Huge Project... what should i know and do before diving into it?

metalator

Hi,
This post may require assisstance of many experts here.
I know theres a great deal of help available in these forums, but i though I'd tell you about my huge project before i get started.

So that i am on the right track from the begining.

I need to create a website where i can upload various news articles, reviews, and any other text material. As well as pictures and various files such as videos, for donwloading and streaming.

I want all these uploads to be as simple as possible to upload and have them go to their intended location or destination.

I want to have a secure login page into the administrating section fo my website to do all this.

Furthermore, I want to have a membership database created when members sign up. ( I already know the membership fields i wann use), additionally i need to create a newletter emailing list generator or creator. Need members to also be able to subscribe to a newletter.

The only thing I know is how to graphics and design, but a beginner to php and programming.

I'll be using html, php, and flash for the website.

I already have the test server setup but no mySQL, as I am not sure how to connect that to my php.

Please guide me in the right direction to do this properly and where to start. Your help will be greatly appreciated.

drawmack

start smaller, if you undertake something this large for your first programming project you're going to spend the next six months getting a whole lot of nowhere.

metalator

alright,

Well, I'll be starting from scratch...
So i guess i gotta install a server and mySQL

phpsharma

If u are using windows system try this package at www.easyphp.org . This bundle consists of all ingredients (MYSQL, php, apache, myadmin etc..)required to run php. No set up headaches. just down load the setup file and language file and run it on ur windows system. start easy php and it works nicely for you. because iis is not stable. better run it on apache.

by
sharma
www.manisharma.s4u.org [under construction]

mystrymaster

I second the recomendation of easy php if you are just starting it is very easy to get up and running very quickly.

greg252

My suggestion:
1) get your dev system working.
2) got through EVERY PHP & mySQL tutorial you can find.
3) forget about the big jobs until you have written at least 1 of everything that a big job will require. (i.e. a mailing list, image upload, database insert/ret/modify, etc.)

start small - "hello world" and move up.

metalator

Ya, I'm running winXP pro. and I'm gonna try the easyphp

I'll start building this step by step, one thing at a time.
I guess I'll start with a secure login for the administrator to manage the database and site.
Should all secure pages be in a seperate folder on my server?

Is there a wizard that will just create the database or tables for me if i just pick the field i want? or am i just dreaming.

metalator

So i installed easy php... easy to install but when i launched it i had a green light for apache, saying it started, but mySQL stopped (red light). And at the bottom it says "unexpected end of mySQL"

Is this an error message, or is it normal?

So, I went to admin page for easyphp, when i clicked on DB Management another page poped up and here's what i got

"phpMyAdmin tried to connect to the MySQL server, and the server rejected the connection. You should check the host, username and password in config.inc.php and make sure that they correspond to the information given by the administrator of the MySQL server.

Error

MySQL said:

#2003 - Can't connect to MySQL server on 'localhost' (10061)"

Maybe i should mention that when i got to localweb its uses my computer name "http://andreilive" but not "http://localhost/"

mystrymaster

did you try going to localhost? what happened there

metalator

everything seems to be working fine

i used phpdev kit

dcooper

www.hotscripts.com is a good place a) has tutorials b) also has completed code for you to look at

metalator

cool thanks, ya i've been all over that in last coupld of days... i guess heres part two of my question

http://www.phpbuilder.com/board/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10259711