** Continued From: WordPress How-To #2 - Download / Upload
In part one and two of this WordPress series, you learned how to create a database from your host account so that WordPress can run on your server. You learned where to download WordPress and how to unpack the compressed file. You were shown that you need to add your specific database info to the wp-sample-config-php file and then save it as wp-config.php. You were then told to upload all your WordPress files, via ftp, to the directory of your choosing.
Now that the WordPress files are on your database-enabled hosting account, you can finally install WordPress.
|
"If you've come this far, learning on your own, you're going to find the experience no more difficult than it was to learn HTML or website design or any of the other myriad skills in an adult webmaster's toolbox." |
That’s right. All that effort and WordPress still isn’t going to work until you tell the configuration files what to do. Fret not. In this third installment, we shall walk you through WordPress’ online installation wizard.
In case you’re completely lost, go back and read articles one and two again. Different web hosts operate differently. Some may not follow the general guidelines for creating databases or installing WordPress, for that matter. For example, I have one web host with a WordPress auto-add feature. From creating the database to choosing the directory and installing the software, the wizard does it all. I just fill out the fields. You may have shell access to your hosting account - wherein your actions will be similar but the procedures a little bit different than described in parts 1 & 2. If you’re having trouble, consult your host. From this point on I am going to assume that you have created a database and have WordPress unpacked, amended and uploaded to your hosting server.
If all went according to plan, you should see a page that says:
"Welcome to the famous five-minute WordPress installation process"!
Phew. Feels good doesn’t it? You’re almost there. You’re about to take that collection of files and folders, sitting on your server, and turn them into an online blogging application.
As you can see from this admin/install page, the wizard asks you to fill in the fields for "Blog title" and "Your email". The name you choose for "Blog title" is the one that will appear (in text) in the default header for your default blog template. You can totally change this later if you want. As for your email, it’s best to include one that is from the same domain as your blog. As the note in this part of the form states: "Don’t worry, you can always change these settings later". At the bottom of the form, under the two fields, is a tick-box. When checked, WordPress sets it up so that the search engines will index your blog. This box is checked by default. If you don’t want SEs to see your blog, uncheck the tick-box. Double-check your entries and if satisfied, click the button that says "Install WordPress".
If you’ve followed all the steps, without any hitches, now is a good time to break out the champagne and caviar or Cheetos and beer your choice. If you did everything correctly, you’re looking at the most wonderful page in the world, for this moment in time. You’re looking at page that says:
“Success!
WordPress has been installed.”
Please note: This page also assigns to you an auto-generated password. This password is usually a letter/number combination. Either keep it and save it, or change it once you’ve used it to log in to your WordPress admin panel. WordPress also posts a text link to your account login page, labeled as:
wp-login.php. Your login address for your new WordPress blog is
www.yourdomain.com/wp-login.php. Your Username is automatically "
admin". Your password is the one auto-generated by WordPress until you decide to change it.
What comes after that? The Success! page tells you:
"Were you expecting more steps? Sorry to disappoint. [grin]"
Yes indeedy do. Now you got WP on your hosting hizzouse!
There’s a lot to go over before your blog is good enough to call live, but for this stellar period of post Success! euphoria, dance the happy dance. There’s much tedium ahead, like setting your preferences, installing plugins, personalizing your templates and adding widgets. You’re going to have to face CSS scripts and work with PHP files. But if you’ve come this far, learning on your own, you’re going to find the experience no more difficult than it was to learn HTML or website design or any of the other myriad skills in an adult webmaster’s toolbox.
Go on. You know you want to. Go log in to your new WordPress administrator dashboard. Look around. Click the links on all the menus. Get to know this online application that you installed yourself. It’s pretty sweet and it is yours. You control it. You run it. You maintain it.
I’ll be back with "WordPress How-To: Part Four - Configuring WordPress". Stay hopping, Froggers!
SUBMIT