is mysql up to it?

MattBenson

I am interested in building a database into my website (I think!).

I have several text files which I ultimately want, after saving as html files and applying a template in Dreamweaver, to be able to retreive on demand in the website - I'm sure this means a database and I think mySQL is probably what I need.

Can anyone confirm?

A bit more info: the text files are roughly 1-2 pages long each and I could ultimately end up with a lot of these (thousands). I would like visitors to the website to be able to browse by title, perform full text searches, or search on a few key criteria (name, date, etc.).

I'm thinking that by writing some php into my web page I can call up info from mysql - but, ... I suspect what I want to do is keep the text in the files which they are in and use the database with some sort of key criteria AND a link to the text file reference and get php to show the file on screen when the database entry is triggered (in some sort of search or sort).

Is this possible or am I barking up the wrong tree? Would like to know before I go and learn php and mySQL!

stolzyboy

regardless of what database you use, i would stick to php

you can use virtually any database out there, but i would either use

www.mysql.com or www.postgresql.com

MattBenson

The big question I have is whether mySQL can actually either hold sublinks to further webpages to be automatically displayed if php pulls up specific records, or whether I am better just dumping the entire (formatted) text into mySQL in some way (this doesn't sound like a viable option).

stolzyboy

mysql can easily do what you want, mysql is a very good db, but is lacking some features that you are likely not going to need and/or can go around the feature using anything else

dumping a whole txt file, if it is large, can take awhile to process and you are likely going to take a performance hit going that route

MattBenson

So sublinks in the database then? And PHP will be able to open them automatically and display (rather than just bringing up a link)?

stolzyboy

as long as mysql has the information and you can pull it out with php, you can do whatever with it in html or whatever

MattBenson

Thank you.