Planning Dynamic Websites

[Paul]

Hi all,

I have a general question. I have worked through Larry's excellant book, I'm just starting the PHP5 Advanced one and also in the process of building a website for my wife business. It's quite ambitious (for a novice like me) with a few databases, a client login area, a shopping basket and e-commerce bit. The problem I'm having is seeing the big picture in coding terms. I spent many days coding one part (the user obtaining a quote and adding it to a basket) before I realised that what I was doing and the way I was doing it wasn't going to work procedurally.

 

I know what I'm asking is a vast subject but does anyone have any tips, or know of any resource on how to begin a multipage, multidatabase project? I tried using Word to draw a 'flow chart' type of thing with arrows from one page to another but it ended up looking like a plate of spaghetti. I thought about creating all the individual files and commenting them before coding to make sure that the flow worked.

 

Apologies for posting such a vague question and if the answer is, 'it comes with experience' then that's absolutely fine.

 

Thanks

Paul

[Larry]

Thanks for the nice words on the book and for the interest in the advanced book. Much appreciated.

 

As for your question, it's a good one. There are really two paths. I normally start with the database design. I look at what information needs to be stored and create that structure. Then I add the PHP functionality. Then I add the final HTML. Some people go the other way: start with all the HTML designs (how it's all supposed to look), and then work backwards.

 

In either case, do try to modularize it as much as possible. If there are elements that are common, such as large sections of HTML, database connectivity, and so forth, start by putting those in separate files that can be included.