Database for Dummies

Report · Aug 22, 2007

I have two sites that I am working on. One needs a simple username and password for certain pages. The other is the same idea, but more complex because there will be multiple usernames and passwords, emails, hints, etc.

I have been reading how to do it and I understand that I need to build a database with MySql together with phpMyAdmin... and I tried to download it, but it didn't seem to work? In theory I understand this, but for some reason every time I start I get lost...

What is the best way to do this? Sorry to be such a newbie.

Report · Aug 22, 2007

p.s. Is Coldfusion better to use (easier) than PHP? And to clarify, the MySQL is the database "builder" and Coldfusion and/or PHP is the Driver (Communicator) between the server and the database?

Report · Aug 22, 2007

kodog wrote:
> p.s. Is Coldfusion better to use (easier) than PHP? And to clarify, the MySQL is the database "builder" and Coldfusion and/or PHP is the Driver (Communicator) between the server and the database?

It depends on which you know. ColdFusion fans swear that it's miles
better. I prefer PHP (and, yes, I have tried both).

MySQL is a complete relational database management system. It stores and
serves up the data. PHP and ColdFusion are server-side languages that
enable you to communicate with a database (as well as lots of other cool
things).

Working with PHP (or CF) and MySQL isn't particularly difficult, but
there's quite a lot to absorb. I have written two books on PHP/MySQL and
Dreamweaver (one for DW8, the other for CS3). You might find them
helpful if you decide to go down this route. They contain full
installation instructions, and take you step by step through building a
database and communicating with it.

--
David Powers, Adobe Community Expert
Author, "The Essential Guide to Dreamweaver CS3" (friends of ED)
Author, "PHP Solutions" (friends of ED)
http://foundationphp.com/

Report · Aug 22, 2007

You can try the PHP/MySQL setup instructions in the following Dev Center tutorial:

http://www.adobe.com/go/learn_dw_phpsetup

It covers setups on both Windows XP and Mac computers.

If you're familiar with HTML, then ColdFusion is a little easier to pick up than PHP because it's tag-based like HTML. The new version of ColdFusion, CF 8, also supports MySQL databases natively now (meaning you don't need to install a separate database driver).

Charles Nadeau
Dreamweaver
Adobe Systems