GentooInstallGuide

Installing RT in Gentoo

Intro

Please direct all questions about this guide to rl03 -at- gentoo -dot- org.

Latest version available through Portage: *rt-3.6.7*

This guide uses virtual hosting. Virtual hosting means that you can give the appearance of running several servers while using only one machine. If your machine is going to be used only for RT, then you may use this guide as is; the fact that you are using virtual hosting will not be a conflict. However, if your machine is going to be used for other things in addition to RT, and you are not familiar with virtual hosting, you should probably check out Apache's documentation on Virtual Hosts.

Note: This version of the guide assumes that you have updated your Apache installation per this document. This is not needed on a brand new install of apache.

Turn on the vhosts flag for rt. If the vhosts flag is disabled, *webapp-config* will be run automatically.

echo "www-apps/rt vhosts" >> /etc/portage/package.use

Note: It is important that you use a recent webapp-config (>=1.50.10) in order to avoid a broken vhosts configuration.

echo "app-admin/webapp-config" >> /etc/portage/package.keywords

Installation

To install, simply type

emerge rt

Don't forget to run *etc-update* or *dispatch-conf*

Note: You may need to edit /etc/portage/package.keywords and add a few dependencies. Others may be needed depending on your USE flags.

# www-apps/rt dependencies
 www-apps/rt
 dev-perl/Params-Validate
 dev-perl/Cache-Cache
 dev-perl/Exception-Class
 dev-perl/HTML-Mason
 dev-perl/MLDBM
 dev-perl/FreezeThaw
 dev-perl/Apache-Session
 dev-perl/XML-RSS
 dev-perl/HTTP-Server-Simple
 dev-perl/HTTP-Server-Simple-Mason
 dev-perl/GD
 dev-perl/GDGraph
 dev-perl/GDTextUtil
 dev-perl/Text-WikiFormat
 dev-perl/HTML-Tree
 dev-perl/HTML-Format
 dev-perl/libwww-perl
 dev-perl/Calendar-Simple
 dev-perl/DBI
 dev-perl/Test-Inline
 dev-perl/class-returnvalue
 dev-perl/dbix-searchbuilder
 dev-perl/text-template
 dev-perl/HTML-Parser
 dev-perl/HTML-Scrubber
 dev-perl/log-dispatch
 dev-perl/locale-maketext-lexicon
 dev-perl/locale-maketext-fuzzy
 dev-perl/MIME-tools
 dev-perl/MailTools
 dev-perl/text-wrapper
 dev-perl/Time-modules
 dev-perl/TermReadKey
 dev-perl/text-autoformat
 dev-perl/Text-Quoted
 dev-perl/Tree-Simple
 dev-perl/Module-Versions-Report
 dev-perl/Cache-Simple-TimedExpiry
 dev-perl/XML-Simple
 dev-perl/regexp-common
 
 
 

Since we are installing RT into a virtual host, we will need to symlink/copy our installation into our /var folder. This guide will use myrt as the hostname.

webapp-config -I -h myrt -d rt rt 3.6.1

Database Setup

RT provides a script called *rt-setup-database* which creates the initial database for you. Please note that *rt-setup-database* does NOT create a database user for you. If you have not already created a database user for RT, please consult the appropriate documentation, such as ConfigureMysqlOnGentoo.

• For MySQL:

Note: If you did not previously have mysql installed, you will need to ConfigureMysqlOnGentoo.

Verify that the skip-innodb is commented out in /etc/mysql/my.cnf. If it is not, then put an octothorpe in front of it:

.
 .
 [mysqld]
 #skip-innodb
 user           = mysql
 .
 .
 
 

and restart the mysql server:

/etc/init.d/mysql restart

Then set up the database:

/var/www/myrt/rt-3.6.1/sbin/rt-setup-database --action init --dba root --prompt-for-dba-password

• For PostgreSQL:

/var/www/myrt/rt-3.6.1/sbin/rt-setup-database --action init --dba postgres --prompt-for-dba-password

For this to work, PostgreSQL may need to listen on TCP 5432. In your postgresql.conf, set

listen_addresses = 'localhost', port = 5432

Configure RT

After installing RT into the virtual host, you will need to configure RT. RT uses an overlay system for configuration. On Gentoo, the default configuration will be at *[=/var/www/myrt/rt-3.6.1/etc/RT_Config.pm]*, and the site-specific configuration will be at *[=/var/www/myrt/rt-3.6.1/etc/RT_SiteConfig.pm]*. I would recommend copying [=RT_Config.pm] over to [=RT_SiteConfig.pm], and modifying all of the settings in [=RT_SiteConfig.pm].

cd /var/www/myrt/rt-3.6.1/etc
cp RT_Config.pm RT_SiteConfig.pm
nano RT_SiteConfig.pm

You should set WebSessionClass to Apache::Session::File if you plan to use internal authentication.

Now you need to set up your database connection, web location, email gateway, etc. Please consult ManualInstallation.

Configure Webserver

Apache1

mod_perl

RT comes with a Gentoo-specific Apache1 configuration file. It can be found in /var/www/myrt/rt-3.6.1/etc/rt_apache.conf

Copy it to the Apache vhosts directory and edit to set MY_RT_DOMAIN and [=ServerAdmin]:

cp /var/www/myrt/rt-3.4.5/etc/rt_apache.conf /etc/apache/vhosts.d/
vim /etc/apache/vhosts.d/rt_apache.conf

Now, let's make sure mod_perl is turned on. Edit /etc/apache/modules.d/10-mod_perl.conf and make sure it contains the following:

<IfDefine PERL>
  LoadModule perl_module    /usr/lib/apache-extramodules/libperl.so
</IfDefine>

Edit /etc/conf.d/apache to instruct apache to start with PERL and enabled.

APACHE_OPTS="-D PERL"

mod_fastcgi

NOTE: If you wish to use mod_fastcgi, you need to instruct webapp-config to install rt with appropriate permissions. Edit /etc/vhosts/webapp-config:

VHOST_DEFAULT_UID="rt"
VHOST_DEFAULT_GID="rt"

RT comes with a Gentoo-specific Apache1 configuration file. It can be found in /var/www/myrt/rt-3.6.1/etc/rt_apache1_fcgi.conf

Copy it to the Apache vhosts directory and edit to set MY_RT_DOMAIN and [=ServerAdmin]:

cp /var/www/myrt/rt-3.6.1/etc/rt_apache1_fcgi.conf /etc/apache/vhosts.d/
nano /etc/apache/vhosts.d/rt_apache1_fcgi.conf

Edit /etc/conf.d/apache to instruct apache to start with FASTCGI and enabled.

APACHE_OPTS="-D FASTCGI"

If this is your first time installing apache, you will want it to start on bootup.

rc-update add apache default

Restart apache so that all changes made so far will take effect.

/etc/init.d/apache restart

Apache2

mod_perl

As of rt-3.4.4, mod_perl2 is supported.

RT comes with a Gentoo-specific Apache2 configuration file. It can be found in /var/www/myrt/rt-3.6.1/etc/rt_apache2.conf

Copy it to the Apache vhosts directory and edit to set MY_RT_DOMAIN and [=ServerAdmin]:

cp /var/www/myrt/rt-3.6.1/etc/rt_apache2.conf /etc/apache2/vhosts.d/
vim /etc/apache2/vhosts.d/rt_apache2.conf

NOTE: -As of 12/09/2005 there is a gotcha in /var/www/myrt/rt-3.6.1/etc/rt_apache2.conf. When using mod_perl2 then you need to change: PerlModule Apache::DBI to PerlModule Apache2::DBI- This should not be necessary with a properly configured mod_perl2.

NOTE: Also consider specifying the actual path of your perl modules on the [=PerlSetEnv] line. For details about [=PerlSetEnv] go to =.

 <Location />
    ............
    PerlHandler RT::Mason
    PerlSetEnv PERL5LIB /usr/lib/perl5/vendor_perl/5.8.7:/usr/lib/perl5/5.8.7
    ............
</Location>

Edit /etc/conf.d/apache2 to instruct apache to start with PERL and enabled.

APACHE2_OPTS="-D PERL"

NOTE: you may need to

chown -R apache:apache /var/www/myrt/rt-3.6.1/var

mod_fastcgi

NOTE: If you wish to use mod_fastcgi, you need to instruct webapp-config to install rt with appropriate permissions. Edit /etc/vhosts/webapp-config:

VHOST_DEFAULT_UID="rt"
VHOST_DEFAULT_GID="rt"

RT comes with a Gentoo-specific Apache2 configuration file. It can be found in /var/www/myrt/rt-3.6.1/etc/rt_apache2_fcgi.conf

Copy it to the Apache vhosts directory and edit to set MY_RT_DOMAIN and [=ServerAdmin]:

cp /var/www/myrt/rt-3.6.1/etc/rt_apache2_fcgi.conf /etc/apache2/vhosts.d/
vim /etc/apache2/vhosts.d/rt_apache2_fcgi.conf

Edit /etc/conf.d/apache2 to instruct apache2 to start with FASTCGI and enabled.

APACHE2_OPTS="-D FASTCGI"

If this is your first time installing apache, you will want it to start on bootup.

rc-update add apache2 default

Restart apache so that all changes made so far will take effect.

/etc/init.d/apache2 restart

lighttpd

You can run RT on lighttpd + fastcgi. The ebuild will install an initscript /etc/init.d/rt and a config file /etc/conf.d/rt.

NOTE: If you wish to use mod_fastcgi, you need to instruct webapp-config to install rt with appropriate permissions. Edit /etc/vhosts/webapp-config:

VHOST_DEFAULT_UID="rt"
VHOST_DEFAULT_GID="rt"

You will need to edit /etc/conf.d/rt to set RTPATH to the root of your installation. You shouldn't need to edit anything else in that file.

Also note that, under the default configuration, the socket in $FCGI_SOCKET_PATH is owned by rt:lighttpd, and is chmod-ded to g+rwx. This means that user lighttpd needs to be in the rt group. One way to do that is to use vigr. If you don't like that, edit /etc/init.d/rt to suit your needs.

You will also need to edit /etc/lighttpd.conf to enable mod_fastcgi.

• Uncomment mod_fastcgi under server.modules
• set server.document-root
• set fastcgi.server to something like this:

fastcgi.server = ( "/rt" =>
( "rt" =>
(
"socket" => "/var/www/localhost/rt-3.6.1/var/appSocket",
"check-local" => "disable"
)
)
)

Be sure to set the correct path to socket (same as $FCGI_SOCKET_PATH in /etc/conf.d/rt).

Now, start rt and lighttpd:

/etc/init.d/rt start
/etc/init.d/lighttpd start

If things don't seem to be working, check the lighttpd logs in /var/log/lighttpd and edit /etc/init.d/rt as per the comments in the file to make the rt daemon more verbose.

Note: you should be able to use this initscript with any fastcgi-enabled webserver. Please send me an email if you get rt to work with any other webserver.

Log in

Use your browser to log into RT. Username is root, and password is password. Change your password.

Comments, questions, problems

Missing dependencies?

Q: There's some dependencies not mentioned in this guide, that also need to be installed, I installed these as well to get it running: dev-perl/dbix-searchbuilder dev-perl/DBI dev-perl/DBIx-DBSchema dev-perl/DBIx-ContextualFetch. Could someone please post exact versions of these additional CPAN requirements in a working installation?

A: The first two are pulled in by the ebuild; the last two are not required (according to the docs).

Out of memory! / Callback called exit

Q: I'm having problems after following this guide. I succeeded in seeing the login screen once, but was not able to log in. At subsequent requests, the apache error log just gives me:

Out of memory!
Callback called exit.

I tried the users list, seems others are also having a similar problem:

Hello Steffen,

have the same issue. Tested with debian with out this issue. Seems to be a
gentoo only issue. You can find some email about this issue. I have no idea
till now.
Even last comment to try running apache with mpm_worker is not solving the
issue.

Thanks,
Thomas

On Thursday 06 April 2006 13:44, Steffen Poulsen wrote:

>> Thomas Knoezinger wrote:
>
>>> >P.S: Please let me know if you installation of rt is eating a lot of
>>> > memory even for prompting login page.
>
>>
>> Seems like it's finally getting to run, after mason was compiled for
>> modperl support  :-)
>>
>> But you're right, it only managed to show the login-page once -
>> subsequent requests just puts this in apache error log:
>>
>> Out of memory!
>> Callback called exit.
>>
>> Any ideas?
>>
>> // Steffen, Denmark

Looking forward to see this baby run with Gentoo, hope you can help! :-)

// Steffen

Installing an earlier version of DBD-mysql got me past the login screen.

# emerge -p --oneshot =DBD-mysql-3.0002
 
 

If this helps other as well, it might be helpful to have it added to the version requirements.

// Steffen

A: Please file a bug on bugs.gentoo.org

Update

Using the SQL provided here ( http://lists.fsck.com/pipermail/rt-users/2006-July/040410.html ), it seems to have solved the Out of memory / Callback called exit errors. Works with newest available DBD-mysql (DBD-mysql-3.0008) and mysql version 5.0.22-log.

mysql 4.1

Q: Finally got this semi-working with mysql 4.1 by editing the links section of the schema file and specifying a latin charset. Now I have a "functioning" system, but the session variable doesn't seem to work. You have to log back in after every link you click. If anyone's beaten this, please let me know. clifford -atta- clevergeek.com

A: See http://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=131399

Upgrades

3.6.1 is out in portage! Can anyone provide some advice on how to upgrade from 3.6.0 to 3.6.1 in gentoo?

/Normally/ this should just be as easy as "webapp-config -U -h rt.domain.foo rt 3.6.1". However, the problem here is that none of the ebuilds follow a common structure. eg, some of them install the RT html data into the htdocs, some install into the default hostroot/rt/share/html. It also looks like somewhere along the line someone's changed the default install prefix from hostroot/rt to hostroot/rt-version, so 3.6.1 will install to hostroot/rt-3.6.1 -- TomLanyon