How to work with Drupal (Apps + Paid hosting)

I have a dreamhostapps account and a paid Dreamhost hosting account.

I'm wondering, after installing Drupal, how I would install modules? I was under the impression that to do that you would upload the modules via ftp... but I don't have any FTP access - so how does that work?

Also, this is a core install of drupal right? So you guys patch it?

Finally, how do the apps work in conjunction with the hosting? For example I create a drupal install at a subdomain but that doesn't appear in my domains/subdomains on my dreamhost account?

The Drupal App is DreamHost-hosted only, meaning you don't have access to install plugins and such. As far as patching, I believe that all they do is update to newer versions as they can.

If you want a *fully* customizable Drupal, you'll need to install it manually.

I don't know how well an Apps account integrates with a Hosting account as far as splitting a domain. I don't think it's very seamless, since it requires two sets of DNS records. If you have a Hosting account, then I don't see the point of using an Apps account. It doesn't get you anything that a Hosting plan doesn't.

-Scott

I'm confused... doesn't a dreamhost apps account provide me with additional installers I don't have with my dreamhost account? For example I'm able to install a wordpress blog, drupal, etc... so isn't that why one would use the apps when they have hosting already?

DreamHostApps looks to be the same set of apps we have available as an Easy One-Click installation. Those are the ones that are DreamHost hosted and can't be reached via FTP. They are, for the most part, a subset of the Advanced One-Click installs where we can modify them with themes and plugins.

DreamHostApps:
WordPress
Drupal
Zenphoto
phpBB
MediaWiki

Easy One-Clicks:
Panel's down right now, but from memory, it looks like the same list as DreamHostApps. The odd one being Drupal, which is an Easy and Apps install, but not Advanced.

Advanced One-Clicks:
Advanced Poll
DotProject
Gallery
Joomla
MediaWiki
Moodle
OpenX
phpBB
phpGedView
Pligg
Webcalendar
WordPress
ZenCart

-Scott

Edit: Panel is back up, and, yes, the Easy one-clicks are the same ones as DHApps.Edited by sdayman on 03/30/09 08:27 PM (server time).

DreamHostApps are basically the "Easy Mode" OneClicks available from a webhost account Panel.

Panel > Goodies > One-Click Installs




How To Install PHP.INI / ionCube on DreamHost

And I owe Scott another bloody internet




How To Install PHP.INI / ionCube on DreamHost

I'd settle for FiOS run directly to my brain, or at least to my house. You probably think I have no life since I seem to be on the forums all day. I do have a life...a tiny little one that's 5 months old and keeps me at home all the time. Two more weeks until she's all grown up and in daycare and I'll be back at work.

-Scott

Seems we're indebted to the young lass for affording us all with the ability to get faster advice and tech support from her dad, so we'd really have to come up with something of benefit to you both.

If we hooked you up with wireless you could do Teletubby shows at the DayCare!




How To Install PHP.INI / ionCube on DreamHost

Ok, so I'm confused. Is it possible to install Drupal separately then, so that I CAN add plugins/modules?

It would be a manual installation, like most open source software. Download it and install it from the command line.
http://drupal.org/getting-started

-Scott

? How do you get to the command line?! I'm not able to SSH in or anything...

So far I've done the following:

-Downloaded/extract Drupal locally (on windows)
-FTP'd it to my site (subdomain of my site)
-made permissions changes/settings file change/etc
-created a database via Dreamhost's MySQL manager...

Now I'm waiting for the access to the MySQL db to work (and hostname for it to be activated I guess, since db has its own hostname?).

It looks like you're off to a good start. Yes, db needs its own hostname.

And for command line:
http://wiki.dreamhost.com/Putty

-Scott

Yeah I already tried putty and it closes the session before I can see anything. I don't think I have SSH access - isn't that like premium-only services?

It's not premium-only. It just needs to be enabled in the panel for that user.
https://panel.dreamhost.com/index.cgi?tree=users.users&

-Scott

Thanks Scott. You rule.