Installing sphinx in linux environment

Login as root!

apt-get install build-essential gcc

# Add new system user sphinx
adduser –system –home /var/sphinx –uid 999 –disabled-password –disabled-login –group sphinx

# Create the dirs
mkdir /var/sphinx/bin
mkdir /var/sphinx/etc
mkdir /var/sphinx/log
mkdir /var/sphinx/lib
mkdir /var/sphinx/run

# Download and compile sphinx
wget http://sphinxsearch.com/downloads/sphinx-0.9.8-rc2.tar.gz

tar -xzvf sphinx-0.9.8-rc2.tar.gz

cd sphinx-0.9.8-rc2

./configure

make

make install

# Install sphinx binaries
cp src/indexer src/search src/searchd /var/sphinx/bin/

# Install sphinx configuration (remember to edit as it needs)
cp sphinx.conf.dist /var/sphinx/etc/

# Copy the startup script attached below, instead of attaching I posted that file as another post (https://veerasundaravel.wordpress.com/2008/06/20/sphinx-startup-script-related-to-sphinx-installtion/)
copy that post content and save as a init script file named sphinx

mv sphinx /etc/init.d/

chmod 755 /etc/init.d/sphinx

# This shows your run level
/sbin/runlevel | cut -b 3

# Lets say it is 2…
ln -s /etc/init.d/sphinx /etc/rc2.d/S92sphinx

# Add the correct ownership to sphinx
chown -R sphinx:sphinx /var/sphinx

# Give some restrictions…
chmod -R 711 /var/sphinx/

# Ok we almost done!!
cd /var/spinx/etc

cp -p sphinx.conf.dist sphinx.conf

# And edit this entries in sphinx.conf to look like this:

sql_host                                = localhost
sql_user                                = root
sql_pass                                = (your password)
sql_db                                  = (your database name)
sql_port                                = 3306  # optional, default is 3306

# In section searchd

pid_file = /var/sphinx/run/searchd.pid

query_log = /var/sphinx/log/query.log

log = /var/sphinx/log/searchd.log

address = 127.0.0.1

# section index
path = /var/sphinx/lib/sphinx

Continue to edit the configuration and when you are ready…

Then start sphinx using the command!

/etc/init.d/sphinx start

now you are ready with sphinx, now you can install plugins like acts_as_sphinx, ultrasphinx etc to easily interact with sphinx using your rails application.

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