undef error – Cannot determine local time zone

After some searching I finally discovered that the issue was with Bugzilla looking for the timezone information in /etc/localtime, while CentOS had not updated that file since it’s original installation.

The solution is to change /etc/localtime to a symlink that leads to the correct timezone file for you:

ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/America/Los_Angeles /etc/localtime

For example, I have an internal server that we do most of our development on and we’ve typically placed everything in the default htdocs directory. That tends to be a problem if we’re working on a pre-existing application that was designed to work only from the root level.

In the following steps I’ll describe setting up a virtual host and how to trick your computer into simulating the domain service.

On your remote machine, edit the apache configuration file (locations may vary). By default, it’s typically found in /usr/local/apache2/conf/httpd.conf.

Search for and uncomment the following section:

# Virtual hosts
Include conf/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf

Save the file, and then proceed with editing that include file:

vi /usr/local/apache2/conf/extra/httpd-vhosts.conf

The first step is to create a new virtual host. In the following example, we tell apache that any traffic to this server under the domain name “myfakedomain” should be treated as a request for the files under the new DocumentRoot.

The second virtual host describes the original default server configuration. Paths to folders will vary depending on how apache was originally installed and configured.

<virtualhost *:80>
DocumentRoot "/usr/local/apache2/virt/myfakedomain.com"
ServerName myfakedomain.com
</virtualhost>

<virtualhost *:80>
DocumentRoot "/usr/local/apache2/htdocs"
ServerName localhost
</virtualhost>


After saving your changes, you need to edit the hosts file on the remote machine so that when apache restarts, it doesn’t go looking for the real domain name you’ve provided.

Using either root or a sudo account, edit the hosts file:

/etc/hosts

Add a new line that follows the pattern of the existing examples:

127.0.0.1 myfakedomain.com

Then, restart apache:

/usr/local/apache2/bin/apachectl restart

You also need to edit your local hosts file so that your system redirects any traffic to myfakedomain.com to your network server, rather than trying to search the internet for it.

For Mac OS X 10.5 users, you may do this by using the same method as the remote server:

sudo vi /etc/hosts
127.0.0.1 myfakedomain.com

Save the file and then flush out any cache:

dscacheutil -flushcache

Open your web browser and try to access myfakedomain.com. You should see whatever was in your apache document root.

On your local machine, find the local git repository that you want to push to the remote location.

$ git remote add origin ssh://yourdomain.com/git/repos/myapp.git
$ git push origin master

Now your local repo will be tracking the remote repository and you may continue pushing/pulling it from anywhere.

To begin you need to download the latest version and run through the standard extraction and configure/make/make install.

$ wget http://kernel.org/pub/software/scm/git/git-1.6.4.tar.gz
$ tar -zxvf *.gz
$ cd git*
$ ./configure --prefix=/usr/local
$ make
$ make install

Try entering git into the command line to ensure that everything installed properly.

Turn on command line coloring, very helpful:

$ git config --global color.branch "auto"
$ git config --global color.status "auto"
$ git config --global color.diff "auto"


That’s it!


wget http://pecl.php.net/get/APC-3.0.19.tgz
tar -xzf APC-3.0.19.tgz
cd APC*
phpize
./configure --enable-apc --enable-apc-mmap --with-apxs=/usr/local/apache2/bin/apxs
make
make install


Make sure you actually use your correct path to apxs. If apxs isn’t installed then you need to install the httpd-devel package, which usually works just fine through yum install httpd-devel

Then, just add the so path to your php ini and restart.


vi /usr/local/lib/php.ini
extension=apc.so


Then restart your server and should be done! Try running phpinfo(); to see if APC reports as installed and enabled.

# rpm -Uhv http://apt.sw.be/redhat/el5/en/i386/rpmforge/RPMS/rpmforge-release-0.3.6-1.el5.rf.i386.rpm
# yum -y install lighttpd lighttpd-fastcgi mysql-server
# chkconfig --levels 235 lighttpd on
# /etc/init.d/lighttpd start

I did decide to change the port to 81 so that apache could still run on 80:


# vi /etc/lighttpd/lighttpd.conf


I wanted to alter the domain it used, so I changed it by editing the configuration file:


$ vi /var/qmail/control/me


Enter the domain name you want and save the file, then reboot qmail:


$ service qmail stop
$ service qmail start


I’ve grown used to developing on windows so things have been a little slow, but I’m gradually adjusting to using a mac. I’ve already moved my dev server and my subversion server to this machine so I’ve brought the old system home for triage. Eventually, it will allow me work from home whenever I need to, and it allows us to play games again.

Two of our other systems are now up for sale on craigslist/ebay.

So far though, I’m doing just fine and am enjoying the new system. It’s much cleaner, more intuitive, etc.

Playing a video game during lunch was essentially impossible.

So, I’ve finally got myself an upgrade. After spending a month or so checking out various prices, I finally went with a customized HP Pavilion d4790y. Because I customized it I got an HP 19″ wide LCD monitor for $100. I bought a second 19″ LCD monitor that was on sale at NewEgg.com (Acer AL1917WAbd 19″).

Here are the specs of my custom work machine:

• Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo processor E6400 ( 2.13GHz )
• 2GB DDR2-667MHz dual channel SDRAM (2×1024)
• 320GB 7200 rpm SATA hard drive
• LightScribe 16X DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti drive
• 15-in-1 memory card reader, 3 USB, 1394, audio
• 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT, HD , TV-out, 2 DVI
• Integrated 7.1 channel sound w/front audio ports

I down-graded the system to Windows XP, SP2 because many of apps have no or little support for Vista. I’ll have some pics soon .

Nah, like I have that kind of time.