DreamWeaver MySQL/PHP Tutorials

DreamWeaver provides the ability to connect to a MySQL database and visually arrange content without the user having any knowledge of constructing PHP code to interact with a database. This is the base concept of WYSIWYG software.

This section is contains tutorials that demonstrate the MySQL/PHP features available in DreamWeaver. These tutorials are based on Macromedia DreamWeaver 8 and will be updated as soon as they are tested on Adobe DreamWeaver CS3. The images contained herein are captures from DW8.

This section will cover the following "Basic" Application toolbar tasks:

Inserting records into a database (username, passwords, products)
Retrieving records from a database
User authentication (basic - no error correction or secure entry)
Backend administration pages (viewing records without PHPMyAdmin)
Master-Detail pages with dataset filtering (Catalog type pagination with singular item detail pages)

The following considerations are assumed before proceeding:

Before attempting any of these tutorials you must have defined a site with local/remote and testing server environments effectively. See "Setting up DreamWeaver with MySQL "
A basic understanding of Dynamic server applications as well as an understanding of databases. See "Setting up DreamWeaver with MySQL "
You must have a hosting environment is built with PHP and MySQL
Your hosting control panel (preferably CPanel) must have a link to PHPMyAdmin in order to create and manipulate records in your database tables.

Some tutorials require additional files which will be available as a .zip or .tar file accordingly.

Each tutorial will have a working demonstration or graphic representation of the process.

DreamWeaver Application Toolbar

Depending on the layout arrangement for design or developer in DreamWeaver, the common toolbar has many available icon sets representing commands and applications commonly used in web page creation.

The application tool bar contains processes for creating dynamic/database driving content.

Toolbar Icons Defined:

	Recordset A recordset is a set of information extracted from a database by a database query. A database query is a way to request data from a database using specified search criteria, usually in a language called SQL. You then use the information extracted as a source of content for your dynamic pages. i.e. this application supplies the page with the data from your MySQL database and makes it available for other DreamWeaver dynamic page applications. It is essential to the "Dynamic Tables", "User Authentication" and "Master-Detail" applications. View Tutorial
	Dynamic Tables The Dynamic Tables icon produces an HTML table with fields from your database table. The HTML table can be arranged so that it only shows user-configured dataset within specific HTML rows <tr> This application is effective in displaying an "inventory" format of what is in your database. It mimics some rudimentary facets of PHPMyAdmin This process requires the "Record Insertion" process so that the fields in the database have been populated with information A recordset must also be placed on the page displaying the data View Tutorial
	Master-Detail Page Set A master-detail page set creates two dynamic PHP pages that display records (items, people, inventory) from your database. The first page created is called the master. It shows all of the items in a specified table from your database. DreamWeaver provides settings to show a certain number of items on your "catalog" page including images with links to pages for more items from the database table. The detail page is automatically created and displays one item and the associated content (descriptions, prices, weight, big image) The master page can be configured to have any field entry from the database table link to the detail page. i.e. the product image. This process requires the "Record Insertion" process so that the fields in the database have been populated with information A recordset must also be placed on the page displaying the data View Tutorial
	User Authentication User authentication provides limitations to users and how they view content. This is the basis of the "membership" process on websites. Dreamweaver produces a Form within your page and connects to the database table that you have identified as the "users" of your site. This dropdown selection also allows for access restriction based on users criteria which is available in a future tutorial. This process requires the "Record Insertion" process so that the fields in the database have been populated with information A recordset must also be placed on the page displaying the data View Tutorial
	Record Insertion Without records inserted into your database tables, you can not display content or allow access to specific content. This application also acts as a "User Registration" page or an administration page you can use to update the records in your database. This is usually the first DreamWeaver dynamic application activated before creating more dynamic interaction as listed above. View Tutorial
	Record Update This dropdown icon assists in the creation of a record update form. The webmaster can use this as a backend tool for administering the database without having to use PHPMyAdmin. This tool is also permits users to change content as a basic process. This process requires the "Record Insertion" process so that the fields in the database have been populated with information A recordset must also be placed on the page displaying the data View Tutorial - Forthcoming