Hi all...

<< like the av says, I'm new;
not just to the forum, but to learning how to work with php. So my question is probably about as basic as can be. I went over to the PHP tutorial (used the HTML ones years ago and have a fairly basic knowledge of that). The first thing it talks about, in the "intro" after 'finishing' writing your first code is as follows:

"Now you have finished your script save it as phpinfo.php and upload it to your server in the normal way. Now, using your browser, go the the URL of the script. If it has worked (and if PHP is installed on your server) you should get a huge page full of the information about PHP on your server."


I'm using notepad in WINDOWS Vista OS and IE8. When I try to save as, there is only the .txt option. I even found where it suggested to rename it to make it a .php file except, there was always the .txt extension. So my first need is to figure out how to actually convert the .txt to a .php file.

Because, when I was working with HTML, I'd do it in the advanced file manager of Geocities, I even tried it out in Geocities when it wouldn't work on my own domain, in case the freeservers server didn't have PHP installed. Thing is, I didn't write it in a note pad and upload it to the server because I never had to do that with the HTML, even though there were times tuts actually were run that way.

SO, for the two most simple tasks in the world of coding, I need help. Any advice would be really appreciated so I can get on with the tutorial.

Rad

1. you need a server that runs PHP, there are thousands free php host providers on the net, look for one in directories like
http://www.findfreeweb.com,
http://www.free-webhosts.com,
http://www.freewebspace.net

many of them have basic or advanced online editors.

2. search for a php editor here http://www.php-editors.com

3. get a ftp-client like filezila (http://www.filezilla-project.org) for uploading your files

4. you can also install your own php server on your computer. easy to do with wamp (http://www.wampserver.com/en/)

5 good luck

You should be able to convert the file into php by just changing the extension. Windows hides file extensions by default, so that a file "myfile.txt" will only read "myfile". And so, a file "myfile.php.txt" will only read "myfile.php". There should be on option where you can turn this "feature" off. Don't quite remember where though. Try the menu "Tools -> Folder configuration" or something similar (don't know the actual menu alternatives) and there should be a checkbox which says to hide known file extensions.

When it is turned off, your file should read the full name "myfile.txt" and you can change the txt bit into php, whereas Windows will probably warn you and ask if you really want to change the extension. After the change, you should be good to go.

Originally Posted by Falcone

1. you need a server that runs PHP, there are thousands free php host providers on the net, look for one in directories like
http://www.findfreeweb.com,
http://www.free-webhosts.com,
http://www.freewebspace.net

many of them have basic or advanced online editors.

2. search for a php editor here http://www.php-editors.com

3. get a ftp-client like filezila (http://www.filezilla-project.org) for uploading your files

4. you can also install your own php server on your computer. easy to do with wamp (http://www.wampserver.com/en/)

5 good luck

Thank you Falcone. I signed up for freeservers.com. Will ask them if they are php enabled.

I use coffeecup for ftp, so that's covered. There's a reg upload op on the site. So it would have been as easy if the doc had actually changed from .txt to .php so I'll check into what Lizciz vv mentioned about changing the way the browser displays details.

Originally Posted by lizciz

You should be able to convert the file into php by just changing the extension. Windows hides file extensions by default, so that a file "myfile.txt" will only read "myfile". And so, a file "myfile.php.txt" will only read "myfile.php". There should be on option where you can turn this "feature" off. Don't quite remember where though. Try the menu "Tools -> Folder configuration" or something similar (don't know the actual menu alternatives) and there should be a checkbox which says to hide known file extensions.

When it is turned off, your file should read the full name "myfile.txt" and you can change the txt bit into php, whereas Windows will probably warn you and ask if you really want to change the extension. After the change, you should be good to go.

Thank you Lizciz. I'll explore the file manager browser for that option. Much appreciated!

Originally Posted by Falcone

4. you can also install your own php server on your computer. easy to do with wamp (http://www.wampserver.com/en/)

Hi again Falcone. I checked with Freeservers where I'm registered, and their basic package doesn't support CGI access. They said I could download one for myself from the internet, so went to the site you posted above. For some reason, I keep getting an error message that the page cannot be displayed when I click to download, but it doesn't find any problem when it does a diagnostic.

I am using IE8 on a Vista OS. Could either pose a problem for that kind of d/l?

I'll be checking into the other servers for domains you recommended, but I wondered if the problem with the download was on my side.

ETA: It is working today. The site must have been down for hours yesterday.

Thanks
Rad