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How to make a PHP site...

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:41 am
by briancharliee
1st of all hello to everybody.
See I am a completely novice to php..Yeah I am good at Photoshop and illustrator . See friends I now want to make my own php site . I have html template also. But I don't know how to make a php site. What should be the configuration of my public_html directory .......... :roll:
What scripts I have to import to install a admin panel so that I add every thing through it. ( as in wordpress blogs ).
Do I have to install PHP 5.2.5 + Apache + Mysql on my personal pc also from where I shall edit site in future.. 8O ( May be most of you laugh but I really have no idea guys. )

Yeah I have some PHP Scripts but I really don't know what should be the configuration in my server directory..( whose permissions I shall change and how to use my html template ).
Please help :idea: Friends.. I need to know urgently !!!!!!!!!

Re: How to make a PHP site...

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:02 am
by aceconcepts
Hello,

It really depends on what you already have.

Do you have a server or hosting space?

Do you need a database?

I'm up for giving you a hand :D

Re: How to make a PHP site...

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:23 am
by briancharliee
Yes Mr. aceconcepts I do have all ...Server did supports php's latest version..but I am unsure of public_html directory's files what should be there ...along with html template...and how I do what I explained above... 8O

Re: How to make a PHP site...

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:28 am
by rsmarsha
If your starting from scratch i'd recommend a php book as a guide to learning a good basic grounding. I used "php and mysql web development" but have just bought "php in a nutshell" which includes php5 and covers pretty much everything from installation up to xml and curl. The latter is a good book to have as a reference even after you gone through it to learn the code.

You don't have to install everything on your local PC, text editors like editplus allow you to edit files on the server. I have been using php for a while now and at work i use my editor to edit files directly. Time constraints and access rights mean i havn't installed a local version, i just set up a dev environment on the same server so i can play around on the same system knowing code will port to the live site easily enough. Once you get going it's probably a good idea to install php/mysql and the rest on your local pc. I've still to do that at home myself. :oops:

Re: How to make a PHP site...

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:36 am
by briancharliee
Ok Sir You mean I have to install PHP 5.2.5 ,apache_2.2.6-win32-x86-no_ssl.msi and
mysql-gui-tools-5.0-r12-win32.msi on my pc Right.
So then what should be the configration of public_html directory...shall I upload html template there and what of uploading few of useful php scripts..please through some light...

Re: How to make a PHP site...

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:43 am
by aceconcepts
Basically your public_html/ directory is where you will store your index page (the first page that loads when someone visits a url i.e. http://www.site.com/), an images directory (if you need one) and anyother folders you need.

What you should bear in mind is how your files and folders will work in a relative manner.

What is your main objective with the site you want to build? - this way I will be able to give you some rough guide because each site differs.

Re: How to make a PHP site...

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:44 am
by briancharliee
Sir its basically an SEO site with yeah dynamic content as I have to add some blogs and news often.

Re: How to make a PHP site...

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:45 am
by aceconcepts
And you plan to build the entire structure from scratch?

Re: How to make a PHP site...

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:47 am
by RobertGonzalez
Really the best thing for you to do would be to install a working web server, database server and PHP on your personal computer. I say go get Apache and MySQL and install them, then install PHP.

Now that you have a local working web server on your machine you can start playing around with PHP development without needing a host.

Grab a book or two, or read some of the posts here, and start coding and testing. Have fun. Come back and ask questions. Learn.

That is probably the best way to do it.

Re: How to make a PHP site...

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:51 am
by aceconcepts
I do agree with the other posters about setting up a local development site but as you already have server space etc... then I'd just play around with it there.

I think what you should do beofre you start coding is decide upon a site structure i.e. header with left vertical menu and a main content area.

Re: How to make a PHP site...

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:53 am
by briancharliee
Then Mr. aceconcepts what should be the best option ...you say ! A site pages may go over 200 sooner or later as I have to add content often...I do..with articles and other news things.
So what should be the solution according to you.
( Everah Sir it takes time...to go that deep in programming details I want to run a php site plz some quick solution ..)

Mr. aceconcepts You mean to say index.html , style.css and images dir. I have sir...

Re: How to make a PHP site...

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:55 am
by aceconcepts
Ok,

So if you already have an index page can I see it - what's the url? So I can see what you're working with.

Re: How to make a PHP site...

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:58 am
by briancharliee
Sir I didn't upload it to server yet...but if you want to see them then shall I send you the zip...

Re: How to make a PHP site...

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 10:59 am
by aceconcepts
Ok, send the zip

Re: How to make a PHP site...

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 11:10 am
by RobertGonzalez
If you know nothing about PHP what exactly do you hope to learn by writing code, then FTping it, then watching it break, then starting all over again?

I only suggest a local environment (which takes all of 10 minutes to set up by the way) because you can set your error reporting levels and display error directives to help you learn. In hosted environments display_errors is off (generally) so when things go to hell in a handbasket you get a nice blank page with no access to the error logs.

Blank pages tell you nothing and most often result in posts here about why the code is broken. On a local machine, the machine can tell you why the code is broken and you can learn from that.

Also, a design is not at all needed right now if you are looking to learn PHP. A design comes in to play when you have an app that you want to roll out or a site that you are pushing live. Neither of these is your case.

However, we are here to help, so if you are eager enough to learn in production, have at it. We will assist as best we can.