Setting up a PHP/MySQL Testing Server on Dreamweaver 8 for Mac

Report · Oct 05, 2008

I just bought my first Mac and need to set up a Testing Server for PHP/MySQL
and need a little bit of help.

Here is what I have already done:

Apache and MySQL Setup

1. I downloaded and installed MAMP and MAMP Pro.
2. I executed MAMP PRO and clicked on the "WebStart" button and Apache and
MySQL are running.

Question 1: How do I now proceed to set it up to point to the website server
I am currently designing.

Dreamweaver 8

In the Server Testing tab, I have selected:

Server Model: PHP/MySQL
Access: Local/Network
Testing Server Folder: (Not sure what goes here because I am not sure where
my website root folder should reside)
URL Prefix: (not sure what goes here, but am trying to use:
http://localhost/website IP Address/ here)

Can anyone help me fill in the Dreamweaver blanks above?

Thanks!

Report · Oct 05, 2008

Derrill wrote:
> Server Model: PHP/MySQL
> Access: Local/Network
> Testing Server Folder: (Not sure what goes here because I am not sure where
> my website root folder should reside)

Since you have installed MAMP, the server root is /Applications/MAMP/htdocs

If you create a subfolder called mysite inside htdocs, URL prefix
becomes http://localhost/mysite/

However, by default, MAMP uses a non-default port for Apache. If you are
using the MAMP ports, you need to change the URL prefix to
http://localhost:8888/mysite.

As long as you run only MAMP, it's best to configure MAMP to use the
Apache and MySQL default ports (80 and 3306). You do this in MAMP Pro by
selecting Server > General, and clicking the Default port button. Since
you have got MAMP Pro, you can also create virtual hosts for your sites.
You do that by clicking the Hosts tab in MAMP Pro. Click the plus button
at the bottom-left of the panel, give the virtual host a new name and
specify its location in the fields on the right.

Always restart the servers after making any changes.

--
David Powers, Adobe Community Expert
Author, "The Essential Guide to Dreamweaver CS3" (friends of ED)
Author, "PHP Solutions" (friends of ED)
http://foundationphp.com/

Report · Oct 06, 2008

Great info - thank you, David! I will be trying that this afternoon.

Before I do, however, I need to clarify whether I am doing this the "best"
way in my decision to use MAMP. I was looking for the quickest, easiest way
to get a Testing Server setup so that I could test out multiple client
sites. In your opinion, is my approach the best solution? Do I need to
purchase MAMP Pro?

Thanks again, much appreciated!
Derrill

"David Powers" <david@example.com> wrote in message
news:gcar60$1ga$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> Derrill wrote:
>> Server Model: PHP/MySQL
>> Access: Local/Network
>> Testing Server Folder: (Not sure what goes here because I am not sure
>> where my website root folder should reside)
>
> Since you have installed MAMP, the server root is
> /Applications/MAMP/htdocs
>
> If you create a subfolder called mysite inside htdocs, URL prefix becomes
> http://localhost/mysite/
>
> However, by default, MAMP uses a non-default port for Apache. If you are
> using the MAMP ports, you need to change the URL prefix to
> http://localhost:8888/mysite.
>
> As long as you run only MAMP, it's best to configure MAMP to use the
> Apache and MySQL default ports (80 and 3306). You do this in MAMP Pro by
> selecting Server > General, and clicking the Default port button. Since
> you have got MAMP Pro, you can also create virtual hosts for your sites.
> You do that by clicking the Hosts tab in MAMP Pro. Click the plus button
> at the bottom-left of the panel, give the virtual host a new name and
> specify its location in the fields on the right.
>
> Always restart the servers after making any changes.
>
>
> --
> David Powers, Adobe Community Expert
> Author, "The Essential Guide to Dreamweaver CS3" (friends of ED)
> Author, "PHP Solutions" (friends of ED)
> http://foundationphp.com/

Report · Oct 06, 2008

Derrill wrote:
> I was looking for the quickest, easiest way
> to get a Testing Server setup so that I could test out multiple client
> sites. In your opinion, is my approach the best solution? Do I need to
> purchase MAMP Pro?

I normally use Windows, and set everything up manually. However, I
recently bought a MacBook Pro, and decided to give MAMP Pro a try after
it had been highly recommended by someone whose opinion I trust. My
experience with it so far has been excellent. MAMP Pro makes setting up
multiple virtual hosts child's play on a Mac. I reckon it's well worth
the small extra cost.

--
David Powers, Adobe Community Expert
Author, "The Essential Guide to Dreamweaver CS3" (friends of ED)
Author, "PHP Solutions" (friends of ED)
http://foundationphp.com/

Report · Oct 07, 2008

Same here, I recently bought a MacBook Pro (after a looong hesitation over
the price), and installed MAMP as per a suggestion. I seem to be on the
right path now, thanks to your help here. One note, however: your
instructions were for me to change the URL prefix to
HTTP://localhost:8888/mysite but that would not work for me. Instead, I had
to use HTTP://localhost:80/mysite. Does this mean I did something
incorrectly and had to compensate? Thanks again

"David Powers" <david@example.com> wrote in message
news:gcdf9a$frc$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> Derrill wrote:
>> I was looking for the quickest, easiest way to get a Testing Server setup
>> so that I could test out multiple client sites. In your opinion, is my
>> approach the best solution? Do I need to purchase MAMP Pro?
>
> I normally use Windows, and set everything up manually. However, I
> recently bought a MacBook Pro, and decided to give MAMP Pro a try after it
> had been highly recommended by someone whose opinion I trust. My
> experience with it so far has been excellent. MAMP Pro makes setting up
> multiple virtual hosts child's play on a Mac. I reckon it's well worth the
> small extra cost.
>
> --
> David Powers, Adobe Community Expert
> Author, "The Essential Guide to Dreamweaver CS3" (friends of ED)
> Author, "PHP Solutions" (friends of ED)
> http://foundationphp.com/

Report · Oct 07, 2008

because it is the default, try without the :80

Derrill wrote:
> Same here, I recently bought a MacBook Pro (after a looong hesitation over
> the price), and installed MAMP as per a suggestion. I seem to be on the
> right path now, thanks to your help here. One note, however: your
> instructions were for me to change the URL prefix to
> HTTP://localhost:8888/mysite but that would not work for me. Instead, I had
> to use HTTP://localhost:80/mysite. Does this mean I did something
> incorrectly and had to compensate? Thanks again
>
> "David Powers" <david@example.com> wrote in message
> news:gcdf9a$frc$1@forums.macromedia.com...
>> Derrill wrote:
>>> I was looking for the quickest, easiest way to get a Testing Server setup
>>> so that I could test out multiple client sites. In your opinion, is my
>>> approach the best solution? Do I need to purchase MAMP Pro?
>> I normally use Windows, and set everything up manually. However, I
>> recently bought a MacBook Pro, and decided to give MAMP Pro a try after it
>> had been highly recommended by someone whose opinion I trust. My
>> experience with it so far has been excellent. MAMP Pro makes setting up
>> multiple virtual hosts child's play on a Mac. I reckon it's well worth the
>> small extra cost.
>>
>> --
>> David Powers, Adobe Community Expert
>> Author, "The Essential Guide to Dreamweaver CS3" (friends of ED)
>> Author, "PHP Solutions" (friends of ED)
>> http://foundationphp.com/
>
>

Report · Oct 07, 2008

Derrill wrote:
> One note, however: your
> instructions were for me to change the URL prefix to
> HTTP://localhost:8888/mysite but that would not work for me.

No. You misunderstood what I wrote. By default, MAMP uses localhost:8888
to avoid any clash with the preinstalled version of Apache in Mac OS X.
It's normally recommended to switch from the MAMP ports to the default
ports (80 for Apache and 3306 for MySQL). As long as you don't turn on
Personal Web Sharing in the Mac System Preferences > Internet & Network
> Sharing, there is no conflict.

> Instead, I had
> to use HTTP://localhost:80/mysite. Does this mean I did something
> incorrectly and had to compensate? Thanks again

You don't need the :80. http://localhost/mysite is sufficient. As noted
above, 80 is the default port for Apache (in fact, for all web servers).

--
David Powers, Adobe Community Expert
Author, "The Essential Guide to Dreamweaver CS3" (friends of ED)
Author, "PHP Solutions" (friends of ED)
http://foundationphp.com/