Directing to directory instead of opening php file.

[Cheat_Catchers]

I have a problem I can not explain as I am a noob....
I installed, win amp, and a host of other all in one progs but they kept throwing up errors, so I made a decision to install mysql, phpmyadmin, apache, php5 and co join them to work together.
After 2 weeks of screwing things up I decided today to make it happen.
Now the problem I have is when I install a script like joomla it works perfectly but when I link back to a php file, lets say my index php

I get a directory structure.. if I click on the php file it works but its the directory structure thats throwing me..... It should as you well know dorect to the php file and show the sscript, but all it does is show the directory structure and I have to click on the php file to make it work...

As a numbskull I was wondering if anybody could help me here...

Why is it directing to the directory structure instead of opening the php file????

I do not know where to start looking!!

Your advice would be most welcome..
John

[bradgrafelman]

Apache doesn't know that you expect it to look for a file named "index.php" when the URL doesn't resolve to a file. To do this, you'll need to modify Apache's DirectoryIndex directive (e.g. by appending "index.php" as one of the possible candidates Apache should be looking for when serving up a directory).

[Cheat_Catchers]

Thanks