SurfReport Version 2.1.7 Installation Guide

This guide is designed to make the UNIX installation of SurfReport Version 2.1.7 painless. Actually, we know this is a contradiction of the laws of computer science. Just be brave. We hope you will be surprised, too!

Document Index

Downloading and positioning the tar file

Before you start the installer for SurfReport

Running the installer

Using your WEB Browser to complete the installation

Other documentation if you are not asleep by now

Deinstalling SurfReport because you just do not know a good thing when you have it

Downloading and positioning the tar file

SurfReport Version 2.1.7 is a tar file to be installed on a UNIX platform. Here are the essentials things you need to know about downloading and locating the tar file.

1. What is the name of the file, where do I get it, and where do I put it on my UNIX host? How to I untar it?
1. The name of the file is surfreport.tar
2. The file is made available to you after you have passed the scrutiny of our order form on the WEB.
3. On your UNIX host, copy the file to the document root directory of your web server, e.g. /httpd/server_docs/. If you do this correctly, the UNIX command ls /httpd/server_docs/ ought to show a bunch of html documents, like index.html, and the file surfreport.tar.
4. Make this directory your current directory.
5. Type tar -xvf surfreport.tar followed by the enter key.
6. Do another ls of the directory and you will see a new directory, yes, you guessed it: surfreport. Stay right where you are.
2. Are you comfortable with performing a UNIX installation? If not, consider bribing your System Administrator to do it. UNIX installs are best done by SAs with really pale skin who drink lots of Coke and coffee.

Before you start the installer for SurfReport

If you are not the UNIX SA, pray during the install. Actually, it is pretty simple. Verify the following before you start:

• The Perl interpreter and sendmail are located on your UNIX box and you know where they are (in case the installer can't find them).
• You know what the path is to the cgi-bin directory (if you don't know what cgi-bin is, quit now, the installer does not try to find it).
• You have permissions to update the cgi-bin directory. (SurfReport copies one measly, secure, well-behaved, non-threatening little perl script: surfreport.cgi.).
• The PATH variable includes the location of the Perl interpreter.

If you qualify on these counts, go ahead to the next section and make your day.

Running the installer

Honest: the installer is non-destructive and will not leave you running for your lawyer. Here's how to do it.

Make sure you are in the document root directory (use pwd to verify).

Type surfreport/install.

Look at the notice. Make sure your host is compatible with the binary type of SurfReport you are about to use.

The only question you may need to answer is the complete path to your cgi-bin directory.

Using your WEB Browser to complete the installation

Proceed with the installation answering the questions correctly. The installer will ask you to start your web browser and link to the SurfReport configuration utility. You will get a new page with instructions and fields to complete. Answer these questions with the defaults that you wish to run with.

Pay special attention to completing the Interface Form. You must complete this form at least once to run SR. When you are finished, click on the button labeled "Make Default". Note that you must click on the "Make Default" button whether you make any changes to the interface page or not.

Other documentation

Readme.txt file in the surfreport for a technical description of the release and basic platform information.

Server_Docs.txt describes the HTTP Servers that have been tested with SurfReport.

A User Manual is available. Contact BLI and request a copy which will be sent upon payment of the product.

Dr. Dobbs Sourcebook, September/October 1996, "Analyzing Web Traffic with Perl" by Frederic Bien, Michel Delory, Richard McGillis. This is an excellent overview of the common log and combined log formats available with most WEB Servers.

There are many other documents out on the WEB regarding traffic analysis, log formats, etc. Many are excellent sources that describe access and referrer log analysis.

Deinstalling SurfReport

To deinstall surfreport, log into UNIX and make the document root directory your current directory.

Type

surfreport/deinstall

You will need to tell the deinstaller the path to your cgi-bin directory.

We hope you have found this guide to be of help. If not, send e-mail to surf@bienlogic.com for comments or further assistance.