Setting Up Ghost on OpenShift Using Windows 8, 7 or Vista

DEPRECATED - Red Hat has retired OpenShift v2

The silver plan, paid by use, has been replaced with a $50/month pro tier. Now I'm using Heroku, whose paid plans start at $7 US/month.

Using Windows 7, assumed to work for Windows 8 and Vista.

Run all code from the command line (cmd)."

Insert your own values for **CAPITALS**.

Initial Setup###

• Sign up with OpenShift.com.
• Install Ruby. Check "Add Ruby executables to your PATH."
• Install Git for Windows. Check "Use Git from the Windows Command Prompt."
• Verify Ruby and Git have installed properly. Any non-error output is fine.

ruby -e 'puts "Welcome to Ruby"'
git --version

• Install RHC using RubyGem.

gem install rhc

• Setup RHC. Enter your OpenShift credentials and accept the defaults.

rhc setup

• Set some git defaults.

git config --global user.email "**EMAIL@ADDRESS.com**"
git config --global user.name "**YOUR_NAME**"
git config --global push.default simple

• Remember to update RHC from time to time

gem update rhc

• Create the Ghost application. Pick a meaningful name.

rhc app create **APP_NAME** nodejs-0.10 --env NODE_ENV=production --from-code https://github.com/openshift-quickstart/openshift-ghost-quickstart.git

###Troubleshooting the Setup###

• The first time this is done the authenticity of your site likely can't be established, so just type 'yes' when prompted. If setup get stuck after this, press Ctrl+C and clone the git repository manually.

rhc git-clone **APP_NAME**

• If you don't make it that far or want to start fresh, delete the application and free up that app name.

rhc app-delete **APP_NAME** --confirm

###Working with Git and RHC###

• Navigate into the new directory. Edit the files there manually.

cd **APP_NAME**

• To see info about your app type the following.

rhc show-app **APP_NAME**

• Update and push out changes like this.

git add --all .
git commit -m 'My changes'
git push

• Then restart the app to put those changes into effect.

rhc app restart

• Don't forget to take regular snapshots!

rhc save-snapshot

###Themes###

• Download and copy themes into **APP_FOLDER**/content/themes.
  • Apply changes by updating git and restarting the gear.
  • Downloads are available from these sites. Most are paid.
    
    https://ghost.org/forum/themes/
    
    http://themeforest.net/category/blogging/ghost-themes

###Configuring Ghost###

• Login to your new blog from the following link.
  
  http://**APP_NAME**-**OPENSHIFT_NAME**.rhcloud.com/ghost
  • Create an administrator account on the first login. If something goes wrong restart the app and try again.
  • The rest is fairly straightfordward, so you can take it from here.

• [OPTIONAL] Provide a Gmail account for sending password resets.
  • Edit config.js, but be warned this is not secure!
  • After this is done update git and restart the app.

        url: 'http://**YOUR_SITE_ADDRESS**,
        mail: {
                transport: 'SMTP',
                options: {
                        service: 'Gmail',
                        auth: {
                                user: '**GMAIL@GMAIL.COM',
                                pass: '**PASSWORD**'
                        }
                }
        },

###Custom Domain Setup###

• Visit your application settings on OpenShift and click 'change.'
• Use the guide to changing Internet domain registrar's cname records.
  https://openshift.redhat.com/app/console/applications

Configuring GhostWall Theme###

For details on this this site is configured, please see the link below. Be warned that the theme used costs around $24 US.

http://www.derekroberts.ca/build/

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That's it!

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Many thanks to Andrew Hobden (aka. Hoverbear) for providing just enough taunting/direction to help.