Using PHP: Do I Need To Download It?

I am still new at learning coding and whatnot. My question is I want to use PHP code in my web page but it doesn't work on my computer. #1. Do I have to download it for me to use it on a hosted site. #2. If so, how would I go about downloading it?

To be able to use PHP, you need to set up a web server on your computer first and then enable PHP, MySQL or whatever you need. The easiest way to do this would be to get WampServer (I'm assuming you are using Windows). Just download it from their site and install. Installation is as easy as double-clicking. Once installed, you just need to save all your .php files in:

C:\wamp\www\anyfolder

To see how your php script is working, start Wampserver (it'll start as a service and will be visible in the system tray), open any browser and type in:

LOCALHOST/anyfolder/yourfilename.php

assuming "yourfilename.php" is the php file you stored in the folder "anyfolder".

This to set up a web server on your system. If you want to use the same script on some remote server, you will just have to upload it to the site, provided your host is giving you php access. Otherwise, the php files will appear as plain text files to anyone who visits them.

Hope this helps you out. Post back if you have any more questions .

Thanks, just one more question. I didn't see it on the Wamp site, but do I have to be running windows professional, because I am running windows XP home right now. My other computer is in the shop and I am low on funds to get it out, bad power supply. As I said I am learning, but I am very dedicated and pick up things rather quick if I'm not too busy watching over the kids. But thanks for the info.

WAMP will install on any Windows machine even Win 95 but it would be sloooooow, I crashed my XP por and now am using XP Home there is no difference, except I use XAMPP because it allows me to switch between PHP 5 and PHP 4 plus it has a mailserver built in. but you can use WAMP just as easy on WinXP Home with no problems.

if you have windows xp home, i suggest you install windows XP professional, and don't waste your time, windows xp/2000 pro has internet information services (IIS), IIS is a web server
to install internet information services (IIS) on your computer
note that you need Windows XP installation CD

1- Go to control panel and click on add remove program and click on add/remove windows components,the Windows Components Wizard appears
2- select internet information services (IIS) check box from list, windows will install optional components like Common Files, Documentation, and the Internet Information Services snap-in. if you need more features click details.

Once you have installed internet information services (IIS), you should verify that your IIS server is working correctly.
Open your Web browser and type LOCALHOST in your browser address bar, iis will open default page

ok to install PHP on your computer just go to PHP official home page and download PHP installer for windows and install on your computer, http://php.net/

now you should be able to run PHP and ASP files on your computer

you can find articles about php installation and iis on the internet
if you need more help please PM me, i will respond to you within one/two days

i would recommend you to download and install XAMPP it's the best really and the most easiest way to get all the tools you need, Apache2, PHP4, PHP5, MySQL, phpMyAdmin and perl, these all what you may need as you are still learingng, just take care of the security, follow the instructions on XAMPP official website https://www.apachefriends.org/index.html after you install it you still need to follow the instructions to be on the safe side, otherwise anyone knows your ip address can login to phpMyAdmin and controls your Databases, just read well, and for more security, try to read the apache manual and set it up yourself, also php, mysql and phpmyadmin.

 

Help Links:

XAMPP Official website

Apache Official website

PHP Official website

MySQL Official website

PHPMyAdmin Official website

There's another very compact software that you can use. It's called MiniApache_PHP, which can be found here. In case the link doesn't work (which it often doesn't; the author server almost never goes online), I've uploaded the zip file onto my server. It is here: http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/. The readme is included in the zip.

The best and most easiest one I have come across is PHPDEV5, http://www.firepages.com.au/. I use it and it is very simple. It comes with:

* apache 1.3.26 * apache 2.0.39
* php4.2.2
* MySQL4
* phpmyadmin 2.2.3 (RC)
* AnalogX php.ini configurator
* PHP-GTK 0.51
* PhpWebsite

if you only need to test some PHP code and not run a web server, don't bother downloading other web server. Use the IIS, after all you just wnat to test if your PHP code works well but of course you need the PHP interpreter but it can be easily downloaded since its open source. so good luck. I too is using IIS in checking if my PHP codes does work.

hmmm ...

 

Installing PHP, MySQL and Apache Server will be quite difficult for u.

Their Configuration is too difficult and infact impossible for a Newbie who dont know how to use PHP.

 

However, u have many other options ...

Why dont u try some pre-installed and pre-configured packages ....

 

There are many Intallation Kits available for this ....

Go to this page on HOt Scripts [dot] Com and u will find a number of softwares ...

 

 

If u take my Personal Opinion than, I am also a kinda Newbie ....

I use Easy PHP ...

 

This Installation Kits consisits of the following :

PHP

MySQL Database

Apache Server

phpmyadmin

All u have to do is to run the Setup and u are done ....

Everything will be installed and Configured automatically ....

 

Just go this website :

 

http://www.easyphp.org/

 

However, if u wish to install the PHP Manually than I have a very good tutorial for that

 

Just go this Website .. and they will tell u in detail how to install the CGI version of PHP ....

U need Apache Server and PHP for this ...

 

http://www.lycos.com/?tw=programming

 

Before this u must download the latest versions of each of the following :

 

 

 

PHP

http://php.net/downloads.php

 

Apache HTTP Server

http://httpd.apache.org/download.cgi

 

My SQL Database

http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

 

 

 

 

**** All Appreciations and Criticisms are welcome ****

 

Regards :

Samya Khalid

hmmm ...

 

Installing PHP, MySQL and Apache Server will be quite difficult for u.

Their Configuration is too difficult and infact impossible for a Newbie who dont know how to use PHP.

 

However, u have many other options ...

Why dont u try some pre-installed and pre-configured packages ....

 

There are many Intallation Kits available for this ....

Go to this page on HOt Scripts [dot] Com and u will find a number of softwares ...

If u take my Personal Opinion than, I am also a kinda Newbie ....

I use Easy PHP ...

 

This Installation Kits consisits of the following :

PHP

MySQL Database

Apache Server

phpmyadmin

All u have to do is to run the Setup and u are done ....

Everything will be installed and Configured automatically ....

 

Just go this website :

 

http://www.easyphp.org/

 

However, if u wish to install the PHP Manually than I have a very good tutorial for that

 

Just go this Website .. and they will tell u in detail how to install the CGI version of PHP ....

U need Apache Server and PHP for this ...

 

http://www.lycos.com/?tw=programming

 

Before this u must download the latest versions of each of the following :

PHP

http://php.net/downloads.php

 

Apache HTTP Server

http://httpd.apache.org/download.cgi

 

My SQL Database

http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

**** All Appreciations and Criticisms are welcome ****

 

Regards :

Samya Khalid

 

 

thanks for ur detailed post on installing php samya. i had installed the latest version of cgi-perl on my comp 4m php.net but something was quite not right and it wasnt working. now i think i will try easy pho..seems a gr8 idea! thanks and keep up ur gud work!

 

regards.

 

shiv

Ohhhh yes ...

Easy PHP is probably the best option ....

 

Furthermore, it is just 4 MB in size

 

There is a folder in the Easy PHP Directory called www ...

 

All u nede to do is to place ur PHP Files in that folder ...

 

Lets say that the name of PHP File is samya.php ...

Than the path to open ur Webpage on PHP is :

 

http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

 

OR

 

LOCALHOST/samya.php

 

Whats more

It also has phpmyadmin installed for maintenance of MySQL Databases using PHP

 

 

**** All Criticisms and Appreciations are welcome ****

 

Regards:

Samya Khalid

Thanks so much for that site Samya! I am now on my journey of learning PHP so I can work on my text game creation. I learned some Qbasic in a trade school. I never hear anyone talking about that so I'm not even sure why they were trying to teach it to us, that was about 2 years ago. Anyway, I'm so psyched that I can now focus on PHP and get my game underway, thanks again. And I recommendW3schools to anyone who wants to learn PHP. I'm finding it very easy so far.

And I recommendW3schools to anyone who wants to learn PHP. I'm finding it very easy so far.

 

You are right

Even I use W3SChools for learning PHP ...

I think that php.net is for Advanced users

 

Regards:

Samya Khalid