[wpmu-trac] [WordPress MU Trac] #457: Domain Mapping Proposal

[WordPress MU Trac]

#457: Domain Mapping Proposal
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 Reporter:  ktlee       |       Owner:  somebody
     Type:  task        |      Status:  new     
 Priority:  normal      |   Milestone:  WPMU 2.0
Component:  component1  |     Version:  2.0     
 Severity:  normal      |    Keywords:          
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 Here is what I know for domain mapping on the WMPU, and most of this are
 from WPMU forum. Cheers.

 '''Background Information'''

 Two type of domain mapping.

 1. Multiple MU Style
 WPMU acts like another installation of the WMPU but use the same core
 file. So one installation you can have many blogging community with unique
 domain name. Technically, it creates row in the wp-site table, and it has
 its own site admin, theme, site_usermeta etc.
 This is great, but it's cumbersome to those people who only want domain
 mapping on his/her blog. Moreover, this makes site admins life harder,
 since he/she will need to maintain the fields in the wp_site and
 wp_sitemeta table for individual custom domain. XD
 This leads to second type of domain mapping.

 2. Specific Blog Domain Mapping

 Basically, a blog maps to one domain name only. Ideally, we don't  want
 wpmu to create additional site in wp_site table and the site_meta etc.
 Why? addition of theses fields will costs siteadmin too much hassle
 maintain. In additional, it will then be possible to provide an interface
 to your blog user to setup their domain by themself. (Like wordpress.com)

 '''Procedure'''

 '''''Domain side setup - Tasks that doesn't involved WPMU'''''

 1. Domain DNS pointing to WPMU DNS

 2. On the server side, setup the domain and DNS records. (Setup depends on
 your hosting control panel.)
 In short,

 3. Create a folder for that domain.

 4. Do a symbolic link to map your existing WMPU installation folder to the
 folder you just created.


 '''''WPMU Setup for "Multiple MU"'''''

 5. Install Multi site manager plugin.

 6. Use that plugin to create a blog

 7. That should be it for multiple MU.


 '''''WPMU Setup for "Specific Blog Domain Mapping"'''''

 5. Edit blog URL field to yourdomain url (5 edit in wp db*)

 The problem arise because cookie will not get set properly.
 So you can't login, WMPU error no site defined etc.

 Patch in the attachment will fix this problem. Basically, if a blog with
 no site defined will get site_id set to 1. And all the site_meta are same
 to the siteid=1. Most importantly, the cookie  will get setup properly.

 *This patch will not effect with "Multiple MU Solution", they can coexist
 in one WPMU installation.

 '''To Do Tasks'''

 1. Create an interface for people to enter their own domain name.

 2. Properly setup the domain and keep the original subdomain name.

 3. An automatic way to do "Domain side setup" (specificall step 1 and 2)
 since we can use php to create folders, and do symlink.

 4. Include patch to core? subject to Donncha. There might be an other way
 to do this. =)

 '''Conclusion'''

 Right now, I can handle the first 2 tasks with two additional blog option
 namely, alternative domain, & alternative domain enable.
 I won't get into details, and you can think of another way to do this as
 well. =)

 But I don't know how to achieve Todo Tasks 3. Without this, site admin
 will still need to setup domain mapping manually on per blog bases. XD

 Possible approach - Adding DNS via command line?

 So yeah, if we can overcome that issue, "Specific Blog Domain Mapping"
 will not be a problem on WMPU.

 Suggestions, questions, critiques are all welcome. =)

 Cheers,

 kt

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Ticket URL: <http://trac.mu.wordpress.org/ticket/457>
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