I just want to test my scripts before uploading

[adavis]

All I want to do is to be able to test my php scripts before uploading them to the production server. I can figure out the scripting with no problem, but I just can't figure out the server issue. I have just bought a new computer which has Windows XP. What do I need to do be be able to test my PHP scripts before uploading them to the production server (UNIX)? On the SA gets it set up, I will be running a mySQL database in production, so what do I need on my personal computer to be able to do that AND how do I do it? Simple steps please, and don't assume I know anything other than how to turn it on.

Thanks,
Alisa

[trooper]

I run my dev server on a PC running windows (2k)

What you need to do is the following

Download the windows binary for apache (i'm assuming your production server is using the apache web server) from http://httpd.apache.org


then you'll need to download php from php.net and also mysql from mysql.org

once you have downloaded this lot some back to the forum and look for informaiton about setting up Apache / PHP and MYSQL on a windows machine


HTH

GM

[sunit_modi]

I had simular problems since i am using XP.

As the previous post messages said, download all the bits and peices and get some instructions to install.

I personally used www.webmonkey.com for the installation instructions, it help me loads.

Big shout for the Webmonkey crew.

Sunit

[adavis]

I got mySQL installed. It was a breeze. Next comes Apache. The first thing it asks me for after I accept the terms of the install is:

Network Domain:
Server Name:
Administrator Email Address:

I feel really stupid asking this, but what should go in those 3 field? Now, there were data in these field when the window came up, but... it's my cable modem company info. I am mainly doing this install to test on particular site that I design and maintain, which has, of course, a totally different name.

I can't find reference to this window anywhere, but that doesn't mean it isn't there. Maybe I just haven't looked in the right place. I would think this info would be something like localhost and my email address.

Thanks,
Alisa

[akrapovic]

hmm I could be wrong since I am new at this. But I if I just run the scripts for testing purpose on my comp. I would put the domain and server name as localhost and the email as whatever I want.

akrapovic

[abhijeets]

Network Domain should be the domain name , you put when XP was installed on your system.

Server Name would be name of your system and you surely can put your email address in Administrative Email.

No need to feel stupid. We all started somewhere


:D

Abhi

[MozartMcLaus]

If youre on Windows2000/XP and using Dreamweaver, you can easily set up IIS Web and FTP Server - what is very easy. Use for both of them the same "wwwroot" directory. In Dreamweaver Site properties then simply point "Remote" and "Testserver" to the FTP (ftp://localhost/) and for URL Prefix use your local Webserver name (http://localhost)

Then each time you click prewiev, dreamweaver will upload all modified sites to your localhost ftp and open page there through http.


If you dont know how to set up IIS 4.x/5.x Webpage and FTP site, I can post you short Step-by-step (Click-by-click ;) ) manual

[adavis]

Sorry, I don't have Dreamweaver. I use FrontPage a little bit when I want to lay out a complicated table, but even then, I just grab it, clean out the trash, and insert it into HomeSite or NoteTabPro.

Thanks for the suggestion though,

Alisa

[MozartMcLaus]

OK, another simple method:

forget about ftp crap I told you. Set up your IIS Webserver (I suggest you will use default C:\Inetpub\wwwroot) and install PHP on it. Then copy your whole Website to C:\Inetpub\wwwroot or any subfolder like C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\myphp

Edit your site directly in this folder with any HTML editor. When you want to test the page open http://localhost/mypage.php or http://localhost/myphp/mypage.php and you will see the result.
Leave IE window open, make changes to your .php page, save it, go back to IE window and refresh.

This is simple. The point is that the best way to test .php pages is to test them on the "real" server. The perfect testing environment would be to upload php files to the remote webserver, not the local one, and to run them from there each time you hit "prewiev" function of your favorite html editor. Dreamweaver does this job fully automatically. Also you will need permanent and cheap internet connection - standard equipment for every webdesigner - so it shouldnt be the problem.

[BillHudson]

I agree with MozartMcLaus. The best test is on the remote server. I too thought of downloading the three packages, but after considering all the settings and ways of compiling them, it would be almost impossable to set everything up the same, unless you own the remote server and know all the settings.

You may work on your site for days, testing locally, only to find it has a weird bug when on the remote server, that would be very hard to figure out. It is a hassle to upload just to test one little change, but if it doesn't work you know right then exactly what you changed to cause it.

What I do, if you have the space on the remote server, is have a folder named Test that is an exact copy of my html and php files etc... (All references to graphics and such can be http://YourSite/Graphics) so that the files have access from the Test folder and the final location and the Test folder isn't taking to much space. I upload to the Test folder to test things without interferring with visitors to the site. When all is well, I upload to the regular spot.

[darrenforster99]

The way I test my PHP pages is to sign up for a free account with Tripod (http://www.tripod.co.uk) , which support PHP, then just upload everything to there to test

[ame12]

Try BadBlue web server <300K and has a PHP setup wizard included now

http://badblue.com/down.htm

Designed specifically for Windows and has some interesting features for PHP including the shareoffice library for reading excel, word, access files directly in php.

[darknuke]

i upload if i make a one letter change :D seriously!!!

my script is 3 kb and my bandwith usage this month already is 19 mb :p :p

[Egghead]

I have MS PWS installed as my web server, with MySQL happily running too, all on Win98.

I want to be able to test everything when viewed on http://localhost/ = (<drive>:\Inetpub\wwwroot )
- because it ain't cheap to connect to the Internet where I am!

It all works fine until I try and test a mail() function. Do I need to install a mail server? Why doesn't Personal Web Server handle it?

[finlay]

Sorry to jump in here without reading all the threads (so apologies if this has been mentioned already) but local PHP testing can be carried out with relative ease by using PHPTriad from

http://sourceforge.net/projects/phptriad

basically it installs all the modules you need. I tried it and was amazed that it all went so smoothly.

For a review you can go to

http://www.evolt.org/article/Review_of_PHPTriad_for_Windows/12/20492/

Hope that helps