Hmm. What do you mean you couldn't configure a host? I was able to add one through the web interface, at least using "NEWHOST=OLDHOST". I generally add hosts from the command line (old habits and all). What wouldn't it do? And I presume you changed
my $useFHS = 1;
in /usr/share/backuppc/lib/BackupPC/Lib.pm ? (I completely forgot to mention which file in my original email, for this I apologize.) Having said that, before I changed that setting, backuppc wouldn't even start.
Please give it another try and change the variable from 0 to 1 and see if it works.