Frequently Asked Questions - Revision history

Th.lauke@arcor.de: typos removed

2025-02-25T10:04:11Z

typos removed

Drn@ecs.soton.ac.uk: No longer obsolete but certainly out of date

2022-01-21T12:36:31Z

No longer obsolete but certainly out of date

Drn@ecs.soton.ac.uk: Remove Metadata FAQ as only one question on that page, so moved here.

2022-01-21T12:35:49Z

Remove Metadata FAQ as only one question on that page, so moved here.

Drn@ecs.soton.ac.uk: /* What computer do we need? */

2021-05-25T09:24:10Z

‎What computer do we need?

Drn@ecs.soton.ac.uk: /* Example usage requirements */

2021-05-25T09:21:17Z

‎Example usage requirements

Libjlrs: Source formatting

2021-05-21T11:19:21Z

Source formatting

Drn@ecs.soton.ac.uk: /* How do I get the body HTML of a page without the template around it? */

2021-04-29T15:47:25Z

‎How do I get the body HTML of a page without the template around it?

Drn@ecs.soton.ac.uk: Added a bit more details of space required plus example usage.

2021-04-29T15:36:04Z

Added a bit more details of space required plus example usage.

Drn@ecs.soton.ac.uk: /* What computer do we need? */

2021-04-29T14:36:49Z

‎What computer do we need?

Drn@ecs.soton.ac.uk: /* What operating systems can we use? */

2021-04-29T08:59:40Z

‎What operating systems can we use?

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 EPrints should work on any Linux operating system. We use Ubuntu (Debian) and Redhat Enterprise Linux.
-Running EPrints on Microsoft Windows is possible but strongly not recommended.  It can be very difficult to get all the necessary dependencies in place.  If you want to get EPrints running but do not have as computer running a Linux operating system.  You could install [https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads VirtualBox] and then create a Ubuntu or Redhat "virtual machine" (VM) to run on top of your Windows operating system.  Alternatively, you could install [https://docs.docker.com/docker-for-windows/install/ Docker Desktop for Windows] and [[Installing EPrints using Docker|install EPrints using Docker]].  However, both these methods are only recommended for testing or demoing EPrints.  If you intend to run EPrints long-term you should install on a dedicated Linux server or virtual machine.
+Running EPrints on Microsoft Windows is possible but strongly not recommended.  It can be very difficult to get all the necessary dependencies in place.  If you want to get EPrints running but do not have a computer running a Linux operating system, you could install [https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads VirtualBox] and then create a Ubuntu or Redhat "virtual machine" (VM) to run on top of your Windows operating system.  Alternatively, you could install [https://docs.docker.com/docker-for-windows/install/ Docker Desktop for Windows] and [[Installing EPrints using Docker|install EPrints using Docker]].  However, both these methods are only recommended for testing or demoing EPrints.  If you intend to run EPrints long-term you should install on a dedicated Linux server or virtual machine.
 == What computer do we need? ==
@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 == How much disk space will we need? ==
-The main usage of disk space will be the uploaded files for the publications, (e.g. PDF, Word documents, etc.).  On average an eprint item will have associated files (e.g. uploaded PDF and thumbnail and preview images of that PDF) that take up 2MB of disk space.  So for every extra 500 eprint items you will need an extra 1GB of disk.  However, if you intend to upload lots of videos, images, are large documents, then this requirement will be higher.  On top of the space needed for uploaded documents and associated files you will need approximately 5GB for installing the operating system.  The disk space required by the database is difficult to determine, as this is dependent on a number of different factors but 1MB per eprint item.
+The main usage of disk space will be the uploaded files for the publications, (e.g. PDF, Word documents, etc.).  On average an eprint item will have associated files (e.g. uploaded PDF and thumbnail and preview images of that PDF) that take up 2MB of disk space.  So for every extra 500 eprint items you will need an extra 1GB of disk.  However, if you intend to upload lots of videos, images, or large documents, then this requirement will be higher.  On top of the space needed for uploaded documents and associated files you will need approximately 5GB for installing the operating system.  The disk space required by the database is difficult to determine, as this is dependent on a number of different factors but 1MB per eprint item.
 === Example usage requirements ===
 * Small repository: 1000 eprint items
@@ Line 70: / Line 70: @@
 This is handy for dynamically linking EPrints content into other sites.
-For "view" pages you need to add the option <code>include=>1</code> to the view configuration.  This will cause generate_views to make a ''.include'' page in addition to the ''.html'' page. The ''.include'' page will have no template around it.
+For "view" pages you need to add the option <code>include=>1</code> to the view configuration.  This will cause [[API:bin/generate_views|generate_views]] to make a ''.include'' page in addition to the ''.html'' page. The ''.include'' page will have no template around it.
-For dynamic pages, those under ''/cgi/'', you can add the cgi parameter <code>mainonly=yes</code>.  E.g. <code>http://tryme.demo.eprints-hosting.org/cgi/latest?mainonly=yes</code>
+For dynamic pages, i.e. those under ''/cgi/'', you can add the cgi parameter <code>mainonly=yes</code>.  E.g. <code><nowiki>http://tryme.demo.eprints-hosting.org/cgi/latest?mainonly=yes</nowiki></code>
 == How do I get statistics on number of deposits per month? ==
-This rather grim bit of SQL should work, although datestamp is the last modified date, not the submission OR creation date, it should still give a good indication.
+This rather grim bit of SQL should work, although datestamp is the last modified date, neither the submission nor creation date, it should still give a good indication.
 <syntaxhighlight lang="sql">
 select count(*), year(datestamp), month(datestamp)
@@ Line 88: / Line 88: @@
 While EPrints tries to automatically reload when a configuration file is changed you may need to reload the Web server for changes to take effect. See also the [[API:bin/epadmin|epadmin reload]], the [[API:bin/generate_static|generate_static]] and [[API:bin/generate_views|generate_views]] commands.
-= How to I add a metadata field to a live repository? =
+= How do I add a metadata field to a live repository? =
 See [[Adding a Field to a Live Repository]].
 = Installation Related Questions =
-== When running a script I get the error; "Insecure dependency in mkdir while running with -T switch" ==
+== When running a script I get the error "Insecure dependency in mkdir while running with -T switch" ==
-This usually indicates you are running an eprints script as root. Don't do that; become user 'eprints' instead.
+This usually indicates you are running an eprints script as root. Don't do that; become user 'eprints' instead by <code>su - eprints</code>.
 == title and fulltext search returns no results, but date search does ==
-The indexer daemon is probably not running or is not working correctly, see [[API:bin/indexer]].
+The indexer daemon is probably not running or is not working correctly, see [[API:bin/indexer|indexer]].
 == I don't want to give epadmin my mysql root password. What is the alternative? ==
@@ Line 122: / Line 122: @@
 </syntaxhighlight>
-See [[API:EPrints/DataObj]].
+See [[API:EPrints/DataObj|DataObj]].
 == How can I get a utf8 string of the name of a subject, given its subjectid? ==
@@ Line 133: / Line 133: @@
 	if( !defined $subj )
+	{
-		return "errer, unknown subject: $subjectid";
+		return "error, unknown subject: $subjectid";
+	}
 	return EPrints::Utils::tree_to_utf8( $subj->render_description() );
+}
 </syntaxhighlight>

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[Category:FAQ]]
 [[Category:Management]]
-[[Category: Out of Date]]
+[[Category:Out of Date]]
 This all needs sorting out, it's just being grabbed from the old wiki for now.

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 * [[Copyright and License FAQ]]
 * [[Searching FAQ]]
 * [[OAI FAQ]]
@@ Line 89: / Line 88: @@
 While EPrints tries to automatically reload when a configuration file is changed you may need to reload the Web server for changes to take effect. See also the [[API:bin/epadmin|epadmin reload]], the [[API:bin/generate_static|generate_static]] and [[API:bin/generate_views|generate_views]] commands.
 = Installation Related Questions =

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 Any modern physical PC (server or desktop) or a virtual machine should be more than capable of running EPrints.  A suggested minimum specification for running a live service:
 * 2GB RAM
-* 20GB disk space
+* 15GB disk space
 * 100Mb/s network speed

@@ Line 47: / Line 47: @@
 * Large repository: 100,000 eprint items
 ** Operating system: 5GB
-** Upload and associated files: 2MB x 10,000 = 200GB
+** Upload and associated files: 2MB x 100,000 = 200GB
-** Database: 1MB x 10,000 = 100GB
+** Database: 1MB x 100,000 = 100GB
 ** '''TOTAL:''' 305GB (350-400GB to give room for expansion)

@@ Line 64: / Line 64: @@
 If you are installing a new copy of eprints, you can specify the user and group to use when you run 'configure'. Do
+<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
- ./configure --help
+./configure --help
+</syntaxhighlight>
 for details.
@@ Line 74: / Line 74: @@
 For "view" pages you need to add the option <code>include=>1</code> to the view configuration.  This will cause generate_views to make a ''.include'' page in addition to the ''.html'' page. The ''.include'' page will have no template around it.
-For dynamic pages, those under ''/cgi/'', you can add the cgi parameter <code>mainonly=yes</code>.  E.g.
+For dynamic pages, those under ''/cgi/'', you can add the cgi parameter <code>mainonly=yes</code>.  E.g. <code>http://tryme.demo.eprints-hosting.org/cgi/latest?mainonly=yes</code>
 == How do I get statistics on number of deposits per month? ==
 This rather grim bit of SQL should work, although datestamp is the last modified date, not the submission OR creation date, it should still give a good indication.
+<syntaxhighlight lang="sql">
- select count(*), year(datestamp), month(datestamp)
+select count(*), year(datestamp), month(datestamp)
- from archive
+from archive
- group by year(datestamp),month(datestamp)
+group by year(datestamp),month(datestamp)
- order by year(datestamp),month(datestamp);
+order by year(datestamp),month(datestamp);
 == I've edited the template (or other config file) but nothing seems to have changed - why? ==
@@ Line 101: / Line 101: @@
 == I don't want to give epadmin my mysql root password. What is the alternative? ==
+<syntaxhighlight lang="sql">
   mysql> CREATE DATABASE myrepo;
   Query OK, 1 row affected (0.06 sec)
@@ Line 107: / Line 107: @@
   mysql> GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON myrepo.* TO myrepo@localhost IDENTIFIED BY 'secret';
   Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.52 sec)
 Then provide the database name, user name and password to the '''[[API:bin/epadmin|epadmin]] create''' command.
@@ Line 114: / Line 115: @@
 (assuming the eprint is in the main archive, and has eprintid number 23)
-<source lang="perl">
+<syntaxhighlight lang="perl">
-  my $ds = $repo->dataset( "eprint" );
+my $ds = $repo->dataset( "eprint" );
-  my $eprint = $ds->dataobj( 23 );
+my $eprint = $ds->dataobj( 23 );
-  my $value = $eprint->value( "editors" );
+my $value = $eprint->value( "editors" );
-</source>
+</syntaxhighlight>
 See [[API:EPrints/DataObj]].
@@ Line 124: / Line 125: @@
 == How can I get a utf8 string of the name of a subject, given its subjectid? ==
-<source lang="perl">
+<syntaxhighlight lang="perl">
-  sub get_subject_name_string
+sub get_subject_name_string
-−
+{
 	my( $session, $subjectid ) = @_;
 	my $subj = EPrints::Subject->new( $session, $subjectid );
@@ Line 134: / Line 135: @@
+	}
 	return EPrints::Utils::tree_to_utf8( $subj->render_description() );
-−
+}
-</source>
+</syntaxhighlight>

@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 See [[How much will it cost?]]
-== How much diskspace will we need? ==
+== How much disk space will we need? ==
 == Is it possible when depositing a document, to just point to an "alternative location" rather than have the full text copied and held in the eprint archive? ==