Best practices for starting PHP/MySQL site

[rvdc2005]

I'm thinking of switching from a FrontPage site to a PHP/MySQL site.
I set up a MySQL database for my PowWeb domain, and now I'm wondering what the best way is to develop the site on your local machine (localhost) and then copy it to your PowWeb server space, so everything works correctly.

I'm also looking for a freeware CMS application that I can use for my website. I have looked at a dozen or so, and so far I like Etomite, Mambo, and Xaraya. Any other suggestions would be more than welcome. I'm particularly interested in something that includes functionality to create and maintain a links (URL) collection, where site visitors can add URLs (after my approval).

Ron

[Marth]

I'd highly suggest you talk to others who have CMS/forums while on the PowWeb hosting. Many, MANY of us have super slow systems due to PowWeb's ineptitude.

[rvdc2005]

Could you elaborate?

[BerksWebGuy]

For everything about CMS...check out the CMS section in this forum.

Transferring everything over from your local system to the server shouldn't be a problem. One thing you have to watch out for is the directory structure:
/my documents/website/file.php or localhost/file.php
Would have to be changed to:
/www/u/username/htdocs/file.php or localhost.yoursite.com/file.php

Of course you could use a link that would look like this:
include ('../file.php');
Then paths wouldn't be an issue.

Another thing is config files (like php.ini)...and maybe some other smaller things.

[Marth]

rvdc,
Many of us who use phpBB and other phpBB/MySQL content systems are having issues with site speed. PowWeb has tried telling us that it's a problem with our sites, however, I don't think ANY of us had issues before they went to their load balancing at the end of last year. It's horribly slow, and gets old real quick to have tech support that it's not their problem, even though we didn't experience these issues til their changes.

[tomrock]

Ron:

You'll have to have a way to run PHP and MySQL on your local computer. An easy way to do this is http://www.apachefriends.org/en/ I used the lite version which comes with a couple of batch files to start Apache and MySQL. It's really easy.

Can't help you with the CMS part, though.

Good luck. I'm just starting with PHP myself.

[murpsoft]

What he meant by Powweb's ineptitude is that they're currently testing out load-balancing strategies in hopes of soon offering 100% uptime, which is currently screwing all of their customers because we all have to suffer blackouts.

The include() and require() and DOMDocument::load() and such that work on http://localhost..
are all getting fcuk'd. This is a very recent problem - only in the last two or three days - and I hope it goes away very soon.

[murpsoft]

As per a best practices:

I would recommend downloading a copy of Knoppix and burning it to CD. I would imagine that that will let you run Apache Server and such without having to install anything - you just reboot and the computer boots from the CD and you're in linux - no install. I'm not sure if Knoppix provides Apache Server though. If not, you'll have to consider creating a partition and installing a new OS. Windows has Apache, but it's just a crippled port. If you're using Powweb, then go with FreeBSD, otherwise I recommend Linux.

You will want to keep a folder on your hard disk for all your work anyways.

As per a CMS with link management. I have one that validates links, and builds them automatically from keywords on my website. However, I don't have one that does link submission.

My own CMS is... well... suffice to say it's about to become about two decades ahead of anything else out there. It currently swaps in Acronym's and Abbr's, link keywords, and automatically builds the navigation from the filesystem layout. Everything is W3C and WAI compatible. The next step is what's going to be amazing. It'll blow minds. :D