Transana-MU Setup Instructions

Setup Instructions for Linux Network Servers

The first step is to install MySQL. Transana 2.3-MU requires MySQL 4.1.x or later. We have tested Transana 2.3-MU with 5.0.27-max on Fedora Core 6 Linux, (also MySQL 4.1.13-max on Windows 2000, and 4.1.14-max on Mac OS X 10.3.9,) though it will likely work with other versions of MySQL and other Linux distributions as well. Please note that MySQL 4.0.x does not support the UTF-8 character set, so should not be used with Transana 2.3-MU.

Install MySQL

Follow these directions to set up MySQL.

1. Download the "Max" version of MySQL for your particular Linux distribution, not the "Standard" version. It is available at http://www.mysql.com. (Note that your Linux distribution may come with MySQL installed. If so, you will need to ensure that it is version 4.1.x or later, and that it is the "Max" version rather than the "Standard" version.)

NOTE: The extensive MySQL documentation available on the MySQL Web Site can help you make sense of the rest of these instructions. I strongly recommend you familiarize yourself with the MySQL Manual, as it can answer many of your questions.

2. You probably want to download and install the MySQL Administrator as well. It's the easiest way to create and manage user accounts.

3. Install MySQL from the Disk Image file. Follow the on screen instructions. Be sure to assign a password to the root user account. (This prevents unauthorized access to your MySQL database by anyone who knows about this potential security hole.)

4. You need to set the value of the "max_allowed_packet" variable to at least 8,388,608. For my setup, using MySQL 5.0.27-max on Fedora Core 6, I edited the "my.cnf" file in /etc, adding the following line to the [mysqld] section:

     max_allowed_packet=8500000

Exactly what you do may differ, of course.

Set up MySQL Database and User Accounts

Here's what I do. It's the easiest way I've found to manage databases and accounts while maintaining database security. You are, of course, free to manage MySQL however you choose.

I have downloaded and installed the MySQL GUI Tools from the MySQL Web Site. These tools work nicely to manage databases and user accounts, as well as to manipulate data in MySQL tables. The tools have minor differences on different platforms, so the following directions are necessarily a bit vague on the details.

First I use the MySQL Administrator tool to create databases (called "catalogs" and "schemas" in the tool.) Go to the "Catalogs" page and choose to create a new "schema."

Second, still within the MySQL Administrator tool, I go to the Accounts page. I create a new user account, filling in (at least) the User Name and Password fields on the General tab. I then go to the Schema Privileges tab, select a user account (in some versions, you select a host, usually "%" under the user account, in others you select the user account itself,) and a specific database (schema), then assign specific privileges. I generally assign all privileges except "Grant" but you may choose to try a smaller subset if you wish. The "Select," "Insert," "Update," "Delete," "Create," and "Alter" privileges are all required. You may assign privileges to multiple databases for a single user account if you wish. Once I'm done setting privileges, I save or apply the settings and move on to the next user account.

I have chosen to give my own user account "God-like" privileges within MySQL so that I can look at and manipulate all data in all database without having to assign myself specific privileges. This also allows me to create new Transana databases from within Transana-MU rather than having to run the MySQL Administrator. To accomplish this, I used the MySQL Query tool to go into MySQL's "mysql" database and edit my user account's entry in the "users" table to give my account global privileges. Please note that this is NOT a "best practice" or a recommendation, and is not even a good idea for most users. I mention it here, however, as I know some users will want to do this.

These instructions are not meant to be detailed or comprehensive. They are intended only to help people get started with Transana-MU. Please see the documentation on the MySQL site for more information on manipulating databases, user accounts, and privileges.

Set up the Transana Message Server

Once you've set up MySQL user accounts, you should set up version 2.30 of the Transana Message Server. It does not need to be on the same server as MySQL, though it may be.

The following directions for setting up the Message Server work on Fedora Core Linux 6 for me. If you are using a different Linux distribution and they don't work for you, I'm afraid I can't help you. However, if you figure out something that works, please let me know and I'll be happy to post it here for others to follow.

1. If your server is running an earlier version of the Transana Message Server, you need to remove the old Message Server before installing the new one. See the Transana Message Server 2.30 Upgrade guide.

2. Download TransanaMessageServer230Linux.zip from the Transana web site. The link to the download page is in your Transana-MU Purchase Receipt e-mail.

3. Create a /usr/local/TransanaMessageServer folder and unzip the archive there. Please read the License Agreement, included in the archive, as installing the software indicates that you accept the agreement's terms.

4. Make the MessageServer.py Python Script executable. The following command should work:

chmod a+x MessageServer.py

This can also be accomlished through the GUI File Browser through the Permissions Tab of the file's Properties screen.

5. If you want the Transana Message Server to start automatically when the server starts up, follow these instructions:

Locate the /etc/rc.d/rc.local file and edit it. Add the following on a single line:

/usr/bin/python /usr/local/TransanaMessageServer/MessageServer.py &

Don't overlook the "&" character at the end of the line, or your server may lock up on restart. Reboot your computer now so that the Transana Message Server will start.

5. If you don't want the Transana Message Server to start automatically, you will need to open a Terminal window and start the Transana Message Server manually when you want to use Transana. type:

python /usr/local/TransanaMessageServer/MessageServer.py

Configure the Firewall

If you will have Transana-MU users connecting to the MySQL and Transana Message Server instances you just set up from outside the network, you need to make sure port 3306 for MySQL and port 17595 for the Transana Message Server are accessible from outside the network. This will probably require explicitly configuring your firewall software to allow traffic through to these ports. Consult your firewall software's documentation to learn how to do this.

Creating a Shared Network Volume for Video Storage

Finally, you must create a shared network volume where users can store any video that will be shared with all Transana-MU users. Be sure to allocate sufficient disk space for all necessary video files. This volume may be on your Linux Server or on another computer, but it must be accessible to all Transana-MU users on your network.

If you will have Transana-MU users connecting to the MySQL and Transana Message Server instances you just set up from outside the network, they will need to set up their own parallel Video Storage volumes.

Now configure the client computers

Each user will need the following information to connect to the server programs you have just set up:

• Username and password. (Don't create a single user account for users to share. The analytic process flows more smoothly when users can tell who else is interacting with the data, who has locked a record, and so on.)
• The DSN or IP address of the MySQL Server computer.
• The name of the database set up for the project.
• The DSN or IP address of the Transana Message Server computer, if different from the MySQL Server computer.
• Instructions on how to connect to the local network's common video storage folder.

Once you have this information, you are ready to start setting up client computers for the members of the project.

Wait, you lost me. Take me back to the overview.

Click here for client computer setup instructions.