Note
This section is in development
Initialize PostgreSQL (only in new installations):
# service postgresql initdb
# service postgresql start
Configure the moocng database:
# su - postgres
$ createuser askbot --no-createrole --no-createdb --no-superuser -P
Enter password for new role: *****
Enter it again: *****
$ createdb -E UTF8 --owner=askbot askbot
Add the new user to the allowed users for that database. For that we need to edit /var/lib/pgsql/data/pg_hba.conf and add this line in the first place, before anything:
# TYPE DATABASE USER CIDR-ADDRESS METHOD
host all askbot 127.0.0.1/32 md5
host all askbot ::1/128 md5
Please note: The pg_hba.conf location depends on your distribution, in Ubuntu for example, it is /etc/postgresql/8.1/main/pg_hba.conf
OpenMOOC askbot has multiple configuration files located in /etc/openmooc/askbot like
- local_settings.py
- instances_creator_conf.py
The first file sets the local environment variables. You can fin there the SAML2 settings, theme settings, etc.
This file establishes the general settings for all the instances of openmooc-askbot.
- INSTANCE_NAME
- Name of the instance to create, this should not be editable by the user.
- INSTANCE_DB_NAME
- Database name of the instance. Not editable by the user
- REMOTE_HOST
- If the askbot instances are located behing a farm proxym set this to the proxy IP.
- DB_HOST
- Main server of the databases, tends to be 'localhost' by default, but you can change it if the database server if located in another machine.
- DB_USER
- Main database user for creating the databases. OpenMOOC-Askbot usually works with an askbot DB superuser, you should set the username.
- DB_PASSWORD
- Superuser password
- DEFAULT_INSTANCE_DIR
- Set the default instance directory where the instances will be stored. It defaults to '/etc/openmooc/askbot/instances' but you can change it anytime.
- DEFAULT_DISABLED_INSTANCES_DIR
- Default disabled instances dir. It defaults to '/etc/openmooc/askbot/instances.disabled' but you can change it anytime.
- SKEL_DIR
- Directory with the instances file skeleton. It defaults to '/usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/askbotopenmooc/skel_instances' but you can change it if you create a new skel.
- GUNICORN_START_PORT
- Port where Gunicorn will start to operate. Every instance will be created to work from that por on. Default: 10000
OpenMOOC askbot works under the premise that you will use an askbot farm. For that purpose we developed a set of scripts and an application wrapper so askbot could be easily extended and had identity federation.
The command to create new askbot instances is: openmooc-askbot-instancetool:
- --create, -c (name, database)
- Creates a new askbot instance and puts it to work. It also syncs and migrates the database. After that you'll only have to create a superuser
- --destroy, -k (name)
- Destroys an askbot instance, deleting all the files and the database.
- --disable, -d (name)
- Disables an askbot instance, it moves the instance files to the disabled folder and it doesn't touch the database.