Prerequisites/Preparation

Note: The VIF application needs to send mails during its operations. Therefore, you have to configure an appropriate mail host (see Configuration). If you don't have a mail server you can use for the VIF application, you could install James (from the Apache Foundation) as a mail server on your local machine.

Preparing the database

Create a database for VIF (i.e. a DB schema) on your web server, as well as a MySQL user who has all privileges for accessing and modifying it.

1. MySQL database schema:

CREATE DATABASE vif

2. MySQL user:

GRANT SELECT,INSERT,UPDATE,DELETE,CREATE,DROP,ALTER,INDEX ON vif.* TO VIF@localhost IDENTIFIED BY 'password';

This will create a user VIF with the password password having the appropriate privileges on the database vif created in step 1.

VIF: DB connection
VIF: create super user
VIF: after login

 

Starting the application

 

Deployment
Expand vif-Rel1.2.tar.gz and place the Web Application Archive vifapp.war into $TOMCAT_HOME/webapps where $TOMCAT_HOME is the root of the Tomcat installation directory.
Start Tomcat
Note: The port your Tomcat installation is listening may vary according to the configuration in your Tomcat's server.xml. In this example, we assume the web server is listening on port 8080.
Start VIF administration
Enter the following URL to start the VIF administration application:
http://localhost:8080/vifapp/admin/.
Configure DB access
The first page displayed after a fresh installation is the DB access configuration wizard. Enter the values for the database server (e.g. localhost), the schema you created (e.g. vif), the DB user (e.g. VIF) and the password. After saving this information, the system creates the tables needed for the application.
Create the application's super user
After the DB access configuration, the application needs to create a super user (SU). Enter the data for your SU in the form displayed and save the input. After saving the data, you're logged into the application having SU rights.
Set up forum
You're able now to add new members and discussion groups and to edit permissions. The next thing you (as super user) have to do is to create or add member entries for the forum administration.

Tailoring the application

See the Forum Administration part of this documentation for further information how to set up and tailor the forum application.