[Year 12 Its] PHP/MySQL learning environment

[Keith Richardson]

Thank you for this thumbnailing of your personal learning pathway Peter.
I have also set myself to learm PHO & mysql once I am on top of CSS
which is the current agenda for me. For this I am using a combination of
HTML-Kit and Style Master, plus a whole plethora of tutorial sites for
CSS.
Regards, Keith


On Mon, 19 Dec 2005 15:11:23 +1030, "Peter Ruwoldt (wrk)"
<pruwoldt at bigpond.net.au> said:
> I have started my learning of PHP/MySQL and very happy with the progress 
> to date.
> 
> *What I have done.*
> I have downloaded and installed xampp 
> <http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp-windows.html> . Setup and 
> configuration was a snap except that the Apache server would not start 
> until I changed the port that Skype was using from port 80. Since I 
> modified the MySQL login credentials the samples (eg CD&#8217;s) did not work 
> until I modified the relevant PHP files using a text editor.
> 
> Next was to download and install the freeware tool PHP Designer 2005 
> <http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp-windows.html> . A couple of 
> configuration settings were needed to let PHP Designer know where the 
> PHP interpreter was located as well as the PHP ini file. I am also 
> saving the php experiments into \xampp\xampp\htdocs where the php files 
> that come with xampp are located. This means that my browser can also 
> use these files using the address http://localhost/xampp/filename.php
> 
> Finally a great set of tutorials at 
> http://www.tizag.com/mysqlTutorial/mysqlinsert.php that covers mySQL, 
> PHP, HTML and CSS.
> 
> I have created a sample database using PHPmyadmin that comes with xampp. 
> I created two tables that could be linked. Then I followed the mySQL 
> tutorial from http://www.tizag.com/mysqlTutorial/mysqlinsert.php but 
> modifying it on the fly to suit the database that I created. This 
> modifying on the fly has been good as I know that I have understood.
> 
> I have successfully created a html form and used the data input into 
> this form to update a MySQL table. Fantastic. I have enough to continue 
> building my knowledge and feel comfortable with this development 
> environment. I am not sure that it is the best environment for school 
> and this relates to my next question. Before I go too much further I 
> need to work out how do I implement this learning in a school.
> 
> *What I need is some advice about how to create a PHP/MySQL work 
> environment at school*. Some of the issues are
> 
> * Students should not store there work on a PC. PC&#8217;s can be
> re-imaged without notice. We can not assume that students will
> work on the same PC each time either. They will need to be able to
> continue with their work at other locations in the school and
> hopefully at home.
> * I would be happy with students doing their development on an
> external server so that it can be accessed from school and home.
> However, working on a server adds complexity as code has to be
> written, uploaded to the server and then executed by checking with
> a browser. They do not get the benefit of using tools like PHP
> Designer 2005.
> * How do you easily have a server set up so that 20 students can
> each have their space for testing?
> * It is easy to backup a database, destroy it and then restore it
> using PHPmyadmin. PHP files can be copied to another location for
> safe keeping.
> 
> Regards
> Peter
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> If computers get too powerful, we can organize them into a committee --
> that will do them in.
> 
> Peter Ruwoldt
> ICT Coordinator
> Grant High School
> Hosking Avenue
> MOUNT GAMBIER  SA  5290
> 
> P. 08 87263107 (Do not leave voice mail)
> F. 08 87250173
> 
> ruwoldtp at granths.sa.edu.au
> http://waraku.blogspot.com/
> 
> 
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Keith Richardson
Leibler Yavneh College
Elsternwick Ph (03)9528 4911
keithcr at fastmail.fm