Thanks

I've settled in to using http:/localhost and keeping a Internet Explorer window going (off-line) with my web site loaded on it. When I make changes I just go to the window and click on refresh. It's great to be able to go through my entire web site clicking on all the links and doing all the stuff while remaining off-line.

I wasn't aware that http:/localhost was an Apache entity. Thanks.

I guess there are web browsers out there that are more php friendly than Explorer. Does anyone know of any?

    I guess there are web browsers out there that are more php friendly than Explorer. Does anyone know of any?

    as someone stated earlier, php is server side and has nothing to do with browsers (client-side).

      i think you should check out the the following topics on http://www.discoveryvip.com/CD-Training/PHP%20.htm

      which should set the stage for you. Especially scripting vs. viewing.

      Concepts
      What is PHP?
      Data Flow
      What You'll Need pt. 1
      What You'll Need pt. 2
      Scripting vs. Viewing
      Your First Script

        NewZeal wrote:

        I wasn't aware that http:/localhost was an Apache entity. Thanks.

        It's not; it is a specially reserved domain name that should always point to the loopback address (127.0.0.1). See RFC 2606, although I believe the convention is far older than that, so probably there are earlier RFCs as well....

          Thanks everyone for all the help
          However:

          thorpe wrote:

          as someone stated earlier, php is server side and has nothing to do with browsers (client-side).

          php may well be server-side but there is no reason why a web browser cannot recognise the .php extension and compile the code as it does with an .htm extension. The same with Windows Explorer. I understand that .php is new which is probably why it is not recognised by such programmes.

          I have done a fair amount of exploration about setting up my computer as an off-line web development environment. So far I have apache and php running with Explorer as my browser when pointed to 'localhost'. Whether or not I can also get MySql and phpMyAdmin to work off-line I have yet to find out given that the config for MySql asks for a URL. Can I use http:/localhost for the URL?

          I do not want to experiment with MySql on-line with my web host because of obvious vulnerabilities I might expose myself and them to. When reading about how to use these programmes on all the web sites I have visited I am still confused about what environment is being discussed. I don't believe that people do their web development on-line. My webhost uses Apache. Until I opted to write in php I didn't need Apache on my computer. I haven't got Apache because I intend to operate as a web server. I've got it to develop php capability on my web page off-line and have it tested before I upload. Part of that capability is database, which is why I also have MySql. Am I able to use that off-line for development purposes?

          There's plenty of documentation for installing these programmes for the net but not much help in terms of the above.

            You may develop off-line but you may not see the results without passing them to the php interpreter which is resident on your apache web server and is accessed via a url in a web browser.

            If you find a way however, patent it.

              php may well be server-side but there is no reason why a web browser cannot recognise the .php extension and compile the code as it does with an .htm extension

              there is no reeason a web browser would need to run php locally. that being said, there are intergrated developement environments (IDE) around that do do this. they are basicaly text editors with the ability to run php code.

              I understand that .php is new which is probably why it is not recognised by such programmes.

              php has been around for over ten years now, this isn't the reason. php is meant to be run in a server environment.

              I have yet to find out given that the config for MySql asks for a URL. Can I use http:/localhost for the URL?

              yes.. if you have mysql installed and php configured correctly, localhost is the address you should use (you dont need the http - that is for hyper text transfer proticol).

              I haven't got Apache because I intend to operate as a web server. I've got it to develop php capability on my web page off-line and have it tested before I upload.

              a webserver is just a piece of software that serves up web pages. weather or not they are available to the www or just to your localhost makes no real difference in the way you set things up.

              hope this helps clarify a few things.

                Although I can get my browser to render .php files successfully by pointing it to http:/localhost, my web editor CuteHTML does not recognise the .php extension and when I click on a .php file in Explorer, rather than executing it, it opens it up as the source code.

                just my 2 cents here, but your web editor is the issue. like others have said, php only renders through the engine in a server environment. my localized test environment is php 5 with mysql 4.x running on apache 2. php will not work without the apache server running. it's really not to much more work for a developer to hit the browser refresh button to see new code modifications. the browser i use right now is firefox 1.6. i've developed over 200 pages with the LAMP setup on my old dell optiplex system. i love php.

                however, if you would really like the web editor to render php scripts, you have to spend some money. i'm not sure how much CuteHTML costs, but to get the editor functionality you are looking for, you should consider Dreamweaver MX 2004. it has built-in, native support for php and can render your scripts in several browsers (ie, firefox, opera, etc).

                  dreamweaver still needs php installed on a webserver. it just so happens that when you hit the preview button it opens your browser at the address required to run that preview.

                    IMHO, if you're going to develop for the web, which is a giant interconnected network, you might as well learn how a network works.

                    So, I have a server on the LAN. It runs Apache/MySQL/PHP 5.X, etc. I hacked the "hosts" file on my development box and added "new.myclient.com" for every site I want to work on.

                    And of course, the real cool thing: the server and the development box are one and the same. Furthermore, it didn't cost a dime for the software. Gotta love Free/OSS.....

                      And of course, the real cool thing: the server and the development box are one and the same. Furthermore, it didn't cost a dime for the software. Gotta love Free/OSS.....

                      agree with the free software comment. there are low barriers to entry if someone is willing to learn how things work. i suggested the dreamweaver app because i throught the op was looking for an 'integrated' solution. i use kate (linux) and textpad(windows) to edit scripts and html. i am happy with both.

                        yeah, i have a simular setup. 3 X gentoo box's.

                          Many thanks

                          thorpe wrote:

                          yes.. if you have mysql installed and php configured correctly, localhost is the address you should use (you dont need the http - that is for hyper text transfer proticol).

                          a webserver is just a piece of software that serves up web pages. weather or not they are available to the www or just to your localhost makes no real difference in the way you set things up.

                          hope this helps clarify a few things.

                          Definitely! thanks thorpe, I'll go ahead and try it.

                          I am more than happy to click on 'refresh' in the browser to view and test changes rather than expect the browser or editor to render .php files.

                          I am a little confused 😕 with respect to on-line and off-line environments as you probably can see.

                          Later:

                          I now have phpMyAdmin in operation as follows:
                          MySQL 4.1.14-nt running on localhost as root@localhost

                          All I had to do was to make the phpMyAdmin and MySql passwords correspond and I was home and hose.

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