TWiki2Go

Description

TWiki2Go is a TWiki that runs out of box without any installation on Windows. It supports full TWiki functionality and can also run other PHP, MySQL and Perl applications!
Just extract TWiki2Go.zip to any directory and start .\TWiki2Go\server2go.exe.

TWiki2Go runs on Server2Go from Timo Haberkern, see http://server2go-web.de/.

The attached TWiki2Go.zip is based on TWiki 4.2.0 rc 2 Windows Installer.

Use Cases

• Use TWiki2Go to take your intranet with you when you are on the road. Content can be updated from intranet with TWiki2GoUpdate.
• Use TWiki2Go to try TWiki without installing anything on your Windows PC.

TODOs

• Test additional plugins and add-ons
• Test TWiki2Go on write protected mediums, e.g. CD-ROM
• Reduce size of package. Zip file is quite big for up-/downloading on TWiki.org (68MB, 203MB unzipped). (Our Intranet TWiki is 2GB without rcs archives, 5GB includig rcs archives, so the size of the server does not matter that much).
  • Use TinyWeb webserver instead of Server2Go, but Server2Go supports more features (see TWikiForWindowsPersonal, TWiki 4.2rc2 with TinyWeb: zipped 17MB, unzipped 50MB)
    or
  • Reduce Server2Go ./server/ size
    • Remove PHP support (- 45MB), probably needs to recompile Server2Go ?!?
    • Remove unused Perl packages (- 100MB)
    • Another idea: Compile TWiki to a single twiki.exe with PerlApp from ActiveState (-100MB). This would need to rewrite some parts of TWiki, like loading of modules and parameter handling. Perl would not be required at all, but installation of additonal plugins after compile time would not be possible.

What is Server2Go

Server2Go runs on Windows, a MacOS version is under development.

From website: "Server2Go is a Webserver that runs out of box without any installation. That means it is a webserver that can run directly from cdrom, usb stick or from any folder on harddisk. Server2Go allows you to create a standalone working web site or PHP application on a CD-ROM. Server2Go was primary developed for the usage on CD-ROM but there is no problem use it from other drives too. Using a web browser, a user can run php programs as well as view html files on the CD-ROM."

Attention: This is not free GPLed software, it is "donationware" where you need to pay if commercially used.

• Website: http://server2go-web.de/

How to build TWiki2Go

It is not possible to upload a zipped TWiki2Go here. You can build it yourself by:

• download Server2Go
• download TWiki (I used the Windows installation from TWikiOnWindows and installed it)
• copy complete TWiki installation into ./htdocs dir of Server2Go
• set up TWiki2Go by unzipping TWiki2Go_patch.zip. This will do all necessary changes described below...

Changes on TWiki

search for MTH in TWiki sources

adapt perl scripts/packages:

• rename to *.pl
• change shebang to #!Perl
• search does not work ???
  • Sandbox.pm: sysCommand() executes in REAL_SAFE_PIPE_OPEN, but does not work -> force to execute in unsafe shell (dos command)
  • Forking.pm: option wordboundaries is always true, uncommented

        if ($options->{wordboundaries} ) {
            #TWiki::Func::writeDebug( "MTH-DEBUG: Forking->search - wordboundaries");
            #MTH $searchString = '\b'.quotemeta( $searchString ).'\b';
        }
        

make all paths relative:

• change all (requires expert mode) paths in configure.pl
• lib/TWiki/Sandbox.pm line TODO; removed check for relative paths:

          #MTH do not throw error with relative paths, required for !TWiki2Go
          #if ($component eq '..') {
          #    throw Error::Simple( 'relative path in filename '.$string );
          #} elsif ($component =~ /$TWiki::cfg{NameFilter}/) { 

optional Changes on TWiki

• install TWiki2GoUpdate / TWiki2GoUpdateAddOn
• remove rcs archives (to save disk space)

Changes on Server2Go

• remove server/MySQL to save disk space
• PHP could not be removed

splash screen

• splash screen for TWiki2Go:
  

Known issues

• ChartPlugin does not work
• start of Server2Go failed on some PCs.
• problems with newer Firefox versions (v3)

-- Contributors: MatthiasThullner - 26 Dec 2007

Discussion

Thanks Matthias for sharing this with the TWikiCommunity!

Small feedback: The TWiki logo has been designed for a light background, it does not look nice on a black background as seen in the splash screen. A TWiki logo with black background should be created.

-- PeterThoeny - 02 Jan 2008

I increased the attach file limit to 100GB in the Codev web, you should be able to attach the package now.

-- PeterThoeny - 02 Jan 2008

Thanks Matthias for attaching the zip file.

Suggestion: Use the TWiki convention for release package names. For example, TWikiRelease04x02x00rc2 is TWiki-4.2.0-rc2.zip, TWikiForWindowsPersonal's package is TWiki-WP-4.0.5.zip. Your package could be named TWiki2Go-4.2.0-rc2.zip.

-- PeterThoeny - 08 Jan 2008

Peter,

I agree that a naming convention for 'release' packages is a good idea, what about TWiki2Go-Windows-4.2.0rc2.zip

Can you please rename the package to TWiki2Go-Windows-4.2.0rc2.zip. Upload took very long and I do not want to waste sever disk space by uploading the same package with a different name.

BTW I removed TWiki2GoUpdate from TWiki2Go, if wanted, everybody can install the add-on seperatly afterwars.

-- MatthiasThullner - 08 Jan 2008

When using this configuration, what is the best way to add additional perl modules? I am used to running perl on Linux and using CPAN. I see CPAN is available, however the paths are not configured correctly. In addition there appears to be more than one perl instance.

-- GilbertJones - 18 Oct 2008

Okay, so for anyone interested. I modified the local \server\Perl2\lib\config.pm which is used by CPAN by replacing all instances of C:\XAMP\ with the path to the perl installation. In addition I am running MSvisual Studio express which the config.pm apparently has paths for. NMake appears to work fine, the only problem now is that when trying to install a new module I receive a bad path error immediately after NMake is called. From this it appears NMake is not interpreting something correctly because the output is pointing to C:\Program Maybe a parsing error due to a space after Program? If anyone can tell me a better way to add perl modules to this install I would be greatly appreciative.

-- GilbertJones - 18 Oct 2008

Oh, Btw those sneaky French having some paths that need to be changed in Config.pm look for programme and change it to the correct path. Even with all the path changes I cannot figure out where nmake is grabbing the reference to C:\program and then bombing out.

-- GilbertJones - 18 Oct 2008

Gilbert,

which Perl module do you want to install and why?

-- MatthiasThullner - 18 Oct 2008

The primary reason for wanting to add some additional perl modules is so that I can mimic the setup I have at work. I would like to add the modules needed for supporting NuSkin as I am trying to tweak the skin for use on our intranet.

-- GilbertJones - 22 Oct 2008

I would install them in a different 'primary' Perl installation on the PC and just copy the modules to TWiki2Go.

-- MatthiasThullner - 22 Oct 2008