Hello, I use to use ASP.NET and a programed called WEB MATRIX, as well as ACCESS. WEB Matrix was pretty easy to use and ACCESS was pretty easy to create databases. Everything was visual using a GUI to create everything making it fast and simple. But I did notice that also ACCESS seemed to be a little slow at times and that Windows servers were more expensive than and more unreliable than LINUX. I still like ASP.NET, but I thought about exploring other methods to creating a webpage using DB.

Therefore I did some reasearch and started to look stuff up on PHP and MySql as they seemed to be a pair (team I guess) . I downloaded a tutorial that introduced both, but when they showed how to do everything I found it very different than ASP.NET (WebMatrix). Programming was done in NOTEPAD, and MySql databases were created in A DOS PROMPT screen. I didnt see too much wrong with it, but it just seemed like there must be an easier way to do things, like using a GUI.

So my questions is....are there any good programs out there that can be used to program websites using PHP? For example one that can allow me to create a web site, and a DB (one for creating a MySql DB), and even allowing me to test locally. Also, if there are better ways to go about doing this please let me know. I am opened to any ideas, comments or methods. Correct me if I am wrong about anything please :) Thanks for your time.

GreenKhan ;)

well to create a a db and stuff like that with a gui i know you can do it online using phpMyAdmin which works nice and is pretty cool :) but for php to be like creating asp im not thinking you will find anything like that out there. and i dont even know if you will beable to test locally unless you install apache and php on your system and run it from the htdocs directory which is possible as they have binaries for windows and linux :) but just so you know phpMyAdmin isnt for you local system it is installed in your htdocs directory of your webserver and configure it and it will connect do your db using a username and password :) good luck

apache supports asp, i am not sure about asp.net. Heh, if you want a better db server (IMHO), go for postgresql. PHP supports it just as good or better.

can you tell i hate MySQL?

Pizentios MySql is going to be supported better under PHP and PHP MySql due to they both signed a deal to work closly together to devlop far more robust code between the 2 languages.

I used web Matrix was forced to well no i wasnt. I used it for about 20 minutes and hated it, it puts in code where you dont want it and reformats some of your code, and if you edit files in notepad then reopen them in webmatrix it messes them up. I dont mind asp .net its a easy language to learn, basically VB on the web. I am sure if you wanted to continue using asp .net and webmatrix you could find out how to connct to a MySql database through it.

Guis... get them here:

PHP: www.bloodshed.net for Dev-PHP.
MySQL: www.mysql.com for MySQL Command Center

mySQL is pretty good atcually, and I have seen the new interface being designed for mySQL 4.0.1 and greater. Pretty good stuff (with PHP I mean).

I really don't have that much against MySQL, I just like Postgresql better. My choice has no bases behind it at all.

Most decisions behind using a or b software are what you used first, esp if both are as good as the other.