Need someone to point me to the right direction - starting new!

I have a lot of experience in html (primarily MS FF), VB
codes, SQL
statements and Access Database.

But I have no clue how to get into writing some code to
experiment php
and mySQL. I have subscribed to starLogic.com and paid a
year's
subscription in advance. I even bought the book my Myles
O'Reily. But
I was not able to get to the point where I can start to
write a couple
of block of code to test the web interface and a small
database.

I need someone to point me to the right direction. I am
confident that
once I get it going, I will be able to do my own research
and ask some
intelligent questions.

Right now, I am just frustrated and feeling stupid.

Thanks.

Alex


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Hi Alex,

On Jun 8, 9:53 pm, dmkAlex <dmkf...gmail.com> wrote:
> I have a lot of experience in html (primarily MS FF),
VB codes, SQL
> statements and Access Database.

That may be useful, but you have to realise that php is a
different
kind of beastie.

> But I have no clue how to get into writing some code to
experiment php
> and mySQL.

Forget MySQL initially, and learn the ins and out of php:
you'll
quickly get the hang of it if you've done some VB coding.

The manual at php.net is your friend.

> I have subscribed to starLogic.com and paid a year's
> subscription in advance.

I assume you mean that you've bought the domain: because
I've just
looked at starlogic.com and it's a holding page. (If you've
'subscribed' to anything on there, then you've probably paid
an
advertiser something... I suggest to find out what it is
you've paid
for.)

> I even bought the book my Myles O'Reily.

Which book is that?  If it's the eCommerce book, then you're
really
jumping in at the deep end.

When you see people talking about O'Reilly books, they're
meaning
those published by O'Reilly Media (www.oreilly.com).... I'm
not 100%
sure, but I don't think there is any relationship between
the two.

Personally I would suggest that if you really want a  book
then get
'Learning PHP 5' or 'Learning PHP and MySQL'; the latter is
a newer
publication but has the emphasis on database operation
rather than the
nitty gritty of PHP programming.

If you're feeling so disposed, the oreilly.com website is
currently
doing a buy two get one free deal, so you could complement
those two
with 'Programming PHP' which will move you on from the basic
stuff in
Learning PHP 5.

> But
> I was not able to get to the point where I can start to
write a couple
> of block of code to test the web interface and a small
database.

Here's a very simple block of code to make sure that things
are
working.

Put the following into a file called test.php

<?php
    phpinfo();
?>

Upload it to your server space (assuming that you have
bought the
domain starlogic.com) and then put http://www,starlogic.com/test.php
into your browser address line.  You should get a page of
details
about php as it is set up on the machine that starlogic.com
is hosted
on.

> I need someone to point me to the right direction. I am
confident that
> once I get it going, I will be able to do my own
research and ask some
> intelligent questions.

Get yourself over to php.net and start reading... there are
loads of
tutorials out there, and you can get by without buying any
more books;
but I get books because it's easier to 'riffle' through a
book than a
web page. ;)

> Right now, I am just frustrated and feeling stupid.

That's understandable if you got the Myles O'Reilly book...
don't
worry, everyone starts somewhere.  If you don't try to do
too much too
fast then you should be able to pick it up quite quickly.

Hope that helps.

Kind regards,
     Geoff


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small-to-medium size businesses.

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Maybe I had the concept of php/mySQL mixed up big time which
is
keeping me from seeing the light.

Let me put things in the perspective that I understand so
you can help
me out (I really appreciate it).

In the VB6/Access platform operating in a LAN environment:
I, the software writer, have MS Access and VB6 (or MS Visual
Suite)
installed in my development machine.
I wrote the screen and routine in VB6 which, thru connection
string,
talked to Access.
I then compile the VB project into an EXE file and
distribute it to
users in the LAN and I upload the Access dbf file to the
LAN.
User is able to use the EXE interface to get/write
information to the
database.

Now, under the php/mySQL web base platform:

I paid Startlogic an annual fee and they give me a web-space
that I
can upload my files.
Starlogic said this web-space I have paid for support php
and mySQL.
I have study and review all the php functions in http://w
ww.w3schools.com/php/php_ref_ftp.asp
and I think I can understand and be able to ultilize most of
the
function to start with.

Here's is questions:

Do I need to purchase any program that would let me write
php and use
mySQL? If the answer is Yes, can you name the products?
If I have a few tables (using Access terminology) some large
and some
small, how to I create the mySQL database?
Can I use FrontPage, or Dreamweaver to create the basic html
code and
write the phh code to load the variables so the dropdown
fields, or
text field in the webpage will display the proper
information
retreived from the database?

In developing, do I have to develop in the web so I can test
the
routine since I don't have any local facility that supports
php/mySQL?

Now that you'd pointed it out, I think I got php/mySQL mixed
up with
osCommerce, because my ultimate goal is to create a simple
e-Commerce
site of my web-based business.

But for now, I will be happy just to understand how
php/mySQL works
and being created and maintained. I'll worry about the
Shopping Cart
and Credit Card processing part later. Maybe when I have a
better
understanding, I will then explore osCommerce.

Thank you in advance for your insight and
"pointing".

dmkAlex



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This group is managed and maintained by the development
staff at 360 PSG. An enterprise application development
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small-to-medium size businesses.

For information or project assistance please visit :
http://www.360psg.com

You received this message because you are subscribed to the
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