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

[nicc777]

You better strap in, because this is going to be a shocker !

First, the short answer: You have two options for Interfacing - 1) CGI or 2) Server Side Scripting ( ASP/php/etc ).

The longer answer: You need to pick a tool and stick with it - especially in the beginning. Personally, I am more comfortable with CGI, and I use Perl as my fav tool for creating CGI apps that use MySQL as a backend. The trend, however, is php. I will suggest you browse over to Amazon.com to see what php books are available.

From your post, I say it will take a good couple of months before you have something up and running - securely.

Best of luck.

From here on, I suggest you ask more sepcific questions regarding the DB itself, table layout, indexes etc. Where possible, we might be able to help with some php/Perl or other code as well, but there are other forums on the web for that which might be better.

Cheers

[rwendel]

PHP is definitly easier to use for beginners.

Personally I always forgot the important thing in Perl/CGI, the content-type header.

Anyway, PHP can also be used with great HTML dev tools like Dreamweaver because PHP is an interpreted language that that uses inline tags to differentiate between PHP code and plain HTML.

PHP files can really be a simple HTML file developed in ANY html designer. Then add the PHP tags and functions in.