Windows - OpenCATS Installation Instructions

Windows Prerequisites

Installation instructions are given for the XAMPP default install environment only. WAMPP will also work if you prefer it. The steps will be a little different.

Downloading software and preparing your system

  • Download - XAMPP
  • Install XAMPP

Note

You may get Windows defender warnings for Apache and MYSQL. Just check the boxes that you want Windows to allow access to. Private network would be for your home or office network only, public network would be for anything else.

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  • Download - OpenCATS-0.9.4-3 . You can not install this yet.
  • Go to the folder where the OpenCATS-0.9.4-3.zip file is located (usually the Downloads folder)
  • RIGHT-CLICK on the OpenCATS-0.9.4-3.zip file
  • Click Extract All
  • Change the folder that the files will be extracted to, to the following: C:\xampp\htdocs\
  • Click extract

Start Xampp

  • Click the Windows start button and type xampp
  • Hit enter. This will open the XAMPP control panel.
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  • On the right side of Apache and MySQL, click start for each one.

Note

ONLY start the Apache and MySql services. You do NOT need any of the other services.

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  • Stop the apache service (lower right corner, right click XAMPP, stop apache)
  • Start the apache service
_images/xampp-quickstart.png

OPTIONAL - Renaming your OpenCATS directory

The current default directory name for the OpenCATS files is OpenCATS-0.9.4-3. This will result in the web address in your browser being http://localhost/OpenCATS-0.9.4-3

If you want to rename the main OpenCATS directory to something else, you can.

  • Simply navigate to C:\xampp\htdocs
  • Right click on the OpenCATS directory
  • Click rename
  • Rename the directory whatever you want (example: ATS)

Now, to access it, your browser address will be http://localhost/ATS

Launch phpMyAdmin

Note

If phpmyadmin does not load in this screen, stop and start your apache service again per the instructions above.

  • On the left side, click new to create a new database
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  • In the box labeled database name type opencats.
  • Hit create
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You should now see “opencats” listed among the databases on the left.

  • Click the opencats database
  • In the top row of tabs, on the right side of the screen, click privileges
  • Click add user account
_images/phpmyadmin-newuser.png
  • User name, make sure use text field is selected, in the empty box next to it type opencats
  • Host name: In the first box, select local from the drop-down options. The second box should say localhost
  • Type opencats for the database password twice
  • In the “database for user account section”, confirm that the third checkbox Grant all privileges on database "opencats" is checked.
  • Scroll down to the bottom and click go
_images/phpmyadmin-newuser2.png

Install and run Composer

On the settings Check screen, it should read: C:\xampp\php\php.exe

_images/composer-wampp.png
  • In the windows search menu, type cmd the open a command prompt.
  • Type (Or copy/paste) cd C:\xampp\htdocs\opencats
  • Type composer install

Composer will install some things.

Note

If you get a composer install token error, just hit enter and it will continue without any issues.

Once composer is finished, close the command prompt and open your web broswer.

Set up OpenCATS

In your Web Browser, visit http://localhost/OpenCATS-0.9.4-3 (adjust if you renamed the OpenCATS directory). If OpenCATS has been configured correctly, you should see a page that looks like this:

_images/installation-wizard.png

Step 1 System Connectivity This step makes sure you have the required server environment set up correctly.

Note

Disregard the yellow errors. They are not necessary for this installation and you will not lose any OpenCATS functionality.

If you see all green and/or yellow, click Next

_images/win-install-wizard.png

Warning

Red = Bad You can’t continue the installation until a server environment issue is fixed.

Step 2 Database connectivity

Enter the following information: Database Name: opencats Database User: opencats Database Password: opencats Database Host: localhost

Click Test Database Connectivity

If the SQL information is set up and entered correctly, you should have all green. If you see red, something needs to be corrected or set up correctly.

_images/step2.png

Step 3 Loading Data

For a new installation, select New Installation, then next

Note

Demonstration Installation will auto-populate OpenCATS with general example clients, candidates, job orders, etc. There’s no reason to use this in my opinion.

Note

Restore installation from backup will be covered in a future tutorial

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Step.4-full Setup resume indexing

Unfortunately, for now, there is no resume indexing. * Click Skip this Step.

Step 5 Mail Settings

OpenCATS can send emails. If you don’t want to use it, you don’t have to. OpenCATS works great either way!

Choose an option from the Mail Support drop-down bar, fill the necessary information in (if you are using it) and click Next

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Step 6 Loading extras

Don’t forget to set the time zone to your area!

Warning

If you forget to set the time zone ALL of the timestamps on every note in OpenCATS will be wrong. Set the time zone correctly. You will thank us…

Choose the date format you like best

(United States only) choose to install (if you want) zip code lookup

Click next

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Step 7 Finishing installation

Runs through the installation process. You should see a box and some pretty bars moving. It shouldn’t take long.

Note

The default username and password are: admin/admin or admin/cats (all lowercase) depending on your OpenCATS version

Click Start OpenCATS for your login screen.

_images/step7.png

Success!!

Your brand new OpenCATS applicant System!

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