3.4. Mac OS X

Note

The Bugzilla team has very little Mac expertise and we’ve not been able to do a successful install of the latest version. We got close, though. If you’ve managed it, tell us how and we can update these docs!

3.4.1. Install Packages

OS X 10.7 provides Perl 5.12 and Apache 2.2. Install the following additional packages:

3.4.2. Bugzilla

The best way to get Bugzilla is to check it out from git:

git clone --branch release-X.X-stable https://github.com/bugzilla/bugzilla

Run the above command in your home directory, replacing “X.X” with the 2-digit version number of the stable release of Bugzilla that you want - e.g. “4.4”. This will place Bugzilla in the directory $HOME/bugzilla.

If that’s not possible, you can download a tarball of Bugzilla.

3.4.3. Additional System Libraries

Apple does not include the GD library with Mac OS X. Bugzilla needs this if you want to display bug graphs, and you need to install it before you try installing the GD Perl module.

You can use MacPorts, Homebrew or Fink, all of which can install common Unix programs on Mac OS X.

If you don’t have one of the above installed already, pick one and follow the instructions for setting it up. Then, use it to install the gd2 package (MacPorts/Fink) or the gd package (Brew).

The package manager may prompt you to install a number of dependencies; you will need to agree to this.

Note

To prevent creating conflicts with the software that Apple installs by default, Fink creates its own directory tree at /sw where it installs most of the software that it installs. This means your libraries and headers will be at /sw/lib and /sw/include instead of /usr/lib and /usr/include. When the Perl module config script for the GD module asks where your libgd is, be sure to tell it /sw/lib.

3.4.4. Perl Modules

Bugzilla requires a number of Perl modules. On Mac OS X, the easiest thing to do is to install local copies (rather than system-wide copies) of any ones that you don’t already have. However, if you do want to install them system-wide, run the below commands as root with the --global option.

To check whether you have all the required modules and what is still missing, run:

perl checksetup.pl --check-modules

You can run this command as many times as necessary.

Install all missing modules locally like this:

perl install-module.pl --all

3.4.5. Web Server

Any web server that is capable of running CGI scripts can be made to work. We have specific configuration instructions for the following:

You’ll need to create a symbolic link so the webserver can see Bugzilla:

cd /Library/WebServer/Documents

sudo ln -s $HOME/bugzilla bugzilla

In System Preferences –> Sharing, enable the Web Sharing checkbox to start Apache.

3.4.6. Database Engine

Bugzilla supports MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle and SQLite as database servers. You only require one of these systems to make use of Bugzilla. MySQL is most commonly used on Mac OS X. (In fact, we have no reports of anyone using anything else.) Configure your server according to the instructions below:

3.4.7. localconfig

You should now change into the Bugzilla directory and run checksetup.pl, without any parameters:

perl checksetup.pl

checksetup.pl will write out a file called localconfig. This file contains the default settings for a number of Bugzilla parameters, the most important of which are the group your web server runs as, and information on how to connect to your database.

Load this file in your editor. You will need to check/change $db_driver and $db_pass, which are respectively the type of the database you are using and the password for the bugs database user you have created. $db_driver can be either mysql, Pg (PostgreSQL), Oracle or Sqlite. All values are case sensitive.

Set the value of $webservergroup to the group your web server runs as.

  • Fedora/Red Hat: apache

  • Debian/Ubuntu: www-data

  • Mac OS X: _www

  • Windows: ignore this setting; it does nothing

The other options in the localconfig file are documented by their accompanying comments. If you have a non-standard database setup, you may need to change one or more of the other $db_* parameters.

Note

If you are using Oracle, $db_name should be set to the SID name of your database (e.g. XE if you are using Oracle XE).

3.4.8. checksetup.pl

Next, run checksetup.pl an additional time:

perl checksetup.pl

It reconfirms that all the modules are present, and notices the altered localconfig file, which it assumes you have edited to your satisfaction. It compiles the UI templates, connects to the database using the bugs user you created and the password you defined, and creates the bugs database and the tables therein.

After that, it asks for details of an administrator account. Bugzilla can have multiple administrators - you can create more later - but it needs one to start off with. Enter the email address of an administrator, his or her full name, and a suitable Bugzilla password.

checksetup.pl will then finish. You may rerun checksetup.pl at any time if you wish.

3.4.9. Success

Your Bugzilla should now be working. Check by running:

perl testserver.pl http://<your-bugzilla-server>/

If that passes, access http://<your-bugzilla-server>/ in your browser - you should see the Bugzilla front page. Of course, if you installed Bugzilla in a subdirectory, make sure that’s in the URL.

Next, do the Essential Post-Installation Configuration.

This documentation undoubtedly has bugs; if you find some, please file them here.