shell> mysql -h localhost -u joesauto -p
Enter password: ********


Welcome to the MySQL monitor.  Commands end with ; or g.
Your MySQL connection id is 459 to server version: 3.22.20a-log

Type 'help' for help.

mysql>

After successfully connecting to the server we need to access the database (joesauto) that I got support to create for me. If you don't have a database yet now is the time to create one. To see what databases are on this server type show databases; if your database is there select it by typing use joesauto if you can't access the database contact support. This tutorial could take days if your support is slow.

mysql> use joesauto
Database changed
mysql>

Ok, after a lot of reading I figured out how to create a table for all the important data (year, make, model, price and picture), the picture part took alot of time to figure out, I found out that it was best to just store the picture filename in the database and store the actual picture in a specified directory on my server. Below is what I used to create the table. (I am sure there are other ways of creating this table but, this is what worked for me.)

mysql> CREATE TABLE joesauto(
   -> year INT(4),
   -> make CHAR(20),
   -> model CHAR(20),
   -> price CHAR(15),
   -> picture_name CHAR(25),
   -> );

At this stage we don't need to worry about loading data into the table, we will do that next using PHP and simple HTML forms. You can shut down Telnet now and open up your favorite HTML editor, I would recommend Homesite 4.0.

Now it was time for me to learn the PHP basics, which wasn't that difficult, then I subscribed to the PHP mailing list and took a quick look through the PHP manual. If you can try to find somebody on ICQ that knows PHP, it sure does help having instant support.

The idea here is to be able to insert all the data into the database via the internet using forms, I have created forms several times before so that was no problem at all. I am assuming that you have used forms before, if you have no idea how to create forms, find a tutorial on the net and come back when your ready.

Create a page and call it add_data.php3, and then cut and paste the following.

add_data.php3
<form enctype="multipart/form-data" method="post" 
action="<?php echo $PHP_SELF ?>">
year
<input type="Text" name="year" size="25">

make
<input type="Text" name="make" size="25">

model
<input type="Text" name="model" size="25">

price
<input type="Text" name="price" size="25">

picture
<input type="File" name="picture" size="25">

<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Upload">
</form>

action="<?php echo $PHP_SELF ?>

<?php

if ($submit) {

$db = mysql_connect("$localhost","$joesauto","$password");

mysql_select_db("$joesauto",$db);

$sql = "INSERT INTO joesauto (year,make,model,price,picture_name) 
VALUES ('$year,$make,$model,$price,$picture_name')";

exec("cp $picture /full/path/to/joesauto/images/$picture_name"); 

echo "year: $year<br>\n";
echo "make: $make<br>\n";
echo "model: $model<br>\n";
echo "price: $price<br>\n";
echo "temp file: $picture<br>\n";
echo "file name: $picture_name<br>\n";
echo "file size: $picture_size<br>\n";
echo "file type: $picture_type<br>\n";
echo "<br>n";
echo "<img src=/old?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.devshed.com%2FServer_Side%2FPHP%2FUser%2Fimages%2F%24picture_name&y=1999><br>\n";

}

?>