Installing the COD - Tutorial

The Crystallography Open Database is based on the Apache/MySQL/PHP combination provided by the EasyPHP distribution. This can perform either in standalone mode or as a internet or intranet server (the tutorial is for a PC running under Windows XP).

1 - Download EasyPHP at: http://www.easyphp.org/
Install it preferably at C:\EasyPHP

2 - Download the COD distribution at : http://www.crystallography.net/cod/cod.zip

Create a subdirectory C:\EasyPHP\www\cod\ and unzip the cod.zip file into it.
You will obtain several other zipped files, dispatch them according to the following :
- cif.zip contains le CIF files to be unzipped into C:\EasyPHP\www\cod\cif\ (to be created)
- MySQL-cod.zip contains the database files, to be unzipped into C:\EasyPHP\mysql\data\cod\ (to be created)

3 - Start EasyPHP by a double click on C:\EasyPHP\easyphp.exe :


The EasyPHP icone appears at the bottom right of your screen. Clicking on it with the mouse right button offers a list of possibilities
(help, configuration, administration, stop/start, quit).

Now have a look at the COD database, click on "administration", this should open your default browser locally at http://127.0.0.1/home/  :



In case of problem, change http://127.0.0.1/home/ by http://localhost/home/ or configure correctly the Apache server through EasyPHP.

Then click on the PhpMyAdmin button :



Then click on "Home" and select the "cod" database :



The cod database is running, visit the page, but be carefull, you can destroy it...

Click on "data" for more :



From the above page, showing the intimate structure of that simple database, you may insert new data in the "data" table from a textfile (and more...) :



Click on "insert data from a textfile into table" :



See a short introduction about how new entries are added into the COD at http://www.crystallography.net/cod/mysqlcod.html

The text file is prepared either from CIF or REF files by using the CIF2COD and REF2COD software.

4 - Download PhpEditor at : http://www.scatlaws.com/voirprog.php3?prog=phpeditor&lg=en

Unfortunately, this is a software in french...

- Install PhpEditor, for instance at C:\EasyPHP\PhpEditor\ (to be created).

Run PhpEditor, opening C:\easyphp\www\cod\index.html 


You may have to configure some parts :
Fichier : C:\EasyPHP\www\cod\index.html
URL : localhost/cod/index.html
Site : localhost/cod/

Click on "Visualisation" - then just like if you had the Internet connection you obtain the COD entry page :


Click on "Search the database" :



Now you can combine any possibilities in the search and obtain the result. See hints and tips at http://www.crystallography.net/cod/tips.html

Nevertheless, if the hyperlink to a CIF points to the Internet (at IUCr journals for instance), you will not obtain that CIF, unless your PC is connected to the Internet, of course.

Best wishes !

Updated July 2003