RE: [Koha-win32] Install on IIS / MS-SQL Server / W2K ?

[Jeff Cave]

oops. Forgot to send this to the list. Sorry.


> Forgive me for trying to squelch your adveturesome spirit.

No worries. Someone has to be talking sense when I go off half cocked. I think 
my manager would thank-you.

> 1- I assume you've found the KohaOnWindows wiki pages at

Yup.

> you can edit and improve those pages with what you learn 
> in the process.

Right. I that's a better idea than just posting it here. Thank-you.

> 2. What is your end use for Koha? Be forwarned that moving 
> existing data from another system can be quite a challenge 
> in itself. 

No existing data. I started a little project about two years ago for storing 
books online (yes, I know its been done but I had a unique idea). Not knowing 
much about library systems, I scrapped it. Recently I got interested in the 
project again when a friend of mine started working on the local schoolboard's 
library system. I started looking around, found koha and figure that if I can 
get it working it will fill in the gaps of my old project.

As for getting it working on IIS. I get space on an IIS server for free.

> Review some of the recent messages on the lists about data 
> imports and I think you'll find the MARC configuration for 
> Koha is a science in itself. I'm finding it even more
> challenging to try to migrate non-MARC data from an old 
> system into Koha.

I'll have to read a little on that. I'm no expert in migration, but that seems 
to have been my primary mission around here for the last two months.

> Starting fresh and entering data from scratch probably will 
> not be too bad. Sadly, to date there has not been a good 
> set of properly configured sample data made available to 
> play with or use as an example. The data currently included 
> in the windows install has problems and is not properly 
> configured for MARC. If as you say, you're looking for a learning 
> experince, you've come to the right place.

YES!! (I think?) <jeff looks around nervously>

> 3. All the current development is focused on the upcoming V2.0 
> release and that's probably the version you should test
> with as long as you realize it is still a pre-release test version.

Pre-release is fine. switching to the version 2 release is probably a good 
idea, but I have already started with the one I have (don't remember which 
version). I will try to get this one up and running and then upgrade.

> 4. To the best of my knowlege, no one has attempted IIS and 
> SQLserver. This being an open source project, I doubt
> there would be much interest in such an incarnation. 

You are probably right. There likely isn't going to be a huge demand for it. 
Since I am the only one who seems to want it, it is fortunate that I am in a 
position to give it a whirl.

> 5. It really should not be hard to work with Perl at another 
> location. It just made writing the windows install a lot 
> easier if I could count on it being at a fixed location.

Ya, that makes sense.

> All of the perl scripts have a Shebang line or whatever they 
> call it that specifies the recommended location. I don't know
> if that is really used with Active perl on windows or not.

It is, and it isn't. I haven't yet figured that one out yet but it looks like 
it won't affect me in this case. For now, I'm going to ignore it and see what 
happens.

> 6. There are a some differences in the directory structure between the
> windows install and the linux install.

I'm not using the installer. I probably should, at least just to see what it 
does.

> 7. I can probably tweak it for you if it gets stuck or 
> fails because all the supporting apps aren't installed 
> in the correct locations.

I'll just stear clear of the installer for now. I'll just try to get a hacked, 
butchered, nasty, half broken version running as a proof of concept and then 
try doing it properly on a second pass.

> Hope some of this helps.

Yes. Thank-you. Sorry if I offended anybody. I'm normally a lot more humble but 
I have been feeling a little brash this week :) It's already gotten me in more 
than a little trouble and I know I haven't prooved myself here yet. Just 
worried that I may have come on a little too strong for a first post. I know I 
hate it when people do that.