server/php

ericgrave

okay please could some one help me out!
well i have webspace already and its reached its upload limit 🙁 cos of me tryin to make a log in.. anyway now i have decided i wanna use my computer as a server so i can build my site this way!
1st question: how do i use my computer as a server?
2nd: how do i set it up

and thats about it for the server queston now i wanna know how to build a log in and a form. if anyone can help me out that will be great 😃 cheers

leatherback

easiest is to install an apache / mysql / php package, such as XAMPP

edit: See lasres note below. Obviously you would want to use hosting for the actual site. This uggestion was ONLY for running your local server for testing your site before uploading to the main server.

laserlight

1st question: how do i use my computer as a server?

I suggest that you do not do that. Get better hosting instead.

2nd: how do i set it up

What you should do is setup web server software on your local computer to serve as a test area. Read the stickied threads in the Install forum for more information.

ericgrave

cheers leatherback and laserlight

just wondered through when i eventually get my site up and it starts receaving a lot of traffic.. would you recommned gettin a server then?

leatherback

just do not host your own website for the outside world unless you really know what you are doing. From day 1 run the website through a host. you could however run a webserver on your machine at home for development purposes, which is not accessable for the outside world.

ericgrave

rite okay well is there any hostin sites out there that will allow a lot of traffic?

ericgrave

sorry about all this i have just installed xamp just wondered how do i test stuff now?

NogDog

You need to put your pages/scripts in the "htdocs" directory within the XAMPP installation path (or a sub-directory beneath that "htdocs" directory). Then access your pages via the browser's address bar as "http://localhost/page_name.php" or "http://localhost/sub_directory_name/page_name.php" if it's in a sub-directory. (You cannot simply double-click a file icon or use the "File -> Open" menu option from the browser.)

leatherback

ericgrave wrote:
rite okay well is there any hostin sites out there that will allow a lot of traffic?

In all professional hosting services there is a link between the price & the traffic that you generate, and most of them will allow you to upgrade ackages as projects grow. I would start off by getting things working, run it on the smallest package that can handle the initial setup. If you require more space/bandwidth/traffic, upgrade to the next package. This also reduces the intial cost of setting things up.

Why do you generate so much traffic that you run out of traffic-space quickly? What sort of site are you running

ericgrave

well i am not gettin so much traffic atm. am just lookin into future cos i wanna run a community site like myspace 😃 🙂 but thanks for all your help dude you've made me understand stuff more 🙂
just wondered through is there any sites that will help me create a login and form processor..
also how do i upload files to the server cos i downloaded xammp so just wanted to upload stuff to try it out 😃 sorri about this lol

bradmasterx

how are you going to make a myspace fimiliar site if you cant make a login form?

leatherback

bradmasterx wrote:
how are you going to make a myspace fimiliar site if you cant make a login form?

Although my opinion is not as negative as brad's here, I share his concern. Before you even attempt to build something as prestigeous as a myspace-type site (Do you need a domain? I have one for sale 😃) you should really start off by building something symple, where you combine a form and database and see whether you can make that work. And take it from there.

If you need advice on the basics, there are a few basic tutorials on my site -see below- although I think I might have some typos on there. THen there is of course the w3schools and this site as good solid resources.

Find your way around php.net and leanr all there is to learn about php before attempting large community driven sites.

Oh.. Be aware that it it really hard to build, intialize & commercialize sites that draw many visitors (e.g., 40K/year)