Help with web development needed please!

[shelby]

Right, have a little bit of web development I need to do. On all previous occasions I have been fine as it has either been static html, so I could do it locally before launching it on the unsuspecting public(!), or it was with my jshop software which can be loaded to your webspace but you are given the option of turning the shop on when you have finished developing. The issue now is that I am wanting to have a play with some open source software but it involves things like PHP and MySQL so how the heck am I supposed to do this without having it publically available on the internet - I am presuming I will need to get some web space, rather than doing it locally.

Hoping this makes sense and someone can point me in the right direction.

Thanks in advance

Michelle x

[Ravenfire]

Not sure how your works but if you want to be able to use php and my sql then yes you do need a webhost that offers webhosting with both of these facilities.

[shelby]

Thanks Toni, I know I will need to get webspace with the necessary requirements but how do I develop the content without going live? Is it possible to get your webspace and add a domain name at a later date for example? I know it is unlikely anyone would just happen to stumble across it but I wouldn't want someone to have visited the domain while the content was still in development

[Netty]

netty's hubby here, it is certainly possible to run web servers on your local machine that will run php and link to MySQL databases on your local machine as well.

They're not easy to set up, but not impossible, easier by far if you are running a proper OS like LINUX of course.

I'll find some details once DS is in bed, post details of what your computer is running please OS and version, so I can help.

[shelby]

Hi netty's husband!

My computer justs runs on Microsoft XP and I am hoping to experiment with oscommerce2.2 and phpbb 2.0.18 (the latest version of both) - not actually EXACTLY what I need but think the basic structure is what I am after. Hope that's the right info for you. Don't really want to be spending loads on software or hiring a professional cos it isn't a concrete plan yet.

I did try and download something to help me develop PHP and MySQL locally for my current website but just couldn't get my head round it. If it is really difficult then I guess it can't harm to just get the webspace and do it that way - I'm wondering if there would be someway I could put up a holding page and password protect the rest of the site while I developed it maybe?

Thanks for you help.

Michelle

[Ravenfire]

Michelle be warned I see more phpbb forums hacked than any other you need to be very security concious with it.

[shelby]

Thanks for the advice Toni - I shall bear that in mind. Like I say it's just something I'm tinkering around with at the moment so want to get a feel of it before investing any real cash - have looked at things like vBulletin too (cos I do think this forum looks very nice) but don't want to buy it in case I can't get the rest of my idea to work how I want!

[Ravenfire]

No I can understand that. I started out with phpbb so if you need any help just give me a shout

[shelby]

Thank you - I appreciate it

[Daffs]

Hello! I always get my hosting first, configure oscommerce live and then change the domain DNS to link it all up. So yes, it's possible to do it live without anyone finding it first..

I could point you towards my host if you wanted a play. Good luck! I've never installed my own forum. I'm much more of a front end designer!

[shelby]

Thanks Daffs,

I will bear that in mind. I am definately front end design orientated too - hence all the questions about all this installation trickery!! I just thought it was time to throw myself in at the deep end

[Netty]

you need to download and install MySQL from here, http://www.mysql.com/

and the OmniHTTPD program from here http://www.omnicron.ca/

OmniHTTPD includes a version of PHP

I found them very useful, but your mileage may vary. nowadays I use a private subdomain off my main site.

Hope this helps

[Daffs]

Good luck! The first time I potched with oscommerce was a nightmare! the hardest thing was finding what spat out what on the page. I'm searching for something better though..I want something that will do a one page checkout but cheap :xmas2:

Anyway, enough of my rambles! :D

[shelby]

That is great - thank you so much. I shall have a good look at it all over the weekend when my eyes and head aren't so tired. The private sub-domain is also a very good idea.

Thanks again for your help.

Michelle

[shelby]

Good luck! The first time I potched with oscommerce was a nightmare! the hardest thing was finding what spat out what on the page. I'm searching for something better though..I want something that will do a one page checkout but cheap :xmas2:

Anyway, enough of my rambles! :D
I'm scared now!! This may sound very odd but I don't actually want it for as a shopping cart tool - its more to do with the structure of it and how it could manage content. And yes I have looked at loads of content management stuff (feels like I have spent hundreds of hours on various cms sites!) and none of it is what I really want. Its just an idea anyway - hence why I want to be able to have a bit of a play!!

Right I'm going to get a glass of wine then hit the hay - will probably dream of software tonight!!

[Ravenfire]

Does that mean I am a rear end designer...urrggh..lol:smiley-fa

[Netty]

NH again, hmm, yes if you're not using OScommerce as intended then I really wouldn't, I program the damm things as a living, and OSComerce is way overcomplicated because it's code allows for different skins, different languages etc. I found it horrible trying to figure out what did what. To be honest I gave up. It's great unless you want to add/change code in the programs themselves.

In the end I decided that iff I ever wanted a shopping cart site I'd write my own, it'd be easier.

what sort of things do you want from your CMS?

[shelby]

I want be able to use main sections then have sub-sections within that including things like articles, news, links etc that are all related to that particular section, and maybe able to search independently in those sub-sections or the actually section rather than the site as a whole. There are also a lot of additional functionalities I want like link management, banner management, events calendar etc.

It might just be me but all the open software cms I have looked at seems to rigid and template based to do that. I use JShop for my webstore and really like that structure and was wondering how similar the structure was in oscommerce - like I say just wanted a fiddle round really which I find useful to get my head round these things. Had no idea when first get JShop but managed to get my head round it and designed a site I really like. However, I am a complete amateur with this kind of thing so will definately take on board your comments about the complexity of oscommerce and may well go back to the drawing board!

It may be that I have to just use static html and wait until I can justify spending on a professional to get exactly what I want but I do like to know exactly whats going on so would probably want to learn it all anyway!!

Thanks

Michelle

[shelby]

Does that mean I am a rear end designer...urrggh..lol:smiley-fa
:hysterica

[shelby]

Well I have just discovered that on some webspace I got a while ago (not my webstore) that there is actually a function to be able to automatically download a good old selection of os software including various cms and oscommerce and phpBB and I have two spare My SQL databases on it! So gonna set up a subdomain on it and I can download and evaluate them to my heart's content!

May still be back for advice though as I will probably won't find exactly what or want or be able to work half of it!!

God, only I would have forgotten about webspace! Must have paid for the whole year in one go so didn't have any regular payments to remind me! I don't know!

Michelle x