
                           Installing GNATS
                              Version 4

This is a very brief overview of the installation procedure for GNATS
version 4.  It is strongly recommended that you refer to the file
gnats.texi or the online manual currently located at
http://sources.redhat.com/gnats/gnats_toc.html, specifically Chapter
3, Installing GNATS, before you try to install and operate GNATS.  The
items marked `*Note' below refer to sections of chapter 3 in the
GNATS manual.


Installing GNATS
================

There are several steps you need to follow to fully configure and
install GNATS on your system.  You need `root' access in order to
create a new account for the user `gnats' and to install the GNATS
utilities.  You may need `root' access on some systems in order to set
up mail aliases and to allow this new account access to `cron' and
`at'.

If you are updating an older version of GNATS rather than installing
from scratch, see the UPGRADING file.

NOTE: You will need to have GNU make and GNU Texinfo (version 4.2 or
newer) in order to install GNATS 4.

To build GNATS, you must:

   * Run `configure', with correct options if the defaults are
     unsuitable for your site.  *Note Configuring and compiling the
     software: Configure and make.  Default installation locations are
     detailed in *Note Where GNATS lives: Default installation
     locations.

   * Compile the GNATS programs on your system.  *Note Configuring and
     compiling the software.

   * Create an initial database by using the `mkdb' command.  *Note
     Installing the default database.

   * Set up periodic jobs, using cron, to handle Problem Reports
     arriving by mail.  *Note Setting up periodic reports.

   * Set up mail aliases for GNATS.  *Note Setting up mail aliases.

   * Install the GNATS tools and utilities locally, and install the
     user tools (`query-pr', `edit-pr', `send-pr') on every machine in
     your local network.  *Note Installing the user tools.

   * Install the GNATS network daemon `gnatsd'.  *Note Installing the
     daemon.

   * Update the local configuration files

       dbconfig   categories  submitters  responsible
       states     classes     addresses   gnatsd.user_access

     in `DATABASEDIR/gnats-adm', as well as the files

       gnatsd.host_access    databases

     in `PREFIX/etc/gnats' (usually /usr/local/etc/gnats).

     *Note Changing your local configuration: Local configuration.

   * If you have people outside your organization who will be
     submitting PRs or who are supposed to be able to query and/or
     edit PRs, you either need to instruct them to obtain and build
     the GNATS tools `query-pr', `edit-pr' and `send-pr' for their
     systems or set up a remote access interface to GNATS, such as
     Gnatsweb.  *Note Installing the user tools.
