How to Install DoorFall Search

1. Create a database

In your hosting control panel, create a new empty MySQL database and database user.

Give that user access to the database and keep these four values ready:

• Database host
• Database name
• Database username
• Database password

2. Upload DoorFall Search

Upload the DoorFall Search ZIP to the directory where the search engine will run.

Examples:

public_html/ for https://searchsite.com

or

public_html/search/ for https://example.com/search/

Extract the ZIP so files such as install.php, index.php, search.php, admin/ and includes/ are directly inside the installation directory. Do not leave the application inside an extra ZIP-name folder unless that folder is intentionally part of your URL.

3. Open the installer

Visit install.php in your browser.

Example:

https://example.com/install.php

The installer creates the database structure and initial application configuration.

4. Database settings

Enter the database details created in Step 1.

Database host — usually localhost, but use your hosting provider value.

Database name — the empty database created for DoorFall Search.

Database username — the database user that has access to that database.

Database password — password for that database user.

If the installer cannot connect, recheck all four values and confirm that the database user has permission to the database.

5. DoorFall license

Enter the DoorFall Search license key supplied with your purchase.

A Search license begins with DFS-.

The installer activates the license for the current domain. One license can be active on one domain at a time.

The server must be able to make an outbound HTTPS connection to DoorFall during activation.

6. Administrator account

Create the Admin login requested by the installer. Use a strong password and an email address you control.

These credentials are for the private DoorFall Search Admin area. They are separate from your DoorFall customer-account login.

7. Finish installation

Complete the installer and open Admin.

Do not run the installer again after the application has been successfully installed.

8. Initial configuration

After installation:

1. Open Settings and configure the search name, homepage and branding.
2. Open Sources and test your first website.
3. Add the source with a small Max pages value.
4. Run a small manual crawl.
5. Open Crawler Health and configure cron.
6. Test searches on the public homepage.
7. Increase crawl limits only after confirming the source produces useful results.

Installing in a subfolder

DoorFall Search can be installed below the domain root. Upload all application files into the intended subfolder and open that subfolder's install.php.

Example:

https://example.com/search/install.php

Use the URLs generated by your actual installation when configuring cron or linking to Admin.

After installation

Keep your original sales ZIP somewhere safe as a clean copy. Back up the database and application files before making server-level changes or installing future updates.