The Quick Start instructions provide the basic steps for installing on a Web server where the required components have already been installed. The instructions in this section describe how to install required components, how to customize the installation, and how to install extra features.

Step 1. Creating the Movable Type Database ¶

You must create a database for Movable Type before you run the installation wizard. The wizard connects to the database with the user name and password you supply and configures it for use with Movable Type.

Methods for creating a database differ, depending on what database server software you are using on your Web server. Also, hosting providers offer different programs for administering databases. This section covers the most commonly used database servers and administration tools.

If you do not have a database server installed, contact your hosting provider or system administrator to install one for you. If you are the system administrator and need to install a database, MySQL is one of the most common and widely supported. For installation instructions, see the MySQL Installation Guide at http://mysql.com.

Creating a MySQL Database ¶

Many hosting providers offer graphical user interface programs for managing MySQL databases. This section describes how to create a database from a shell and from two of the most popular programs: phpMyAdmin and cPanel.

Using a Shell ¶

If you have shell access to your Web server, you can use the mysqladmin utility to create a database. Enter the following command to create a database named movabletype. mysqladmin create movabletype -u username -p

Replace "username" with the user name you want use to access the database. Enter the password for the user name you created. If the database is created successfully, you see no information on the screen.

Using phpMyAdmin ¶

1. In your Web browser, connect to the phyMyAdmin home pages for your Web server. You'll need to get the exact Web address from your hosting provider. It should be something similar to http://domainname/phpmyadmin/index.php where "domainname" is the domain name for your blog.

You see the phpMyAdmin home page.

1. Enter movabletype in the Create new database field, and click Create.

2. Click the Home icon to return to the main page. Click Privileges and Add New User. Enter a user name and password in the corresponding fields. Leave all other options set to their default values. Click Go.

3. On the Privileges screen click Check Privileges on the user you just created. In the Database-specific privileges, display the Add Privileges to the Following Database drop-down menu and select the movabletype database. Select all privileges and click Go.

Using cPanel ¶

1. In a Web browser, connect to CPanel, by entering it's address, typically http://domainname.com/cpanel where "domainname" is the domain name for your blog.

2. Scroll down to the Databases area and click the icon to work with MySQL databases.

You see a control panel for managing MySQL databases.

1. In the New Database field, movabletype as the name of the Movable Type database, and click Create Database.

2. In the Current Users area, enter a user name and password to use to connect to the movabletype database. Then click Create User.

3. In the Add Users to Your Database area, select the user and database that you created for Movable Type in the corresponding drop down boxes. Check "All" for Privileges. Then click Add User To Your Database.

Creating a PostgreSQL Database ¶

1. Create a user and password for the movable type database by entering the following command in a shell: createuser - U username -P where "username" is the user name you want to use to connect to the Movable Type database. The -P option instructs the database server to ask you for a password. Enter the password for the new user.

2. Enter the following command to create a new database named movabletype, where "username" is the user you created in step 1. createdb -U username movabletype

When the Movable Type installation wizard asks what database you want to use, select PostgreSQL. On the PostgreSQL configuration page, enter the database name, user name, and password that you created.

Creating a SQLite Database ¶

SQLite does not require a user and password for the database. At a shell or DOS prompt, enter: sqlite3 movabletype to create a new database named movabletype. Note: In some cases, the binary will be named sqlite or, if you're running the older SQLite2, sqlite2. Adjust accordingly.

Step 2. Select and Configure an Installation Directory ¶

Depending on if you have privileges to edit your Web service configuration files, you have a choice of where to install the Movable Type files.

Using an Existing cgi-bin Directory ¶

The quickest method, as recommended by the Quick Start instructions, is to create a directory name "mt" within your existing "cgi-bin" directory within your Web root directory. This might look like /var/www/movabletype.org/cgi-bin/mt.

The files within the "mt-static" directory within your Movable Type download must be web accessible. To accomplish this, you should install them into your Web root which might look like /var/www/movabletype.org/htdocs/mt-static.

Later in the installation process Movable Type will attempt to locate your mt-static directory automatically. If it is unable to, you may need to add the following configuration directives to your mt-config.cgi file (created for you later in the process):

CGIPath        /cgi-bin/mt/
StaticWebPath  /mt-static/

Installing Fully Within You Web Root ¶

If you have privileges to edit your Web server configuration files, you can install all of the Movable Type files in an "mt" directory within your Web server's Web root directory. With Apache configured this way, there is no need to setup or move your "mt-static" directory. Future upgrades are also much easier to manage as you're only placing files in one location.

If you're just running one blog on Movable Type, your directory layout may look like /var/www/movabletype.org/htdocs/mt. In the next step when you extract the Movable Type archive to this "mt" directory, it will contain all of the needed files including the "mt-static" directory.

You must then add the following text to either your .htaccess file or Apache's httpd.conf file. Continuing the previous example, /path-to-movabletype would be /var/www/movabletype.org/htdocs/mt. In some cases you may also need to add the "FollowSymLinks" option depending on your web server configuration.

 <Directory /path-to-movabletype>
     Options Indexes ExecCGI
 </Directory>

Step 3. Download the Movable Type Files ¶

1. Download the Unix/Linux/Mac OS X (.tar.gz) release file to your personal computer.

2. Extract the Movable Type files from the release file into a new folder on your local computer.

3. Use FTP to copy the files to your Movable Type installation directory. If you are installing in the cgi-bin directory, copy the mt-static directory from your local computer to the Web root directory on the Web server.

4. Make sure all the Movable Type cgi files (files ending with .cgi) in the mt directory on the Web server have execute permission.

5. Make sure the support directory found inside your mt-static directory is writable by the web server.

Step 4. Running the Installation Wizard ¶

The installation wizard checks the configuration of your server, including database types and expansion packs, and displays a series of forms that you fill out to complete the Movable Type installation.

If the installation wizard displays a page listing optional Perl modules and features that you can install, print this page and save it so you know which modules to install later. The listing page tells where to get information on downloading and installing these modules.

To run the installation wizard, start a Web browser connect to the following Web address http://domainname/cgi-bin/mt/mt.cgi where "domainname" is the domain name for your blog.

When it completes, the installaton wizard writes the Movable Type configuration file, mt-config.cgi, and starts Movable Type. You are ready to begin adding content to the first blog and creating additional blogs. For instructions, see Working with Your Blog.