Creating a form which can submit a Word document via email
Posted: Fri May 28, 2010 8:18 pm
The purpose of the form is that different people can go to its address like http://www.testmysitename.com , enter their information like First Name, Last Name, phone number, email address and attach a MS-Word document which has 2-3 pages description about them, their main aspects of biography.
In a nutshell, it would have five fields like Fname, LName, phone, email and the fifth would be a field with browse button. After the form is submitted, the Word document contents should be stored in a table in MySQL and the Word document would be emailed to a person.
I am completely new to PHP. But, I have head that building such a form with PHP and using MySQL as the backend should be possible.
1. Did I hear correctly that building such a form using PHP as front end and MySQL as back end can be done? Or, are there other tools/environments I should be looking to like Flex/Coldfusion?
2. How long would it take to create such a form approximately for a newbie like me? My programming background is more in C,C++, some HTML, Javascript.
I don't want to use tools like PHPMaker, Scripani and sites like http://www.formmail-maker.com/generator.php or tools like PHP Generator for MySQL since I am new to PHP, I guess building this will help me learn a new language.
3. Would I need Apache or IIS can be configured with PHP as IIS is already running on my machine(Windows XP). I don't know if Comcast would provide hosting of PHP pages on the webspace they provide(if they provide any hosting). If not, how difficult it is set up Apache on a XP machine.
4. When the Word document will be emailed is there a way that functionality can be tested if I don't have a mail server running? Or, if it is running on the webspace provided by Comcast, something can be worked out to test the functionality?
Any advice would be welcome.
In a nutshell, it would have five fields like Fname, LName, phone, email and the fifth would be a field with browse button. After the form is submitted, the Word document contents should be stored in a table in MySQL and the Word document would be emailed to a person.
I am completely new to PHP. But, I have head that building such a form with PHP and using MySQL as the backend should be possible.
1. Did I hear correctly that building such a form using PHP as front end and MySQL as back end can be done? Or, are there other tools/environments I should be looking to like Flex/Coldfusion?
2. How long would it take to create such a form approximately for a newbie like me? My programming background is more in C,C++, some HTML, Javascript.
I don't want to use tools like PHPMaker, Scripani and sites like http://www.formmail-maker.com/generator.php or tools like PHP Generator for MySQL since I am new to PHP, I guess building this will help me learn a new language.
3. Would I need Apache or IIS can be configured with PHP as IIS is already running on my machine(Windows XP). I don't know if Comcast would provide hosting of PHP pages on the webspace they provide(if they provide any hosting). If not, how difficult it is set up Apache on a XP machine.
4. When the Word document will be emailed is there a way that functionality can be tested if I don't have a mail server running? Or, if it is running on the webspace provided by Comcast, something can be worked out to test the functionality?
Any advice would be welcome.