php/forms/posting/I NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!

[general]

I want to put a comment/quotes page on my teams site, and let people submit their own, but I don't know anything about php or any other database. Can some one help me?

[chris31]

There are a few options. One is to use a free shoutbox type program. Another is to use php and log all of the comments to a text file. The last option is to use php and save it all to a database. The last will be the hardest to code but could allow for more features to be added. If i have any free tome today i will write you some sample code.

[chris31]

CHeck out these links. http://www.project-angel.com/index.p...&cat=PHP&id=13 and http://www.project-angel.com/index.p...&cat=PHP&id=14 . Hopefully that will get you started. If you need any help just ask.

[MattD]

Originally Posted by chris31

There are a few options. One is to use a free shoutbox type program. Another is to use php and log all of the comments to a text file. The last option is to use php and save it all to a database. The last will be the hardest to code but could allow for more features to be added. If i have any free tome today i will write you some sample code.

I actually think that writing it to use a database (MySQL for example) would be easier than using the text file. That's just what I'd do, though. Either that or use XML..

[chris31]

Originally Posted by MattD

I actually think that writing it to use a database (MySQL for example) would be easier than using the text file. That's just what I'd do, though. Either that or use XML..

With a text file there would be no need for a MySQL database (not sure if he has one). Plus, he wouldnt need to know SQL or and knowledge of XML. WIth XML you have to parse all of it. With a text file he could just log everything as a line of text.

[general]

Could some one give me the code for the text file option.

[chris31]

Just to confirm what you want, you want a box that holds the posts of the shoutbox, under that you want a spot for people to input a nickname and message. Will that work for you? Also, do you know what version of php your webserver is running?

[general]

Here is the server info:

[general]

And I would want it to look like this
http://www.khsfirst.com/insert.html for the submiting page, and http://www.khsfirst.com/Quotes.html for the pageit would show up on.

[Uberbots]

ya know, it would be a ton easier to just use a database.
if you have PHPmyAdmin, then use it.

PHP Code:

mysqlServer = mysql_pconnect("server","username","password") //server is typically "127.0.0.1"
mysql_select_db("siteData", mysqlServer);

$getNews = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM `news` ORDER BY `id` DESC");
$rowGetNews = mysql_fetch_assoc($getNews);
$numRowsGetNews = mysql_num_rows($getNews);

do {
echo $rowGetNews['body'];
} while($rowGetNews = mysql_fetch_assoc($getNews)); 


im assuming that you have a database, schema name "siteData", with a table called "news".
columns should be AT LEAST:
id INTEGER AUTO_INCREMENT, title VARCHAR(35), body TEXT


adding news to the DB is a different story.

[general]

Ya what is PHPmyAdmin? And how do I Use it?

[chris31]

Originally Posted by general

Ya what is PHPmyAdmin? And how do I Use it?

phpMyAdmin is a php based MySQL admin tool. If you have CPanel then it is included, else you have to set it up.

The databases can be created without phpMyAdmin. I can write up some code for inputing data and createing the tables if you want me to. Also, can you find out if your webserver supports PHP and if so what version. If you cant find it, please post a link to the people who provide your hosting.

EDIT: I wrote this up quickly so its not that great but it will work.

PHP Code:

Database Layout

Database --> "siteData"
Table --> "news"
columns --> id INTEGER AUTO_INCREMENT, title VARCHAR(35), body TEXT


=================================

// Code for printing out all of the news

// Connecting, selecting database
$link = mysql_connect ("server","username","password") or die ('I cannot connect to the database because: ' . mysql_error());//Open up the specific database
mysql_select_db ("siteData");


$query = ""SELECT * FROM `news` ORDER BY `id` DESC"";
$result = mysql_query($query) or die('Query failed: ' . mysql_error());


echo "<table>\n";
echo "\t<tr>\n";
echo "\t\t<td>Name</td>\n";
echo "\t\t<td>Post</td>\n";
echo "\t</tr>\n";


while ($line = mysql_fetch_array($result, MYSQL_ASSOC)) 
{
   echo "\t<tr>\n";
   foreach ($line as $col_value) 
   {
       echo "\t\t<td>$col_value</td>\n";
   }
   echo "\t</tr>\n";
}
echo "</table>\n";


=================================

// Code for adding news to the db

Add Post

<FORM ACTION="<?=$PHP_SELF?>" METHOD="POST" NAME="newsentry" type="text">

Name:

<BR>

<INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="50" NAME="name" type="text">

<BR>

Post:

<BR>

<INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE="50" NAME="post" type="text">

<BR>


<INPUT TYPE="submit" NAME="submit" VALUE="Submit">
<BR>


</FORM>

<?

if($HTTP_POST_VARS['submit'])
{

        if(!$HTTP_POST_VARS['name'])
        {
            echo "You must enter a name";
            exit;
        }
        if(!$HTTP_POST_VARS['post'])
        {
            echo "You must enter a post";
            exit;
        }


    $query = "INSERT INTO news VALUES ('', '$HTTP_POST_VARS['name']', '$HTTP_POST_VARS['post']')";
     $result = mysql_query($query);
}

?>

[general]

ok so it works great, but now theres like 25 quotes. I want to make a second page so you dont have to scroll forever to get to the bottom. Do i have to make a new database or can i use the same one?