BLOG DESIGN SOLUTIONS Migrating your files Next it s (Hosting your own web site)
BLOG DESIGN SOLUTIONS Migrating your files Next it s time to copy your files across. Edit db_connect.php so it has the correct username and password for your live database. Now open up your FTP software, connect to your web server, and copy the rest of your files and folders into the public_html folder. Check that your index.xml RSS file is read-writeable, as explained earlier. Finally, you need to password-protect your cms folder. This process will vary from ISP to ISP, but you will usually be provided with an Apache web control panel, which enables you to password-protect directories as well as a whole host of other operations (see Figure 7-26). Figure 7-26. Adding password protection using the Apache console And that s it: you exported and uploaded your entire MySQL blog database, transferred all your files to your public-facing website, and password-protected your CMS. Your blog is now live and awaiting posts and readers. The future The great thing about having your own blog engine is that you can keep improving it as you discover more techniques and cool stuff to add. I ll now discuss a few additions you could make to your blog by using the knowledge you have already gained. Flickr Flickr (www.flickr.com) is a fantastic photo-sharing site in which you can upload and share photographs, and what s more basic registration is free. Flickr provides a number of ways to display your photos on sites other than Flickr, and what better place to show them than your blog? The quickest and easiest way is to use the Flickr badge JavaScript or Flash code. Once you are signed up, you can go to www.flickr.com/badge.gne, follow the instructions, and cut and paste the code into your blog the ideal place is the sidebar of your homepage.