PHP & MySQL confuses me... Is there software that can do it for me?

[incka]

Is there any web database and access point (the php file) developing software?

I would prefer a free one...

And does MS Access work?

I tryed but it just brings up text boxes with the data in...

[lo0ol]

Not really. There are text editors designed to help you code in PHP though. (Different highlighting features, etc.)

[incka]

That won't help...

[Mike]

Read a book. I reccomend "Beginning PHP" by Wrox - same publisher as the PHP book reviewed here.

[Chris]

I've seen a program before that was supposed to automate most of the php/mysql site creating process but it never made it out of beta.

[chromate]

Macromedia do one called Interdev or something. Never used it though, and obviously it costs.

I would really recommend sticking with it and trying to learn it though if you're serious about making sites with it. I wont say it's easy, because I've forgotten what it's like not to be able to code stuff. I'm sure you'll be able to pick it up if you just stick with it though.

Is there anything in particular you're stuck on? Maybe we can help.

Oh, and never use MS Access for the web. It's just totally not designed to operate in that environment. Besides, if you can use SQL with Access then you can use it with MySQL :)

[incka]

I can add data using PHPMyAdmin... I have gotten fond of using it to add data, just I always run into faults when I try to work with PHP...

I just try to do too ambious projects before I know the language...

Last night I tryed to create a web based email thing for goodness sake!

[lo0ol]

That's your problem then. As tedious as it sounds, just try doing a lot of tiny projects. Tackling a huge project (such as your email project) will just cause a bunch of undue stress. Just keep working on it and slowly it'll just start to click.

[incka]

I'll try a database driven article site...

That should be easy...

[Mike]

That's actually quite hard if your not confident with PHP & MySQL, in my opinion.

Just try setting up a simple form or something, and submitting it's data into a db. Then move onto more advanced stuff etc...

[bugsy]

Chromate, I've tried that IDE before -- sucks big time! I'd recommend sticking to something like HomeSite and learn the language instead of finding ways to automate it.

[incka]

I'll try to make some PHP that doesn't use MySQL first...

[Mike]

Good idea. Get used to using if statements and such, before moving onto more advanced things.

[incka]

I will...

[X Q mano]

I also recommend the PHP/MySQL book Sitepoint sells... Helped me a lot... And ask people, read articles and other people's posts... :)

[Mike]

Many liked that, but I wasn't that keen for some reason:confused:

[chromate]

I didn't like it either. At all. Though, I only had the first edition. They should never have published that. There're much better books for the money.

[Mike]

I had the first addition as well chromate. I didn't seem to learn much from it, and most of my coding was just copied from the book. Also I had a lot of errors, and bombed sitepoint up with loadsa questions etc:)

[incka]

How many PHP books do you two have?

[chromate]

Three. Well one of them's XML & PHP.

[Mike]

I have three...

The sitepoint one, the wrox beginners one and the sams one.

The wrox one is my favorite by far, although the sams one isn't too bad either.

[chromate]

LOL... Mike just made me reailise. Actually I have four. I forgot to even consider the sitepoint one. Shows how much I use that one doesn't it! :)

[GCT13]

I like O'Reilly's "PHP Cookbook". Hundreds of to-the-point sample solutions, less of the blather you find in most books.

[incka]

I have one, but it is meant for advanced PHP programmers.

It's all about making pdfs and graphics and web email services on PHP...

[Mike]

what's it called? is it the one reviewed here?

[Yoda]

The product at http://www.codecharge.com should cut down on the amount of raw code you need to delve into, but ultimately you'll still need a familiarity of it all.