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+====== A Total Beginner's Experience with Php-Residence /EN======
+==== Background: ====
+I feel that given the time Marcos has spent on this programme, I at least should make a contribution to helping others implement a php-residence installation.
+==== My background: ====
+I have never worked in a Dynamic Web environment before – although I have created and maintain my own web-site.  This was initially in Frontpage and then Dreamweaver MX and now CS3.
+I wanted to add the ability for prospective clients to check room availability and even make bookings for my Guesthouse / Bar. I knew from my personal experience that I always preferred to book on line rather than ask an agency or simply send an e-mail into the 'blue'.  So I believe that this will increase my bookings – a powerful motivator.
+The installation is now live – but has, I think work to do yet. You can see it:
+[[www.annajet.co.uk ]] follow the “Check Availability” link.
+It's only now that I appreciate just how good this system is – but I just wish someone had explained it better before I started!
+==== Overall Description of 'php-residence': ====
+It is an integrated package that creates the databases, input and output pages. You do not need any other coding or interaction other than setting up the templates (in the configure menu).
+The system is:
+  * visitors can request availability via a form
+  * they get told availability and price
+  * they can then complete a form as a booking request.
+  * The form will appear as an e-mail/message. The message is highlighted on the php-residence admin screen.
+Reading the message gives the administrator the opportunity to review the booking and simply press a button to update the databases
+   * also send an e-mail confirming the booking. This can be formatted straight into the administrators mail client or as     an RTF document for pasting into an e-mail.
+  * The system will then produce reports showing bookings each month, average occupancy, arrivals today (or any particular day)
+That's it as far as I use it – but browsing around – there's lots more, including   calculating deposits, updating payments clients have made, allocating rooms to outside booking agencies etc. But I have no idea how they work!
+==== My hurdles ====
+=== Testing v Remote Server ===
+I was busily reading a Dreamweaver CS3 “Missing Manual” to teach myself about dynamic pages – and frankly, this was a waste of time – and led me down a false path.
+Try as I may, I cannot work with a Dreamweaver “testing site” on my own PC and the installation on the server. I have the same database names, same user and password (but have multiple users on my local MySQL installation). I simply can't transfer data from the testing installation to the main web server. This caused a major problem in that I had been merrily using the local 'testing' installation to maintain my databases by manually entering e-mailed bookings from clients (in the past I simply kept these on an Excel spreadsheet).
+When it finally came time to upload the data to the web server – I couldn't do it!  I used the system to create a back-up file – but when I transferred that to my web server's “dati” folder – it wouldn't work! I tried many alternatives – but failed – in fact I lost all my data in the process. I was getting tangled up in permissions, user names etc.
+When I tried to use phpMyAdmin I got tangled up in character formatting problems – probably because the phpMyAdmin 0n the server was older than that supplied with Easy PHP.
+So, in the end, I had to start again – delete and then re-install on my web server, re-create the tables, prices etc and then go back to source e-mails and re-enter my existing bookings.
+Many hours wasted and some hair loss!
+**Learning point**: play on a testing server, if you are like me the php will be so advanced that you will rapidly decide to leave well alone – but test the options (Yes, I know Marcos tells you to do this!)
+//But do all the serious stuff directly on the web server.//
+=== Creating and modifying templates. ===
+My plan had been to use php-residence as a back-office and create my own input and output.  Again, I have found this to be very difficult (because of permissions/users/passwords).  Instead I have taken the simple way out and used Marcos' forms – customising them using the system he provides – you can simply test loads of options like this – it remembers where you were last – so you can just change one variable at a time.
+However, I've always used Dreamweaver to do my coding – so I'm really bad at it!  So, I download a copy of the template into Dreamweaver, use Dreamweaver to change background, fonts etc – and some messages of my own.  Then I copy and paste the code into the code boxes on the template creator and then let it remake the template. Seems to work OK.
+My next Steps
+.I ask for a deposit only for bookings during my Peak period. I need to find a way to automate this.
+.I offer an Airport Taxi Pick-up service – I'd like to add this as a field on the booking form.
+.I need to learn how the payment system works – at the moment it depends upon me making a comment on the booking. Not really satisfactory.
+.Eventually, I'd like to hand the system over to my cashiers so that everyone who checks-in is recorded (we should be reporting this to Immigration). However, we are in Thailand – my ADSL line will be out for multiple minutes 3-6 times a week. The Cashiers need to be able to enter the data locally (presumably using a local server on the PC) and then update the web server. There looks to be an option that talks about this – but no instruction – and I'm scared of the whole permissions 'jungle
+=== Finally: ===
+I hope this will prove helpful to others. Maybe my errors were unique – I hope so, it's been frustrating!
+I hope that others will comment – that's why I've posted this on the Wiki.
+Maybe someone will help me with my “next steps”?
+Peter Phillips.
+(If you want to contact me directly – please send a message via my web site or the php-residence forum – I am 'PeterP'.