How To: Make A Simple Php Forum System

[Miles 0]

Hello,
One of my first ever projects I embarked on when I began to understand PHP well was a forum system. I've decided to begin writing a tutorial to help people start one of their own. The code for this project is based on that of OakumBoard/cBoard, my own forum software which can be seen running at http://www.sonicxtremegm.co.cc/

Anyways, time to start off, you must run this SQL query on an SQL database with a name of your choice:

sCREATE TABLE `forums` (  `id` int(3) NOT NULL auto_increment,  `name` varchar(80) NOT NULL,  PRIMARY KEY  (`id`)) ENGINE=MyISAM  DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1 AUTO_INCREMENT=3;INSERT INTO `forums` (`id`, `name`) VALUES(1, 'Test Forum'),CREATE TABLE `members` (  `id` int(4) NOT NULL auto_increment,  `username` varchar(65) NOT NULL default '',  `password` varchar(65) NOT NULL default '',  PRIMARY KEY  (`id`)) ENGINE=MyISAM  DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1 AUTO_INCREMENT=3;CREATE TABLE `replies` (  `topicid` int(4) NOT NULL,  `reply_id` int(4) NOT NULL,  `reply_user` varchar(50) NOT NULL,  `reply_text` longtext NOT NULL,  `reply_datetime` varchar(25) NOT NULL) ENGINE=MyISAM DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1;CREATE TABLE `topics` (  `id` tinyint(4) NOT NULL auto_increment,  `title` varchar(180) NOT NULL,  `text` longtext NOT NULL,  `datetime` varchar(30) NOT NULL default '0',  `user` varchar(80) NOT NULL,  `reply` int(4) NOT NULL,  `forumid` int(3) NOT NULL,  PRIMARY KEY  (`id`)) ENGINE=MyISAM  DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1 AUTO_INCREMENT=6;

Now, you create a file called conf.php. Inside it should be the text:

<?php$host=	"[b]localhost[/b]"; // Host name $username="[b]admin[/b]"; // Mysql username $password="[b]adminone[/b]"; // Mysql password $db_name= "[b]admindb[/b]"; // Database name mysql_connect("$host", "$username", "$password")or die("Failed to connect to DB server"); mysql_select_db("$db_name")or die("Failed to select DB");?>

Replace the bolded areas with the appriate value for your data.

[yordan 10]

Sorry for the contradiction, Miles. I would not say that this is a tutorial : this post shows the very nice program you made, it does not teach php.However, I find your php-by-example approach very constructive. That's why I moved your topic here, where is most probably it's place.RegardsYordan

[Feelay 0]

I don't think you are done with this script or :S?Because the only thing you have here is the MySQL table, and the database-connection file..

[Miles 0]

Haven't finished writing it out yet. By the way, there is more below.
You are now going to create the main files: index.php. This contains nearly all the coding for the forum. You will place the following within it:

<?php$name =  $_COOKIE['username_cb'];if ( $name == "" ) {$name="Guest";}//---------------------------------------------------------// Include all necessary files and find the requested page//---------------------------------------------------------include "conf.php";//---------------------------------------------------------// Prepare a few things//---------------------------------------------------------$page = $_GET['p'];  if ($page==""){$page = main;}switch ($page) {//---------------------------------------------------------// Show the list of forums//---------------------------------------------------------case "showforums":echo "<table width=\"90%\" border=\"0\" align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"3\" cellspacing=\"1\" bgcolor=\"#CCCCCC\"><tr><td width=\"6%\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#E6E6E6\"><strong>#</strong></td><td width=\"76%\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#E6E6E6\"><strong>Forum</strong></td><td width=\"18%\" align=\"center\" bgcolor=\"#E6E6E6\"><strong>Last Topic</strong></td></tr> ";$sql="SELECT * FROM forums ORDER BY id ASC";// Now to get the forums list done$result=mysql_query($sql);while($rows=mysql_fetch_array($result)){ echo "<tr><td bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\">".$rows['id']."</td><td align=\"left\" valign = \"top\" bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\"><B><a href=\"index.php?p=showtopics&id=". $rows['id'] ."\">". $rows['name'] ."</a></b><BR>". $rows['desc'] ."</td><td bgcolor=\"#FFFFFF\">".$rows['lastpost']."</td>"; }//Join it all upecho "</table>";break;}?>

More parts of this tutorial coming soon!

[sparkx 0]

Forums are often very large and require many pages. Most forum softwares take a long time to make. The one I made however only was a few PHP pages and already out ranks every other one I have seen but the method that you are using will take a lot more space then mine did. I would recommend that you finish your entire tutorial on one post and rather then posting code just make a .txt file, upload it and link to it. This would really help people follow your post's easier. Your post could be a good tutorial if you were to put all the code together but at the moment all I see is a good tutorial in the making that isn't quite ready to be posted yet.Good luck,Sparkx

[iGuest 3]

hey,

I need a bit help cause I get a notice error:

Notice: Undefined index: username_cb in /www/zxq.Net/t/e/s/test-site/htdocs/index.Php on line 2 Warning: include(conf.Php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /www/zxq.Net/t/e/s/test-site/htdocs/index.Php on line 9 Warning: include(): Failed opening 'conf.Php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php') in /www/zxq.Net/t/e/s/test-site/htdocs/index.Php on line 9 Notice: Undefined index: p in /www/zxq.Net/t/e/s/test-site/htdocs/index.Php on line 13 Notice: Use of undefined constant main - assumed 'main' in /www/zxq.Net/t/e/s/test-site/htdocs/index.Php on line 16 

 

Its in the index.Php document I know but I don't know what to do ive coppied exactly the same I changed all the other settings of other things except this what must I change here ?

I'm a amateur sorry  

-reply by Taylan

 

[tycob 0]

Where is the rest of this tutorial?Please post it.I need it fast.By the way,the website link is broken.

[slidstream 0]

Interesting start, but not quite up to spec yet. The PHP MySql is a powerful open source bit, this is to be sure. May I ask what is the major other ways of making a forum, I know there's other database programs, but is this the main way. Also I'd figure there are other programs designed to better handle forums.

[iGuest 3]

ok well you guys are all nuts cause I got it to work...I'm waiting for the rest of the script.

 first I got Failed to open DB ok then I modified the thing and now it connects to database and no problems ok.Then I made a notepad document and thats what I use to make my pages and easily made it work!! I need the rest tho.

ps:I know nothing about mysql,javascript,ajax etc. I only know some css and I know some html.

and I'm no pc genious but I am very good at them and I'm having no problems. So u guys that are having problems you are nuts.

sorry for calling some of u nuts.

-reply by Dsialex(my ds site)