How can I install IPS locally for learning

[Gurneet Sethi]

Hello All,

I am a complete beginner. I just purchased the suite and would like to install it locally so I can learn. Is there a guide I can follow? I have no clue whatsoever.

 

thank you

[Adriano Faria]

If you're using Windows, install Wamp: http://www.wampserver.com/en/

This the whole package in one easy install: Apache, PHP & MySQL. After installed, extract the zip of the suite in www folder and install it.

[Gurneet Sethi]

2 minutes ago, Adriano Faria said:

If you're using Windows, install Wamp: http://www.wampserver.com/en/

This the whole package in one easy install: Apache, PHP & MySQL. After installed, extract the zip of the suite in www folder and install it.

Thank you so much. Really appreciate it ?

[Adriano Faria]

I forgot. Read this:

Specifically the Test Install section.

[Joel R]

Why don't you just install it normally but turn the community offline so nobody can register?

[Gurneet Sethi]

4 minutes ago, Adriano Faria said:

I forgot. Read this:

Specifically the Test Install section.

I had a look at that, thank you

[CP_User]

Great guide that can be used by Woodsman

Use the section where it says to make a local backup.

[Gurneet Sethi]

7 hours ago, Joel R said:

Why don't you just install it normally but turn the community offline so nobody can register?

Thank you, I will try

[Rhett]

17 hours ago, Gurneet Sethi said:

Thank you, I will try

I agree with Joel, you are better off to install it on a normal web server than to mess with setting up WAMP.

 

 

[Woodsman]

13 hours ago, Joel R said:

Why don't you just install it normally but turn the community offline so nobody can register?

First of all for a beginner Wamp will make more sense cost wise. Why would you want to pay for hosting to learn on a closed board when a Wamp localhost is free. It would make much more sense to practice on a local and when your ducks are in a row pick out a reputable host and run with it. Another would to get a cloud account with IPS for the start take what you learn and trust me you will learn quite a bit from the IPS staff as for the safe ins and outs running a forum. Take what you learn from them and again practice on your localhost until you have the knowledge to take it over your own. 

[Daniel F]

If you really want only something to learn and to test core IPS features, I would also suggest to just install a test instance on the server, where your live board is running.

Why would you want to bother with a local MySQL and web server installation, if you have already a webhost package ?Testing mobile stuff is also much easier, because you don’t need to make your local Webserver reachable by the tablet/phone. Also keep in mind that some 3rd party services won’t be able to be tested on local host because they require that the site is reachable by them, then you’ll need to bother with dyn-dns and similar stuff..

So, if you’re not a developer or theme designer, I really don’t see so much sense in bothering with a local web server. 

[Woodsman]

9 hours ago, Daniel F said:

If you really want only something to learn and to test core IPS features, I would also suggest to just install a test instance on the server, where your live board is running.

Why would you want to bother with a local MySQL and web server installation, if you have already a webhost package ?Testing mobile stuff is also much easier, because you don’t need to make your local Webserver reachable by the tablet/phone. Also keep in mind that some 3rd party services won’t be able to be tested on local host because they require that the site is reachable by them, then you’ll need to bother with dyn-dns and similar stuff..

So, if you’re not a developer or theme designer, I really don’t see so much sense in bothering with a local web server. 

But again if the OP is looking for something just for learning then a localhost environment along with an IPS Cloud is actually the best route. The last that I heard IPS cloud services start around $30 USD per month in a secure environment where hosting for a beginner is a "you get what you pay for" environment leading to a lesser secure experience. Also your Cloud service being controlled by IPS there is no need for a beginner to be immediately concerned about backups, upgrades or whether or not the server is safe and secure. This will all come in time...

In this case from what I truly understand from the OP hosting with IPS would be the school where the Wamp localhost is the home work. By far the best way to learn. As far as self hosting just diving in is not for everyone. 

[Daniel F]

16 minutes ago, Woodsman said:

But again if the OP is looking for something just for learning then a localhost environment along with an IPS Cloud is actually the best route. 

Not really because CiC clients have no access to the files. It’s SaaS , you get the hosted community and all the amazing services , but you have no direct access to the files .

[Woodsman]

True but the learning experience itself can be applied. My main point to any beginner is to go with your services first. Doing this is much more than just getting your feet wet. Its a whole learning experience that one should take before jumping into the fire.
I don't have statistics but what I have seen more live communities started out with IPS hosting where many who just jumped into it gave up in a rather short time due to lack of hosting and software knowledge.

[All Astronauts]

17 hours ago, Rhett said:

I agree with Joel, you are better off to install it on a normal web server than to mess with setting up WAMP.

 

 

It's trivial to setup WAMP and run IPS locally. A ton of devs do just that. By trivial I mean run the installer and WAMP is done, then you stick your IPS files in whatever directory underneath the wamp WWW directory, point your browser there and off you go.

Also, IPS staff have the added benefit of not showing they edited their posts, but the feeds see (and retain) all... ?‍♂️

 

[Adriano Faria]

11 minutes ago, All Astronauts said:

It's trivial to setup WAMP and run IPS locally. 

Yes, really hard. Something likeNEXT -> NEXT -> Choose browser -> FINISH.

Done. 

[Woodsman]

16 minutes ago, All Astronauts said:

It's trivial to setup WAMP and run IPS locally. A ton of devs do just that. By trivial I mean run the installer and WAMP is done, then you stick your IPS files in whatever directory underneath the wamp WWW directory, point your browser there and off you go.

Also, IPS staff have the added benefit of not showing they edited their posts, but the feeds see (and retain) all... ?‍♂️

 

And everybody including the beginner can afford a better to best hosting plan just for a learning experience. Better yet lets tell the beginner they need non-managed hosting.

[Aiwa]

Jeepers, who'd have thought this topic would generate such attitude. 

OP says they are a beginner.

I don't disagree with anyone, rather side with what the OP feels they need. To that end, though, I do agree with Rhett in that the OP should start with simply installing their live site, set it offline, and get a little more comfortable with the software before jumping into creating duplicate / test environments or determining what type of test environments they will need, and where those live, local or on a host. 

There is no right answer, only opinions. To be fair, the OP did specifically ask about setting up a localhost environment. Right or wrong, that was the ask. 

[Joel R]

I like how we're all arguing over the best way when we have wildly different expectations of his "learning." It really depends on what he's trying to learn.  

Is he trying to learn new features like a new community admin?

Is he a developer looking to code apps?

Is he an alien observing human civilization to learn how bad online communication can be?? (Because this last point would be supremely ironic).  

On a bright note, the OP now has like ten different ways to learn.  He'll probably now spend all of his time learning and never actually publish a live site and forever be stuck in testinstall mode.  (Someone did tell him about -testinstall right??)

[AndyF]

There's some interesting points of view/opinions posted. :) Most of which are quite valid I think. For what it is worth here's my 2cents...

It is easier for a beginner I'd guess provided they do know how to use FTP and something like Cpanel's SQL 'Wizard' (or know how to create a db and assign a db user/pass/privileges etc) , compared to a localhost install of Wamp.

To be completely fair here, a web environment is likely already configured or nearly configured to be suitable 'as is' whereas Wamp my need a few tweaks, for instance the apache rewrite module might need enabling as well as a few other things too. None are actually difficult to do however it may throw someone who is not aware of issues. The rewrite module is probably not a brilliant example but if memory serves correctly it is not enabled by default.

On the plus side with localhost installs, well you can freely adjust the resource limits as you see fit really as well as other modules. I'm not going to go into potential 'localhost' issues that have no external connectivity (like mine!) vs how to install without outbound access though.

 

If its any 'food for thought' when I first started out way back * all those years ago * , I used a web hosting environment simply as it was "easier" to use for me to have a test install I could play with, compared to what was availble back then to use for localhost, if I remember correctly this may of been well before Wamp was available, certainly I did not use it "back then" there  was another similar tool iirc JSAS or something that I used, php3 or php4 perhaps.

These days I only generally have a localhost environment for testing and if I need input from my community staff or suchlike I merely create a test install for that purpose then remove it afterwards.

 

[Adriano Faria]

Those topics are funny. ?

25 minutes ago, Aiwa said:

To be fair, the OP did specifically ask about setting up a localhost environment. Right or wrong, that was the ask

Yes, I posted what he asked. “Locally” in the title, to me, is a local install.

8 minutes ago, Joel R said:

Someone did tell him about -testinstall right??

Yes, my second post. 

[Woodsman]

34 minutes ago, Aiwa said:

Jeepers, who'd have thought this topic would generate such attitude. 

OP says they are a beginner.

I don't disagree with anyone, rather side with what the OP feels they need. To that end, though, I do agree with Rhett in that the OP should start with simply installing their live site, set it offline, and get a little more comfortable with the software before jumping into creating duplicate / test environments or determining what type of test environments they will need, and where those live, local or on a host. 

There is no right answer, only opinions. To be fair, the OP did specifically ask about setting up a localhost environment. Right or wrong, that was the ask. 

This is true but I believe the title is very clear. "How can I install IPS locally for learning". I am just trying to point him in the most cost effect means and still get the best of both worlds. For example if something should go south on an IPS hosted site he has immediate support to take care of the issue where on the local is where the fun begins. If you completely destroy a test install you have the way and means to reinstall. Breaking things or blowing them up is a sure fire way to learn what not to do versus having tech support fixing it and not knowing what they did. So nothing learned.

[mdmx]

@Woodsman Look in the direction of MAMP PRO an excellent local development environment.

[Woodsman]

25 minutes ago, mdmx said:

@Woodsman Look in the direction of MAMP PRO an excellent local development environment.

I agree this is another good alternative compatible for a Mac Machine. So if the OP is running Mac over PC then absolutely.

Xampp is yet another but still not as user friendly when it applies to adding additional apache, php and mysql services as you can so with Wamp. I can't say for Mamp because it has been a few years since I last delved into it.

[Mark H]

MAMP also has a Windows version, and while I use the Mac version for my daily use, the last time I tested the Windows version (this was last year), it was still in Beta but did work well.

They've released the Windows version, so that may be something to explore. I have MAMP Pro, the paid version, and love it. Very simple to use on a Mac, at least.