I am a complete idiot!!!!

kenny724

Help. I'm just an idiot i guess. Never really done any php. I am helping someone set up a website, and of course the shopping carts, etc., are in php. I have downloaded both expression and dreamweaver, and I can't run the index.php or preview it. Frustrating. I thought I set up the server right.

Anyway...can I set up the index as html...and some how integrate the php scripts to the shopping cart pages?? Is there an easier way to edit the design of a php page or should i just do the pages in html and run the php scripts? I get nothing but a freaking blank page. I am so stupid and behind with php. I am so confused....I think I used to be smart....but now I don't think I am one bit.

Any information or helpful links will be greatly, GREATLY appreciated...and if I get this done correctly I will sell my soul to you.....lol.

Thanks,
Kenny

NogDog

Usually a blank screen indicates that (a) you have a syntax error in your PHP code, and (b) your server's PHP configuration has the display_errors setting turned off (which is good for the live version, but not so hot when trying to debug).

Possible work-arounds:

Change your configuration on the server, usually via php.ini or else via a local .htaccess file (if on Apache and allowed to do so).
Install a web server, PHP, and the applicable DBMS on your local PC (see WAMP, XAMPP, etc. for easy-to-install solutions) so that you can test locally with whatever settings you want.
Use an editor with built-in PHP syntax-checking (Komodo Edit, Netbeans, Notepad++, etc. -- search the forums here for more choices and info).

You'll probably find that most of us use a combination of the 2nd and 3rd items for code development, only moving code to the production server when ready for final integration testing.

chrisguk

It would be fair to assume you are using a windows system with either WAMP or EasyPHP installed. They are the best options for testing php based files. Plus if configured properly i.e. mod_rewrite enabled they should run any forum, shopping cart with sessions and any other standard php application. Then all you need to do is point to http://localhost/ to see your site.

Ashley_Sheridan

Also, usually the first test to do to see if PHP is correctly setup and that the blank page is not being caused by a script error is to run a php script that just contains this:

<?php
phpinfo();
?>

chrisguk

Ashley Sheridan;10941654 wrote:
Also, usually the first test to do to see if PHP is correctly setup and that the blank page is not being caused by a script error is to run a php script that just contains this:
<?php
phpinfo();
?>

Just to add to that.

create a file called info.php and out the code above inside it then point your browser to the file.

yurek

For beginners in PHP is an excellent resource http://phpforms.net/tutorial.html. On this page you will find the information that you need to start its work with PHP.
Good luck.