Note This page is depreciated and no longer supported.

The following instructions will guide you to install BigBlueButton 0.64 on Fedora. So far the instructions have been tested on Fedora 12 32-bit.

Instructions

NOTE: If your 'hostname' command does not return the proper (working) IP or domain, you need to run hostname <your-correct-hostname-or-ip> to make these instructions work.

# we'll work mostly from the /tmp/ directory:
cd /tmp

# we'll need wget
yum install wget -y

# install MySQL server
yum install -y mysql-server
service mysqld start
chkconfig mysqld on

# install tomcat6
yum install -y tomcat6

# start tomcat and configure it to automatically start on boot:
service tomcat6 start
chkconfig tomcat6 on

# install openoffice
yum -y groupinstall 'Office/Productivity'
yum -y install openoffice.org-headless

# download openoffice server initializing script
wget http://bigbluebutton.org/downloads/0.64/fedora-install/bbb-openoffice-headless
mv bbb-openoffice-headless /etc/init.d/

# start the openoffice server
chmod +x /etc/init.d/bbb-openoffice-headless
chkconfig --add bbb-openoffice-headless
chkconfig bbb-openoffice-headless on
service bbb-openoffice-headless start

# for compiling your own packages, you will need some development tools
yum -y install gcc gcc-c++ compat-gcc-32 compat-gcc-32-c++

# some more requirements for packages that we will soon install:
yum -y install -y zlib zlib-devel freetype freetype-devel libjpeg libjpeg-devel

# install swftools:
wget http://www.swftools.org/swftools-0.8.1.tar.gz
tar xzf swftools-0.8.1.tar.gz 
cd swftools-0.8.1
./configure 
make
make install
cd ..

# install ghostscript
yum install -y ghostscript

# install ImageMagick
yum install -y ImageMagick

# now install nginx:
yum install -y nginx

# install activemq from source:
useradd activemq
wget http://apache.mirror.rafal.ca/activemq/apache-activemq/5.2.0/apache-activemq-5.2.0-bin.tar.gz
tar xzf apache-activemq-5.2.0-bin.tar.gz 
mv apache-activemq-5.2.0 /usr/share/
ln -s /usr/share/apache-activemq-5.2.0 /usr/share/activemq
chown -R activemq.activemq /usr/share/apache-activemq-5.2.0
chown -R activemq.activemq /usr/share/activemq

# Now get the init.d file that we created for you
wget http://bigbluebutton.org/downloads/0.64/centos-install/activemq
mv activemq /etc/init.d/

# now make that file executable, start the service and configure it to auto-start
chmod a+x /etc/init.d/activemq
service activemq start
chkconfig activemq on

# now we will install Red5 from source
useradd red5
wget http://bigbluebutton.org/downloads/0.64/red5-0.9.1.tar.gz
tar xvf red5-0.9.1.tar.gz
mv red5-0.9.1 /usr/share/red5
chown -R red5.red5 /usr/share/red5

# now get the init.d file that we created for you
wget http://bigbluebutton.org/downloads/0.64/centos-install/red5
mv red5 /etc/init.d/

# now chmod the file, start and config auto-start:
chmod a+x /etc/init.d/red5
service red5 start
chkconfig red5 on

# now prepare for Asterisk build: 
yum install -y kernel-devel

# On Xen VM you need:
# yum install -y kernel-xen-devel

yum install -y ncurses-devel openssl-devel newt-devel zlib-devel bison

# install asterisk
wget http://downloads.asterisk.org/pub/telephony/asterisk/releases/asterisk-1.4.25.tar.gz
tar zxvf asterisk-1.4.25.tar.gz
cd asterisk-1.4.25
./configure
make 
make install
make samples
make config
cd ..

# configure asterisk
wget http://bigbluebutton.org/downloads/0.64/bbb_extensions.conf
mv bbb_extensions.conf /etc/asterisk/
echo "#include \"bbb_extensions.conf\"" >> /etc/asterisk/extensions.conf

wget http://bigbluebutton.org/downloads/0.64/bbb_sip.conf
mv bbb_sip.conf /etc/asterisk/bbb_sip.conf
echo "#include \"bbb_sip.conf\"" >> /etc/asterisk/sip.conf


wget http://bigbluebutton.org/downloads/0.64/app_konference.so
mv app_konference.so /usr/lib/asterisk/modules/
chmod 755 /usr/lib/asterisk/modules/app_konference.so
# set autoload module BigBlueButton conference
echo "load => app_konference.so" >> /etc/asterisk/modules.conf

wget http://bigbluebutton.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/bbb-images/centos-install-files/asterisk-create-sip-accounts.sh
chmod a+x asterisk-create-sip-accounts.sh
./asterisk-create-sip-accounts.sh

# set enabled to yes in manager.conf
cat /etc/asterisk/manager.conf | sed 's/^enabled = no/enabled = yes/' > /tmp/manager.conf
mv -f /tmp/manager.conf /etc/asterisk/

# add account to manager.conf
echo "

; BigBlueButton: Enable Red5 to connect
[bbb]
secret = secret
permit = 0.0.0.0/0.0.0.0
read = system,call,log,verbose,command,agent,user
write = system,call,log,verbose,command,agent,user
" >> /etc/asterisk/manager.conf


# configure nginx
mkdir -p /etc/nginx/sites-available
mkdir -p /etc/nginx/sites-enabled

wget http://bigbluebutton.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/bbb-images/centos-install-files/nginx-bigbluebutton.conf
wget http://bigbluebutton.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/bbb-images/centos-install-files/nginx.conf
mv -f nginx.conf /etc/nginx/
cat nginx-bigbluebutton.conf  | sed "s/192.168.0.136/`hostname`/" > /etc/nginx/sites-available/bigbluebutton
rm -f nginx-bigbluebutton.conf
ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/bigbluebutton /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/bigbluebutton
service nginx start
chkconfig nginx on

# download BBB apps
cd /tmp/
mkdir bbb-install
cd bbb-install
wget http://bigbluebutton.org/downloads/0.64/packages/bbb-default.tar.gz
wget http://bigbluebutton.org/downloads/0.64/packages/bigbluebutton.war
wget http://bigbluebutton.org/downloads/0.64/packages/video.tar.gz
wget http://bigbluebutton.org/downloads/0.64/packages/bigbluebutton-apps.tar.gz
wget http://bigbluebutton.org/downloads/0.64/packages/client.tar.gz
wget http://bigbluebutton.org/downloads/0.64/packages/sip.tar.gz

# configure MySQL database
echo "create database bigbluebutton_dev;" | mysql -u root
echo "grant all on bigbluebutton_dev.* to 'bbb'@'localhost' identified by 'secret';" | mysql -u root
echo "commit;" | mysql -u root

# now install the webapp
cp /tmp/bbb-install/bigbluebutton.war /var/lib/tomcat6/webapps/bigbluebutton.war

setsebool -P allow_execstack 1
service tomcat6 restart

# download blank slide and thumbnail dummies
mkdir -p /var/bigbluebutton/blank
cd /var/bigbluebutton/blank
wget http://bigbluebutton.org/downloads/0.64/blank/blank-slide.swf
wget http://bigbluebutton.org/downloads/0.64/blank/blank-thumb.png

Generate a GUID (manual step)

For security, you need to generate a GUID. You can use an online GUID generator, such as this one. Keep this GUID handy as we will need it shortly.

Determine PDF2SWF, CONVERT and GS applications (manual step)

      # Make a note of where pdf2swf is installed
      which pdf2swf
       
      # You should see something like
      # /usr/local/bin/pdf2swf
        
      # Make a note of where the convert application is installed
      which convert

      # You shoud see something like.
      # /usr/bin/convert

      # Note where GhostScript is installed
      which gs

      # You should see something like.
      # /usr/bin/gs

Edit bbb-web properties

vi /var/lib/tomcat6/webapps/bigbluebutton/WEB-INF/classes/bigbluebutton.properties

# Change the following:
#  - swfToolsDir to the directory where pdf2swf is located (in this example, it is /usr/local/bin)
#  - imageMagickDir to the directory where convert is located (in this example, it is /usr/bin)
#  - ghostScriptExec to point to the gs application (in this example, it is /usr/bin/gs)
#  - change bigbluebutton.web.serverURL=http://<YOUR HOSTNAME>
#  - set beans.dynamicConferenceService.securitySalt to be equal to the guid we just generated (i.e. beans.dynamicConferenceService.securitySalt=<YOUR-GUID>)

Back to the automated tasks:

# create nopdfworkaround file
mkdir /etc/bigbluebutton
echo '%!
/pdfmark {cleartomark} bind def' > /etc/bigbluebutton/nopdfmark.ps

# restart tomcat
service tomcat6 restart

# make sure that your database was created:
echo "show tables" | mysql -u root bigbluebutton_dev
echo "select * from user" | mysql -u root bigbluebutton_dev

# setup the slide upload folder
mkdir /var/bigbluebutton
chown -R tomcat:adm /var/bigbluebutton
chmod -R 777 /var/bigbluebutton

# setup the red5 apps
cd /tmp/bbb-install
tar xvf bigbluebutton-apps.tar.gz
mv bigbluebutton /usr/share/red5/webapps/

# install video app
tar xvf video.tar.gz
mv video /usr/share/red5/webapps/

# install voice app
tar xvf sip.tar.gz
mv sip /usr/share/red5/webapps/

# install bbb-client:
mkdir -p /var/www/bigbluebutton
tar xvf client.tar.gz
mv bin /var/www/bigbluebutton/client

cat /var/www/bigbluebutton/client/conf/config.xml | sed "s/192.168.0.120/`hostname`/" | sed "s|conf/join-mock.xml|http://`hostname`/bigbluebutton/conference-session/enter|" > /tmp/config.xml
mv -f /tmp/config.xml /var/www/bigbluebutton/client/conf/config.xml

# install bbb-default pages
tar xvf bbb-default.tar.gz
mv web /var/www/bigbluebutton-default

Now we need to create bbb_api_conf.jsp, which will hold our GUID and the BigBlueButtonURL. Be sure to replace < YOUR-GUID > with the GUID we generated earlier.

echo "<%!
// This is the security salt that must match the value set in the BigBlueButton server
String salt = \"<YOUR-GUID>\";

// This is the URL for the BigBlueButton server
String BigBlueButtonURL = \"http://`hostname`/bigbluebutton/\";
%>" > /var/lib/tomcat6/webapps/bigbluebutton/demo/bbb_api_conf.jsp

Installing Desktop Sharing (optional)

# download deskshare app
wget http://bigbluebutton.org/downloads/0.64/packages/deskshare.tar.gz
tar xvf deskshare.tar.gz
mv deskshare /usr/share/red5/webapps/

Desktop sharing is disabled by default. To enable it, edit "/var/www/bigbluebutton/client/conf/config.xml" and uncomment the DeskShareModule. You will find the DeskshareModule commented as follows:

 <!-- module name="DeskShareModule" url="DeskShareModule.swf" uri="rtmp://192.168.0.132/deskShare" onUserJoinedEvent="START" onUserLogoutEvent="STOP" loadNextModule="PhoneModule" /-->

In the same file, for the ListenersModule change the property loadNextModule="PhoneModule" to loadNextModule="DeskShareModule"

Finish the installation

# create directory for log files
mkdir /var/log/bigbluebutton

# create an empty log file
touch /var/log/bigbluebutton/bbb-web.log
chmod 777 /var/log/bigbluebutton/bbb-web.log

# restart things:
service activemq restart
service asterisk restart
service red5 restart
service tomcat6 restart

Install bbb-conf

The utility bbb-conf is a shell script to help you configure your BigBlueButton setup. To install bbb-conf, do the following:

  wget http://github.com/bigbluebutton/bigbluebutton/raw/master/bigbluebutton-config/bin/bbb-conf
  sudo mv bbb-conf /usr/local/bin 
  sudo chmod ugo+x /usr/local/bin/bbb-conf 

You should now be able to type

   bbb-conf -c

To check the current setup of BigBlueButton. For more options, see manual page for bbb-conf.