How do you connect a web form to a database...

They have: 5 posts

Joined: Apr 2004

Hi,

I am fairly new at web design and have never dealt with databases.

I would like to create a form page that will collect basic information (name, address, etc) that will dump this information directly into a database and be accessible to the owner so that they can do mailouts etc during the year using the information collected from this database. I don't know how many people would hit their site, so I should probably be familiar with a database that could work with anywhere from 25 to thousands of people. I don't want customers to be able to access this database. Only the owner.

I use dreamweaver mx for my web development.

1. What would be an easy database program to learn?

2. How do you connect the web form to the database that you put up on the server?

3. How does the owner access the database from his computer to query the information he requires?

4. Do ASP, PHP, MySQL all do basically the same thing but with different learning curves?

I would like to get a good understanding of databases under my belt as I am sure that as my design skills grow, so will my need for manipulating databases. I am just now sure which would be the best to learn. I must admit, reading some of this database stuff makes my eyes go blurry so I'm looking for one that isn't too hard to get a handle on, but will cover a lot of bases if that's possible.

Any help you can provide will be very helpful. Hope this isn't too vague.

Thanks,
Sarah

s0da's picture

He has: 157 posts

Joined: Mar 2004

1. it wont be difficult to create what you want.
2. after you submit the form information you can direct it to submit.php or something and insert the data into the database.
3. just create a file that calls the information from the database and use whichever mail function for the particular language.
4. yeah pretty much.

i think what you want is a newsletter script. check hotscripts.com for mailing list programs.

also, check out devarticles and read the articles. they are a great source for learning and pretty much on a basic level of getting into what you want.

Links:
http://www.hotscripts.com/
http://www.devarticles.com/
http://www.devshed.com/
http://www.sitepoint.com/

mjs416's picture

They have: 127 posts

Joined: Dec 2003

I would just like to point out that MYSQL is not the same as php and asp. MySQL is essentially the database. Php and asp are programming languages used to interface with the database. Granted there is a syntax for using MySQL, but without php, asp or jsp (maybe?); you cant really do a whole lot.

s0da's picture

He has: 157 posts

Joined: Mar 2004

oh yeah. lol sorry.

if you still dont know what MySQL is; then here's an example. if you know the forum UBB... it uses file based database. MySQL is something that was made to store information LIKE this; but much better.

dayzeday's picture

She has: 6 posts

Joined: Apr 2004

Okay - Not sure if you have your answer yet. However, dreamweaver actually makes this pretty easy.

1) Set up the MySQL database in your hosting control panel.
2) The open edit site information in the dreamweaver - in the advance setup option - go to testserver page. Enter this information. (if you do not know what it is set it up witht the ftp info first and see if it works)
3) The open a php page. On the insert tool bar click the applications tab and the second to last button is "Record Insert Form"
4) Follow the steps.

If you still have a question email me and I will help you. Smiling

Dayze Day
Creative Daze Design
www.creativedazedesign.com
[[email protected]][email protected][/EMAIL]

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