Software Requirements:

- At least version 5.0.0 of PHP.
- PHP Safe Mode = Off
- PHP File Uploads = On (to use the banner upload features)
- A MySQL database
- Curl With SSL Available
- The PHP fsockopen-function is working


Installation of Software

1. Unzip the AShop Affiliate program files on your local computer.
 
2. Use an FTP client, for example the free Filezilla, to upload the AShop Affiliate files and folders
to your website. AShop Affiliate may be installed in the public root directory or in a subdirectory
if you want to link to it from existing web pages. The AShop Affiliate directory structure must remain
the same as in the distibution package.
 
3. If necessary, change permissions of the following directories and files to 777. On some hosts
PHP is run under your own user account and already has full permissions to the files and folders
by default. Check with your hosting provider if you are unsure.

- banners
- images
- images/logo.gif
 
4. Create a MySQL database for AShop Affiliate and add a user with a password to the database.
This can usually be done through your hosting provider's control panel. The user must have full
privileges on the database.
 
5. Open config.inc.php in a text editor such as NotePad and edit the following variables:

- $databaseserver = "hostname for the MySQL server"

The database is usually located at "localhost", unless your hosting provider has a separate shared
MySQL server. Check with them if you are unsure.

- $databasename = "name of the MySQL database"
- $databaseuser = "user name that you added to the database that you created"
- $databasepasswd = "password for the user name that you added to the database"

6. Run install.php from a browser. This will create the database tables. To do this, enter something
like this into your browser address bar: http://www.yourdomain.com/install.php

7. Follow the instructions on screen to complete the installation.

You will now see the AShop Affiliate administration panel login. The default password for the
administrator is "ashopadmin". Login and setup the Configuration, then Link Codes to add you own
banner or text ads which your affiliates can use to market your products.

For security we recommend that you change the administrator password on the page 
Configuration->Shop Parameters.

Check the INTEGRATION.txt document for information about how to integrate AShop Affiliate with your
shopping cart or payment processor.