The Basics of Using Databases

1. The Basics of Using Databases

2. What is a Database? • A place to store information • Website can add or retrieve information

3. 3-Step Process • Create a database • Make a form on a webpage • Set up webpage to send information to the database

4. Creating a Database • Use program like MySQL • Keep database (or multiple databases) on your server • Create tables in your database

5. Database Tables Email Addresses Favorite Bands

6. phpMyAdmin

7. Making a Form Input tags <input type=“text” /> Types: “text” “radio” “checkboxes” “submit”

8. Making a Form Put multiple “inputs” inside <form> </form> tags. Make the last one a “submit” button.

9. <form> <dl> <dt>Text: </dt> <dl><input type="text" /></dl> <dt>Buttons: </dt> <dd><input type="radio" value="Option 1" />Option 1 <input type="radio" value="Option 2" />Option 2</dd> <dt>Checkboxes: </dt> <dd><input type="checkbox" value="Option 1" />Option 1 <input type="checkbox" value="Option 2" />Option 2</dd> <dt>Submit button: </dt> <dd><input type="submit" value="submit" /></dd> </dl> </form>

10. Making the Form Useful Add attributes to the form tag: <form action=“sendToDatabase.php” method=“post”> ... </form> Add attributes to the input tags: <input type=“text” name=“email” /> We will need to make a PHPfile.

11. What is PHP? • PHP is programming language • PHP files begin with <?php and end with ?> • PHP can be used to interface with MySQL easily

12. What our PHP file needs to do • Connect to our database • Get that data from the form • “Escape” the data so it’s safe • Send the data to the database

13. Beginning the PHP file <?php mysql_connect(“sql.mit.edu”, “jacob”, “psswd”); Server Address Username Password

14. Getting the data from the form Recall the attributes we added to the form and the inputs: <form action=“sendToDatabase.php” method=“post”> <input type=“text” name=“email” /> $person = $_POST[`person`]; $email = $_POST[`email`];

15. Sending data to the database mysql_query(“INSERT INTO `mydatabase`.`table1` (`ID`, `Name`, `Email`) VALUES (NULL, $name, $email)”); Queries can perform many different functions, including adding to the database, reading from the database, or ...

16. xkcd.com

17. Escaping the Input $email = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST[`email`]); Be careful!

18. Questions?