# Deploying PQS on XAMPP Lite 8.5 (on-demand)

PQS runs from a **portable XAMPP Lite 8.5** stack (PHP 8.5 + MariaDB 11.4 +
Apache) so the whole system can be stood up on demand at a venue with no
internet. This folder holds the one-shot database installer.

> For the full, verified step-by-step (including the headless/scripted method
> and validation results), see **[DEPLOYMENT-WALKTHROUGH.md](DEPLOYMENT-WALKTHROUGH.md)**.
> This page is the short version.

## Stack layout (this XAMPP Lite build)

```
xampp_lite_8_5\
  XL-Control-Panel.x64.exe   <- start/stop Apache + MySQL here
  apps\apache\               <- Apache (serves PHP 8.5 as a module)
  apps\mysql\                <- MariaDB 11.4 (root, no password)
  apps\php\                  <- PHP 8.5
  www\                       <- document root  (http://localhost/ -> www\)
```

## Quick start

1. **Drop the app into the web root**, named `pqs`:
   ```
   xampp_lite_8_5\www\pqs\
   ```
   (The app uses `/pqs/...` URLs, so the folder must be `pqs`.)

2. **Start Apache + MySQL** from `XL-Control-Panel.x64.exe`.

3. **Create the database** (one time). From `apps\mysql\bin`:
   ```
   mysql.exe -u root < ..\..\..\www\pqs\install\pqs_install.sql
   ```
   Or import `install\pqs_install.sql` via phpMyAdmin (http://localhost/phpmyadmin).
   This creates the `pqs` database, the `pqs`/`pqs` user, every table (all
   InnoDB) and the static seed (mechs, maps, game types, default config, pods).

4. **Open the app:**
   | Screen | URL |
   |--------|-----|
   | Registration kiosk | http://localhost/pqs/callsign.php |
   | Registration console | http://localhost/pqs/registration.php |
   | Game/ops console | http://localhost/pqs/console.php |
   | Queue wall | http://localhost/pqs/combinedqueue.php |

No build step, no internet.

## Notes

- **Credentials.** The app connects as `pqs`/`pqs` on `localhost` (see
  `includes/db.php`) — a formality on an air-gapped LAN.
- **Timezone.** Set once in `includes/db.php` (`PQS_TIMEZONE`, default
  `America/Chicago`).
- **PHP target.** Code targets PHP 7.4+; verified on XAMPP Lite's **PHP 8.5.5**
  with zero warnings/deprecations from app code.
- **`time.php` (optional clock sync).** Uses PowerShell `Set-Date` on Windows,
  which only works if Apache runs **as administrator**. Skip it if the host
  clock is already correct.

## Re-running / resetting

The installer is **not** idempotent for the seed data — re-running it duplicates
rows and fails on the `gameconfig` unique key. To reset to a clean database:

```sql
DROP DATABASE pqs;
```
then load `pqs_install.sql` again. (The `CREATE DATABASE/USER ... IF NOT EXISTS`
lines are harmless on their own; it's the seed `INSERT`s that must not run twice.)

## Fresh install vs. upgrading an existing DB

- **Fresh XAMPP deploy →** use `install/pqs_install.sql` (this folder). Every
  table is created as InnoDB, so no migrations are needed.
- **Upgrading a pre-existing (older MyISAM) database →** run the incremental
  `dev/migrations/001-*.sql` and `002-*.sql` instead, which convert the affected
  tables to InnoDB in place.