Forms, new txt documents and a headache.

[soundslammer]

Hi ppl, ultra newbie here. My mother is opeing a B&B soon, and she requires a lil easy peasy customer database thingy going on so she can keep a track of things. She's not very computer literate, so here was what my mind came up with.

Normal HTML form with the typical input details, posted to a PHP which creates a txt document... writes the information to said txt file, and saves it with a unique 'id' which can be searchable on another form. All done from a desktop. Nothing fancy, no gimmicks, just basic information sending, creating, saving etc etc.

If this is possible.. can someone tell me how I'd go about it (the php part, I can handle html forms), and how I can get the php to run on a Windows XP Home SP2 desktop.

Any help would be greatfully appreciated!

Rob

[Tecktron]

You'll need to run a webserver of some kind in order to have PHP correctly process the form. Apache, would be my choice and if you do some looking you can find pre-setup packages. For example a program called wamp, which has apache, php and mysql (easier/faster than a text file input/output) all in one easy to setup and run package. There are others out there too, but an internal webserver is going to be the only way I can think of doing this easily.

--Tecktron.

[bodzan]

1. For starters: to get PHP working on your machine you should read this
2. To configure your PHP: read this
3. To work with files in general: read this

Later on when you have a more concrete problem come back and post here and from my experience people here will be more than happy to help you with it...

Me first...

[soundslammer]

Sorry if I'm being a nuisance, I wish I had the time to read all the stuff about PHP, believe me, when the kids are in bed and a weeks shift is over I'm trying to learn as much as I can. My problem is, can I send 'form' information to a text file, or an html file which can be saved uniquely? And if so, what command in PHP is it?

[leatherback]

Hi SOundslammer,

Unfortunately PhP is not an easy-go website building package. It is just a basic programming language, which can be used to create, manipulate, and alter input from a webpage. So yes. Definately it is possible to create what you want. But it takes a bit more then just a command.

If you really do not have the time to look into the language, and into setting up a server, perhaps it is wisest to get a local developer to build it for you.

Even better probably.. Use an existing adminstration system. Considering your mother is starting her little BB, she would need to keep track of all sorts of things I suppose. If you have windows-run machine, you probably have ACCESS, which could easily store some basic infor, and can be used quite intuitively.

J.

PS: if you send me a PM I could give you my email, and we could communicate somewhat more about this.

[rikmoncur]

Hi soundslammer,

a few of my clients have B&Bs and I was just wondering what kind of database functionality that kind of website might need?

Not exactly a prime candidate for online booking...

What would you do - capture contact details of enquiries?
Mailing list?
Use it for updating bits of the site - last minute cancellations etc?

[soundslammer]

Hiya, sorry for the delay in replying, got loadsa work stuff going on.
The database is just to store the following details:

Cust Name:
add1:
add2:
City:
Region:
postcode:
country:

e-mail:
tel:
Mob:
Work:

Num Ppl:
arrive:
Num Nights:

Room Alloc.:
Requests:

Confirmed by:
Date Conf:

Paid:
balance:

We don't want online booking just yet, just to store customer details in a pc for a very computer illiterate person.