This is an installation guid for sqlcockpit

• Install perl (version 5.5 or higher recommended)
• If you do NOT have the installer version for windows (High Linux and Unix friends!)
  • Create a directory to install sqlcockpit (e.g./usr/local/bin/sqlcockpit or /home/joe/sqlcockpit or C:\Programme\sqlcockpit), then
    cd /path/to/sqlcockpit
  • Download and unpack a tar-ball of sqlcockpit in that directory. tar -zxvf sqlcockpit_src_<version>.tgz ...
  • Go online and run perl install.pl. This script tries to install all necessary perl modules based on the file 'modlist.txt'. If there are errors when installing the modules, or if you choose to skip this point, or if sqlcockpit fails to start with a message like "Can't find module xxx/xyz.pm in @INC ..." you have to do install the required 'by hand' (See detailed description).
• If you HAVE the installer version for windows:
  • Go online, then run install_sqlcockpit_<version>.exe script. You can choose some self explaining options like the installation directory. Before finishing, you will be asked, if you want to install the required modules. If you want, a script called "ppm.pl" tries to install all the required perl modules, based on a list in the file 'modules.txt' coming with the distribution. This works only under ActiveState's perl version. Don't worry, if this scripts fails for any reason or if there are still some modules missing. Just install them by hand. You can test your installation by running 'perl sqlcockpit.pl' from a shell (under windows this might be the DOS - box).

You are there! Start the software, register on a voluntary basis, consider to help the project by paying some money to the author (if you think it is worth doing so, but if not, you may consider to delete it anyway), tell friends and have fun!

More detailed installation guide:

• Install perl, if not already done so. If you need help on how to install perl, please go to www.perl.com or use.perl.org
  You need not compile perl yourself, there are plenty of binary distributions around. Under Windows, I use and recommend the version of www.ActiveState.com, because it comes with an install shield wizard and plenty of precompiled packages. If you do not know if you already have it, type perl -v in your favorite shell (On most Linux and Unix systems you probably already have perl!)
  (Not to say that this version is the best, it's only the one I use!)ad 2) Install perl modules: Usually it is easy to install perl-modules. Most distributions provide a tool to easily download/[compile]/install these modules, and usually this tool comes with it's own docu.
• Create a directory to install sqlcockpit (e.g./usr/local/bin/sqlcockpit or /home/joe/sqlcockpit or C:\Programme\sqlcockpit), then
  cd /path/to/sqlcockpit. You can add this directory to your PATH. Or you can write a small script, say 'sqlstart', and install this script in a directory on your search path. This will be done by the install.pl script in the near future.
• Download and unpack a tar-ball of sqlcockpit in that directory.( 'tar-ball' just means the compressed archive sqlcockpit_src_<version>.tgz. It is a compressed tar archive which you can extract with tar and gzip, or with Winzip or the like.) tar -zxvf sqlcockpit_src_<version>.tgz unpacks the compressed archive and creates a simple directory structure, overwriting all files with the same name in it. (Note that the syntax of the tar-command may differ if you have a non standard tar program. E.g. on older SunOS, you first have to uncompress (gzip -d sqlcockpit_src_<version>.tgz), then you have to (tar -xvf sqlcockpit_src_<version>.tar))
• run 'perl install.pl' This script calls 'perl install_modules.pl' if you want to, which tries to install some or all modules listed in modlist.txt. If you skip this option, you have to install these modules by yourself. The script install_modules.pl is now much improved and did work for me under Linux with a perl-5.8.0, perl-5.8.1 (gentoo and SusE-Linux) and with ActiveState on WindowsXP, yet not with a thread - enabled perl-5.8.1 with cygwin.
• How 'install_modules.pl' works: consult 'perl install_modules.pl -h'. Under windows and with ActiveState's perl installing modules using this tool is normally not a big deal (even if it may take some time), because perl-modules are precompiled in this case. The hard work behind the scene is done by the PPM-module(PerlPackageManager). If the PPM-module cannot be found (which is normally the case under Unix and Linux systems and also on cygwin (referred to as *nix systems) the perl modules are installed with the CPAN-module coming with almost every perl. In this case there are no precompiled packages available (or you have to search for them yourselfes). Some of the modules contain C-code and must be compiled with a c++-compiler. Normally all the hard work of downloading the modules, compiling and installing them is delegated to CPAN.pm and works pretty nice. If you are using CPAN for the first time, you will be asked a bunch of questions. It is almost always save to accept all defaults by pressing <Enter>, but READ the questions. If you have none of the required modules and a slow connection to the internet, you may need and hour or more to complete the hole process. If the script 'perl install.pl' or 'perl install_modules.pl' ends up with a NOT OK in it's summary, the installation for one or more required modules has failed. Now it is becoming a bit more tricky, since you have to fix your problems by hand, that is, compile respective modules by hand.

• Checklist if compilation fails for some modules:
  1. Check your permissions and run perl install.pl or perl install_modules.pl with root - privileges again.
  2. Read the README - files in the distribtion of the respective perl - modules. These are located in the in /<xyz>/.cpan/build/<module>
  3. Start the installation by hand by running perl Makefile.PL && make && make test && make install. Read error messages there (missing prerequisites?)
  4. The most difficult module to compile might be 'Tk', which is the widget system of sqlcockpit. If you encounter problems with that module, check that you are able to start any other grafical program (do a 'xhost +' and check the DISPLAY environtment variable on *nix systems if not), otherwise the tests for this module always fail! If you see some widgets occuring during the test passes, you have a good chance to make it even if not all test are sucessfull. If 'make test' failes but still many tests are sucessfull, you may consider to 'make install' anyway. After installing a missing module by hand, you can call perl install_modules.pl one (or even more) times. If compilation fails completely, you may find precompiled versions of Tk (hints where to find such may be found in the respective README files below /your-cpan-root/built/Tk-<version>))
  5. I have encountered problems installing the optional module Tk::PNG, which enables your sqlcockpit to create on-the-fly charts in PNG format. The problem was that the script started to fetch and compile a complete Tk (although already installed). I fixed this by downloading and installing Tk::PNG by hand (www.CPAN.org).
  6. The optional module LWP::Simple, which enables your sqlcockpit to easy install database drivers from within sqlcockpit, installs a complete bundle of other related modules. In general, this is not a problem, but was also not my intention. You can circumstance this in the same way: Download and install LWP::Simple by hand.
  7. Note that the installation process depends on your OS and the perl version you are using. This document cannot cover all aspects of perl-module-installation, so please consult the documentation of your perl distribution.

How to install perl modules with a non precompiled perl (usually on *nix systems)

For a detailed description, please visit www.perl.com/CPAN/. To install modules using the CPAN module by hand, [become the superuser], go online and type: perl -MCPAN -eshell in your favorite shell. NOTE: The CPAN module only works if you have a C-compiler environment. You might also run into problems if you have installed a precompiled perl. In this case tell the installer-script not to install the modules for you, you have to install them by hand.
If you are using the CPAN-module for the first time, you will have to answer a few questions before you can start. Then you get a CPAN> prompt, where you can install your modules:
CPAN>install Tk
CPAN>install DBI
CPAN>install DBD::mysql
CPAN>install GD
CPAN>install GD::Text, etc, etc

How to install perl modules with a non precompiled perl (usually on *nix systems)

To install modules under Windows and ActiveState-perl-port by hand, [become the superuser], go online and type ppm.bat or ppm3.bat in your favorite shell. You get a ppm> prompt, where you can install your modules:
ppm>install Tk
ppm>install DBI
ppm>install DBD-mysql
ppm>install GD
ppm>install GD-Text, etc, etc For more information, type 'help' at the ppm prompt or consult the documentation provided with the ActiveState's perl or visit www.ActiveState.com