Local Software Setup - Windows

Overview

• This guide assumes you are on Windows. Mac and Linux have different methods.
• Please read every step of this guide carefully. It is highly recommend doing a full read-through before you even get started.

Within this guide, we will be installing the following software:

• XAMPP for the local webserver and database
• SourceGit for our graphical git client

Windows Firewall Pop-ups

At any point in time while installing the below software, you may see a pop-up like this. Click "Allow" to allow the software to finish installing. All of the recommended software is safe.

XAMPP Setup

Installing XAMPP

1. Download XAMPP.

• For LK v2, select PHP 8.1.
• For LK v3.0 or above, select PHP 8.2.

2. Run the XAMPP .exe file. If you see this warning, as long as you follow this guide, you can ignore it and just hit "OK".

3. Click the "Next" button. You will then see this screen. We just want the defaults -- click "Next" again.

4. Install XAMPP directly onto your C: drive. A good location is C:\xampp, which should also be the default. Then, click "Next".

5. Select your preferred language. This doesn't matter -- pick what's best for you.

6. Click "Next" on the following screen.

7. XAMPP should now begin to install. This may take some time -- be patient!

8. Once XAMPP has installed, check the box to start the control panel immediately (if it is not checked by default) and click "Finish".

9. Congrats! You now have XAMPP installed. Click "Start" next to Apache and MySQL.

Windows Defender Firewall Alert

If you are presented with a window like this for either application: Check both "Private" and "Public", then click "Allow Access".

This software is safe. You may need to click "Show More" to see these options.

Configuring XAMPP

1. Next, we need to update the config files. Click "Config" next to Apache, and select php.ini.

2. A file should open up in Notepad. We are going to change two values. First, use the search feature (Ctrl + F) or simply scroll down until you see post_max_size. This controls how large the files are that you can upload. Change this to a number similar to what you'll use on your live website. If you don't know yet, change it to 5M (five megabytes).

3. The next value we change is upload_max_filesize. I like to change this to abnormally high on my local, but make it whatever feels right for you. To change it to 10 megabytes, for example, put a value of 10M.

4. Save your changes and close this file. We are going to edit one more config file.

5. Go back to XAMPP, click "Config", and select httpd.conf.

6. Another file should open up in Notepad. We are going to change one value this time. Change whatever value is currently in DocumentRoot and the following Directory line to C:/xampp/htdocs/lorekeeper/public.

7. Save your changes and close this file. Then, click the "Stop" button next to Apache. After it fully shuts downs, click "Start" again.

Info

Apache may fail to start if the folder C:/xampp/htdocs/lorekeeper/public does not exist. This is OK. Continue with this guide, and Apache will start after you have cloned LK.

8. Next, we are going to make one more change in anticipation of installing Lorekeeper. Click the "Admin" button next to MySQL.

9. This will open a window similar to this in your browser. This is PHPMyAdmin, and it is where we control how most of the data is stored for Lorekeeper. Click "New".

10. Type in lorekeeper or any other easy to remember name, then click "Create".

11. Congratulations! We're done here for now. Next, we will install the Git software needed to manage our Lorekeeper files.

Installing Git Software

Historically, the software used for managing Git was Sourcetree, but I will be using SourceGit as it is more stable and frequently updated.

Installing Git

1. First, we need to install Git itself. Git is a tool used to manage files and file history for coding projects. Go here to download the latest copy of Git.

Click this button...

..and then this link.

2. After the file is done downloading, run it. You will see this screen. Press "Next".

3. You may see a screen asking about a start menu folder. The default location (often "Git") is acceptable. Press "Next".

4. Make sure the highlighted fields are selected. Press "Next".

5. This next option is up to you. Notepad++ (if you have it installed) or Notepad are both valid options.

6. For maximum compatibility with Lorekeeper, you will want to make sure you check "Override" and type in main.

7. You will then see this screen. Select the middle/"recommended" option.

8. Select "OpenSSH".

9. Leave this option as whatever your computer detects as default.

10. Select "Checkout Windows-style, commit Unix-style line endings".

11. Select "MinTTY".

12. This one is important. Select "fast-forward or merge".

13. Select "Git Credential Manager".

14. Enable both file-system caching and symbolic links.

15. You may be prompted with this screen. If so, close all other windows on your computer and then click "Install".

16. Git will then begin to install. Be patient while it completes!

17. Congratulations! Git is now installed. Check "finish".

18. Reboot your entire computer. Certain things we installed with Git will only take effect after our computer has restarted. So do that, and then come back!

Installing SourceGit

You can use Git purely from the command line, but it's not reccomended for beginners. To make things easier, we will be using a tool called SourceGit.

1. Go to SourceGit's website and click the download button in the top right.

2. Scroll down to the list of files. You want the version ending with win-x64.zip.

3. Open your Downloads folder (or wherever you downloaded this file) in File Explorer. Right click the file and select "Extract all."

4. Extract this file somewhere easy to remember, such as C:/sourcegit.

4. Navigate to this folder in your File Explorer. It will contain a folder named "SourceGit". Open that folder.

5. Run the file SourceGit.exe.

SmartScreen Warning

You may receive a popup from Windows warning you about the file. This file is safe.

Click "More Info":

And then "Run Anyway" to start SourceGit:

6. You should be presented with a relatively blank page:

7. There's one final thing we need to configure, and that is the username and email that Git will use. Click the three bars in the top right, and then click "Preferences".

8. Click on the "Git" tab.

9. In the User Name and User Email fields, put in information that is accurate, but you are OK with potentially being made public to anyone who works on your code.

Customizing Appearance

If you want, you can also swap to Dark Mode from the "Appearance" tab.

10. Close the Preferences window, and it will save automatically.

Setup Complete

You have installed a local webserver and the software needed to handling Lorekeeper's code. You can now move onto setting up your local copy of Lorekeeper.