Php Mysql Beginner Questions

[kbs]

I was a MS Frontpage user before and no programming experience at all. Need to create a user/registration/login datebase project. I spent couple months to research/learn WebMatrix, ASP.NET, PHP MySQL and Drupal to figure out which is a better non=programming friendly tool to start. I followed this book and two days to install the XAMPP without the port 80 error. (installed on a new formatted computer has nothing on it). I followed the chapeters and tried the exercises. It is not easy to pick up the skill and I am lost within the chapters.

 

I am wondering. "I just want to drive a car so do I need to learn how the car works and fix it?" Is there any better tool or advices to approach my project?

[Jonathon]

No would be my answer, many people just buy/download scripts that do this for you. I think it comes down to circumstance and how much control and understanding of your own site you want.I personally think that it's always best to understand your sites code if you are a developer. Just my opinion, others may disagree. What I would say is that the book is very friendly and if your stuck or don't understand something then just use the forum. There are loads of really helpfull and knowledgeable people who use the forum and someone is always willing to help. On a side note I hear drupal is not for the feint hearted.

 

What are you stuck on currently in the book?

 

Jonathon

[HartleySan]

kbs, I agree with Jonathon. Certainly, I understand the pressure that a deadline can create, but ultimately, you're better to start at the beginning and learn things properly. And to that end (while I am admittedly somewhat bias), no one covers PHP and MySQL better than Larry. And to answer your other question, without a doubt, I think PHP/MySQL is the best way to go for your project.

 

Also, like Jonathon said, go through the book slowly, and if you're confused about anything whatsoever, please ask on these forums. We will try to assist you as best as possible. As long as you're nice about it, there is no question too dumb.

 

Anyway, good luck, and we're here to help you.

 

Edit: Concerning XAMPP, you shouldn't be getting a port 80 error. If that's the case, then most likely, your environment is causing the problem, not XAMPP. Without knowing more about your environment though, it's impossible to comment on that.

[chop]

If all you have to do for your project is implement a user/registration/login datebase as part of a larger project AND THEN, once it is operational, you will never have to deal with it again (i.e. it's on to other non-programming stuff that you're more familiar with) then you might think about letting someone else handle just that part of it (sub contract it out).

 

However if you see yourself as having to maintain or modify this in the future or do other similar projects (i.e. programming stuff) , stick with the book and use this forum. The more you learn, the more you will feel inclined to learn.

 

I was in a similar circumstance as you when I started in the php/mySql thing. I learned enough so that I could take the examples in the this book and modify them (not that extensively in most cases) and have a system work the way I wanted. I only wrote php code from a blank screen in the beginning. From there it was a matter of looking at the code, comparing it to what was "coming out" of it and changing it bit by bit until it worked for me. This process, for me, was how I learned (non-linear as it was) php programming.

 

If you are positive that you "just want to drive the car", then let someone else "fix it" (or build it) for you because it's not really a big project for someone with the skills. Then you can get on to more enjoyable things in life. Otherwise, stick it out for a while and "mess around" with the exercises in the book without taking it too seriously and you could find yourself learning (even enjoying) php/mySQL almost by accident.

 

chop

[HartleySan]

Good points, chop. Thanks. While I consider myself more an intermediate "PHP guy" by now, it was only a few years ago when I was a beginner, and I remember the feelings that chop expressed well.

 

The best thing to do is follow along with the book, and play with the code as you go along, in order to better understand how the different parts work. And if you find yourself completely stuck and/or not understanding something conceptually, come here and ask.

[Paul Swanson]

If you have Frontpage installed, it likely installed a web server that is already using port 80, the default port for web servers. You'll need to change either Frontpage's web server, or Apache, to a different port (port 8080 is the normal convention for a second web server), and specify the port when you first enter the URL in your browser (http://localhost:8080/). Try that URL and see if it doesn't work for you. You might have to check the config file for Apache. The file is httpd.conf. Look for it in your XAMPP subdirectories.

[kbs]

Thank you for all the advices. I learn this as hobby during my spare time. Should I start with Chapter 16 Example-user registration? Is there any different using the command line interface compare to phpmyadmin in the long run?

[HartleySan]

If you're new, you should start with chapter 1 and go in order.

 

I prefer phpMyAdmin, but I recently learned that phpMyAdmin cannot execute stored procedures for testing purposes from the SQL CLI. In that case, you'd have to use the command line, I think. Other than that though, phpMyAdmin is quicker.