How to Install FreeScout on OpenSUSE Latest

FreeScout is a helpdesk and support system that offers a modern and flexible features. In this tutorial, we will discuss how to install FreeScout on OpenSUSE Latest.

Prerequisites

Before we start the installation process, make sure your OpenSUSE Latest is up to date, has PHP, MySQL/MariaDB, and Apache installed and running.

You also need to have the administrative access (root access).

Step 1: Install Required PHP Extensions

Some PHP extensions are required for FreeScout to work properly. Open the terminal and type the following command.

sudo zypper in php php-mysql php-mbstring php-xmlrpc php-imap php-xmlwriter php-curl php-json

Step 2: Download FreeScout

To get started, the first thing we need to do is to download and install the FreeScout on the server. Open the terminal and type the following command:

sudo git clone https://github.com/freescout-helpdesk/freescout.git

This command will download the FreeScout source files to your server.

Step 3: Create a Virtual Host

Now we will create a virtual host for FreeScout, that enables Apache server to access the FreeScout files. We will create the virtual host file with the following contents.

sudo nano /etc/apache2/vhosts.d/freescout.conf

<VirtualHost *:80>
        ServerName yourdomain.com
        ServerAlias www.yourdomain.com
        DocumentRoot /var/www/freescout/public

        <Directory /var/www/freescout/public>
                AllowOverride All
        </Directory>

        ErrorLog /var/log/apache2/freescout-error.log
        CustomLog /var/log/apache2/freescout-access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Remember to replace the "yourdomain.com" with your domain name.

Step 4: Install Composer

Composer is a tool for dependency management in PHP. Enter this command to install it in your system:

sudo zypper install composer

Step 5: Install Required Dependencies

The FreeScout requires some dependencies to function properly. Navigate to the FreeScout directory and enter these commands:

cd freescout
sudo composer install --no-dev

Step 6: Set the File Permissions

You need to set the correct file ownership and permissions. For that, run the following commands:

sudo chown -R wwwrun:wwwrun /var/www/freescout
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/freescout

For the storage directory, use:

sudo chmod -R 777 /var/www/freescout/storage

Step 7: Create a MySQL/MariaDB Database

Create a new database and user for FreeScout.

mysql -u root -p

CREATE DATABASE freescout;
CREATE USER 'freescout'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY '[password]';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON freescout.* TO 'freescout'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Step 8: Configure FreeScout

Copy the ".env.example" file to ".env". Edit the ".env" file and set the database, mail, and app details.

cp .env.example .env
sudo nano .env

APP_ENV=production

DB_DATABASE=freescout
DB_USERNAME=freescout
DB_PASSWORD=[password]

MAIL_DRIVER=smtp
MAIL_HOST=smtp.gmail.com
MAIL_PORT=465
MAIL_USERNAME=your.email@gmail.com
MAIL_PASSWORD=yourpassword
MAIL_ENCRYPTION=ssl
MAIL_FROM_ADDRESS=support@yourdomain.com
MAIL_FROM_NAME='Your Company'

APP_URL=http://yourdomain.com

Step 9: Run the Migrations

To install the FreeScout database run:

php artisan migrate --force

Step 10: Install Frontend Assets

Install the frontend JavaScript and CSS modules using these commands:

npm install
npm run prod

Step 11: Test Your Installation

Finally, test your installation by visiting yoursite.com in your browser. The FreeScout should be up and running.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we have demonstrated how to install and configure FreeScout helpdesk and support system on an OpenSUSE Latest platform.

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