php - apache start up

[sk3pt1c]

right, i want to start using php for some websites i'm gonna make and i want to start apache up so i can test the php scripts.
first question:
how easy is it to open up, edit and test my scripts through dreamweaver?
i'd like to do it in there cause my i make my websites with dreamweaver too.
second and more important question:
how do i start apache up?
i know the simplest thing is to tick a box in the system preferences
but that doesn't seem to do it. i'm on a powerpc powerbook by the way.
someone said that you have to type two commands in terminal as well
or something like that.
anyone have any clues as to what they are?
thanks


ps.this is irrelevant but it just happened.my mac started 'whistling' a few minutes ago, sounds like it's coming from under the keyboard.i will restart and see if it stops. any ideas anyone?

 

[crees!]

It's been a while but I needed to do just this. Unfortunately I don't remember all the steps but I do remember having problems with Apache not starting up properly. The solution was to reboot and then it worked fine after installing and configuring it. Sorry, but that's all I have.

 

[nightelf]

I do not use Dreamweaver for PHP, or HTML I think is better to hand code them. IMO, the main problem with Dreamweaver or any other WYSIWYG is that they cannot interpret the PHP code correctly and they usually place a "PHP" icon in the preview panel. This can break the preview and make it very difficult to work with.

You could design the site in dreamweaver and then hand code the php parts.

Never had a problem with turning on Apache, try to restart the PB. If you plan to use PHP in your PB you need to configure 2 things in the /etc/httpd/httpd.conf. There is a program called Headdress that let you activate PHP easily and configure up to 2 sites (virtual hosts) in your mac for free.

If you need more help send me a PM.

 

[sk3pt1c]

i started with hand coding too man, but if you have a big website or even more than one website to create you need the automation that dreamweaver gives you, plus all the extras and goodies that you have to read 5 books to learn how to hand code. anyway, that's an issue for another topic on the forum i suppose. i was going to hand code the php though and just preview it through dreamweaver so i don't leave the environment my website creation process would be in.
/etc/httpd/httpd.conf is what i remember but there are two commands for the two things you said that i don't remember
crees, apache is built into mac os X so all you have to do is activate it and type these two elusive commands
i'd rather not download something rather than finding these two commands, i want to keep my computer clutter free
does anyone know the command(ment)s ?

 

[yellow]

man apachectl

However, if the checkbox isn't working in the System Prefs, you need to find out why, because apachectl isn't going to work either.

(BTW, it's only 1 command to start apache: apachectl start )

 

[sk3pt1c]

dude i stand corrected, headdress looks really cool!
i wish i had a serial to unlock it...

 

[kgarner]

Usually if Apache won't start that means that there is an error in the httpd.conf file. Did you edit this already to enable PHP? You may have done something that it doesn't like.

Usually all you have to do to enable PHP is open httpd.conf and uncomment two lines (maybe three) and then start Apache.

 

[Apple2Mac]

There is a great program I like to use for PHP it is called Taco HTML
http://tacosw.com/main.php
It is a full-featured HTML editor and PHP editor distributed as freeware. As an HTML editor, Taco HTML Edit empowers its users to rapidly create their own web sites. It is designed exclusively for Mac OS X and has many advanced features including spell checking, live browser previewing, PHP previewing, syntax checking, and much more.

 

[ThunderLounge]

There is a great program I like to use for PHP it is called Taco HTML
http://tacosw.com/main.php...

I'll drink to that.

Not near the bloat of DW, and for the price... it can't be beat.


As for DW for "large" sites?

No problem with Php. You only need one layout, and let Php figure out what to spit out for each page. You could use MySQL for this, or have it read in a text file for the specific data for each page if a DB is overkill. If you're pages are like "index.php", "page2.php", "page3.php" etc., then you could skip the text file and just have the content in the main page file. Either way, make a header file, footer file, and if you have a left or right column a file for that too (or both). Then, for each individual page, all you need in it is a call to include the other files where they would fit in, and the actual content of the page.

 

[sk3pt1c]

thanks guys
what are the two-three lines that i need to uncomment?
does anyone know?

 

[NoNameBrand]

Search for php in /etc/httpd/httpd.conf
Uncomment these lines, perhaps?

Line 240:
#LoadModule php4_module libexec/httpd/libphp4.so

Line 284:
#AddModule mod_php4.c


At a guess this is it; I have PHP 5 installed and so these are commented out on mine.

As for this:

i started with hand coding too man, but if you have a big website or even more than one website to create you need the automation that dreamweaver gives you

That's utter nonsense.