WordPress MU

Hi all,
New to WP MU, and unfortunately I can't wait until WP 3...

I'm building a site with 3 languages, using wp mu and the option with subdomains.

My problem is that the domainname already has a site, and this one will be the new site (when the new site is ready to go live, all I want to do is change the DNS and everyone will go to the new wp mu site).

When I fill in the 'old/current' domainname in the textfield Server Address, I can't get into wp-admin because it will use a path that doesn't exist.

Is there a way to install wp mu on ip-adress/~username? This is the address that I'm using untill the site can go live.

Not easily, no. Here's a tutorial on a way to do it.
http://wpmututorials.com/how-to/change-the-domain/

Thanks for the link!

I've decided to cheat a little... I've done the installation with subdirectories, I'm going to create subdomains and with a frame (or iframe) link those to the right directories.

The installations worked, but when I want to login and press the login-button, I get a 500 Internal Server Error. site_url() doesn't have the right data; after submitting the login-form the url in my browser is this: http://IP/~username/IP/~username/wp-login.php

I've already changed the form action to the following:

<form name="loginform" id="loginform" action="http://IP/~username/wp-login.php" method="post">

(I've put http:// before the IP)

But even now after submitting the url in my browser is http://existing_domainname/~username and this url doesn't exist...

Is there anyway I can change that?

"I've done the installation with subdirectories, I'm going to create subdomains and with a frame (or iframe) link those to the right directories."

That's not going to work. The subdirectories don't exist, they are virtual. the subdomains are virtual too.

MU on an IP address, like kgraeme said above, is not easily workable.

For what you want to do:

- edit the hosts file on your computer so that the old domain will show up on the new site (the new IP address). Now only you can see it.

- install MU on the "new" site

- edit the heck out of it however you want.

when it is done, change your hosts file again so you can see the live siad. Good? Great. The "new" site will appear to be down & redirect to the old site, but that;s fine.

Go to your DNS records & update them to point ot the new site. Wait.

Bask in the glow of a job well done.

Thank you Andrea for your clear explanation!

Just one question:

- edit the hosts file on your computer so that the old domain will show up on the new site (the new IP address). Now only you can see it.

I've found where I can edit the httpd.conf-file, but what do I have to edit in the file?

Thank you so much!

Searching the forums I've found something that might be what I have to add in the httpd.conf, but I just want confirmation that it's right...

Add "00.00.000.00 example.com" minus the quote marks somewhere in the page. Important: Change 00.00.000.00 to the IP address of your server, where you are testing your new site. example.com is the domain name that you want to map to the IP address.

- So I have to replace 00.00.000.00 with the IP of the 'new' site
- replace example.com with the url of the 'old' site

If I add that line with the correct replacements (does it matter where in the httpd.conf?), I will see the 'old' (and now live) site on my 'new' site, and when I install MU here, I am the only one that will see this.

the httpd.conf file is on your SERVER.

The hosts file in on your COMPUTER.

Okay, thanks for clearing that up!
So I have to change the hosts file on my COMPUTER (mac in my case)...

But can my client see the progress on the 'new' site?
He has to change the hosts file also to see the progress, or am I wrong?

This time you're correct. :) Anyone who wants to see progress on the not-live site would have to change the hosts file on their computer as well.

Yes, this is the easiest way.

Glad I've got that one correct ;-)

Thank for all the information everyone!
Unfortunately due to deadlines I won't be able to use MU this time, but I hope I will in the future.