PHP guestbook for my site

[CarolW]

Dear All,

I am brand new to anything to do with web development. Yet, with help from some of you, I actually have a sketch of a site going. My server supports PHP, and I know totally nothing about any form of programming, though I managed to get fairly decent at DOS batch programming one time years and years ago.

I haven't studied forms yet in HTML, but plan to. That will take me time. Well, what about in PHP, since my server supports it? I should (and WILL learn to do it in html, but also, I read today that if I want stuff emailed to me from my site (from filling out a form), then I need javascript or PHP.

Well, I do NOT plan to learn javascript in any hurry (maybe in a decade or so, if I live that long? I am old <g>) - but also, I want my site to be maximumly accessible and easy for olllllllld people to use. So eventually I'll learn to re-direct, and could use javascript, but I don't want to tackle that yet.

What might be possible for me to construct (or you to help me construct?) in the way of a guestbook for my site? I'm thinking of people signing the book, having their input emailed to me for approval for posting - that sort of thing. Maybe also a feedback form where people could comment, and the results would be emailed to me.

Can you tell I don't know what I'm doing? <g> I do believe I could learn some basic PHP coding, little by little. By the way, I haven't the vaguest idea of what SQL or MYSQL is or means. Do I need to learn? Maybe <g>

Wed, 08 Dec 2004 11:46:40 (PST)

[NogDog]

MySQL is a database management system. It could be useful for a guestbook application in that you could store each entry as a row in a database. This helps you "keep the data separate from the code," which provides many benefits in terms of design, data backup and management, security, etc.

PHP is a scripting language (i.e., a runtime-interpreted programming language) which has been designed to work well as a web-based application tool, plus it has strong native support for the MySQL DBMS.

HTML forms provide a means for the user to send information from their computer to your web server, where PHP (or other web programming tool of your choice) can retrieve that data, then do what you want with it; whether that be saving it to a database or emailing it to you.

Some web sites of interest if you decide to really dig into this:

www.php.net
www.mysql.com
w3.org HTML 4.01 Forms Specification (http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/interact/forms.html)

A decent book to introduce you to the fundamentals in a friendly manner: PHP & MySQL for Dummies by Janet Valade.

[CarolW]

Dear NogDog,

Thanks for your reply! Anything to do with databases terrifies me! That's okay; when I want something, I'll try anyway! Thanks for all the leads!

I dropped by your site the other day. Interesting dog! <g> (I'm a dog nut.) Enjoyed your site!

I'm like my dogs - one-track-mind terriers. Alert-alarm, bark-bark, pursue, keep trying! So I expect to manage some form of guestbook. I'll follow up on your leads, little by little! Maybe that Dummies book would be perfect for me!

Yes; that means: Thanks!

Wed, 08 Dec 2004 12:34:21 (PST)

[pyro]

If you're going to be using MySQL databases, phpMyAdmin (http://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/) is an absolute must, if you ask me.

[NogDog]

Originally posted by CarolW
...
I'm like my dogs - one-track-mind terriers. Alert-alarm, bark-bark, pursue, keep trying! So I expect to manage some form of guestbook. I'll follow up on your leads, little by little! Maybe that Dummies book would be perfect for me!
...
I'm more like my dog: spend most of my time lying around doing nothing, with occaisional interruptions to eat and go to the bathroom. ;)

[CarolW]

Originally posted by pyro
If you're going to be using MySQL databases, phpMyAdmin (http://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/) is an absolute must, if you ask me.

I went and looked at the site, and bookmarked it. Maybe in 10 years, I can read it, haha! I also went to your site. Wow. You are an artist.

Wed, 08 Dec 2004 13:19:21 (PST)