a_total_beginner_s_experience_with_php-residence
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+ | ====== A Total Beginner' | ||
+ | ==== 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. | ||
+ | |||
+ | 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 ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | 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 ' | ||
+ | |||
+ | 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/ | ||
+ | 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' | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== 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 ' | ||
+ | When it finally came time to upload the data to the web server – I couldn' | ||
+ | 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. | ||
+ | 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, | ||
+ | |||
+ | My next Steps | ||
+ | |||
+ | 1.I ask for a deposit only for bookings during my Peak period. I need to find a way to automate this. | ||
+ | |||
+ | 2.I offer an Airport Taxi Pick-up service – I'd like to add this as a field on the booking form. | ||
+ | |||
+ | 3.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. | ||
+ | |||
+ | 4.Eventually, | ||
+ | |||
+ | === 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 ' |
a_total_beginner_s_experience_with_php-residence.txt · Last modified: 2017/06/28 01:18 by marco