What is Serendipity?

[jimmyboy]

Hello Bofins,

I need a crash course on what Serendipity is, and what I can achieve with it!

This may sound a naive question, but I have not come across any documentation that properly outline what it is, and what you can achieve with it. I have seen the well designed templates (format .tpl ) but have no clue on how to use these templates with my content. Do these templates work only with Serendipity, or does any application that imports .tpl files able to work with them? This leads me on the question: Is Serendipity a Content Management System? I need someone's help in unraveling this connundrum, cause I like the templates. What I can achieve with them is not so obivious yet, though I see the potential, once I have figured out how to use them...

Thanks in advance folks.

See you soon.
Jim

[garvinhicking]

Hi!

Hm, the frontpage of www.s9y.org explains it pretty distinct, IMHO:

Serendipity is a PHP-powered weblog application which gives the user an easy way to maintain an online diary, weblog or even a complete homepage. While the default package is designed for the casual blogger, Serendipity offers a flexible, expandable and easy-to-use framework with the power for professional applications.

So, Serendipity is a content management system for maintaining entries that people can read on your homepage.

Thus, templates for Serendipity only really work for Serendipity, not for other CMSes. You can put manual work to import and export other CMSes templates into or from Serendipity, though - because Serendipity Templates are mostly HTML markup and some code logic using the Smarty Template Processor.

The best way to see what Serendipity is, is by simply isntalling and using it.

Best regards,
GArvin

[jimmyboy]

Hello Garvin,

Thanks for your advice relating to Serendipity. I have been browsing the manuals per your suggestion. I am still mixed up on somethings, like:

I have set up serendipity, but because I did not know what DBs it expected, I was getting errors left - right and center. When I setup the DB, what kind of tables, values, and parameters is Serendipity expecting?

Because I simply set up a table that was blank, without tables yet and set up a couple of users to admin it. This did not suite Serendipity, so what is expected, cause if I knew more details I would correct the setup. It might mean I will have to do it again, but thats OK, cause the tables have no data yet to lose.

Incidentally, it would seem that the info in the DB is of one personal Blog. What would I need to do tohave several people, different profiles that can log in, use generic settings in serendipity, and have their specific profile area that they contribute their articles, such as stories.

Have I got the wrong end-of-the-stick as far as understanding Serendipity, or can I get it to behave like this for my site?

I want to make it a multi user site, using generic templates but saving personal stories to their personal areas... Does this make sense to you?

I hope to hear from you soon, regards
Jim.

[garvinhicking]

Hi jimmyboy!

I have set up serendipity, but because I did not know what DBs it expected, I was getting errors left - right and center. When I setup the DB, what kind of tables, values, and parameters is Serendipity expecting?

Serendipity installs its tables automatically on its own. So you just need to create an empty database like "serendipity". Then you enter the hostname, username and password of your SQL server, and enter the database name as "serendipity". Make sure the username nad password you enter have access privileges on that serendipity database.

Once serendipity is installed into a database, serendipity itself can maintain users and authors, by storing them in the tables. Serendipity thus is the only "programm" to access your database; all access to serendipity will then be controled by its access control.

HTH,
Garvin

[jimmyboy]

This is very helpful, thanks. Just one point, you mentioned the DB creation twice, why? And again, does the database strictly have to be "Serendipity" or can I name it accordingly! I mean Serendipity is fine, just a small point to understand any restrictions.

Now, you have a fine collection of Templates, how do I get those rich options of selecting which Template to use? Indeed, how can I offer my users that option, so that each personalises their profiles.

Talking of profiles, does "serendipity" handle the necessary files and directory creations and permissions if I were to let the users create their profiles dynamically? ( ie as they register)

I am getting to like "Serendipity" the more I listen.....

Kind regards,
James.

[garvinhicking]

Hi!

This is very helpful, thanks. Just one point, you mentioned the DB creation twice, why?

Where do I mention it twice? I just mentioned the creation once, the other thing is the actual Serendipity installation. This is a layered process; serendipity can only be installed, if at first a database is created independently.

And again, does the database strictly have to be "Serendipity" or can I name it accordingly! I mean Serendipity is fine, just a small point to understand any restrictions.

You can call it anything you like! Just tell serendipity the database name upon installation. Avoid special characters like " ", underscores (_) and hypens (-) though!

Now, you have a fine collection of Templates, how do I get those rich options of selecting which Template to use? Indeed, how can I offer my users that option, so that each personalises their profiles.

You can make your users choose a template by installing the event and sidebar plugins "Template Selector" and "Template chooser". Then you have a dropdown in the frontpage of serendipity where a user can switch his template to what he wants.

Talking of profiles, does "serendipity" handle the necessary files and directory creations and permissions if I were to let the users create their profiles dynamically? ( ie as they register)

Authors are only created in the database, so no directories or files are created on your server at all. It is all dynamic from the database.

Hope that helps and best regards
Garvin

[jimmyboy]

Hello Garvin,

I have successfully installed Serendipity, and its beginning to look the part, am the one gettting learn how to steer.

I was taking a look at the "shared installation' you suggested, even though its in Beta;

It seems it would need some scripts to enable: as users register, the scripts set them up for Serendipity, creating the necessary files in their individual directories...etcetc so they dont have to modify the standard installed files. Here is the crunch,

For this to really work, each individual would have to be a virtual host - correct? How then does the individual access their page to add items? What is the default name given to the page?

I understand every individual having an account they log in with, is it during this setup that each intended profile stores who/what/where , details of that individuals parameters? I mean when they have gone away, and come back tomorrow, are given a login page, how are they directed to their page? For that matter, how do they discover other people's pages so they can read shared stories?

The intention is for individuals to post their own stories, but clearly have them available for public viewing, so only individuals have author rights to their personal profiles and stories, but get to publically share their thought processes.... Am i on the right track here, or am I attempting to use Serendipity for a purpose it was not meant to do?

One more crucial criteria: If the intention above is phisable, is a single server per dom installation the best option, or can it adequately work on shared servers? Reason I ask, is there is the intention to incorporate a CHAT programme with it, if possible.... That way, people can talk in real time, while viewing other people's stories.... For instance, incorporating phpChat123 for instance.

Am I over ambitious for what am trying to do?

Hope to speak with you later. Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Jim.

[garvinhicking]

Hi!

It seems it would need some scripts to enable: as users register, the scripts set them up for Serendipity, creating the necessary files in their individual directories...etcetc so they dont have to modify the standard installed files.

Exactly, such a script would be required. Someone made a stab at this using shell scripting:

http://php-blog.cvs.sourceforge.net/php ... /s9y_conf/

Here is the crunch, For this to really work, each individual would have to be a virtual host - correct? How then does the individual access their page to add items? What is the default name given to the page?

Virtual Hosts would help a lot in configuring the "deployed" hosts, yes. Each individual would then have his own URL where he can have his own blog. Like "http://dls.supersized.org/".

I understand every individual having an account they log in with, is it during this setup that each intended profile stores who/what/where , details of that individuals parameters? I mean when they have gone away, and come back tomorrow, are given a login page, how are they directed to their page? For that matter, how do they discover other people's pages so they can read shared stories?

After you setup an account and own blog for a user (your script needs to do this) you will need to send him credentials, and his very own URL where he can login.

Shared blogs are completely distinct blogs. If you want to have a central blog where people can post together, you don't need to use shared installation, but just a simple s9y Blog and the "User Self-Registration" plugin from Spartacus. Then people can simply register themselves to participate in that singular blog.

If going with the shared individual blogs, you will need to create your own script to list the people who have created blogs. Just like this: http://www.supersized.org/people.php

One more crucial criteria: If the intention above is phisable, is a single server per dom installation the best option, or can it adequately work on shared servers? Reason I ask, is there is the intention to incorporate a CHAT programme with it, if possible.... That way, people can talk in real time, while viewing other people's stories.... For instance, incorporating phpChat123 for instance.

Phew, that very much depends on how many users you are targetting and what kind of server hardware you are running. Usually you can put several hundred s9y installations on one server. Supersized.org is running a few thousand installations, and also running the complete s9y.org services.

Am I over ambitious for what am trying to do?

Well - shared installation mode definitely requires some PHP and/or Server knowledge, so this very much depends on how much work you're willing to put into it!

Best regards,
Garvin