CS-Cart Installation Instructions


The instructions below apply to CS-Cart installation on a hosting server accessible on the Internet.

If you would like to make a CS-Cart installation on your local computer (desktop), please download the "How to install CS-Cart on a local computer" manual on the "File area" page in our Customer Help Desk (https://www.cs-cart.com).

CS-Cart installation includes the following steps:
  1. extracting the software distribution package and uploading the files to a web server
  2. setting file access permissions
  3. creating a MySQL database
  4. running the Installation Wizard

  1. Unpack the CS-Cart distribution package (the "cscart_vX.X.X.tgz" or "cscart_vX.X.X.zip" file) anywhere under your web server directory.

    On a Windows-based server, you can do it with any TAR- or ZIP-compatible archive software.
    On a UNIX-based server with terminal access, run one of the following commands depending on the package file format:

    tar -xpf cscart_vX.X.X.tgz
    or
    unzip cscart_vX.X.X.zip

    NOTE: Most control panels have a so called file manager that allows to unpack a TAR and ZIP archives in a single click.

    If none of the ways described above works for you, you should extract the distribution package on your local computer using any TAR- or ZIP-compatible archive software, e.g. WinRAR (you can download it here: http://www.rarlab.com/rar/wrar370.exe) and upload all the files to your server via FTP.

  2. Set the access permissions.

    NOTE: You can skip this step if you have used command
    tar -xpf cscart_vX.X.X.tgz
    to unpack the CS-Cart distribution package.

    On a UNIX-based server with terminal access, run the following commands one by one:

    chmod 666 config.local.php
    chmod -R 777 design images var
    find design -type f -print0 | xargs -0 chmod 666
    find images -type f -print0 | xargs -0 chmod 666
    find var -type f -print0 | xargs -0 chmod 666
    chmod 644 design/.htaccess images/.htaccess var/.htaccess var/themes_repository/.htaccess
    chmod 644 design/index.php images/index.php var/index.php var/themes_repository/index.php

    If you do not have terminal access to your server, you can change file access permissions using an FTP client. Most of them have the "Change permissions" or "Change mode" functions. With the help of these functions you can set the permissions for the 'config.local.php' file and the directories listed above.

    The 'chmod 666 config.local.php' command means that the 666 permissions (read and write permissions for the file user, group, and others) will be set for the 'config.local.php' file.

    Other commands (e.g. 'chmod -R 777 design') mean that the 777 (read, write and execute) permissions are set for the directory, its subdirectories, and all the files within these directories.

    Please refer to your FTP client documentation for more detailed instructions on setting file permissions.

    In order to set the same file access permissions on a Windows-based server, you may need to give full permissions for the files and directories to the user with the IUSER_ComputerName account.

  3. Create a MySQL database

    Create a MySQL database (you may need to create a MySQL user before that) via your website control panel. Remember the MySQL name, host, user name, and password; they will be required at the next installation step.

  4. Run the CS-Cart Installation Wizard.

    In your browser go to the following URL: http://www.my_site.com/install/ (replace "my_site.com" with your actual site domain name).

    Follow the instructions in the Installation Wizard.

  5. After the installation.

    Once the installation is complete, it is strongly recommended that you take the following steps to protect the current installation and the CS-Cart source code.

    • Delete the directory install/.
    • Change the default administrator password.
    • Remove the distribution package from the web accessible directory on your server.
    • Change the access permissions for the configuration file config.local.php as advised below.
    chmod 644 config.local.php

    The chmod 644 command leaves the file readable and writeable for the file owner and makes it readable for all other system users. The file contents cannot be viewed in a browser though.


Please report bugs and suggestions using our Customer Help Desk: http://www.cs-cart.com

© 2004 Vladimir V. Kalynyak, Alexey V. Vinokurov, Ilya M. Shalnev.

Thank you for choosing us. CS-Cart Team