Setting up BT Business Hub for webserver access

Go to the user interface. go to settings > firewall > pinholes and dmz.

on there step 1 choose the pc you want to port forward. wait for page to refresh

go to step 2 select the webserver save and your done

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Disable Directory Browsing in Apache

Open the config file and change this line:

• Options Indexes FollowSymLinks

To this:

• Options FollowSymLinks

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MySql Backups

There appears to be a few different ways to do this. One of the most desirable ways appears to be via MySQL administrator but this appears to be only active for enterprise users.

There a few discussed on both the MySQL site and devshed. The most popular option seems to be to use command line with mysql dump.

I've adapted this shell comand to store a backup copy
"C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 7.0\bin\mysqldump" -u root -p sugarcrm_dbo > "C:\Documents and Settings\SOME DIR\mysqlweekly.sql"
and
"C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 7.0\bin\mysqldump" -u root -p sugarcrm_dbo > "C:\Documents and Settings\SOME DIR\mysqldaily.sql"

My reasoning for two files is that I think it pheasible that the DB could get corrupted during an update, killing both the DB and the backup.

Problem with doing this is you need to store the password in the bat file to fully automate and that is pretty insecure. Further investigating will need to be done before going ahead in this manor.

I then store these two bat files and then need only use windows scheduled tasks. To open Scheduled Tasks, click Start, click All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Scheduled Tasks. Then simply follow the add wizard.

For debug purposes of the bat file use: cmd.exe /k "the .bat file" so that the window stays open, allowing viewing of any errors.

UPDATE: I appear to be wrong, you can update using public MySQL administrator. You simply need to create the project 1st. Note, to run as scheduled tasks it needs to be done via a stored connection within the connections manager. Why this didn't come up in a search on google or be updated on the MySQL site is beyond me. Retweet this button on every post blogger

Importing data from SQL Server to MySql

You'd think it'd be an easy import from one of the tools right, well it doesn't appear that way... although I may well be wrong.

There were a few different migration tools so I weighed up all the options and just went for the first one in the list MSSQL2MYSQL. Straight away I encountered problems, I tried to run via a VB app (Word can do this supposedly), and I hit a runtime error. A little bit of digging and it becomes appartent this is a classic VB error and the activeX dll needs registering or there is something wrong with my VB runtime. I install the latest copy of VB and do a restart.

I then spot that there is a MySQL migration tool kit that would appear to do all I need. It is a very easy to use GUI editor.... thumbs up to the MySQL team! Retweet this button on every post blogger

Installing MySQL

It's an easy enough install one point to note, don't run the install without adding a root user.

If you do you'll probabley need to un-install and re-install

This blog post maybe of help. Specifically, this command line:

To permanently remove the old mysql service, execute the following command as a user with administrative privileges, on the command-line:

C:\>sc delete mysql
[SC] DeleteService SUCCESS

And this thread may help with adapting root level user if lost or forgotten.

There are couple of additional tools that can be installed, I've opted for Gui-Tools and Workbench Retweet this button on every post blogger

Flex Designs

A new toy has been beta released by Adobe called Flash Catalyst. Being beta software its not got the full feature set but it is free to use. As I'm not a Flex developer, free software for occasional use is ideal.

I'm going to assume that it won't be free for long so I'm going to save the download in my dropbox account.

Supposedly, you simply create your design in photoshop or illustrator, then import it into flash catalyst and then it make it very simple to create your designs layers for your flex app.

Update: Here's a handy post from SitePoint about using Catalyst and Twitter
Update2: Serial codes for the beta

• Windows — 1395-1003-6369-7619-0587-6556
• Macintosh — 1395-0008-4467-2145-8771-1212

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SugarCRM and SQL Server 2008

There is currently no support for SQL Server 2008 within the sugarCRM. This is quite frustrating as I've spent the best part of a weeks free time getting this going only to see it be v.buggy and unusable.

There was a blog post that it was available for the 5.5 beta version, and even had an update in the user documentation to the affect. However, the blog posts date was after the file update date, and when attempting the instal with this SQL server was not appearing as a database option. I always thought open source, not re-inventing the wheel was supposed to be quicker!

So, my plan is now to instal and run off of MySQL, which will be a new thing for me. Hopefully should work ok otherwise I'm in danger of becoming a right miserable git. Retweet this button on every post blogger

Google Voice

Google voice, only by invite only in the US but must make a note to instal when it comes over this side of the pond. Looks pretty cool, love the fact that it reads voice to text for messaging. Retweet this button on every post blogger

Changing the datasource for Sugar

Sugar CRM was set up to run localy off of my PC but use a remote SQL Server datasource.

Not knowing much PHP it was a pretty easy instal. Things rarely run according to plan even when they appear to have been running smoothly. PHP didn't appear to maintain connections to the SQL server and was seemed to be gobbling up the CALs causing other sites to baulk.

New plan is to run off a local datasource that doesn't provide website's to other companies so that only sugar would be accessing. This would allow me to fully test out sugar without fear of killing a live site.

Step 1 is to open the config.php file in the root of the sugar system.

Within this file there are 3 points to edit

• dbconfig array
• host_name
• site_url

You will also need to ensure that if you are importing the data from another database that the database owner remains as dbo. This can be scripted afterwards but is quite time consuming if I recall correctly.

Update: There is a way to create a script to alter the DBO.

Simply update this SQL: SOMEDBONAMEGOESHERE

SELECT 'ALTER SCHEMA dbo TRANSFER ' + TABLE_SCHEMA + '.' + TABLE_NAME
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES WHERE TABLE_SCHEMA = 'SOMEDBONAMEGOESHERE'

And it will create all of the desired scripts... sweet! Retweet this button on every post blogger

Talon Screen Capture

Testing out a new plugin for firefox called Talon. Seems a pretty nice and easy to user screen capture software that has a nice editing facility for adding comments. Retweet this button on every post blogger

saasu vs sugar

I've yet to look at saasu yet, but it seems as though it could be an ideal replacement for sugar and potentially freshbooks. Retweet this button on every post blogger

Dropbox

Today I've heard of a new file sharing service that allows syncing and backing up of computer files across multiple computers. It's called dropbox and runs as an install on both mac's and windows.

It has a nice entry level service of 2GB for free and the additional amounts seem quite reasonable too.

I'll be testing this out and seeing what I think. Retweet this button on every post blogger

Setting up SQL Server Express 2005 or 2008

Ok, so I've got lots of old files related to SQL on my desktop and a recent attempt at an install didnt' work correctly. I think the best thing to do is to start a fresh.

I've removed all files relating to SQL Server 2005 from my desktop. Control Panel > Add remove programmes. I've noted that SQL server 2005 files don't have the 2005 included unlike 2000 & 2008? I've removed all SQL Server files accept for the VSS writer one which was associated with 2008.

Next, I've run the install and just follow the step on the wizard. I've ensure that when I got to the feature selection screen that I selected all the client components.

Grrr, just had the install blocked due to 2008 being on there. Now have to un-install that lot too. Can't just install as said is running, and couldn't just end the service via task manager as can't locate the instance.

Being dumb, the SQL Server 2005 install was stopping the 2008 un-install. Have cancelled the install and now run the un-install. Takes a while so go and have a coffee.

Great, now lets re-do the 2005 install.

I've opted for mixed installation mode within one of the screens to set up a user now rather than later.

Oh joy, again the install has failed... must have some thing else that needs removing.

Tried a new install with a new instance name, early indications bad :(

Further investigation reveals that there can be issues from the registry keys. So I've run regedit and gone to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server\ and I've tried to delete what I can.

This still didn't work... so I left it for a couple days!!!

Right fresh start. First I removed all traces of SQL Server from:

• Add/remove programmes
• Programme files
• Local users settings
• and registry as indicated on this site
  

I then decided to install 2008 instead.

Make sure you install the express version with tools as otherwise you get a lot of extra agro trying to get SQL Server Management Studio installed.

To summarise:

1. Try to upgrade in normal way if not work use the following:
   
2. Remove programmes
   
3. Remove files
   
4. Delete registry keys
5. Install 2005 or Install 2008
6. Update Config Settings to allow TCP/IP and correct port etc.
   

This was a nightmare and not somethign to be undertaken lightly unless your well versed in this subject. Retweet this button on every post blogger