Exactly what is Mysql and php

[Unregistered]

I design pretty dazzling websites..But I've never go into mysqp and php.What is mysql/php?What can it do?Why is it needed?what does it have to do with web design...I mean,somebody break it dowm for me in lamens terms....

[Trinity]

Originally posted by Unregistered
I design pretty dazzling websites..But I've never go into mysqp and php.What is mysql/php?What can it do?Why is it needed?what does it have to do with web design...I mean,somebody break it dowm for me in lamens terms....

Hi,

I am newbie so I will explain what I think it is :) I recently changed all my pages that where HTML to PHP by just renaming the files and then deleted all the HTML files. index.html to index.php

PHP - allows you to add more gadgets. Like I can display the date in the top right with just a couple lines of code. You can do alot more with it but I am new. I would make the switch and learn it.

SQL - is for database. You can run SQL statements they call it. Its a bit complicated but its like running searches on a search engine. You can also tell a data base what to do.

If I want it to list all last names I would type a sentence and it will display what I want. its very complicated not easy to learn.

But if you put PHP in you need to install. phpMyAdmin 2.2.6
I had a fellow in the news groups offer to install mine. He had it done in 10 minutes. This will allow you to add to your data base. Some PHP code requires you to add data to the dat base the the php code. So php also reads the database.

Do a search for PHP newbie and will find tons of information. Its like learning all over again

good luck

[RSaucier]

Trinity,

Pretty good for a newbie! You keep that up and you won't be able to claim that title for long! :D

Unregged,

MySQL is a relation database management system. Think of dBase or Microsoft Access (or Microsoft Excel for some folks) then multiply their speed and power by a few hundred.

PHP stands for PHP Hypertext Preprocessor. It's a scripting language kind of like JavaScript but a little more powerful and, instead of being run on the client side, it's run on the server. It has built-in support for accessing MySQL databases as well as creating graphics on the fly.

It's also used to create popular web site draws like message boards/forums. :D

Like Trinity said, there are hundreds if not thousands of tutorials on PHP and MySQL and how to use them together.

There's also a few excellent books on using them together. "PHP and MySQL Web Development" by Welling and Thomson, published by Sams (ISBN 0-672-31784-2 US$49.99) is a good start.

(phpMyAdmin is a great PHP script that lets you take pretty much full control of a MySQL database. It's not required to run PHP scripts though.)

I hope this helps!

Robert

[Atomic-Design]

The book I had was "Sams: Teach Yourself PHP in 24 Hours". The beggining was simply awesome... but later in the book it got really hard and confusing to follow. I want to try to read a MySQL/PHP interaction book too.

[RSaucier]

A-D

The first half of "PHP and MySQL" focuses on PHP and the second half covers MySQL and how to use PHP with it. It has a lot of practical samples.

If your local library carries computer books (at least more than the "Dummies" books, see if they have it or can get it. If you've got the US$50 to drop on it, go ahead but take it slow & steady :).

Robert

[fesh]

Beginning PHP4, published by Wrox Press is a good book to learn from. It's mostly just PHP, but there are 3 chapters on using PHP with myql. It's $40, if you want to buy it.

In addition, once you learn the basics of PHP, http://php.net/ is the number one resource for refreshing your memory and learning new functions. A good resource for mysql is http://mysql.com/ The latter is a little more complicated than some people may like.

[D::S]

Originally posted by RSaucier
kind of like JavaScript but a little more powerful
Understatement of the year :P

[BerksWebGuy]

Java is where everything is heading. Not JavaScript...JAVA.

Look around...wait and see:)

[RSaucier]

Yeah, yeah ... been hearing Java's gonna rule the world for 5 or 6 years now.

COBOL, I tell you, COBOL is the cat's pajamas. FORTRAN's not too far behind it, but definitely COBOL!

Robert

[BerksWebGuy]

You wait...you're not gonna be in Kansas anymore Toto:D

But in reality...they'll probably have something new next summer:eek:

[alphadesk]

Cobol with the punch cards is on the way back, until the tech stocks can make a comeback.

[Atomic-Design]

What does COBOL do? Is it like PHP? What does COBOL stand for?

[RSaucier]

"cgiCOBOL, also known as the ICOBOL Web Server, is a server based run-time engine that allows users to create CGI scripts using standard ANSI COBOL syntax. User input is handled via standard READ statements, while output is handled through the normal DISPLAY or WRITE mechanisms. As with any CGI based script, users access the programs using their existing Web browsers.

cgiCOBOL is available for both the Apache/Red Hat Linux platforms and Microsoft IIS. Pricing is based on maximum desired connections, and begins at $1,245 for 5 users."

COBOL -- COmmon Business-Oriented Language
http://www.dictionary.com/search?q=COBOL

What the heck: FORTRAN -- FORmula TRANslation
http://www.dictionary.com/search?q=FORTRAN

You kids today, always looking at the newest, shiniest languages! Well, I'll remind you: those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it ...

<VBEG>

Robert

[Atomic-Design]

$1,245? That's a lot of money.

[Atomic-Design]

Originally posted by RSaucier

PHP stands for PHP Hypertext Preprocessor.


I actually read some incorrect information, stating that PHP stood for "Personal HomePage". Hehe... strange isn't it?

[RSaucier]

Way back at the dawn of time, PHP *did* stand for Personal Home Page. When it matured enough to be unleashed on the rest of the world, it took on the GNU habit of recursive naming...so now it stands for "PHP Hypertext Preprocessor"

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Robert

'til something better comes along, that is...

[wwuud]

Just my 2 cent's worth on java vs PHP -

Java has been around for longer than PHP, ad has had the weight of Sun Microsystems and Netscape behind it for all that time. Along comes this upstart PHP open source startup out of no where to become an extremely popular server-side scripting language. See http://php.weblogs.com/popularity for more info

The server-side Java, .JSP has not bee as popular for several reasons, which a clearly laid out the same site as above, at: http://php.weblogs.com/jsp

The most important consideration is that PHP was designed from the ground up to be nothing other than a server-side scripting language - Java was designed to be a cross-OS universal language - guess which serves-up web pages better....

Java still has it's place, especially in quick-development client-side programs that need to run on all platforms. It does a good job, albeit with an execution-speed compromise.

Peace,
- Earl
Former ASM -> Fortran -> COBOL -> MS-BASIC -> dBase -> QuickBASIC -> Turbo PASCAL -> Turbo C+ -> Visual BASIC -> Visual C++ -> JavaScript -> PERL -> Java programmer that now writes almost exclusively in PHP....