you read and write mysql data files without running a server.  
There is also sqlite <http://www.sqlite.org/> which would probably be more 
than sufficient for your needs.  Then, once you have the data in place, you 
can write a lighter front end program to read the write the data.  Using 
Macromedia Director or Flash comes to mind.  Personally, I would write it in 
Qt <http://www.trolltech.com/products/qt/>, then you can compile it to run on 
Windows, Mac, and Unix.  And Qt has built in drivers for Sqlite.  That way, 
you don't need to run a server and don't need to worry about existing 
installation.  Much simpler in my mind.

If you have any more questions, reply off list, as I'm sure this will get 
quickly off-topic.

j----- k-----

-- 
Joshua Kugler
CDE System Administrator
http://distance.uaf.edu/

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