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PHP Basics by Tara

Last updated: 02/09/2004

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Biography: Tara has finished studying Indian religions and is now working as a project manager in Biel, Switzerland. When she's not at the cinema, hanging around with friends, or throwing people around on a judo mat, you'll probably find her tinkering on her website and spending many an hour chatting with online friends all over the world.

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<html>
<head>
<title>4WebHelp - <? print ($pagetitle); ?></title>
</head>
<body>
Menu Link 1
Menu Link 2

<? print ($contents); ?>

</body>
</html>

Comments on this tutorial
Name: Aniza	anizot at gmail dot com
what programs do I need to start using php?
Name: Aniza	anizot at gmail dot com
Hi, I'm used to using html but found out that using php is much easier. I don't understand how to start using php. I've been using microsoft frontpage for my html editor, editing my webpages and then uploading them to the server. How do I change from using .htm to .php?? You can look i my site at http://www.triumphvillage.com thanks
Name: Daniel	use contact form
la: I'm sure that having figured out comment spam, PHP will come easily to you.
Name: la	none
i inserted this code ][ <?php require ( "nav.inc") ; ?>][ into the html file. But how can php be executed, if your browser doesnt read php and there is nowhere in the script a reference line that tells php where to look to execute the script? It will maybe be a stupid question - that'sbecause I still don't get the real basics of the working of php. [Spam deleted]
Name: James Maynard	jgmaynard at yahoo dot com
OK, It made some sense at first, then got too bogged down in examles for me. I can do HTML all day long (I do!) and have taken a course in C++, etc., but I'm completely lost. What I would need would be a SIMPLE example with steps listed one by one. 1) take the following code. 2) Put it into an HTML file caled name.html 3) sent to server, or whatever. Just my two cents.
Name: Craig	none
I think this is a great intro to PHP. Im a complete beginer trying to work on an OScommerce template - this has explained a lot to me. Thanks
Name: Patrick	none
Thanks Tara, That was a big help. I read some of the other comments and I am disappointed with some of them. Newbies like me owe a lot to people like you that take the time to help. Thanks again-Patrick
Name: John	john754 at aol dot com
Very nice site!
Name: Ryan	ryyz2004 at yahoo dot com
if anyone can help me talk to me on msn messenger ryyz2004@yahoo.com Thanks
Name: Roger Burgess	none
<?php $email = "you@yourdomain.com"; if (eregi("googlebot",$_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'])) { mail($email, "The Googlebot came to call", "Google has visited: ".$_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']); } ?> <? Works
Name: Thomas Tallon	animationplanet_uk at yahoo dot co dot uk
please help that is so confusing and i want to learn it so much i can do html but php is as hard as lerning everthing in the world i need help please email me ether to help or if u carnt do it and u want to meet some one who also carnt so we could help each other thanks !!
Name: Benny	Benny at Slipflip dot com
I am totally lost in this... If this is the simplest way to explain it, i'm screwed... Anyone who can help, please send me an e-mail
Name: RAJEEV	raj_tripple at yahoo dot com
its ok for the beginers. aslo the article can be beautified by adding the some information about why need php?
Name: Jim	none
This tutorial is alright. Expand it so that it would be more useful
Name: Aime	abrittain at hotmail dot com
Still dang lost.... you are speaking French to me. I have no clue about what you are saying. .... Damn I am going to have to pay someone to do this. I was trying to avoid this at all cost.
Name: DaNza	relentless_1988 at hotmai dot co dot uk
Iam so lost with the whole php code! Html and css no probs, but php is just hell at the moment!!! CAN ANYONE HELP ME? HELP!!!!
Name: Woad	woadraiders at hotmail dot com
Not working for me at all. I tried <? and it didn't do anything, I tried <% and it changed color but that was it.
Name: Rebecca K.	none
Hey thanks SO much! I can do HTML in my sleep but I had trouble wrapping my mind around PHP - this broke the barrier. Now I can start USING it. Thanks!
Name: Eik	none
Difficult.... But I realize that I can do a lot of sh*t on the net with php code... ;p
Name: Krystof	none
Thank you for explaining [b]there is no need to name an include file ".inc"[/b]. I am converting from SSI to PHP. Now I don't have to change my include files from [b].htm.[/b] And a nice clear introduction to PHP all around. I will post a link from www.Kwik-n-free.com.
Name: Brendan	test at kampok dot com
I want to place basic text advertisements on my website, but I want to be able to change them frequently. I have so many pages, I was wondering if I could place a php script in each page which would enable me just to modify one page instead of all of them
Name: avi	none
thats a great work.. it really helped. thanks
Name: Jacob Pilegaard	miuer at yahoo dot com
Great introduction, I wish other introductions could be as precise and clear as this. Thanks Jacob
Name: Nintendud	none
Thanks a bunch for the basics! I was searching around for a small introduction and this did the trick. Now I can start reading my book on PHP. Yay!
Name: yanie	ysrwd at hotmail dot com
can any one tell me how to create cms i really really new to php
Name: Dave Walters	goldwingers at usa dot com
Thanks Tara. This has really helped to get a basic understanding of how PHP mingles with HTML. Am just beginning down the PHP path. Appreciate your information.
Name: Dave Walters	goldwingers at usa dot com
Thanks Tara. This has really helped to get a basic understanding of how PHP mingles with HTML. Am just beginning down the PHP path. Appreciate your information.
Name: sureind	none
iam new to php plz give tutorails
Name: surekumar	sureind2003 at yahoo dot com
hai iam new to php programming can bring some useful sites url
Name: dawa sonam	none
I m getting a grasp on PHP now
Name: Pip	none
i dont understand a word you just said hel;p
Name: Amit	dtph10 at yahoo dot com
What are .tpl files and how are they different than .php files
Name: seems to do the trick	none
<html> <body> <?php require("header.htm"); ?>
Name: actually	none
actually it works for some things and not others whats the best way to make a template file and then put html into in?
Name: same	none
<? echo ($reviews); ?> seems to do it unless there is a better way
Name: hi	phpq dot 5 dot qqq at antichef dot com
can someone tell me how store html tags in a PHP varable for example <? $reviews = "<br><br>some html here <a href="whatever.html">agff</a>"; include ("temp.html"); ?> etc i understand that varables are not for this but how is it done thanks I am very new
Name: Reshma Reddy	none
This site is very useful for the beginners
Name: viksra	viksra at gmail dot com
Thanks for helping me get one step closer to becoming a billionaire.
Name: JM	none
OH Yes! This is what the world has been waiting for - Thanks Tara
Name: Susan	none
Thanks a heap for this well-written tutorial! I've been exploring PHP for several days and really find it useful. I've been using several of these bits of code without knowing what they really mean.
Name: Moe	none
Hey man thanks a lot for taking the time to put this together. I feel a lot more confident that yes, I CAN do this! Cheers
Name: Daniel	use contact form
Greg: The page's filename has to end with ".php", not the actual contents . Also, in the code you posted, you should remove the "<?" at the end.
Name: Greg	Sales at BetchaBoots dot com
Thanks for keeping it simple. I just received a bit of PHP code to add to my website to tell if a spider has visited. It said to end the page with .php but it kept showing up on the published page. I believe from your examples that ?> will do the job. Here's the code if anyone is interested. <?php $email = "you@yourdomain.com"; if (eregi("googlebot",$_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT'])) { mail($email, "The Googlebot came to call", "Google has visited: ".$_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']); } ?> <? Thanks again
Name: Jake	none
Cheers, Ive been looking through a load of PHP guides all day but none of them had the basics!
Name: Casper	none
Thanks for the quick introduction!
Name: lakshman	lakshman553 at hotmail dot com
now i came to know php is really cool!
Name: Dan	dan dot dilts at cexp dot com
Thanks. I have been saved!
Name: Daniel	use contact form
figidigi: Your file's extension has to be .php
Name: figidigi	figidigi at showerzone dot nl
Hi there, this is the first page that I find which is written clearly. I made notes and all to understand the stuff. I am a veryvery newbee at php , i bought a book, but still cant figure somethings out. Still I have a few questions, hope thats okay... My server has php dev installed. I myself did not install anything. I wrote a testfile according to your tutorial. test is on: http://www.showerzone.nl/test/testphp.htm i inserted this code ][ <?php require ( "nav.inc") ; ?>][ into the html file. But how can php be executed, if your browser doesnt read php and there is nowhere in the script a reference line that tells php where to look to execute the script? It will maybe be a stupid question - that'sbecause I still don't get the real basics of the working of php. hope u can help me out. thanx - figidigi
Name: Daniel	use contact form
<?php header('Location: http://www.site.com/'); ?> will redirect visitors to the location of your choice.
Name: Fayez	fayez2 at yahoo dot com
First .. I am new to PHP so do not lough! I am writing a script in which it should transfer to another web page under certain condition. I know in ASP that I can use redirect statement but I would like to know about that in PHP. Thanks
Name: matej	none
Thanx this tutorial really helped me...
Name: Mathew	mathew_manuel1 at mailcity dot com
Tara thanks for this wonderful Tutorial
Name: Somsak Wisitwatanawong	oagrsws at ku dot ac dot th
Thanks for your generosity, introducing the features of PHP to those guys lost in web info, including me.

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