newbie creating website with database functionality

[seasofcheese]

Hi, I'm going to create a website with some db functions as follows:

1. The site is going to be profile driven, so it will be like facebook/myspace (but smaller, as it is for a specific community of people with a common interest). Members will be able to search for other members based on interests, keywords and postcode listed in their profiles.

2. I will be sending out monthly newsletters to the members.

3. Users can browse a list of members and sort by different criteria from members profiles (similar to the drop down box on the buy section of ebay which sorts by 'time ending first', etc).

4. Users can list items under their profile like a classified advert. Then users can set alerts so that if another member lists a certain item in their profile then the user is automatically sent an email notifiying them.

5. Contacts can be imported from other applications such as myspace/facebook and mail sites such as gmail/yahoo.

6. I'm looking to design and build the site then host it with a web hosting company.

My experience with web programming is HTML and some javascript. I presume I'd need to learn other languages such as mysql or something like that... or find someone who can do this for me.

Also, which programs (e.g. dreamweaver) would I use for this project?

BTW, I've already checked the search function on this forum and couldn't find much specific advice for my project there. I realise this seems like an ambitious project (especially points 4 and 5) so I'd appreciate any good advice here.

 

[a456]

OK, check out Drupal and Joomla and Mambo. These will be the first step. They are free and offer loads of member functionality. They work with PHP and MySQL but thankfully they are fairly intuitive to install and pretty much guide you through - they also have admin panels to make changes - but in the longer term you will want to at least know about CSS and XHTML in order to make stylistic changes.

What you do need to be aware of is that you will need a host that offers MySQL databases - these do not usually come with basic web packages. Also, if you want to work with PHP and MySQL programs locally on your computer you will need a program called MAMP to set up a local server.

 

[Eraserhead]

^^ A Small Orange include the MySQL databases and other stuff necessary for this, and they'll be able to support you through it.

 

[a456]

I have found heartinternet.co.uk to be worth the money.

 

[kevlong]

not forgetting Xoops of course.

Kevlong

 

[lindsayanng]

your number 6 is an impossibility..

you can not design a site and build it on your local computer if you are using server side script..unless you set up the sandbox type system on your cpu.. Databases generally require php coding, which is server side, so you would have set up a local database, apache, ect on your computer..

I find all that to be a BIG hassel, and i do all the editing on my site (an e-commerce site that is all php) right on my host.

 

[Me1000]

your number 6 is an impossibility..

you can not design a site and build it on your local computer if you are using server side script..unless you set up the sandbox type system on your cpu.. Databases generally require php coding, which is server side, so you would have set up a local database, apache, ect on your computer..

I find all that to be a BIG hassel, and i do all the editing on my site (an e-commerce site that is all php) right on my host.

This isnt accurate...
It is pretty easy to install PHP and MySQL on OS X. You can either use the native version of apache that is installed by default or you can use something like MAMP.

The easiest way is to do it on the server instead of locally, but it is due able.

 

[bootedbear]

your number 6 is an impossibility..

Hogwash. Just because you find it a hassle, doesn't make it anywhere near "impossible".

I develop on my local system using PostgreSQL and HSQLDB running locally.

Most server-side languages will also allow connecting to a remote DB, so local editing is possible even if the DB is remote.

 

[lindsayanng]

ok.. well, you said you were a newbie.. maybe i should have said IMPOSSIBLE FOR A NEWBIE.. i did clarify myself when i said it IS possible, but after a lot of work. did you not read my entire post?