Smaaz’s Blog

Using PHP Buttons In Dreamweaver

November 28th, 2007

I’ll admit that I am not a coder and I don’t know much more than a tiny bit of PHP at the time of writing this. However, I have managed to create database driven webpages, and even password protected members only areas due to the extremely easy to use PHP buttons in Dreamweaver.

If you are interested in learning to do this for yourself, this lesson will point you in the right direction so that you can experiment and see for yourself how easy it is.

The first thing you need to do is to create an SQL database on your webhost. This can be done via CPanel or if not that, then ask your host how…anyways, creating an SQL database with 1 table is not hard.

The key is, to create it, record the information and then try to log in to that database via Dreamweaver.

You can do this by creating a new database connection in the ‘Application’ window of Dreamweaver.

This is one of the most challenging parts, and you’ll need to set up the site’s testing server. At first this can be tricky, but if you stick with it and get connected to your SQL databas via Dreamweaver, you’ll soon find ways to insert records, display records, and much more!

You see, once you are connected to the database, the table names will dynamically show up in Dreamweaver, and from there it is only a short step to learn how to insert records, repeat records, and display data in the database.

Of course reading a book can help you with PHP, but it is also fun to just jump right in the Dreamweaver buttons.

Even a total PHP dunce like myself was able to start creating little PHP/SQL applications once I figured out these basic steps.

So if you want to create PHP applications, but don’t know how to hand-code PHP, create a PHP/SQL database with 1 table, figure out how to connect to it via Dreamweaver, and start messing around with the Dreamweaver PHP buttons.

Entry Filed under: Dreamweaver