How to install Omeka on MXLinux

Omeka is a free, open-source web publishing platform used to create and manage digital exhibitions and archives. In this tutorial, we will guide you on how to install Omeka on MXLinux, the latest version.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, you will need to ensure that your system meets the following prerequisites:

  • MXLinux Latest installed
  • Apache 2 web server installed
  • MySQL server installed
  • PHP version 7.2 or higher installed

Step 1: Download Omeka

The first step is to download the Omeka package from the official website. You can do this by following these instructions:

  1. Open your web browser and go to https://omeka.org/download/
  2. Click on the "Download Omeka Classic" button
  3. Choose the latest version of the Omeka package (e.g Omeka-2.7.1.zip) and click on the download button.

Step 2: Extract Omeka Package

Once the download is complete, you will need to extract it into the web server directory. The followings are the steps for how to extract the package into the web server directory:

  1. Open the Terminal application.
  2. Navigate to the directory where the package was downloaded using the cd command (e.g cd ~/Downloads)
  3. Extract the package by running the following command: unzip Omeka-*.zip -d /var/www/html/, where /var/www/html/ is the default location for Apache's web server root directory.

Step 3: Create MySQL Database

Omeka requires a MySQL database to store information. You can create a new database by following these instructions:

  1. Log in to the MySQL server using the mysql command with an administrative account.
$ mysql -u root -p
  1. Enter the password for the MySQL root user.
  2. Create a new database by entering the following command: CREATE DATABASE omeka;
  3. Create a new user with a password for the Omeka database:
CREATE USER 'omekauser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'mypassword';

Note: Replace mypassword with an actual secure password for the user.

  1. Grant all privileges to the user for the Omeka database:
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON omeka.* TO 'omekauser'@'localhost';
  1. Exit the MySQL shell by entering the command: exit;

Step 4: Configure Apache Web Server

Omeka requires a few Apache configurations to function correctly. Follow the below instructions:

  1. Open the Apache configuration file in a text editor using the following command:
sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/omeka.conf
  1. Paste the following configuration into the file. Remember to replace yourdomainname with your actual domain name:
<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName yourdomainname.com
    DocumentRoot /var/www/html/omeka

    <Directory /var/www/html/omeka/>
        AllowOverride All
    </Directory>
    
    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/omeka_error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/omeka_access.log combined
</VirtualHost>
  1. Save and exit the file by pressing Ctrl+X, then Y and then Enter for yes.
  2. Enable the site using the following command:
sudo a2ensite omeka.conf

Step 5: Install Omeka

Now that everything is in place, it's time to install Omeka. Follow the instructions below:

  1. Open your web browser and go to http://yourdomainname.com/omeka/. Replace yourdomainname with your actual domain name.
  2. Accept the license agreement and click on the "Install" button.
  3. Follow the installation wizard instructions, carefully entering the database and website details when prompted.
  4. Once the installation is complete, Omeka will redirect you to the admin page where you can start working on your digital exhibition.

Conclusion

That's it! In this tutorial, we guided you through each step of installing Omeka on MXLinux, the latest version. Now you can create your digital exhibition or archives using Omeka. Happy coding!