Open source has brought a
lot more than Linux to the computing world. It has also given us PHP and MySQL.
According to Graeme, PHP and MySQL are the world's best combination for
creating data-driven sites. In the first installment of this three-lesson
tutorial, our Kiwi guide covers everything you need to know to begin
developing database hubs. He gives instructions for installation on both Unix
and Windows, and then goes on to show some simple scripts that will insert
information into a database and display that data on a Web page.
Lesson 2 covers more PHP/MySQL
goodies than you could probably imagine. Graeme starts by showing while
loops, then talks about the ever-useful if-else statement. But this
information alone means little if you don't continue and see how PHP can be
used with HTML forms. By the time you've polished off this lesson, you'll be
able to add, edit, and remove information from your database.
In Lesson 3, Graeme shows some
of the secrets that will turn your simple data-driven site into a useful
application. As he covers validation, he'll show how to prevent users from
leaving key form fields blank and how to make sure numeric files don't
contain letters. He'll also teach you how PHP handles includes and functions.
Plus you'll see how these two features, when deployed together, can make the
coder's life much easier. Graeme winds it all up with some tearful parting
words and a bit of advice for the aspiring PHP/MySQL coder.
by Graeme Merrall
