Newb to MySQL and PowWeb

[ozone]

Hey, I have two very general questions. I'm thinking of starting a ecommerce site and wanted to ask these before I jumped in. I know they're very general, and so I'm looking for very general answers.

1. I don't code in anything at the moment. I programmed in pascal about 10yrs ago quite a bit, and took a C++ class not too long ago. So while I might not know a lot, I can pick up languages fairly easily. So, being a total newb to all this, how many hours would it take a person like me, knowing nothing, to create a mySQL database and install PHP to handle some customer accounts? Can someone throw me a ballpark number?

2. I have yet to sign with PowWeb, and so far they look like the best choice. My second Q though deals with the no remote mySQL admin. I have about 800 existing customer accounts. Am I able to somehow import them into the web based mySQL database? I'm really not keen on the idea of entering each by hand.

Thanks

[FlyinV]

PHP comes allready installed on the server.
mySQL databases are also very easy to set up -- IE click the button and pick a user name/password.

Now learning PHP -- I think if you know anything about other programming language (C++ for example) you can learn PHP very quickly. The basics of PHP is pretty easy and there is a lot of help and prewritten scripts all over the web.

There are also a good number of books about PHP which you can use if your into books.

Powweb offers phpmyadmin as a web based administration tool.
It can easily import 800 records from a flat file.

[ozone]

Hey FlyinV (Black Haeven kicks *** btw), thanks for the info. I know there is so much knowledge here in this forum it's just excellent. Takes awhile to wade through, but I'm sure it's really going to come in handy.

I bought a really great begineer PHP/mySQL book and have been browsing through it. It looks pretty straighforward. I took a HTML class in school long ago, and understand the fundamentals, but the book has a brush-up chapter on them because it says you shouldn't learn PHP w/o a good understanding of HTML.

Two final questions then for you, if you don't mind.

1. I learn by failure. (Such an unfortunate trait I have, yet I really learn it after I fail :p) So, can I simply FTP onto my account, d/l the entire default site, so when I mess something up during my learning period, I can simply erase, and re-upload the default PHP settings?

2. I did some reading about remote v. web based administration. Is it still possible to d/l the .sql file, remote modify it using a SQL editing package - ex., mySQL Manager Pro - and then upload and overwrite the one on the server when I'm done? And, do you recommend this? I guess what I'm saying is, what do you recommend to setup and initally configure your database? Some offline tool, or phpmyadmin?

Again, many thanks, and I hope to soon find a home here. :)