Setting up site definitions for a dynamic web page with local testing

[webnewbie10]

I am new to to PHP. I'm bound and determined to create a PHP site for a mySQL database (I was able to create 700 record database site in MAMP -- yay!! One step closer!!!). Now I want to set up a test page, to help me learn dynamic pages and accessing my database. I want to test the pages locally, and am not sure I set up the new site correctly.

I'm on a Macbook Pro, using CS4. System 10.6

Here's how I filled out the site definitions:

- Name: test

- HTTP Address: http://mysite.com/public_html  (of course, I used my actual domain URL instead of mysite)

- server tech: Yes, PHP mySQL

- edit and test locally (MAMP is installed and working, so I'm thinking this is the right choice)

- Where to store files: I browsed to the location where I want to store this test.

/Users/myname/Desktop/database/public_html/

- What URL used to browse to root: http://localhost/public_html

When I hit "test" I get...

ERROR: DW can not use the prefix you entered to display live data. I clicked on "Help" but I was unable to resolve the issue...

Also, the "+" sign is grayed out in Databases, so I'm thinking this has something to do with the site definitions I used.

THANKS! The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step...

[webnewbie10]

Did some more poking around on the web. Found a different tutorial that leads me to believe I should change "Where do I want to store" info to:

/Applications/MAMP/htdocs/projectfoldername.

I also changed

- What URL used to browse to root: http://localhost/projectfoldername

But I'm still not getting the url test to work.

[David_Powers]

The files must be stored in the server's document root (or a subfolder thereof). In the case of MAMP, this is /Applications/MAMP/htdocs or a subfolder of htdocs. Your revised setup looks correct, but check the details here:

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/dreamweaver/articles/setup_php.html#articlecontentAdobe_numberedheader_2

The screenshots show the location of htdocs on Windows. Otherwise, the setup procedure is identical. Make sure that the Apache and MySQL servers are running.

[webnewbie10]

David:

Thank you so much for coming to help me AGAIN! And for being so speedy!!!

The wording appears to be different between Mac and Windows (and where/how you enter info in the define site dialog boxes.) So I'm not sure I'm setting it up as they instruct. Sorry to get SO BASIC about all this but I'd love to get this working.

Specifying a working folder

#3: I'm assuming "Local Site folder" in the Tutorial is the same as "Local Root folder" on Mac.
I selected /Applications/MAMP/htdocs/cabintest (cabintest is a folder I created inside "htdocs" to hold the website)

Specifying a  testing server for Dreamweaver

My windows look very different, and uses different wording. I think I have it set up comparable to the tutorial link you set, but since I'm such a novice, I wanted to verify.

Under the advanced tab of "Testing server", I have...

Server model: PHP mySQL

Access: Local/Network

Testing Server Folder: /Applications/MAMP/htdocs/cabintest

URL Prefix: http://localhost/cabintest/

NOTE: in the Tutorial, it says I should add "8888" if I'm using MAMP, but I think I read in another post of your that it was unnecessary.

At this point, when moving to another tab, I am getting an error that says:
The site URL prefix [/cabintest] for the testing server does not match the site URL prefix [/public_html] specificed in the Address for the site. This may cause pages using site relative links to display incorrectly at run time. Proceed anyway?

I'm sure this refers to when I was defining the site --

under "What is the http address (URL) of your site" I put

http://mywebsite.com/public_html/

I was thinking they wanted to know where I was going to post it later, so the links would be correct when I uploaded it... Wrong? Maybe that something I change when I'm going to upload it?

PHP LIVE TIME CODE

I tried adding the php code between the body tags, anyway (Hey, finally, something I knew how to do 😉

When I tried to preview in browser I get the error:

To preview pages containing server-side code, you need a testing server. Would you like to specify one now?

If I say yes, it takes me to a brand new "site definition" dialog box.

FYI:

- MAMP is on and running.

- I tried adding :8888 after localhost in the "URL prefix" box so it reads URL Prefix: http://localhost:8888/cabintest/ but that didn't seem to help.

- Firewall is not blocking mysqld.

I've tried "Mac" tutorials, and obviously I'm still doing something wrong. Feeling pretty stupid here, since I know this is all so basic.

Any thoughts? I could take screen shots of each "site definition" window if that would help. THANKS!

[David_Powers]

webnewbie10 wrote:

The wording appears to be different between Mac and Windows (and where/how you enter info in the define site dialog boxes.)

No, the wording is identical. It sounds as though you're using an older version of Dreamweaver.

In Dreamweaver CS4 and earlier, click the Advanced button at the top of the Site Definition dialog box.

1. Select Local Info from the Category list on the left
2. Local root folder is the top level folder of your site:  /Applications/MAMP/htdocs/cabintest
3. Make sure that Links relative to is set to Document.
4. Select Testing Server from the Category list on the left.
5. Set Server Model to PHP MySQL
6. Set Access to Local/Network.
7. Set Testing server folder to  /Applications/MAMP/htdocs/cabintest
8. Set URL prefix to http://localhost/cabintest/
9. Click OK. If Dreamweaver warns you about the URL prefix not matching the HTTP address, you can safely ignore it.

The :8888 is required ONLY if you are using the MAMP default ports.

under "What is the http address (URL) of your site" I put

http://mywebsite.com/public_html/

I was thinking they wanted to know where I was going to post it later, so the links would be correct when I uploaded it... Wrong? Maybe that something I change when I'm going to upload it?

You don't need to fill that in for testing, but in any event, it should NOT include public_html. That's your remote server's equivalent of htdocs, and does not form part of the URL.

[webnewbie10]

THANK YOU!!! And sorry, maybe I forgot to mention I was using CS4... I hope someone does you a kind deed in the near future. I know my ignorance was probably very frustrating!

It's all working!

I also figured out why the "preview in browser" didn't work. (I'll add what I did incase any other newbies are having the same issue...)

I had saved my new PHP test file before I'd set up the site correctly. So it was saved to the wrong place. I made a new one, saved it in
/Applications/MAMP/htdocs/cabintest and now the preview and code "time is now" test is working. Teehee...

And phew...

Next, I used your excellent tutorial to set up the user and connect to a database.

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/dreamweaver/articles/setup_php.html#articlecontentAdobe_numberedheader_2

I am the only user, and I want to be able to do everything. I went thru the exercise of adding a new user (my name). As instructed, I left all the checkboxes under in Structure and Administration blank. I believe that means that I can't create new tables, databases under that user name. But it sounds like a safeguard to keep me from wiping out all the data when Im creating my site.

Just to clarify: I should use this new user name and password (instead of root, root) when connecting to the database

from my new PHP page in Dreamweaver.

At the end of the tutorial, I was so happy when I saw this message!!!!!

Congratulations! Your PHP development environment and site  are now set  up and you are ready to start developing PHP web applications in   Dreamweaver.

One final question on this thread (I'm sure I'll have questions while working on my site, but will start a new thread, if so)

My site is mainly a search engine, to allow the user to look up the data in my database by many different variables, (size, location, city, etc...). Do you have any suggestions on good tutorials that focus on searching functions in a PHP page? Or good "for dummies" books that might help me thru. I've only ever created html pages (with alot of help from Dreamweaver...)

Thanks for your unending patience and support. Sending you virtual flowers, candy, or wine! Your choice 😉

Jami

[David_Powers · Accepted solution]

I'm glad you finally got there in the end. If you're looking for tutorials, you might like to try this three-part tutorial that I wrote for Adobe: Build your first dynamic website with PHP. It starts quite simply, but gets progressively more advanced, so take it slowly.

You might also be interested in some of the books I have written. See my website, http://foundationphp.com/ for details. Since, you're using Dreamweaver CS4, The Essential Guide to Dreamweaver CS4 with CSS, Ajax, and PHP, is probably the best. For a more general, non-Dreamweaver specific approach, there's PHP Solutions, Second Edition. I try to credit readers with some intelligence, so I wouldn't call my books "for dummies". But they're written in a straightforward, non-jargon style, and seem to be well liked by many people.