installing own webmail

[eldisi]

I want to install my own webmail rather than using the ones provided with cpanel. I dont like the way you have to log in more than once.

is it possible to install/setup a new webmail program without root or shell access?
I have tried to install horde and squirrel mail, but dont have enough acccess to server and my webhost will not help, they sent me to this forum

thanks
aimee@eldisi.com

[DigitalN]

What parts of the horde or squirrelmail install require root access?

I installed both just recently and can't think of anything off of the top of my head that needed root access, although I did have it.

In answer to your question, Yes you can install both, without having shell access, but it's easier with. Most anything that you need to install, you can do without direct command line access - ie. write a cgi or shell script and run it via browser or even cron job.

[eldisi]

http://www.eldisi.com/horde_v1/test.php
i ran the horde test and it indicated i need mail_mime from PEAR and I couldnt install it.

Im not heaps linux literate.

Would an older version be easier to install, or do you have idiot proof instructions that i could follow?

how do i get access to a command line from within cpanel?

thanks
aimee

[DigitalN]

Ahh, yes, well If your host won't install the pear package for you

# pear install <pear_package>

and you don't have shell access... all is still not lost ,

http://pear.php.net/manual/en/installation.shared.php

http://pear.php.net/manual/en/installation.manually.php

You can still maintain your own packages, but it will be a little more hassle for you, but quite possible.

If your host won't install a couple of pear packages, then maybe look for one that will.

[eldisi]

this is where i got stuck last week installing it

from http://pear.php.net/manual/en/installation.manually.php
If you do not have access to the configuration, you have to set the include_path in each script where you want to use the package:


<?php
ini_set("include_path", '/var/www/www.example.com/includes/' . PATH_SEPARATOR . ini_get("include_path"));
?>


what does it mean, i have to put it in each scrpit, what scripts is it referring to

thanks
aimee

[DigitalN]

You can set the 'include_path' to a place located on your account, that you have access to, this is where apache/php will look for additonal modules etc.

You can enter the code as mentioned within each script that requires to use the modules that you add within your own space, but a .htaccess file located within your public_html directory, with the following

php_value include_path .:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php:/home/$user/www/includes

Should allow you to install the required modules within your include_path "/home/$user/www/includes" which you would create and install the pear packages into.

/home/$user/www/include relates to your local user account.

You really need to trial and error and do a bit of reading where you need to - I'd ask your host if they will install the pear package, if not then try obtain the information and try things out until you get it to work.

Reference:

http://www.php.net
http://nz.php.net/manual/en/configuration.changes.php
http://nz2.php.net/set_include_path

[DigitalN]

Try adding the following to a .htaccess file located within your public_html directory

php_value include_path ".:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php:/usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/lib/php"


Then run the test.php again and see what modules are still required.

[eldisi]

i havent got it to work yet

Im harassing my host at the moment.
Ill let you all know what happens and whether i get it or another webmail to work

I asked my host to install pear package and this was their reply

We have installed all the modules that cPanels will support, however
some require manual installation and may cause cPanel/WHM to crash, as
have other modules in the past.

For this reason, we are unable to install these modules as it may cause
harm to the other several hundred users on the machine if the server
goes offline. We also supply Horde as part of our web mail packages,
which is already installed on the server.

Kind regards,
Support

Why does the available horde work, but not my installation? My Host said that its because its integrated into cpanel. But wouldnt it still require pear?

[webignition]

It looks to me like your host is offering up a bit of BS.

Firstly I can't see how installing a pear package will do any harm to cpanel, since cpanel doesn't use PHP for anything.

Secondly I can't see how installing a pear package could cause the machine to go offline - the process is no more complicated than putting a few PHP files in a certain directory.

I would also think that if Horde requires a certain pear package to run, and if the standard Horde installation does work, it would be fair to assume that the pear package does exist on the server somewhere.

In order to get anything that requires a pear package to work correctly, you need to tell it where to look on the server to find pear. Therefore its possible that you need to tell the copy of Horde that you are installing where to find pear.

As I say, I might be wrong.

[DigitalN]

cPanel uses its own version of php located within /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/bin/php

So horde and anything running via ports 2082 2083 /cpanel will be using that install of php.

That is completely seperate to the php that your apache is using.

So any pear module installs completed via command line ie pear install <package> isn't going to crash anything with cpanel as the apache installation uses /usr/local/bin/php

Try using the include path that I suggested - If your host really thinks that installing a pear module will crash cpanel, then maybe get another host. Fair comment that they do provide horde though - still you might need those pear modules for something else.

You can still install the modules yourself though, and maintain your own pear modules as has been said.

[gorilla]

i havent got it to work yet



Why does the available horde work, but not my installation? My Host said that its because its integrated into cpanel. But wouldnt it still require pear?

if you have horde allready through cpanel why do you want to install it again ?