PHP and MySQL setup on a local host

[Guest]

Right. SO here goes...

I am reading PHP Solutions by David Powers, a fantastic book for the beginner. This is th eonly book I have ever used that got right to the point and taught me useable information straight away. Kudos aside, on to my problem...

I set up a local host on my hard drive and as instructed, installed the following:

PHP 5.2.6
Apache 2.2
MySQL Server 5.0

When I check phpinfo, I see nowhere on the page anything about mysql or mysqli. I am told by the book that I should see these things...and I am not.

Further, there is no extensions folder in my PHP folder. Thus, I'm not finding the files:

php_mysql.dll
php_mysqli.dll
(I found libmysql.dll on my computer)

Further, the MySql website no longer honors this url: dev.mysql.com/downloads/connector/php it routes you to a search page, search.mysql.com/search?q=php&lr=lang_en

Although there is a Connector download link, it's for something called ODBC 5.1 and it doesn't fork over the coveted php_mysql.dll or php_mysqli.dll files.

I have read on forums to look in my ext folder, but alas, there is not one. There never was.

So, should I uninstall everything and start over? This is so frustrating. I never used local host to test my pages before, I would upload them behind one of my domains to check for bugs. Now that I'm learning PHP everyone is chiding me into setting up a local host, which is taking FOREVER. I mean, the local host works, but PHP doesn't recognize MySQL...Add to that the cruelly difficult structure of the MySQL website (thanks, engineers!) and this has been one brutal outing for me. I REALLY need some help here. Please?

Thanks all,

Wordman

[Newsgroup_User]

Wordman-GL wrote:
> When I check phpinfo, I see nowhere on the page anything about mysql or
> mysqli. I am told by the book that I should see these things...and I am not.

How did you install PHP? If you used the ZIP file, as described in the
book, the extensions folder should be there (it's called ext). If you
used the PHP Windows installer instructions on my website
( http://foundationphp.com/tutorials/php_installer.php), the extensions
are installed in step 7.

> Further, the MySql website no longer honors this url:
> dev.mysql.com/downloads/connector/php it routes you to a search page,
> search.mysql.com/search?q=php&lr=lang_en

The PHP connectors are no longer needed. I must get friends of ED to add
that information to the book's updates and corrections page.

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

[Guest]

David,

I followed the instructions in the book to a tee. The installer never created the ext folder. BUT when I checked the link you provided on your website, all was revealed and now it works...I get mysql and mysqli in my phpinfo. In short, I'm elated. I also wished that I had checked with yoru site FIRST. You always provide every detail which helps me keep going. Lesson learned: always check the website!

Many thanks! Your books are truly wonderful.

Cheers,

Wordman

[Guest]

PROBLEM SOLVED...

First, let me thank Murray for guiding me to David Powers' books. Murray has been an extremely KIND and COMPASSIONATE person, lending help to me in my darkest of times...well, in my most frustrated times, let's say.

As for David's book, PHP Solutions, it's a fantastic book, and David s a brilliant teacher. Schools worldwide would benefit from having teachers such as David. NO OTHER tech or reference book in my library has ever helped so quickly and so thoroughly. David, many thanks.

I was browsing this forum an dsaw that David had posted a link to his website regarding my very problem. It involved installing PHP with the new Windows installer which likely wasn't available or trusted in 2006 when PHP Solutions was written. The verbage on David's website was, again, ultra-thorough and easy to follow. I changed my PHP installation, rebooted the machine and lo, my phpinfo now shoes mysql and mysqli. THANKS DAVID!!!

Don't ask me why I didn't check David's website first. Part of my reasoning is that I'm not only learning PHP but I'm juggling several other tasks at the same time. The info contained on the link David posted (foundationphp.com/tutorials/php_installer.php ) would help thousands of people mired down in the exact same dilemma, or shall I say, DLLemma that I was in. In searching through posts ont he internet, I came across many people crying for help on this issue and interestingly enough, many of the posts were several years old. Anyhow, this was a life-saver for me, so thanks again, David!

Anyone new to PHP should buy PHP Solutions, it's a book you can not live without.

Thanks all,

Wordman

[Newsgroup_User]

Wordman-GL wrote:
> As for David's book, PHP Solutions, it's a fantastic book, and David s a
> brilliant teacher. Schools worldwide would benefit from having teachers such as
> David. NO OTHER tech or reference book in my library has ever helped so quickly
> and so thoroughly. David, many thanks.

Thanks for your kind words.

> Don't ask me why I didn't check David's website first. Part of my reasoning is
> that I'm not only learning PHP but I'm juggling several other tasks at the same
> time.

The first task you should always undertake when working with a computer
book is to check if there have been any updates or corrections to the
book. You'll save yourself a lot of head-banging if you do:

http://www.friendsofed.com/errata.html?isbn=1590597311

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

[Guest]

David...thanks for the link...you're right, checking with the source definitely would have saved me the week-plus of head banging. Off to dive into chapter 11 of the book. Thanks!!!

Wordman

[Newsgroup_User]

David Powers wrote:
> Wordman-GL wrote:
>> As for David's book, PHP Solutions, it's a fantastic book, and David
>> s a brilliant teacher. Schools worldwide would benefit from having
>> teachers such as David. NO OTHER tech or reference book in my library
>> has ever helped so quickly and so thoroughly. David, many thanks.
>
> Thanks for your kind words.


Notwithstanding the "verbage".
Mick

>
>> Don't ask me why I didn't check David's website first. Part of my
>> reasoning is that I'm not only learning PHP but I'm juggling several
>> other tasks at the same time.
>
> The first task you should always undertake when working with a computer
> book is to check if there have been any updates or corrections to the
> book. You'll save yourself a lot of head-banging if you do:
>
> http://www.friendsofed.com/errata.html?isbn=1590597311
>

[Guest]

Notwithstanding the "verbage".
Mick

Mick...come again?

Wordman

[Newsgroup_User]

Wordman-GL wrote:
> Notwithstanding the "verbage".
> Mick
>
> Mick...come again?
>
> Wordman
>

"The verbage on David's website was, again, ultra-thorough and easy
to follow. I changed my PHP installation ..."

Look up the word "verbage". I don't think you meant to criticize David.
BTW, SP* made the same mistake.
Mick
* Sarah Palin

[Guest]

"The verbage on David's website was, again, ultra-thorough and easy
to follow. I changed my PHP installation ..."

Look up the word "verbage". I don't think you meant to criticize David.
BTW, SP* made the same mistake.
Mick
* Sarah Palin

Mick,

Thanks for the clarification. I asked 'come again' because I didn't understand what you meant. I am fully aware of what the word 'verbage' means. I certainly wasn't knocking David, far from it. The man is the best teacher I have ever had.

Wordman

[Newsgroup_User]

Wordman-GL wrote:
> "The verbage on David's website was, again, ultra-thorough and easy
> to follow. I changed my PHP installation ..."
>
> Look up the word "verbage". I don't think you meant to criticize David.
> BTW, SP* made the same mistake.
> Mick
> * Sarah Palin
>
> Mick,
>
> Thanks for the clarification. I asked 'come again' because I didn't understand
> what you meant. I am fully aware of what the word 'verbage' means. I certainly
> wasn't knocking David, far from it. The man is the best teacher I have ever had.
>
> Wordman
>
>
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/verbage.html

Mick

[Guest]

Mick, you missed my last post. Verbage to Verb-i-age. Look, I need to explain a few things to you:

I work 2 jobs in publishing before I get to work on my own publishing projects. Times are not what they used to be. The Adobe forums have been wonderful to me, guiding me in my learning process. So, after an 18-hour day, I'm not always in a position to take a snipe such as yours and laught it off. You could have been a little cooler and said, "You didn't really mean Verbage, did you?" but instead you took your snotty cheap shot. I reviewed my post and yes, it was an error. Verb-i-age, as in "manner or style of expressing something in words" (see dictionary.com). is what I meant. Had I the time to lounge about and draft a more thought-out response I would have. But I was so thrilled that David was here to assist, and so quickly, I simply wanted to say thanks, and in my haste I chose the wrong word, indeed the wrong phrasing because Verb-i-age can mean two things:

1. overabundance or superfluity of words, as in writing or speech; wordiness; verbosity - Which David's books are not. He speaks clearly and succinctly.

2. manner or style of expressing something in words; wording: - David expresses his lessons in words better than anyone, and this is the definition I use for Verb-i-age.

Last time I checked, humans make mistakes. Perhaps you don't. But knock off the cheap shots.

I'm here for help, not for schoolyard jibes. At my most dazed and confused, Murray always treats me with respect. He doesn't give me nonsense. Just be cool and remember that some of us are having to hustle to keep our gigs as independant contractors in publishing. Give us a break...chances are we've been working non-stop for a long time and don't need the flack.

Wordman

[Newsgroup_User]

Wordman-GL wrote:
> Mick, you missed my last post. Verbage to Verb-i-age. Look, I need to explain a
> few things to you:
>
> I work 2 jobs in publishing before I get to work on my own publishing
> projects. Times are not what they used to be. The Adobe forums have been
> wonderful to me, guiding me in my learning process. So, after an 18-hour day,
> I'm not always in a position to take a snipe such as yours and laught it off.
> You could have been a little cooler and said, "You didn't really mean Verbage,
> did you?" but instead you took your snotty cheap shot. I reviewed my post and
> yes, it was an error. Verb-i-age, as in "manner or style of expressing
> something in words" (see dictionary.com). is what I meant. Had I the time to
> lounge about and draft a more thought-out response I would have. But I was so
> thrilled that David was here to assist, and so quickly, I simply wanted to say
> thanks, and in my haste I chose the wrong word, indeed the wrong phrasing
> because Verb-i-age can mean two things:
>
> 1. overabundance or superfluity of words, as in writing or speech; wordiness;
> verbosity - Which David's books are not. He speaks clearly and succinctly.
>
> 2. manner or style of expressing something in words; wording: - David
> expresses his lessons in words better than anyone, and this is the definition I
> use for Verb-i-age.
>
> Last time I checked, humans make mistakes. Perhaps you don't. But knock off
> the cheap shots.
>
> I'm here for help, not for schoolyard jibes. At my most dazed and confused,
> Murray always treats me with respect. He doesn't give me nonsense. Just be cool
> and remember that some of us are having to hustle to keep our gigs as
> independant contractors in publishing. Give us a break...chances are we've been
> working non-stop for a long time and don't need the flack.
>
> Wordman
>
>
>
I stand corrected. The word "verbiage" does have the meaning you cite,
albeit a secondary one. I'm sorry to have caused you any distress. I was
not attacking you, I was dismayed by what I saw as the incorrect use of
the word in question.
Mick.

[Guest · Accepted solution]

Mick,

Thank you. Please, next time, be a little more direct and humorous, would you? This isn't a grammar forum.

Wordman

[Newsgroup_User]

Wordman-GL wrote:
> Mick,
>
> Thank you. Please, next time, be a little more direct and humorous, would you? This isn't a grammar forum.
>
> Wordman
>
A penguin walks into a bar and asks to the bartender, "have you seen my
brother?"

The bartender replies:







"I dunno, what's he look like"
Mick

[Guest]

Aah Mick...you caught me. I meant Verbiage, as in:

"manner or style of expressing something in words"

You've a strange way of helping.

Cheers...