MySQL? I am a beginner 1

[t5amec]

I am just a beginner and I wanna play around with it before I start working with it, you know, to see what it can do!

Firstly: Does anyone known of any MySQL/PHP tutorials sites that will help on my way for a long and successful journey?

Secondly: What are the basic things that MySQL/PHP can do?

Make Sense? I hope so (-:

 

[sleipnir214]

I'll answer the second question first, since it's the easiest. The basic things? Manipulate data in a database. With all that entails: ecommerce, inventory management, online quizzes, document management, etc.


In terms of tutorials, you are climbing multiple learning curves. You need to know PHP and MySQL's version of SQL. For a simple example of using PHP to connect to MySQL and manipulate data, take a look at the PHP online manual:

http://us2.php.net/manual/en/function.mysql-fetch-array.php

Want the best answers? Ask the best questions:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

TANSTAAFL!!

 

[t5amec]

am I correct in believing that if I were to set up a database, with say four fields(name, age, email, IP), and I was to set up a web page that asked visitors to fill in the three fields(name, age, email plus a hidden question that would automatically take the IP addy) in a form format which was linked to my database, that when they click the submit button the users reply would be sent to my database, for my eyes only?

Make Sense? I hope so (-:

 

[BabyJeffy]

You are correct... that is exactly how it works.

When the user clicks the submit button, the form is submitted to the location as specified in the action tag of the form.

The location that you submit to could be another (or even the same) php page. The page tests to see it has the data it expects (server-side validation), opens a connection to your database (server-side so the user has knowledge of it even happening), inserts the data and (optionally) redirects you to another page (or just renders some html directly).

You can do this using ASP or JSP talking to mySQL as well... but PHP is compiled (with most commercial webspace) to make this so simple to do (no need to identify a driver, fiddle with arcane options etc).

I found there are so many sites with information on PHP and mySQL that the hardest thing is trying to pick the correct jargon to search for in Google (etc)! There are plenty of step-by-step tutorials that will guide you through creating a database, building the php page and populating/managing the data... use a search engine to find them.

Of course... the TekTips forums have *plenty* of threads, articles and faqs on this too... a veritable gold mine!

All the best,
Jeff

 

[jahjah]

Hi t5amec

Here are a few sites which will help you develop your skills:

http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/99/21/index2a.html

http://www.sqlcourse.com/

http://www.weberdev.com/

Good Luck
JahJah