Home
>
Web Development
>
Introductory PHP For Non-Programmers

Introductory PHP For Non-Programmers

When you started reading this sentence you assumed lo acabar?a en ingl?s. However, I didn't finish in English. This begs the question, 'In which language did I finish?' Unless I tell you the language, you'd have to run around and compare the words against known words in order to learn that it was Spanish, but I'd bet you'd give up and move on first. Servers work much the same way; if you don't let it know the language it assumes you're speaking to someone else (the browser) and sends it along. Servers aren't even friendly enough to give it a whack and see how it comes out.

So, what's server-speak for "Here comes PHP!"? Well, it definitely looks foreign:

Sure. Whatever. It's no use telling the server you're speaking PHP because you only know how to say "I speak PHP". What's that going to do for you? Well, imagine you were visiting a scripts site and wondering how you could put today's date on your webpage when you come across the following little snippet:

To display the date on your webpage, find the area you want to put the date then insert the code below.

echo date('m/d/Y');

Now, you're equipped with 2 statements: "I'm going to be speaking PHP" and "Today's date is mm/dd/YYYY". You then edit the file you want to put the date in by inserting this code in the desired location: Put the file back on the server and you're date shows up exactly as the snippet said it would. Or does it?

If you got lucky, it showed up. If not, there's a little more to learn. There's actually more than one way to tell the server that PHP is coming and I've only covered one way - the other ways aren't necessary for you to know in order to use PHP on your site. Most servers require a bit more information first - they want the name of the file to say whether PHP is there or not. To tell the server that PHP is inside the file, you need to change the extension (the part after the dot) to php. Uh, sure, the extension. Does this guy speak English? YEP! lol. If that wasn't clear, let's illustrate by assuming your file was called index.html when you downloaded it to edit. Before you upload that file back to the server, you need to change "html" to "php", so that the file is called index.php. Without that change most servers won't even look for PHP. The nice thing is that even if a file ends in "php", the server still looks for those opening pieces saying "Here comes PHP!" before trying to read what follows in PHP and just sends everything back to the browser which is outside of PHP, so you don't hurt anything!

Tired of reading? Me too! And, we can only do a couple of things! Or can we? There are a lot of scripts out there which require you to copy and paste a little code here and there or to include a file. In those cases, you are now leaps and bounds ahead in getting them to work!

Jeremy Miller - Webmaster of script reference - The *NEW* PHP Reference & Tutorial Site For Non-Programmers

Batchtown Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

A virtual private network can help ensure your information remains security and your privacy remains intact. Kurt the CyberGuy explains.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Artificial intelligence-based cameras are giving air defense operators unprecedented capabilities in monitoring and protecting airspace.

Apple's iOS 18.1 Inactivity Reboot automatically reboots your iPhone if it hasn't been used or unlocked for more than three days, providing better data protection.

An inventor designed rooftop solar panels for a Tesla that draws solar energy while the car is parked, adding travel mileage without plugging in.

There are currently no laws governing what artificial intelligence can and cannot do with the information it gathers; here are 10 things to avoid telling AI chatbots to keep yourself safe.

A credit union with over 240,000 members recently revealed it was targeted by cybercriminals, resulting in a data breach that was part of a two-month attack by hackers.

Scammers have become skilled at creating convincing fake websites that can easily fool unsuspecting users. The CyberGuy offers tips to protect yourself.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

CAPTCHAs, which are used by websites to confirm whether users are people or bots, are harmless, but hackers are using them to infect PCs with malware.

Hackers recently leaked personal information of about 500,000 Americans and stole patient medical records that included lab results and insurance details.

The holiday season sees a rise in mobile shopping scams. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you learn how to stay safe.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a VPN enhances online banking security by encrypting data and protecting privacy.

Beware of these six sneaky holiday scams. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives you tips to avoid falling victim.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how to securely back up and factory reset your Android to protect your privacy and data.

Artificial intelligence is making life easier for cybercriminals, allowing them to create elaborate scams to trick people. Kurt the Cyberguy explains how to protect yourself.

Cut through all the digital clutter and delete multiple emails from your Android simultaneously. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how it's done.

Tips to prevent your holiday decorations from being stolen

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson lays out the immediate steps you should take if your phone has been hacked and your personal information becomes vulnerable.

Fraudsters are sending people bogus invoices through PayPal as part of a sneaky scam that is going around; here's how to protect yourself from being fooled.

A former Colgate-Palmolive employee was shocked to discover $750,000 had been drained from her 401(k) account. "CyberGuy" offers tips on how to prevent identity theft.

Electric vehicle maker Harbinger recently showed its electric delivery truck can handle icy roads with agility and stability in winter.

To make the busiest time of year more manageable, here are some tricks for tracking your packages, taking quality family photos and curating the perfect Christmas playlist.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how to keep your online Amazon gift purchases a secret from loved ones or friends this holiday season.

Introductory PHP For Non-Programmers

Web Development