Previewing PHP on computer...

Is there a way to preview php on your (windows OS) computer? I remember that I had to upload eevrything to my server just to test my programming...

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I think I answered my own question:

I think you just install it onto your computer...

http://ccs.tucows.com/blog/_WebPages/InstallingPHP5onWindows2000.html

http://www.chami.com/html-kit/faq/pages/locate_php_errors.html

http://www.php.net/

Follow those and it should work... ( I think... I havent t tried yet.)

 

Yup, you probably have answered your own question there

Download the windows version of php, and you can happily install it against an instance of apache server and run your local development environment that way.

You can even complete the picture by installing the windows version of mysql.

I have done this a few times, though I still find it more convenient to use a remote server. Still, I suppose this might depend on the speed of connection.

 

My 2 cents....

If you are serious about coding and testing, have seperate machines. My setup.

I have a desktop I use for coding(php, lotus notes, mysql, etc..), my development machine.

I have a used machine setup as a testing machine (has swap drives for a linux/apache/php/myslq server and a M$/Lotus Notes Server).

After testing is complet, I use my desktop ftp program to move files from the test server directly up to the production environment(the real site).

Your real production environment, shouldn't have any apps running except what is required to serve up pages, so might as well setup a test machine just like your production machine. It cost me $100 bucks off ebay, and could have been cheaper if I just with an older machine.

hth,

tom

 

I'm guessing you don't need that much power to run linux/apache/php/myslq? whats the specs on that testing machine?

 

I use WAMP5 server, it's Apache, PHP, and MySQL for windows, it's easy to install and allows you to code locally. Just google WAMPserver and you should be able to locate it.

 

P3-733 128meg

An it's still very over powered, load tested a page(I thought did to many queries) and found it could do like hundreds of concurrent requests per second on the page.

Since you are the only one using it, you can get away with a lower powered machine(128 meg is pretty low, so I'm talking about cpu).

hth,

tom

 

I just started using Uniform server (http://www.uniformserver.com). It's a minimal installation of Apache, PHP, and MySQL. 3.6Mb download that you just have to extract and start a batch file to start the server and it's all ready to go. So far, this suits my needs perfectly.

 

You think I could get away with using a REALLY old 250mhz box w/128 meg ram?

 

I used a P-200mhz - 256meg once as a linux server.

Worked ok, but i used the text based gui install. So Mark1, if you have an old pc laying around, might be ok to use that to test locally your php pages.

hth,

tom

 

That's where I'll get things wrong