Facing problem in developing forum

[BaBa]

I'm new in programming. I'm making a web forum using php & mysql. Can any body tell me that how can I count views & how can I count total posts. my tables structure is under.

Forum

forum_id
forum_name
forum_description

Topics

topic_id int(11),
topic_post_user_name
topic_subject
topic_message
topic_post_date
topic_post_time

Reply

reply_id
reply_post_user_name
reply_message
reply_post_date
reply_post_time

users

user_id
user_name
password
email
reg_date
last_login

Best Regards,
IZ 😕

[DrJonesAC2]

It looks like a decent database setup, but what algorythm will you use to implement it? What are the steps it will go through to "build" the page?

[BaBa]

Sorry DrJones,
Here again I'm send my complete tables structure. I want to know that what is the method of couting view & how can I count total posts.
For example. when I write query in MySQL prompt it displays result.

"select count(topic_id) form topics where forum_id='1';"

& when I write in PHP some thing like this it displays result 0

$a = $db->query("SELECT count(topic_id) from topics
WHERE forum_id='.$f->forum_id.'");
$ab = $a->fetchRow(DB_FETCHMODE_OBJECT);

$b = $db->query("SELECT count(reply_id) from reply
WHERE topic_id='.$result->topic_id.'
AND topic_id='.$f->forum_id.'");
$bc = $b->fetchRow(DB_FETCHMODE_OBJECT);

echo $c = '$ab' + '$bc';

I'm also attaching my PHP index file in zip format. please review it & find any problem then describe me.

CREATE TABLE forum (
forum_id int(11) NOT NULL auto_increment,
forum_name varchar(100) default NULL,
forum_description text,
forum_post_date datetime default '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
PRIMARY KEY (forum_id)
) TYPE=MyISAM;

CREATE TABLE reply (
reply_id int(11) NOT NULL auto_increment,
forum_id int(11) default NULL,
topic_id int(11) default NULL,
reply_user_name varchar(40) default NULL,
reply_message text,
reply_post_date date default '0000-00-00',
reply_post_time time default '00:00:00',
PRIMARY KEY (reply_id)
) TYPE=MyISAM;

CREATE TABLE topics (
topic_id int(11) NOT NULL auto_increment,
forum_id int(11) default NULL,
topic_user_name varchar(40) default NULL,
topic_subject varchar(50) default NULL,
topic_message text,
topic_post_date date default '0000-00-00',
topic_post_time time default '00:00:00',
PRIMARY KEY (topic_id)
) TYPE=MyISAM;

CREATE TABLE users (
user_id int(11) NOT NULL auto_increment,
user_name varchar(40) default NULL,
user_password varchar(50) default NULL,
user_email varchar(150) default NULL,
user_full_name varchar(150) default NULL,
user_address varchar(255) default NULL,
user_location varchar(150) default NULL,
user_home_page varchar(200) default NULL,
user_reg_date date default '0000-00-00',
show_email int(2) default '0',
user_last_login datetime default '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
PRIMARY KEY (user_id)
) TYPE=MyISAM;

Regards,
IZ

[scialom]

Hi

I think the easy way will add a filed in topic table that will count the viewer - everytime that someone will see the topic - update this field.

Assaf

[BaBa]

Hi Assaf,

Would u plz explain me by example.

[scialom]

Sure -

In topic table you add a field "views" as int.

Now in the topic webpage you select the number from "views" and add 1, then update the table with the new number.

That it.

Assaf

[jpmoriarty]

I dont want to sound like a party pooper, but can i just say that if you're new to programming then doing a web forum is probably one of the hardest things you can program, and you might want to consider doing other "little projects" until you get the hang of things like database functions and that malarkey.

we all have to start somewhere, but there are very few of us who would have been able to do a web forum as our first project.

It's a bit like buying some golf clubs and trying to get yourself into the PGA tour by the end of the year...

[BaBa]

Thanks Assaf,

Now I've successufully count the view by adding field in my topic table n update view by reply PHP page.