The Web Squeeze: Newbie With Some Questions - The Web Squeeze

Hi everyone.

I've been asked by my work to build a site for a Tourism Accreditation Business (part of our company).

The site would require a section that has all the accredited businesses listed in a searchable format.

The businesses would need to be searchable in the following ways.

• Names - this one is obvious and just needs a simple text search
  
• Location - Most likely set up by clicking on a region of a map.
  
• Business type - sorted into accomodation (sub groups including b&b, hotel, etc), adventure activity (water sports, hiking, etc), etc, etc.

At the moment I believe these are the only fields I would need to have searchable. I understand I'm going to need to set up a MySQL database and create some kind of PHP interface for it all. My problem is I don't really know much mysql or php (always willing to try to learn). Is this going be a massive undertaking for someone with very little knowledge or might I find some tutorials, etc to get me started?

It never ceases to amaze me when people post these questions.

PHP + MySQL are completely different languages which you don't know. If you was sent off to France or Spain and didn't know the language it would take a while to pick it up. It would take even longer to have a decent conversation.

Now, you could get a book to learn the language. However, learning the language comes from experience. As soon as someone uses a word you do not understand you have to get out your phrasebook and things begin to fall to pieces.

PHP + MySQL is no different. The only difference is that if you get stuck in a foreign language you can usually stumble through and be OK. If you try to stumble through with PHP or use something you do not understand then you are very much at risk of creating an insecure application.

I would recommend that you outsource this to someone with the relevant knowledge, that or put it on hold until you know enough about PHP to take this forward yourself.

That's why I asked I guess.

I figured I probably would need to outsource this project, however would anyone be able to point me in the direction of some beginners tutorials into mySQL databases? I would like to start learning the language as it does seem to be the main area that is holding me back in web development.

Try the Tigzag tutorials. They in no way show you have to code professionally, but for a newbie they are perfect. Some of the most concise explanations I've seen.

They also have a PHP section but there is a better video tutorial from In the Woods which is associated (if not owned by) Evanto. I havent seen the whole series but what I have seen is very high quality.

Check out lynda.com

You need to pay a monthly subscription but the fee is nominal compared to the knowledge that you can get from it.

Jason, on Sep 25 2009, 09:52 AM, said:

Lynda.com is great. This, however, is a personal opinion; video tutorials are not for everyone.

With this in view, I suggest that you try Lynda.com's free 1-day trial: http://www.lynda.com...t.aspx?lpk35=97.

I feel some of the comments above are pretty harsh, but in the same breath, they are spoken truly. The best way to learn a programming language is through trial-and-error, and unfortunately, this takes time.

Good luck.

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Whole-heartedly agree!