PHP Interpreter

crusty

I'm now 3 weeks into trying to learn PHP so this query is undoubtedly a bit daft. However...
To test my attempts I have to FTP to my web server and then load the script using IE. OK. but rather tedious at times.
I am aware that I can obtain a PHP interpreter from PHP.NET and I have read the documentation on the interpreter (I think) and on Apache. Unfortunately, either due to my advanced years or my lack of 'jargon' at present those articles are almost unintelligble.
If I install the PHP interprteter, does it attach itself to IE so that PHP is interpreted before it is passed to the IE browser?
If so, what the hell happens when I use the browser to load a .php file from a web site? I can see the possibility that the web server will interpret the PHP and thenm my IE will attempt to do the same again.
I don't understand the mechanism? The Manuals on Apache and PHP Interpreter do not make this clear.. At least, not to me.
Sorry to ask daft questions.
Regards
crusty

laserlight

what the hell happens when I use the browser to load a .php file from a web site?

Your web browser requests the page from the web server. The web server detects that the page should be parsed for PHP. After the PHP parser is done with the page, the resulting text/html output is sent to your web browser by the web server and displayed like any other text/html page by the web browser.

LoganK

Very simply what laserlight said: the webserver does the parsing; your IE browser does not do any PHP parsing at all. The PHP interpreter does not "attach itself" to IE and process PHP pages for you. The PHP interpreter must be configured for a webserver (such as IIS or Apache), and then it only interprets those PHP pages sent by that webserver.

And you should be using Firefox 😃

crusty

Sorry and thanks for the replies.
I've put my question very badly.
I know what happens when I call a .PHP page from the web server.
I've installed FrontPage2000 (because that's what I could afford) and loaded ROCKET PHP from Microsoft.
When I try my code with FrontPage I get error messages that do NOT always occure if I upload to my PHP aware web server and then call from my browser.
Not unreasonable, I assume that Rocket PHP isn't a full implimentation and have gone back to the tedious method of uploading to my server and using IE.
My question is, if I download a coopy of PHP.exe (or whatever) would I be able to do the testing on my machine?
If so, how does (if at all?) PHP.exe link to my IE to cary out my testing?
Regards
crusty... (and thanks for the replies so far)

thorpe

I know what happens when I call a .PHP page from the web server.

it seems you do not.

If so, how does (if at all?) PHP.exe link to my IE to cary out my testing?

php has nothing to do with your browser.

to run (test) php on your local machine you need a webserver, (apache is a good choice) with php running on it. then when you request a local file via your broswer (http://localhost/file.php), php enterprets it and sends it to the broswer.

ive never heard of ROCKET PHP but if it has anything to do with microsoft i would get rid of it.

LoganK

Sorry, but I have to agree with thorpe on this one. If you understood what happens with PHP files and how they are processed, then you would've understood my post explaining how PHP.exe does not and cannot link to IE, and you would not have posted another post asking the same question.

And I do agree with thorpes advice - if it Microsoft, get if off your machine. Install Apache, PHP, and (if needed) MySQL all by yourself, and you'll get an appreciation (as well an understanding) of PHP/webservers and how they work.

Albela

hi Crusty,

u don't need to install and configure following appications sepratly.

PHP 5.0.4
Apache 1.3.33
MySQL 4.1.10a
PHPmyadmin 2.6.1-pl3
SQLitemanager 1.0.4

u can get every configured with just one installation of wampserver.

WAMP5 installs automatically Apache 1.3.31, PHP5, MySQL database, PHPmyadmin and SQLitemanager on your computer. It's principal aim is to allow you to easily discover the new version of PHP: PHP5. WAMP5 comes with a service manager installed as a tray icon. It allows you to manage WAMP5 and access all services
http://www.wampserver.com/en/index.php

Sami

LoganK

Nice for your first post Albela! Welcome to the community!

Although, I, and I'm pretty sure the other gurus here, would not reccomend installing an all-in-once solution. Like I said in my post, install Apache, PHP, and (if needed) MySQL all by yourself, and you'll get an appreciation (as well an understanding) of PHP/webservers and how they work. Plus you'll get more out of the experience and learn more.

Trust me - it's better in the long run to understand how it works than to use an all-in-one solution and down the road say "Why is this happening?".

crusty

Sorry folks.
I honestly DO understand the process that occurs when I call a web page from a web site using my browser. PHP is all done server side and that's what appeals to me about it. It makes the process indepenedent of the browser.
At this early stage, I do make a lot of mistakes in PHP and it's a pain to send everything to my web server so that I can then test my code by calling it up with my browser.
I had hoped that I could instal a PHP interpreter on MY machine to make testing easier and much quicker. (hence my reference to FrontPage and Rocket PHP.... which is not entirely successful!)
From the replies, for which I thank you all, it seems I can't do that and have to continue sending my PHP to my web server and then loading it into my browser so that the serverside PHP interpreter can do it's work on my code/script.
Never mind.
Regards and thanks
crusty.

LoganK

Don't be so hard on yourself (or us). We all make mistakes, especially when first learning. Obviously it is possble to install PHP on your machine and debug from there - how do you think your webserver does it? Any machine can be a webserver - you just need the right software.

Use of the links we've provided, or get on to Google and do a search. You want to install Apache & PHP, and perhaps MySQL. Installing them by yourself will, like I said earlier, give you a better understanding of everything. And yes, once you install and configure everything, it's as easy as saving it to your C:\ drive and typing in "http://localhost/" in your browser.

Good luck, and as always, post here for help. But since I have a feeling you're going to try installing, be sure to post in the appropriate forum (<cough>install forum</cough 😃)

thorpe

I had hoped that I could instal a PHP interpreter on MY machine............
....it seems I can't do that and have to continue sending my PHP to my web server......

i dont think anyone ever said it cant be done. are you reading the replies?

you need to install a web server on your computer.

you can either do this with a pre packed installer that will install a web server, php and mysql all in one. or you can install them seperately.

either way. minimum, you need a web server and php.

crusty

Thanks everyone for your courtesy and kind help. Yes I have read all the replies.
Finally, I don't want to leave the impression that I am a complete idiot.
I've been associated with computers since 1953 (Leo?), have programmed in binary and several languages. Dropped out of computers when I was 60. Since then things have changed a bit and the proliferation of 'jargon' leaves me bordering on illiterate. (Attention span is failing a bit too :-)
Downloaded WAMP as suggested.
Thanks again for all the help. Taken up enough of your time now.
regards
crusty

LoganK

You're welcome. I guess it is kind of hard to understand technology these days when you're 60+. Good luck!

🙂