new to php

[jhoop2002]

I wanted to learn how to make an online shopping cart. I bought a book on php and mySQL and have started to wonder what i would use to code php and whether php is better than asp.

Can you use visual studio .NET to code php? I can get that for free so i would like to learn how to use that if i could.

[sde]

welcome to Code Newbie & PHP =)

you might want to try checking out this thread: Are there any good Code highlight programs :S ?

i've been using Zend Studio lately ( www.zend.com ) .. it's the closest thing to Visual Studio. I think it is great as it has the auto-complete and great customization options. the only downside is that it is $250 with a year's upgrade. it's worth it if you can afford, or do it professionally though. i code a LOT of php though.

stick around too .. there's a lot of good coders here who are good with php and like to help.

[jhoop2002]

so you can't really code with frontpage or visual studio?

I would really like to use frontpage cause it works so well with my hosting site.

can you code asp with frontpage or visual studio? and if so is it worth doing?

[sde]

i don't think front page or visual studio supports php.

[jhoop2002]

so is php better or easier to use then asp? I've just noticed that their are a lot of .asp shopping carts out their.

[Admin]

PHP is 82 times better than ASP.

[rdove]

how so Matt?

Name me one time you can do in php I can't do in ASP. :p

[sde]

i 'think' that a lot things can just be done with less code in php compared to asp (classic ) (vb)

another great thing is that it is free, multi-platform, and has such a great interface with mysql ( free too =) ).

also, c style syntax. gotta love it.

i'm finding in a corporate environment that 'free' software makes larger businesses apprehensive because i don't think they can fully conceive the concept of open source.

asp can run on *nix servers if you puchase software by chilisoft, but what about your sql2k db?

now if we're talking .net, .. this gives the guys used to c style syntax a chance to code .aspx pages with c#. this is great and all, but ya gotta take into consideration that the .net frameworks only runs on windows at the moment. ( and probably for a very long time )

i just got an idea .. we should start a new forum called Code vs. Code

someone will start a thread with a [language] and [fuction name] in the subject.

others can reply with either different ways of doing that function, .. but better yet .. how that function would be done in another language.

php vs. vb would be great!

[rdove]

Thats sounds like a cool idea Mike!

It could also be a great reference resource

We could call it something like Code Wars....kinda like Race Wars

[jhoop2002]

wow, I go to bed and everyone logs onto the site.

So right now i am thinking about using PHP edit to code my pages. Is their a better program to do this (kinda needs to be free or cheap).

[Admin]

Originally posted by rdove
how so Matt?

Name me one time you can do in php I can't do in ASP. :p

i was mostly refering to the free stuff that mike pointed out. there also appears to be more support available on the web than for ASP.

i have never worked with ASP and most likely never will.

[sde]

Originally posted by jhoop2002
wow, I go to bed and everyone logs onto the site.

So right now i am thinking about using PHP edit to code my pages. Is their a better program to do this (kinda needs to be free or cheap).

my favorite in-expensive editor ( and i still use it for a quick fix because it's very lightweight. ) is www.ultraedit.com

i think it's $35

phpedit works good too .. that is more of an IDE like VS, but a little buggy in my opinion.

[rdove]

Originally posted by Admin
i was mostly refering to the free stuff that mike pointed out. there also appears to be more support available on the web than for ASP.

Ahhh...