Oh here is another one for Php with Mysql database. I always loved webmonkey
tutorials for their fun writing style and simplicity.
[http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/programming/php/tutorials/tutorial4.html]
I do not think you really need a basic tutorial on php from me. There are so many sites already out there! What I can do instead is tell you what to try with php, so that you can learn important things first. Since you already have a very good grasp on Programming in general.
Start with a guest book. Lear how to read and write to files and show them to the users of a web site.
Get a open-source php guestbook and examine the source code.
Start to write a simple script, having users post to the guestbook.
The very simple guestbook or dynamically updated page should include at least the following basics:
A view guestbook page - where surfers can navigate subjects between posts. sequentially by date.
Post a message page - will be where people post their ideas and messages.
Depending on the sophistication of your guestbook's options and features, your topic pages can be fom very boring to something similar to the high quality of QC forum on multimedia and programming.
You can start with using a database to hold posts, names etc. . . . Or use a flat file database. Maybe try using folders as your topics, and just create a folder to hold your posts, or your text file for posts. You could even use php to scan a file, hold all info as a string in a array, and then just append to that string. (when you append to the string, you will be adding to the post.) Then, you will output the string to a file ex: flash_forum.html. If you do this, you will have to have a code within your html file that will signal the end of the forum posts. This method would cut down on load time and server drag. Every guestbook page would be updated when the users submits his reply. You will have to be very careful to your file permissions, and will want to have your php page login to the server when reading/writing to your files.. . .
So, ready to roll?
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