Installing with the setup wizard
The setup wizard installs Exponential in the browser, page by page. It is slower than one command, but it shows you every decision an installation makes: the system check, the database, the languages, the site package and the siteaccesses. That makes it a good teacher. This page follows Installing Exponential 6.0, section 5 and adds notes for a study site.
Contents
- How the wizard starts
- The pages and what to enter
- What you learn from the wizard
- Wizard or one command
- If something goes wrong
How the wizard starts
- Get the files:
composer create-project se7enxweb/exponential exponentialandcd exponential(Installing a study site in one command). - Serve the installation, for example with
php bin/php/console exp:velocity start --engine=php. - Open the site address in a browser (
http://localhost:8087/with thephpengine's default port).
settings/site.ini ships with [SiteAccessSettings] CheckValidity=true; while it is true, every request goes to
the setup wizard. The last step writes CheckValidity=false into settings/override/site.ini.append.php, and from
then on the site is served (Installing Exponential 6.0).
While the wizard runs, only your browser gets through; other visitors see a "The site is being set up" page.
The pages and what to enter
The table summarizes the steps of the installation guide, with a suggestion for a study site.
| # | Page | For a study site |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Welcome | Continue |
| 2 | System check | Fix every critical problem it lists; each comes with the fix. Do not ignore checks on a study site you will keep |
| 3 | System finetuning | Optional checks; read them, then Next |
| 4 | Outgoing Email | Choose a setting that sends no real mail from exercises (see the note below) |
| 5 | Choose database system | Keep SQLite, which is listed first and preselected |
| 6 | Database initialization | For SQLite only a file name; keep the default |
| 7 | Language support | eng-US, and a second language if you plan project 5 |
| 8 | Site package | Keep the preselected one; see Site packages for learners |
| 9 | Package language options | Shown only when needed; keep the preselection |
| 10 | Site access configuration | URL path is the easiest on one computer |
| 11 | Site details | A title such as "My study site"; the match values of site, admin and editor |
| 12 | Site administrator | A password of at least 10 characters; an e-mail address at example.invalid |
| 13 | Site security | Read the advice |
| 14 | Registration | Nothing to enter; the wizard sends no registration e-mail |
| 15 | Finished | Note the addresses of the public, admin and editor sites |
The wizard logs its progress to var/log/setup.log (Installing Exponential 6.0).
Note
No study exercise should send mail to a real person. Use addresses at example.invalid for every test account,
as trainers do (Trainers: start here). If you
are unsure how mail is handled on your computer, ask before you test anything that sends mail.
Unlike exp:install, the wizard writes no var/log/initial-admin-password file, because you type the password
yourself (Getting started). Keep it in a password
manager.
What you learn from the wizard
| Page | Concept to note in your journal | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| System check | Which PHP extensions Exponential needs | Requirements |
| Database | SQLite needs no server; other databases are choices | Database support |
| Languages | Content languages are chosen at install and can be added later | Content languages |
| Site package | A site is built from packages, not from code alone | Site packages: start here |
| Site access | One installation is reached in several ways, each with its own settings | Understanding siteaccesses and settings |
Wizard or one command
| Setup wizard | exp:install | |
|---|---|---|
| How | Browser, fifteen pages | One command |
| Good for | Seeing every decision | Fast, repeatable rebuilds |
| Administrator password | You type it | Generated and shown once, or given with --password |
| Repeating the same install | Slow | One line |
Many learners use the wizard once, to understand, and exp:install afterwards, to rebuild quickly
(Resetting and rebuilding your study site).
If something goes wrong
- The system check names each problem and its fix; for file permissions it shows the exact commands.
- After the install, errors are in
var/log/error.log; the wizard's own log isvar/log/setup.log(Reading logs and errors). - The full chapter: The setup wizard; troubleshooting: Troubleshooting.
Related pages
- Your first site: three ways
- Setup wizard and editor siteaccess
- Your first hour in the administration
- Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.
Become an Exponential Partner
Partners share their information, provide funding, contribute back and develop the products with us, and that is how Exponential grows. A partner website and dashboard are planned for mid-2027: please become a partner today to speed up our growth rate and land new features faster.