Introducing GeoClassifieds - Build Your Own Online Classifieds Website

Posted on 04-08-2008

Introducing GeoClassifieds - Build Your Own Online Classifieds Website

Filed Under (Classifieds Ads) by Heather Williamson

Have you ever dreamed of owning your own online classified ads website? Using GeoClassifieds, the online classifieds software solution, you can get yourself started for no money out of your pocket, and easily continue to add useful features as your business does.

GeoClassifieds was developed by Geodesic Solutions as part of their core product line. The business and IP professionals of Geodesic Software opened their doors in Dallas, Texas in 2001 and been delivering a variety of classified and auction software to a wide variety of international clients.

What does my server require?

GeoDesic Solutions creates 4 versions of their GeoClassifieds software. They have a Lite (free), Basic, Professional, and Enterprise version. No matter which version of GeoClassifeds you chose to install, you must have the following basic services on your Web host:

Unix/ Linux/ or Windows based host

PHP 4.3+

MySQL

GD Libraries

IonCube or Zend Optimizer (for license key for commercial versions)

GeoClassifieds is compatible with any popular browser from Internet Explorer to Safari. Users may want to have a high speed Internet connection, simply because the nature of classified ad software implies the use of a lot of small and large images associated with selling individual items.

Can My Server Install GeoClassifieds For Me?

Many web hosting providers use control panel software to allow the automatic installation of a preset list of programs. GeoDesic is not currently announcing an affiliation with any of these control panel developers, so you may not find it listed in your control panel. Because of the time involved in installing and configuring a PHP application on a Linux server, you may want to check your hosts control panel first. Most of them can be accessed through a Web Applications or Add New Application link on your control panel’s home page.

How Can I Manually Install GeoClassifieds?

In the event that your server control panel doesn’t list GeoClassifieds in its Web Applications, you can install it yourself with nothing more than FTP access to your server.

Open http://www.geodesicsolutions.com/products/classifieds/classifieds_lite.htm.

Click on the [download now] link located just to the right of the Price heading.

Save the file on your computer. Then once complete, extract the file into its own directory. You must maintain the directory structure of the ZIP file in order for the installation to be successful.

Create a database for use with GeoClassifieds on your web server. Most of the time you can do this through your host’s Control Panel. Write down the database location (often Localhost), database name, database administrator username, and administrator password.

Using a text editor, such as Notepad, open the config.php file located in the root directory of your GeoClassifieds software.

Carefully read through this file, and find the section labeled STEP 1. Beneath this are four variables that need values provided. You must fill in this information with the login information for the database you created for use with your Classifed Web site on your Web server.

db_host = “localhost”;//location of sql host - usually localhost

db_username = “username“;//username used to connect to database

db_password = “password“;//password used to connect to database

database = “database_name“;//name of database

Using your FTP program, log into your Web server and upload all of the files Upload the files to your server using the Auto mode. This will force all images to be uploaded as Binary files, and all others as ASCII or text files. All of your PHP files should be uploaded in the ASCII. For most sites that are primarily classified ad sites, you will place the contents of your extracted GeoClassifieds installation directly into your root directory, maintaining the structure beneath that which was stored into the zip file.

Close your FTP client.

Open a Web browser to your GeoClassified’s installation location, and load the automatic setup program. For instance: http://your_web_site.com/classifieds/setup/

The setup program will check all of the files, verify some directory structure and email addresses, and connect to the database. If you have installed everything correctly, then you will be asked to let GeoClassifieds propagate all of the tables and default content for your classified web site. Once accepted, it will take a few minutes to complete. When completed, a confirmation page listing the URLs and login information for accessing your new Classified Ad’s Web site. Print off this page.

The default user name and password are:
username: admin
password: geodesic

Once you are logged into the administration program for the first time, you will want to change this. You also need to delete the SETUP and SQL folders on your web host. This will prevent anyone else from logging into your site, and reconfiguring it back to the defaults without your knowledge.

What If I Have Trouble?

A typical GeoClassifieds installation will go smoothly, but if “Murphy’s Law” strikes, you can try these basic steps first. Support is also available from GeoClassified’s developers at: http://www.geodesicsolutions.com/products/services/support_updates.htm. On purchased products, you will receive 12 months of software support through unlimited emails, Forum access, Knowledgebase, FAQs and Tutorials. You also receive free updates, both major and minor, to your edition of the software.

Do you have the correct server support software loaded?

If you are unsure what version of PHP or MySQL you are running, check with your Web host administrator. The support team for your server will need to know that your software requires GD Libraries, PHP 4.3+ and MySQL. If your server can’t install or update this software for you, a variety of other available web hosts can be researched at http://www.web-site-hosting-reviews.com/

Do you set the correct file permissions?

Unlike most other PHP programs, GeoClassifieds does not require that specific directories are set up with read, write, and execute permissions. But I have found that on some servers, you may want to set the Setup and SQL directories to have full access (777). You must set these permissions while you are FTPing the files to the Web server. In most FTP programs, you can right click on the name of the directory of file that you want to work with, and select either CHMOD, File Attributes, or File Permissions. Even if you believe that you have set these permissions, reset the, as some software will not change file permissions consistently, nor will they accurately display the file permissions for your folders.

Did you FTP files in ASCII or Binary?

PHP files must be loaded to your server in ASCII mode. This type of file transfer maintains the integrity of the file, without converting its special characters. Quite often, when uploading your files in a large group to your server, some ASCII text files are transferred in Binary mode. To ensure that this isn’t an issue in your installation, re-upload all of your PHP files in ASCII mode. You may need to look at your FTP software manual to see how this is done..

Is your database configuration correct?

The wrong access information for your database will prohibit your installation from continuing. GeoClassified will give you specific errors if you are experiencing this problem. In the event that you cannot get GeoClassifieds to connect to your database, verify your database information by contacting your Web host administrators, or reconfigure your databases using your hosts control panel. Make sure to write this information down so that your installation can continue.

Ok.. Its Installed.. Now What Can it Do?

GeoClassifieds Lite, is the free version of Geodesic’s GeoClassifieds line of software applications. Depending upon your needs, you can purchase more feature rich versions of the software. You may want to study this chart to see which version of GeoClassifieds is for you.

GeoClassified has a wide variety of features that you will have to explore fully to understand. Although the Lite version is free, it is also the most limited in layouts, and configuration. If you want to start out with the free version of the software, and then upgrade, you can do that simply by purchasing the commercial product and installing it over the top of your existing installation.

With some knowledge of HTML you can configure this free version of GeoClassifieds blend with the layout of your existing web site, You can modify the HTML templates that control the contents of both the header, footer, right and left columns, as well as the layout of individual ads. Although due to its feature intensive nature, some of these features are hard to find within the administration panel, but trust me, they are there. You will spend a lot more time configuring GeoClassifieds, than you will on the base installation, but once you are done, you will have a feature rich classified ad software that should meet all of your business needs, as well as a version available to fit your budget.

How does GeoClassifieds Compare to its Competition?

There are many other commercial and GNU/GPL classified ad software programs available for use, but GeoClassifieds is definitely one of the better options. If you are looking for software that has a ton of features, and you aren’t afraid of spending the time working on the configuration, or doing a little HTML/PHP coding, then GeoClassified just might be the right software for you..

Where Can I See GeoClassifieds In Action?

If you want to check out some GeoClassifieds installations before you invest your time and hosting space you may want to take a look at these sites. Some of them are personal, some professional.

http://www.ettrader.com

http://www.motoseller.com

http://www.hificlassifieds.com

http://www.immobilienfundort.at

http://www.buyandsell.ca

http://www.ourtownrentals.com

Have Anything Else to Suggest?

Overall GeoClassifieds (online classifieds software) is one of the best choices for starting a Web-based, classified ad business. It will grow with you, expanding its options as your business expands. Its configuration intensive features are going to turn away anyone that is looking for something they can get up and running in just a few hours, or someone that is uncomfortable with using HTML and PHP code. For those that want a fully customizable, classified ad system, that will collect payments, create invoices, control their banner ads, and customize their interface, they will have to look for a long time before they find another product with more features. If you are looking for something simple, check out Noah Classifieds. I had that up, running, and customized within 2 hours.
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Heather Williamson has been a professional writer and author since 1997 when she had her
first IT related book published. Since then she has published 11 more Internet and technology related titles covering the gamut from browser technology, to XML, from Dreamweaver to Linux Applications. She has been involved in Internet related software development for 14 years, and runs her own web development and contract writing firm in East Texas.
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