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moving from html only to php/mysql

         

pab1953

9:46 pm on Jun 25, 2006 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



I have a news site that has become unwieldy to manage, building HTML page after HTML page. I know I need to get it databased and server-sided but I don't know how to go about doing it -- or even if it's something I can do or if I need help (and what such help might cost).

I guess it'll be a PHP/MySql solution. I need to add new news stories and update indexes and category lists daily. I use a PC running Windows XP. I'm comfortable working with HTML and CSS (although not instinctively; only after a lot of BSAT -- blood, sweat and tears).

Thank you.

eeek

9:50 pm on Jun 25, 2006 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



Why mysql?

jatar_k

5:19 am on Jun 26, 2006 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Administrator 10+ Year Member



If you are looking to learn pab1953 you could take a look at this thread

Learning PHP - Books, Tutorials and Online Resources [webmasterworld.com]

there are many other useful threads in the PHP Library [webmasterworld.com] as well

pab1953

10:44 am on Jun 26, 2006 (gmt 0)

10+ Year Member



Eeek, I'm not sure "why" MySQL other than that it seems ubiquitious. Any other suggestions?

Jatar, thanks for the links.

I'm wondering if there are any specific suggestions for a newbie trying to build a backend to a news site.

Also, what would it cost me to have someone else do it?

jatar_k

6:24 pm on Jun 26, 2006 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Administrator 10+ Year Member



>> specific suggestions

don't rush ;)

database design is the place ot start, figure out what you will want to store and what behaviours you have on the site and what those might mean for the database. There will almost always be changes as you go along but a good starting design makes coding a lot easier.

when coding, do simple things first and then worry about the more complicated ones after.

good places to start once you have worked out your base db design are

- insert new news item
- update news item
- delete news item (if applicable)

these processes start with a simple old html form and then work on the functionality from there

once you can add/update data in the db then you can work on displaying it on your pages.

>> what would it cost me to have someone else do it

no clue, my gut says a lot

you should looka round for packages that are already available too. That is often the best place to start. You find something that does most of what you want that is coded in php and then you learn by hacking on that script to make it your own but your site is up and running the whole time.

[hotscripts.com...] is always a good place to start.

eeek

7:48 pm on Jun 26, 2006 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member Top Contributors Of The Month



well, the way to convert query strings to nice urls is to use mod_rewrite

Yes, use postgresql. It's just as free and much higher quality.