[Resolved] php permission???

Dick_Neveu

Greetings;
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dick but some people prefer to call me Richard, for obvious reasons. Mr. Chaney, Mr Nixon and Mr. Clark didn't mind and neither do I.
I am an odity in the cyberworld because of my age. I'm 61, born in the midst of World War II. I am a CAD engineer and use AutoCad and similar programs every day so I.m not an ignoramus with the medium.
I am also my company's webmaster and have created several web sites on my own, and I find I love it.
http://www.dickneveu.com
http://www.preserveatkeeneypond.com
http://www.doddwoodworking.com
http://www.brenshawcorp.com
Last week I found I was missing a large portion of the capabilities of this www. and decided to learn PHP, Javascript and Mysql. Well, was I in for a surprise!!. I bought books and started to learn.
My problem: After reading the introductions and starting to write simple scripts, I was unable to access them. When I place a script with the extension .PHP ant the end, Windows Explorer informs me that I don't have permission to view this FILE. Please Help
Dickn:bemused:

thorpe

you must view (unless your editing them) php files through your web server.

eg; in your browser;

http://localhost/myphpfile.php

have you installed a webserver on your machine?

Dick_Neveu

Thorpe, Thank you for responding.

When you say web server, do you mean, the web site where my html files are read from and where my index.html file is?

Here's what I do know.
Yahoo!, host the web site.
I transfer my html file to the host "SERVER?" via
FTP (Ipswitch)
I edit my html files with Microsoft FRONTPAGE
Do my flash movies with KOOLMOVES software.

I have, just recently downloaded APACHE (but I don't know if it's operating)

I I have also downloaded MYSQL and PHP Edit

But I don't know if these are working also.
But I don't give up easily and it is becoming a journey of learning.

Dick

thorpe

to test php locally (on your machine) you need a webserver. you have apache, which is a brillient webserver!

your books should (if they are any good) have atleast a chapter devoted to installing and setting up an apache webserver.

as for yahoo being your host. ive no idea here, but are you sure there servers support php?

there are some simple tutorials on installing apache here
or just do a google.

Dick_Neveu

My Dear Thorpe:
I have just visited your web site, It's like me trying to teach an ameoba to sing like the Bee-Gees.
I have all of the documentation on Apache but, It's Klingonese to a novice like me. I WILL learn this, be assured. I will print the info link that you supplied and KEEP ON STUDYING.
Dick

thorpe

an easy way to get all the relevant technoligies installed on your machine ready for learning is to install a pre made package.

xampp will install apache,php and mysql all in one easy instalation.

might be your best bet to get started with.

hope this helps.

Dick_Neveu

Again, thank you Thorpe. I have downloaded the XAMPP file and everything seemed to have installed properly, but I still can't make it work, The windows explorer browser still insists, that I don't have permission to view these folders and blocks them out.
To check for proper installation,
Step 3: Start your browser and type http://127.0.0.1 or
http://localhost in the locator bar. You should see our pre-made start page with certail examples and test screen.

I geta "page cannot be found error message" no matter with option I use.

Thanks Dick

thorpe

xampp should have made a folder in your start menu. go there, open xampp control panel, then click 'start' for apache.

Dick_Neveu

I hope I'm not boring anyone, but here's the problem.
I'm trying to learn .php and I know it needs to be tested and viewed by the browser (Internet Explorer in this case)
I have created a small php file called Test.php. I included a vaniable (in this case $name="Dick"; echo $name;?>
My browser gives me a "error 403" stating I am not orthorized to read this file, contact the site for permission to view.
DAMN, I am THE SITE!. Why wont it let me see my oun stuff?:mad:

thorpe

what address are you using to get to this file?

sounds like you may have a permissions issue, but not 100% sure.

did you install xampp? did you go to the start menu and turn apache on (as i said in a post above)?

Dick_Neveu

Yes I installed xampp and it seems to be working properly but I don't know what it's doing.
I'm using the url I usually use to access my site.
http://www.dickneveu.com and then I add the .php file extension I want to see /Test.php.
and this is where I get the error message.
All this stuff may be over my head but I'm a real gamer.
Dick
PS: Thanks Thorpe ( Mate )

thorpe

http://www.dickneveu.com is a remote server. ie: not on your machine. xampp has setup a server locally. ie: on your machine.

to test files locally, go to the folder you installed xampp into, look for a folder called htdocs, and place your test script in there.

lets make this your test script. test.php

<?php

  phpinfo();

?>

save the file in the htdocs directory i mentioned above. then, open your browser and type this in the address.

http://localhost/test.php

if all worked you should see a page with a whole heap of info about your php installation.

from there, you are ready to start writting and testing your own scripts.

also... with xampp. if you visit http://localhost in your browser you will go to the xampp configeration page. here you can access your mysql database using phpmyadmin, aswell as set up lots of other things.

hope this helps.

ps; you said you bought some php books. any decent book should start with an explination of how a server-side scripting language works, and usually would go through and explain a simple install of that server-side language.

anyway, just thinking you may have skipped some of the book. never a good idea. 🙂

Dick_Neveu

Wow!!!
Hey that worked perfectly.
So, I should test all my scripts that way, in my local server, right?
Thanks Thorpe, I will keep you posted on my progress.
Kudo to you, Mate.

Dick_Neveu

My God, that's the most awesome thing I've seen in a long while
I have activated all of the modules and have begun a tour of this program. The only thing not yet activated is the FTP part, so when I get a little more familiar with what I can do with this, I will use it more than my WS_FTP currently installed.
First, I will try to view my own sites with the localhost server, I should be able to figure that out.
Thanks Mate!

thorpe

no worries mate. i knew we could get it going.

now you can develope your sites locally, and when they are ready to be put on the web, you just upload them to a remote server.

come back if you need any help with your scripts. im only a newb to php aswell, but there are heaps of peeps here willing to lend a hand.

one more thing. now that this problem is resolved. there is a button at the bottom of this thread 'marked as resolved', if you could click that, would be great.

it just lets everyone here know that your problem is sorted, and they dont need to open/read this thread. lots of bust people here you know.

have fun!

Dick_Neveu

It is awesome, and I have been going over the documentation most of the day and what I thought would be easy, is more difficult than I thought. How do I view my web sites on this thing?
Apache, yes, but where is the module that gives me access, and I can't turn the FTP function on.

thorpe

ok... i really think your missing something here.

the ftp feauture provided by xampp, is not something you need turned on. ftp (file transfer proticol) is a proticol used to transfer files to a remote server.

you now have a webserver setup on your local machine. so... to run files on this server you just need to place them in the htdocs folder i told you of.

you need to (for testing purposes) forget the yahoo.com host you normally use. you can now test php files locally on your machine.

once you have finished writting your website in php, you then can upload them (via ftp) to a remote server so other can view them accross the net.

this stuff is kinda hard to explain, but so easy once you get the concept.

you sure your books dont explain this any? any decent book on php should have a few chapters on web servers and the surrounding technoligies.

the only thing i can really recommend is, if you do own some php books, DONT skim pages. these books are designed in such a way that you need to read them from start - finish.

you need any help - let me know.

Dick_Neveu

Thank's for all of your help. It's time for me to get busy and grass roots this thing, I'll let you know how I do in a new thread.

Dick