Data and web pages

**pannonian** · September 12, 2011, 08:59 AM

I want webpages that will grab data from an Access database based on user given data, and display the filtered data on the page. I have basic HTML, and from the looks of things I think I can grasp CSS and javascript without too many problems. I don't know anything else about web servers. I have 2 computers on Win XP Pro over a LAN which I can use and abuse. I don't expect heavy load.

Javascript can format data, but it works on the clientside, so while I can grab data from a local database to test, it's obviously not ideal or even good enough in the end. PHP seems to be one way of doing server side scripting, but it says it needs to be installed on a computer which already has a web server, which makes me wince. The only free web server software in the wiki list of most populars is lighttpd, and like every other such software, I wouldn't know where to start.

Any suggestions as to what to use and how to begin?

**Squid** · September 12, 2011, 01:29 PM

First of all unless your prepared to switch the xp box to linux you can forget lighttpd as its linux only.

The first thing you'll need is Apache HTTP Server. Its free and relatively simple to setup and there are lots of tutorials on how to do it.
The next thing you'll need is to grab php install it
Follow http://www.w3schools.com/php/php_db_odbc.asp to learn how to configure the xp box to allow a relatively easy connection to an msaccess database

**pannonian** · September 12, 2011, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by Squid

First of all unless your prepared to switch the xp box to linux you can forget lighttpd as its linux only.

The first thing you'll need is Apache HTTP Server. Its free and relatively simple to setup and there are lots of tutorials on how to do it.
The next thing you'll need is to grab php install it
Follow http://www.w3schools.com/php/php_db_odbc.asp to learn how to configure the xp box to allow a relatively easy connection to an msaccess database

Ta.

**Squid** · September 12, 2011, 01:48 PM

Your welcome.

This, http://www.php.net/manual/en/install...ws.apache2.php will help you get php working with apache. If you're not actually worried about going over the network and are more concerned just for figuring out how to connect to an msaccess database then you could use either WAMP or uniserver which has apached/php/mysql in a standalone package you can run on your local machine.