Misc assistace needed and custom scripts

trader

Verified User
Joined
Sep 1, 2005
Messages
39
Location
USA
The colocated firm I am with does not offer too much in the way of custom scripts, programming or hand-holding, or much else beyond basic (partially managed) support for DA based on my experiences.

Have tried numerous times over the past 2 yrs to either buy needed scripts or pay for custom programming, including lots of requests at other forum boards, all with no success at all.

Apparently the reason for my lack of success is most all of the pre-made scripts and programmers only work with cPanel from what they always tell me. They often say they never heard of DirectAdmin or else they do not want to deal with it due to a learning curve and its higher cost in time, and a general lack of future business potential too.

Is there any place to go for help? I have posted some requests here at this forum too, but either there are no replies or non-relevant replies so have pretty much given up here.

I like DA personally and do not relish the work and time involved if I am forced to move to a different CP but have almost thrown in the towel as the lack of add-on products and services seems so surprsingly lacking with DA. Any suggestions?
 
Lack of what addons?

I personally have never come across DirectAdmin lacking in anyway when compared to cPanel in terms of addons, and the other control panels arn't really bursting with unique addons. :rolleyes:

Adam
 
resolveit said:
trader: Care to share with the rest of us, maybe we can help.

If Matrixx can not assist me I may also post it here. Thanks.
 
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Hi Trader - I'd post - my question above was meant for you to post in the thread so others could help.

Looking through your needs - most could be done by a couple of forum members that spring to mind.

Interesting - some I could do a couple are beyond me.

Rob
 
my needs

Hi, We currently have a colocated partially managed server with limited free support. At least 10 issues we need to take care of which I do not feel my current colocation host can properly resolve:

1. A way to capture wildcard subdomain traffic. This is VERY important to me as some of the domains get lots of subdomain traffic where the subdomain names are not known.

2. A way to compile one large stats report using either AWstats or Webalizer (I have both running) on all virtual reseller sites on my server, instead of being forced to print-out hundreds of reports, one at a time, vast amounts of time compling them meshed together, and requiring hundreds of logins, etc.

3. #2 above is very important to me. If it's really something which can only be done with cPanel (as I have been informed by a member) but not with DA, perhaps I should move away from DA to cPanel, though I prefer to stay with DA? If we do, is that migration easy and can it be done without downtime?

4. An easy method to quickly create hundreds of new virtual sites all setup (and ready to go and resolve online when my files are ftp'd) for my own use for hundreds of new domains I own and want to get online soon. Now it is time consuming and tedious to setup each one manually (from the resller panel as the admin) what with the manual setup process and manual inputs needed. Another very important item.

5. A script to automatically backup the entire server, all sites, code, htm, and settings to my local computer and also to my 2nd server hard drive, at least weekly.

6. A system to easily make minor changes to the pages on all the sites running on the server. For example, if the copyright date changes from (C) 2003-2005 to (C) 2003-2006 in January I need to manualy change that date on hundreds of virtual sites and thousands of webpages. Other site-wide changes too from time to time, such as a special offer announcements, terms, prices or dates.

7. A way to easily change different advertisement code such as possibly alternating between Yahoo and Adsense without needing to do it all manually one at a time on hundreds of sites.

8. Help with php/mysql issues and a few sites not working due to those issues, which likely are simply setup problems.

9. Upgrading Spam Assasin, and help deleting the spams automatically, which is something not now done (they are only identified as spams in my Outlook program). Perhaps even install a better program than Spam Assasin (if there is one)?

10. Possible ways to eliminate spammers from faking my email address in their headers and possibly even sending spams thru my server, which I see evidence they may be doing, based on lots of bounced emails I get (but not sure about that).

There are also other items and misc scripts I would like installed but the above 10 things are my main needs at this time. Can anyone here help me?

Do you know of a support service to do these things included in their basic monthy fee (do not want to pay by the hour)? Do you know of a new host where I could possibly open an account and migrate the server too (maybe even get a better and lower priced server in the process) and get all those items accomplished?

Thanks again.
 
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Hi,

1) can be done by editing the custom httpd.conf

2) What stats do you need? bandwidth, disk usage, # of users?

3) not a requirement but a wish :)

4) do you need seperate users for each domain or do they go under 1 user? They will resolve when the DNS is updated to point to the server and that is not a requirement you have at the moment :)

5) this is possible using the admin backup features although the restore is manual

6) this would depend on your answer to 4 and if a serverwide change can affect all websites in /home/*/domains/*/public_html. Might even be better to add this to a database and just edit the record you want to modify.

7) same as 6

8) no problem

9) the combination SPAMBlocker / SpamAssassin works well and it's quite easy to delete SPAM in stead of just marking it as SPAM by changing the custom spamassassin configuration file.

10) if they send mail through your server then you're allowing it to happen, normally the DA config does not allow unauthenticated sending of mail (unless you set up a mailing script or you've been hacked). SPAMMERS faking adresses and sending through thier own servers cannot be stopped unless you can find them and get thier ISP or the FBI to investigate but this is not always successful.


What you're asking for is a lot and the custom scripting will almost always be charged by the hour, your best bet is to try and get a fixed price. I might even be prepared to do that if I know exactly what it is that needs to be done.

Regards,
Onno Vrijburg
 
1) can be done by editing the custom httpd.conf

>>>Can you either do that for me or give details on how I may do it?

2) What stats do you need? bandwidth, disk usage, # of users?

>>>Mostly info on traffic such as number of uniques per day overall to all sites on server, uniques per indivual site, time of visit, daily, montly graphs.

3) not a requirement but a wish :)

>>>A large combined (based on all sites) and complete AWstats or Webalizer report with the same stats now on an individual site
report would be great, if possible. Either AW or Webalizer is fine with me. However, if the price is the same I prefer AW. If using AW costs more then let's go with Webalizer.

4) do you need seperate users for each domain or do they go under 1 user? They will resolve when the DNS is updated to point to the server and that is not a requirement you have at the moment :)

>>>Not sure what you are asking? All sites are under one resllr acct and different user id's.

5) this is possible using the admin backup features although the restore is manual.

>>>Can you do this for me? Also, can you write a program to make the restore automatic? Why is that not already done by DA? If you can't write a script to restore can you give step by step instructions?

6) this would depend on your answer to 4 and if a serverwide change can affect all websites in /home/*/domains/*/public_html. Might even be better to add this to a database and just edit the record you want to modify.

>>>They are all seperate users but under one resllr acct.

7) same as 6

8) no problem

>>>Can you do this then?

9) the combination SPAMBlocker / SpamAssassin works well and it's quite easy to delete SPAM in stead of just marking it as SPAM by changing the custom spamassassin configuration file.

>>>OK makes sense using both, I did know that was even possible. Can you install SPAMBlocker and change the SpamAssassin settings for me?

10) if they send mail through your server then you're allowing it to happen, normally the DA config does not allow unauthenticated sending of mail (unless you set up a mailing script or you've been hacked). SPAMMERS faking adresses and sending through thier own servers cannot be stopped unless you can find them and get thier ISP or the FBI to investigate but this is not always successful.

>>>Several times a week I get lots of bounced emails with a return address using a made-up name @ oneofmysites dot com They always use one of the sites which has catch-all email. Not sure if that is a factor in it or not? Does the fact I get all those bounced emails (which of course I did not knowingly send) indicate someone has hacked my mail send program or possibly my server is an Open Relay?

What you're asking for is a lot and the custom scripting will almost always be charged by the hour, your best bet is to try and get a fixed price. I might even be prepared to do that if I know exactly what it is that needs to be done.

>>> Can you please give me a flat fee price for these issues?
Thanks.
 
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Please PM me or send me an email at onno AT edgeinternetservices DOT com with exactly what you want me to give you a quote on. If I don't have specifics I cannot give you a fixed price.

Regards,
Onno Vrijburg
 
Originally posted by resolveit Please PM me or send me an email at onno AT edgeinternetservices DOT com with exactly what you want me to give you a quote on. If I don't have specifics I cannot give you a fixed price. Regards, Onno Vrijburg

Email sent, basically repeating my posts here as it is difficult to go into more detail than already explained. Thanks.
 
Re: my needs

trader said:
[
4. An easy method to quickly create hundreds of new virtual sites all setup (and ready to go and resolve online when my files are ftp'd) for my own use for hundreds of new domains I own and want to get online soon. Now it is time consuming and tedious to setup each one manually (from the resller panel as the admin) what with the manual setup process and manual inputs needed. Another very important item.

Thanks again. [/B]

I'm not 100% sure if it's what you want, but this is the code I used to add about 200 pointers to one of my domains.

File add_domains.php
PHP:
include 'httpsocket.php';

$sock = new HTTPSocket;

$sock->connect('example.com',2222);
$sock->set_login('USERNAME','PASSWORD');

include 'alldomains.php';
foreach ($AllDomains as $value) {
        $args=array(
                'domain' => 'example.com',
                'action' => 'add',
                'from' => $value,
                'alias' => 'yes'
            );
        print_r( $args ); print( "<br />" );

        $sock->query('/CMD_API_DOMAIN_POINTER',
                $args);
        $result = $sock->fetch_parsed_body();
        print_r($result);print("<br />");print("<br />");
}
print("Done<br/>");
?>

Replace example.com with your domain (2 places) and replace USERNAME & PASSWORD with the relevant user & password

The alldomains.php file is
PHP:
<?php
        $AllDomains = array(
        "24by7.co.nz",
        "24x7.co.nz",
...
        "yeahright.co.nz",
        "yourweddingplanner.co.nz"
);
?>
Note that the very last domain doesn't have a comma.

The final file, httpsocket.php, is a freescript that can be obtained from (I think) http://www.l0rdphi1.com/tools/httpsocket/httpsocket.phps
 
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