What This Page Does

The ComusThumbz Installer is a step-by-step setup wizard that walks you through getting your new site up and running. It checks that your hosting is ready, connects to your database, creates all the folders and settings your site needs, and sets up your admin password -- all in seven simple stages.

[Screenshot: installer-welcome-screen]

How to Get Here

Open your web browser and go to yourdomain.com/install/ -- the installer loads automatically when you visit that address for the first time.

Understanding the Page

When you first open the installer, you see a welcome screen with a brief introduction to ComusThumbz and its main features: Video Platform, Gallery System, Live Webcams, and Creator Platform.

Sidebar

On the left side of the screen you see a list of all seven stages. As you complete each one, a green checkmark appears next to it. The stage you are currently on is highlighted.

Main Area

The right side of the screen shows the content for the current stage -- forms to fill out, checklists, or progress indicators. At the bottom of this area you find Previous and Continue buttons to move between stages.

Progress Bar

A visual progress bar across the top shows how far along you are. Completed stages appear green, the current stage glows, and upcoming stages are gray.

Common Tasks

How to Start the Installation

1. Open the welcome screen at yourdomain.com/install/.
2. Review the feature overview cards to see what ComusThumbz includes.
3. Click Begin Installation to start Stage 1.

Stage 1: Check Your Server

This stage automatically checks whether your hosting meets the requirements for running ComusThumbz. You do not need to do anything except review the results.

1. Wait for the checks to finish. Each item shows a green checkmark (passed), yellow triangle (optional improvement), or red cross (must fix).
2. If everything critical passes, you see a green message at the bottom: "All critical requirements passed!"
3. Click Continue to move to Stage 2.

Stage 2: Connect Your Database

This stage connects ComusThumbz to your database and creates all the tables your site needs.

1. Type your Database Host (usually localhost -- your hosting provider can confirm this).
2. Type your Database Name (the name of the database you created in your hosting control panel).
3. Type your Database Username.
4. Type your Database Password.
5. Click Test Connection.
6. If the connection is successful, you see a green confirmation message.
7. Click Create Database Tables to set up the database. A progress bar shows the process in real time.
8. When the progress bar reaches 100%, click Continue.

Stage 3: Set Up Your Site Information

This stage creates your site's main settings file. Fill in the details about your site.

Site Information

1. Type your Site Name -- this is the name visitors see in the browser tab and on your homepage.
2. Type your Admin Email -- this is where admin notifications are sent.
3. Optionally type a Site Description -- a short sentence about what your site offers (helps with search engine visibility).
4. Optionally type Site Keywords -- comma-separated words that describe your site's content.

Path and Timezone

1. Review the Site Path -- this is auto-detected and usually does not need to be changed.
2. Select your Timezone from the dropdown.

License (Optional)

1. If you have a ComusThumbz license key, type it in the License Key field along with the License Email you used when purchasing.

Webmaster and Error Pages

1. Type your Webmaster Name (your name or your company name).
2. Optionally set custom error redirect pages. Leave these blank to use the defaults.

Thumbnail Sizes

1. Review the default image sizes. The defaults work well for most sites. Only change these if you have a specific design requirement.

1. Click Continue when everything looks correct.

Stage 4: Create Folders

This stage creates all the folders your site needs for storing videos, images, logs, and other files.

1. Review the list of folders. Each one shows its current status:

• Ready (green) -- Already exists and working.
• Will Create (blue) -- Will be created now.
• Not Writable (yellow) -- Exists but needs a permission fix.

1. Click Continue to create the folders.
2. After creation, each folder shows whether it was successfully created, already existed, or had its permissions fixed.

Stage 5: Import Default Data

This stage loads the starter data your site needs to work properly, such as the admin menu, default settings, and sample categories.

1. Review the three import options:

• Admin Menu Structure (required) -- Sets up all the menus in your admin panel.
• Default Settings (required) -- Loads your site's initial configuration.
• Sample Categories (optional) -- Adds eight starter content categories like Popular, Trending, HD, and more. You can edit or delete these later.

1. Make sure the required options are checked.
2. Click Continue to import.
3. Each option shows a result: green checkmark (imported), blue arrow (skipped because data already exists), or red cross (error).

Stage 6: Set Your Admin Password

This stage sets the password you use to log in to your admin panel.

1. Type a strong password in the Password field.
2. Type the same password again in the Confirm Password field.
3. Watch the real-time checklist and strength meter as you type:

• The checklist shows whether your password meets each requirement (length, uppercase, lowercase, number, special character).
• The strength meter rates your password as Weak, Fair, Good, or Strong.

1. Once all requirements show green checkmarks and both passwords match, click Continue.

Password Requirements:

Stage 7: Final Check and Completion

This stage runs a final check to make sure everything was set up correctly.

1. Review the verification checklist. Each item shows a green checkmark (passed) or red cross (needs attention):

• Settings file exists
• Database connection works
• Database tables are in place
• Admin password is set
• Log and upload folders are ready

1. Review the Installation Summary cards showing your site name, database, admin login details, and system information.
2. If all checks pass, click Complete Installation.

After clicking Complete Installation, you see a success screen with two buttons:

• Go to Admin Panel -- Takes you straight to your admin login page.
• View Website -- Opens your site's homepage.

[Screenshot: installation-complete]

After Installation: Important Next Steps

Once the installer finishes, there are a few important things to do right away.

1. Delete the Install Folder

2. Log In to Your Admin Panel

1. Go to yourdomain.com/ct/admin/ (or use the Go to Admin Panel button from the completion screen).
2. Type the password you created in Stage 6.
3. Click Login.

3. Review Your Settings

Once logged in, go to Settings in the admin menu and review your site configuration. Make sure your site name, description, and email look correct.

4. Start Adding Content

Go to the Import or Database sections of the admin menu to start adding videos, galleries, and models to your site.

5. Set Up Scheduled Tasks

Your hosting provider may need to set up scheduled tasks (sometimes called "cron jobs") so that videos process automatically and your site stays up to date. Check the admin panel under Robots > Cron Jobs for instructions, or ask your hosting provider for help.

Tips for New Users

Troubleshooting

The installer says my server does not meet requirements

What you see: Red crosses next to one or more items in Stage 1.

How to fix it: Contact your hosting provider and share the list of failed items. Ask them to update your hosting to meet those requirements. Once they confirm the changes, click Continue to re-check.

I cannot connect to the database

What you see: A red error message in Stage 2 after clicking Test Connection.

How to fix it:

1. Go back to your hosting control panel and verify your database name, username, and password.
2. Make sure the database exists. If not, create one in your hosting panel first.
3. Re-enter the correct details in the installer and click Test Connection again.
4. If you are still stuck, try changing the Database Host from localhost to 127.0.0.1 (or the other way around).

The database setup seems stuck or very slow

What you see: The progress bar in Stage 2 is not moving, or the page seems frozen.

How to fix it:

1. Wait a moment -- large databases take time to set up.
2. If nothing happens after a minute, refresh the page. The installer saves your progress and picks up where it left off.
3. If the problem continues, contact your hosting provider and mention that the database import is timing out.

The settings file could not be saved

What you see: A text box appears in Stage 3 with file contents and a Copy to Clipboard button.

How to fix it:

1. Click Copy to Clipboard.
2. Open your hosting control panel's file manager.
3. Navigate to the ct/dat/ folder on your site.
4. Create a new file called config.inc.php.
5. Paste the copied contents into that file and save it.
6. Return to the installer and click Continue.

Some folders could not be created

What you see: Red "Failed" labels next to some folders in Stage 4.

How to fix it: Contact your hosting provider and ask them to create those specific folders with write permissions. Then return to the installer and click Retry Folder Creation.

My password is not accepted

What you see: The Continue button in Stage 6 does not work, or you see an error message about password requirements.

How to fix it:

1. Check the real-time checklist next to the password field. Each requirement should show a green checkmark.
2. Make sure your password has at least 8 characters, one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number, and one special character.
3. Make sure both password fields contain exactly the same text. Use the eye icon to double-check.

The final check shows red items

What you see: One or more items in Stage 7 show a red cross instead of a green checkmark.

How to fix it:

1. Read the description next to each failed item -- it tells you which earlier stage to revisit.
2. Use the Previous button or click the stage name in the sidebar to go back and fix the issue.
3. Return to Stage 7 and the checks run again automatically.

Reset Installation

If something goes wrong and you want to start completely over:

1. Click Reset Installation at the bottom of the sidebar.
2. A confirmation message appears explaining what will happen.
3. Click OK to confirm.

After resetting, you return to the welcome screen and can begin the installation again.

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