Need the really, really broad strokes

JarGra

First, someone might want to advise me of a better forum for this question. Second, sorry for the imposition if that's the case. I am sure I will appear to be another one of those newbi idiots, because I am, and I am desperate. I am swimming (drowning) in info overload here, and I think my question is rather simple. I am new to web design, and am getting along pretty well with HTML, CSS, Dreamweaver, etc., all the easy front end stuff. Now I am trying to jump into the server-side issues, dynamic content, back-end, database content, yada yada. So, I have a book or ten on PHP and SQL, and although that is sluggish, I thought I would jump onto the GoDaddy (my ISP and site host) help forum and see if I could even remotely understand what I do first to put something like a product database, customer sign-up form, whatever - on my hosted site, using Dreamweaver and the godaddy hosting package databases. Well, here is where the you know what hit the fan. I am so lost I don’t know which end is up. I keep reading how this whole process of installing a database is “so easy” I thought I would give it a try… please? If someone out there could just give me a clue, just a little one. I mean all I am trying to figure out is the broad strokes, I will go and look in the PHP books and all that for the exact scripts and what not, but the problem is I don’t have a darn clue what the big picture looks like. If someone could talk to me like I am six years old and just say “no man, its really hard, you are going to have to look into the SQL and PHP books for months before you even half way know what is going on, then fine, that would be a start. However, if, on the other hand it might be something real easy, such as someone saying, “first, you have to build an sql database (go learn that), then you have to put a script into your webpage (go learn that), then you have to …, etc.” Cool. But, as I say, I am clueless - and I did read all the godaddy help, right up to the point it says “if you need more help” and I get the connection to www.mysql.com which seems to be all about signing up for a two year course on the subject, hence my discouragement. All the help files seem to be specifics, and I am trying to simply figure out the “do this first dummy, do this second dummy … “ kind of stuff. Thanks to anyone that might direct me to some dim ray of hope.
Richard S.
Boston, MA

NogDog

PHP 101: PHP for the Absolute Beginner (Part 8 discusses databases and MySQL, but you'll likely want to work through most of the preceding parts, first.)

A couple not-too-intimidating tutorials about databases in general.

And no, there's no "magic bullet" to learning any programming language. You need to spend some time picking up the basics of programming in general along with the specific syntax and functions of the language(s) you want to learn. You can be pretty sure that all the top PHP developers here have read a fair number of old-fashioned, printed-on-paper books as part of their learning process. Just be sure to try to get a recently published book, as PHP has evolved a lot in the last half-dozen years, so you don't want to learn from a book that is based on what were considered "best practices" in 2003 but are no longer the preferred way to do things (and maybe not even possible if using the default configuration of current PHP releases).

cretaceous

although these tutorials are very old they are a good broad sweep intro imho:
http://www.webmonkey.com/webmonkey/programming/php/tutorials/tutorial4.html

theres half a dozen different tuts there but the best thing is do one small project first - and get it working and finished

dont read too many books - each one will have its own way of doing something - stick to one and work through it methodically

bpat1434

If I were you, I'd learn the basics of PHP first. Forget about MySQL. Learn how to use PHP as a language and create some semi-dynamic stuff (like asking a user a name, then saying "Hi" to them). Then learn about loops, and how to deal with them. Essentially, learn all you can except for the database stuff. And finally, definitely learn how to properly debug errors.

Then go pick up a book on just SQL. Not on MySQL, or MSSQL, but rather just SQL in general. THe one I used was "Learning SQL" published by O'Reilly. 90% of the functions you will use are part of the SQL Standard (which all database systems use to some extent). Then there are optimizations to MySQL, or MSSQL, or Firebird, or Postgre that make it better (or worse).

Why do I say to do it this way? Because in order to learn how to put things together, and how to properly debug scripts, you need to know the basics. By knowing how PHP works in general, and how MySQLworks in general, you can work in two mediums: Database and php. Much easier to manage whatever project you're working on since you can build, rebuild, and even modify the database as you work, instead of locking yourself into a specific setup.

Also, hanging out here and reading peoples problems, and trying to replicate them (as well as solve them) can help out tremendously. I started by asking questions here (long ago) and soon learned enough that I purchased 2 or 3 books, and that one SQL book and now I'm a moderator here and work with PHP and MySQL full-time. So it's not difficult to learn, you just need the time to devote to learning it; just like any other language (written, oral, or programming).

JarGra

NogDog, creataceous, bpat1434,

I thank each of you, sincerely, for your words, wisdom and advice. It was all spot on for what I am looking for.

NogDog, thanks a lot for the links, I checked them out right away and they are extremely fruitful, also, thanks for the heads-up on being diligent regarding the versions, and pursuing what is current, which I see is PHP-5 going on 6.

creataceous, thank you for your link as well, and especially the insight about reading and working through one book at a time. That advice hit the target because I have a bad tendency to get several books and bounce in and out of all of them, will be stopping that.

bpat1434, I "really" appreciate the tips of one, leaving SQL alone and getting through PHP first, that was something I needed to hear, because that issue was bugging me from the start... and two, the part about looking at SQL before mySQL, as once again, I didn't understand the difference. Other than building MS Access databases a lot in the past, I have no experience with SQL, especially since Access does the hard work for you. Lastly, it was encouraging to hear you say you started out in the forums not knowing too darn much, and now you are moderating. I have heard from others as well not to buy too many books, because with things like HTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP, SQL... there are tons of resources online to get you started and headed in the right direction. You folks have certainly proven the forums are invaluable ... all my thanks again.🙂