PHP to handle data with no database

Anon

What I have on my plate is this:

A website that uses PHP/Apache on a Linux server. There is no MySQL (too expensive for webmaster) so I need to store a member roster and various data about each person. I'm not much of a PHP Guru, and all of the data storage/retrieval I've done has been with MySQL. So, now that I don't have that, what is the best/easiest way to store this data and retrieve it using PHP4?

Thanks,
Jim

nashirak

Well you could just store it in a flat file database:

You could right you data to a file seperating each field in a row with some sort of delimeter (ie ":" or " " or "%" or whatever) and each row with a "\n" character (newline just in case it doesnt show up). Then when you wanted information pulled out you would have to look through the file until you got what you wanted. I know this is a bit primative, but I think that it would work.

Anon

Let me add one more comment. This info store needs to be created from user input. That way a person who needs to update their info can do it via the browser. Only 2 people will access to the database, but we'll have roughly 150 members using it.

Jim

Anon

I can create this file with PHP, correct? I need to be able to create the file with code, that way people can log in and make changes to their info on their own.

Jim

junebug

you could use xml, but i haven't read enough about it to give you the details on what to do or how to do it.

nashirak

That is fine. PHP would be able to create an edit the file. One of the only bad things about this method is the fact that your search times are going to be just a bit slower. In fact... databases stores stuff in files... except... everything is hashed so information can be had quicker. Then the program has built in functions that just read the file. So whenever you read a database its actually, kinda sorta going to be doing what you will be doing.

Just make sure that the user input is correctly pasrsed when it comes in (something done automatically with databases) and make sure that you stip any command characters or wierd character that come into fhe file.

Other than that.... this should all work.

Good Luck.

Anon

hi, I already posted a comment on this here:

http://www.phpbuilder.com/forum/read.php3?num=1&id=120881&thread=120865

perhaps it's useful to you.