Linking Website to MySQL database

[rasmith]

I am currently trying to complete part of my A-level coursework but am stuck.

i am creating a website for a restaurant on which customers can submit information to do with four areas:
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Bookings
Comments
Job Applications
Pre-order
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i have used access alot in the past and had no problems creating a running model of my final database.

i have built my website and created the four tables in the alloted MySQL area that came with my website package.

BIG QUESTION:

how do i create the interface for people to submit data and for it to be sent to my database?

i am a complete beginner to MySQL using it for the first time this week so im not sure what i need to do in the slightest to solve this issue

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any help or advice would be VERY VERY gratefull

[Parsifal]

What server side language are you using (ASP, PHP, JSP even)? If you are using MySQL then I'd guess you are probably using PHP, although it's possible to use ASP.

Basically your data entry webpage would include a connection string (which would include the location, username, database name and password for your mySQL database), a data entry form and an "Insert into" sql query where the values would be variables which correspond to the output of your form.

The code you would use to put all this together will be very different in ASP than it will be in PHP. There are plenty of tutorials on the web, I recommend anything by Kevin Yank, and I recommend that you post your question in an ASP or PHP forum.

Two more points. did your project require you to use mySQL or just a data driven website. If you are familiar with Access its perfectly possible to use Access as a "back end", particularly with ASP. (There are drawbacks if you use it on high traffic sites, but it would have to be a very large and very popular restaurant for you to have to worry about them.) Do you have access to Dreamweaver MX? It has a "wizard" which will create your page for you in seconds?