HAY GUYS

Duminas · Local time: Apr 1, 2006, 10:09 PM

First off, Angelfire wouldn't even cover doing this, unless they provide a database for you to use and some sort of server-side scripting support.

The way I'd do it is using a mix of PHP and MySQL, as this sort of dynamic content could not be done otherwise. Essentially, you'd need the forms to interact with the MySQL database, update records, and select them. The sorting may sound difficult, but it's really not hard. Of course, as I said you would require PHP or some language of that sort (Perl, maybe) to do it. This is a large task, and if you're not familiar with the language I can guarantee you it will confuse the hell out of you.

As far as resources to learn about this type of thing, a lot of what you would need to know comes from php.net and mysql.com. I can't really think of any sites that deal with this in particular, unfortunately.

How ya doing, buddy?

Duminas · Local time: Apr 1, 2006, 10:32 PM

PHP is far beyond HTML and A+. HTML is still used to create forms and such (which is arguably not hard), but PHP does much more.

First, you would need to verify the input, then you'd need to do whatever is required--beit querying against MySQL with this data or shooting it off somewhere (for instance, in an email contact form). To put it simply, there is a great deal of logic involved.

A quick way to get a form built is to build a straight form with an action of "form_process.php" or somesuch. Then write a PHP file, with these contents:

PHP Code:


			
<?php

print "<pre>";

print_r($_POST);

print "</pre>";

?>

Such would give you an idea of how PHP handles input.
From there, you'd need to do whatever is required of the program (not to sound like a broken record, but there's a lot of logic going on). :P

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Duminas · Local time: Apr 1, 2006, 10:56 PM

Well, php.net won't help too much with my example.

Let us say you have a simple form:

Code:

<html>
<head>
<title>Simple Form</title>
</head>
<body>
<form method="post" action="form_process.php">
Name: <input type="text" name="name" /><br />
Address: <input type="text" name="address" /><br />
Phone: <input type="text" name="phone" /><br />
</form>
</body>
</html>

Emphasis above is what I meant with the comment you cite.

The form_process.php file I mention in Post #3 would print a list of all the input passed through this form. An example of output would be this:

Code:

Array
(
    [name] => Joe User
    [addr] => 123 Fake Street
    [phone] => +1.2345678901
)

This is telling you that it recieved a few variables. To get at them, you would need to be familiar with arrays. This is on the basic side of stuff, though.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.