ColdFusion TechNote
ColdFusion 4.5.1: Installation and configuration on Slackware Linux 7.0

This TechNote provides directions to get ColdFusion Application Server 4.5.1 running on a Slackware linux 7.0 system.

There are some issues with running ColdFusion 4.5.1 on Slackware Linux, these are:

    * Module Installation
    * ColdFusion starting at boot

WARNING: Macromedia only supports ColdFusion Server when it is installed on Red Hat Linux 6.x. The instructions contained in this document are not supported by Macromedia.

ColdFusion Apache Module Installation (Slackware)

Slackware Linux utilizes a different naming/configuration method for its' Apache installation, therefore after you run the ColdFusion server installation, you need to manually install the ColdFusion Apache module.

Instructions:

   1. During the ColdFusion installation, you will be prompted whether or not you want to have ColdFusion automatically configure your Apache webserver. Type in NO at this prompt.

   2. You will now be prompted for your "document root" directory. On Slackware, by default, this is the /var/lib/apache/htdocs directory. Type in the correct path and continue.

   3. Next, stop the Apache process (you do not want Apache accessing anything while installing). This is done by simply typing:

      [root@foo /]# /var/lib/apache/sbin/./apachectl stop

      Also, stop ColdFusion:

      [root@foo /]# /[coldfusioninstalldir]/bin/./stop
   4. Now, go into the directory cf_root/webserver/apache/.

   5. In that directory will be a new file called mod_coldfusion.so. Copy this file to your Apache installation's module directory (Slackware default: /var/lib/apache/libexec), overwriting any old mod_coldfusion.so files.

   6. Next, open the Apache configuration file httpd.conf (Slackware default location: /etc/httpd/httpd.conf), adding the following lines (marked in bold):

      (Your file may differ from the below one)

      # Dynamic Shared Object (DSO) Support
      #
      # To be able to use the functionality of a module which was built as a DSO you
      # have to place corresponding `LoadModule' lines at this location so the
      # directives contained in it are actually available _before_ they are used.
      # Please read the file README.DSO in the Apache 1.3 distribution for more
      # details about the DSO mechanism and run `httpd -l' for the list of already
      # built-in (statically linked and thus always available) modules in your httpd
      # binary.
      #
      # Note: The order is which modules are loaded is important. Don't change
      # the order below without expert advice.
      #
      # Example:
      # LoadModule foo_module libexec/mod_foo.so
      LoadModule env_module libexec/mod_env.so
      LoadModule config_log_module libexec/mod_log_config.so
      LoadModule mime_module libexec/mod_mime.so
      LoadModule negotiation_module libexec/mod_negotiation.so
      LoadModule status_module libexec/mod_status.so
      LoadModule includes_module libexec/mod_include.so
      LoadModule autoindex_module libexec/mod_autoindex.so
      LoadModule dir_module libexec/mod_dir.so
      LoadModule cgi_module libexec/mod_cgi.so
      LoadModule asis_module libexec/mod_asis.so
      LoadModule imap_module libexec/mod_imap.so
      LoadModule action_module libexec/mod_actions.so
      LoadModule userdir_module libexec/mod_userdir.so
      LoadModule alias_module libexec/mod_alias.so
      LoadModule access_module libexec/mod_access.so
      LoadModule auth_module libexec/mod_auth.so
      LoadModule setenvif_module libexec/mod_setenvif.so
      LoadModule coldfusion_module libexec/mod_coldfusion.so

      # Reconstruction of the complete module list from all available modules
      # (static and shared ones) to achieve correct module execution order.
      # [WHENEVER YOU CHANGE THE LOADMODULE SECTION ABOVE UPDATE THIS, TOO]
      ClearModuleList
      AddModule mod_env.c
      AddModule mod_log_config.c
      AddModule mod_mime.c
      AddModule mod_negotiation.c
      AddModule mod_status.c
      AddModule mod_include.c
      AddModule mod_autoindex.c
      AddModule mod_dir.c
      AddModule mod_cgi.c
      AddModule mod_asis.c
      AddModule mod_imap.c
      AddModule mod_actions.c
      AddModule mod_userdir.c
      AddModule mod_alias.c
      AddModule mod_access.c
      AddModule mod_auth.c
      AddModule mod_so.c
      AddModule mod_setenvif.c
      AddModule mod_coldfusion.c
   7. Next, restart Apache and ColdFusion with the following commands:

      [root@foo /]# /var/lib/apache/sbin/./apachectl start

      [root@foo /]# /cf_root/bin/./start

At this point, all error messages should be gone, and ColdFusion should be working correctly. In order to verify this, open a browser and point it to:

http://servername/cfide/administrator/index.cfm

Configuring ColdFusion Server to start at boot time

The problem here resides in the architectural differences between the Red Hat Linux and the Slackware linux daemon startup sequences and design. In order to enable ColdFusion to start at boot, follow the steps below:

   1. Go into the /etc/rc.d directory.

   2. Open a text editor, putting the following line into a file you will name rc.coldfusion:

      /cf_root/bin/./start
   3. Once again, save this file as rc.coldfusion

   4. Next, type chmod 755 rc.coldfusion. This makes the file executable.

   5. Now, open the file in that directory called rc.M and add the following section BELOW the "Start Webserver" section:

      # Start Coldfusion
      if [ -x /etc/rc.d/rc.coldfusion ]; then
      . /etc/rc.d/rc.coldfusion
      fi
   6. Save this file, and reboot the system to double-check the settings. All should be well.

Last updated: 	2000-08-07 17:42:36
Created: 	Aug 07 2000