Simple Forum in Php/MySql

[Seich]

please remember this post was made by Seich for the Photoshopstar forums don't post it anywhere else :)because i don't want it to spread exaggeratedly.:p

Hi everyone! as my first useful post i wanted to post something you can use in the php section so i will show everyone how to make a forum using php, mysql and a little of html so lets start.:p

ok our forum will be divided into Six parts:

index.php
create_topic.php
add_answer.php
add_topic.php
view_topic.php
db.php


all code is explained further with comments so be sure to read them.:o

Lets start, first we create the necessary Db* entries i will be using the following scheme so please feel free to use the tables as you which.

First Table forum_answer this is where all answers to posts will be stored.
you can use a program to execute this query or phpmyadmin what ever is fine with you.

CREATE TABLE `forum_answer` (
`question_id` int(4) NOT NULL default '0',
`a_id` int(4) NOT NULL default '0',
`a_name` varchar(65) NOT NULL default '',
`a_email` varchar(65) NOT NULL default '',
`a_answer` longtext NOT NULL,
`a_datetime` varchar(25) NOT NULL default '',
KEY `a_id` (`a_id`)
) TYPE=MyISAM;


second table is forum_questions where topic info will be stored.

CREATE TABLE `forum_question` (
`id` int(4) NOT NULL auto_increment,
`topic` varchar(255) NOT NULL default '',
`detail` longtext NOT NULL,
`name` varchar(65) NOT NULL default '',
`email` varchar(65) NOT NULL default '',
`datetime` varchar(25) NOT NULL default '',
`view` int(4) NOT NULL default '0',
`reply` int(4) NOT NULL default '0',
PRIMARY KEY (`id`)
) TYPE=MyISAM AUTO_INCREMENT=1 ;

ok now lets work with the php

the first file we are going to create is a standard dbconnector which will connect the forum to the db containing your forum's info.
make sure to replace the info with yours.

db.php
<?php
$host="localhost"; // Host name
$username="db_user"; // Mysql username
$password="db_password"; // Mysql password
$db_name="db_name"; // Database name
<?
// Connect to server and select databse. make sure not to edit under this line
mysql_connect("$host", "$username", "$password")or die("cannot connect");
mysql_select_db("$db_name")or die("cannot select DB");
?>

ok no that we are able to connect to the db we need a forum.

ok we start by making a index.php file you can name this anything you want.

index.php

<?php/*we start by adding a link to our db.php file.*/ require_once('db.php')?>

<?php
$tbl_name="forum_question"; // we tell the forum what table to connect to.
$sql="SELECT * FROM $tbl_name ORDER BY id DESC";
// OREDER BY id DESC is order result by descending
$result=mysql_query($sql);
?>
<!--time for some html we write and configure the look and feel of our forum in this case is just a simple table with some text-->
<table width="90%" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" bgcolor="#CCCCCC">
<tr>
<td width="6%" align="center" bgcolor="#E6E6E6"><strong>#</strong></td>
<td width="53%" align="center" bgcolor="#E6E6E6"><strong>Topic</strong></td>
<td width="15%" align="center" bgcolor="#E6E6E6"><strong>Views</strong></td>
<td width="13%" align="center" bgcolor="#E6E6E6"><strong>Replies</strong></td>
<td width="13%" align="center" bgcolor="#E6E6E6"><strong>Date/Time</strong></td>
</tr>

<?php
while($rows=mysql_fetch_array($result)){ // Start looping table row
?>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><? echo $rows['id']; ?></td>
<td bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><a href="view_topic.php?id=<? echo $rows['id']; ?>"><? echo $rows['topic']; ?></a><BR></td><!-- we echo db info so it is displayed on the forum-->
<td align="center" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><? echo $rows['view']; ?></td><!--we continue echoing information from the db-->
<td align="center" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><? echo $rows['reply']; ?></td><!--we continue echoing information from the db-->
<td align="center" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><? echo $rows['datetime']; ?></td><!--we continue echoing information from the db-->
</tr>

<?php
// Exit looping and close connection
}
mysql_close();
?>
<tr>
<td colspan="-5" align="right" bgcolor="#E6E6E6"></td>
<td colspan="5" align="right" bgcolor="#E6E6E6"><a href="create_topic.php">New topic</a><!--we add a link to our create_topic.php file we are going to do later on-->
</td>
</tr>
</table>

now we need a create_topic.php to create new topics
this is a simple form with a post method called add_topic.php

create_topic.php


<table width="400" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" bgcolor="#CCCCCC">
<tr>
<form id="form1" name="form1" method="post" action="add_topic.php">
<td>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<tr>
<td colspan="-5" align="right" bgcolor="#E6E6E6"></td>
<td colspan="3" bgcolor="#E6E6E6"><strong>Create New Topic</strong> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="14%"><strong>Topic</strong></td>
<td width="2%">:</td>
<td width="84%"><input name="topic" type="text" id="topic" size="50" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"><strong>Detail</strong></td>
<td valign="top">:</td>
<td><textarea name="detail" cols="50" rows="3" id="detail"></textarea></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Name</strong></td>
<td>:</td>
<td><input name="name" type="text" id="name" size="50" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Email</strong></td>
<td>:</td>
<td><input name="email" type="text" id="email" size="50" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td><input type="submit" name="Submit" value="Submit" /> <input type="reset" name="Submit2" value="Reset" /></td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</form>
</tr>
</table>

now we need the post method add_topic.php so lets create it.
this method is basically a file that will put the data in the db

add_topic

<?php/*we include db.php*/ require_once('db.php')?>
<?php
$tbl_name="forum_question"; // Table name

// get data that sent from form at create_topic.php
$topic=$_POST['topic'];
$detail=$_POST['detail'];
$name=$_POST['name'];
$email=$_POST['email'];

$datetime=date("d/m/y h:i:s"); //create date time

$sql="INSERT INTO $tbl_name(topic, detail, name, email, datetime)VALUES('$topic', '$detail', '$name', '$email', '$datetime')";
$result=mysql_query($sql);

if($result){
echo "Successful<BR>";
echo "<a href=index.php>View your topic</a>";
}
else {
echo "ERROR";
}
mysql_close();
?>

[Seich]

now we need a view_topic.php this will allows us to see the topic's info it is really basic just like the index but it retrieves different info
view_topic.php

<?php require_once('db.php')?>
<?php
$tbl_name="forum_question"; // Table name do not edit this unless you know what you are doing
// get value of id that sent from address bar ?id=
$id=$_GET['id'];

$sql="SELECT * FROM $tbl_name WHERE id='$id'";
$result=mysql_query($sql);

$rows=mysql_fetch_array($result);
?>
<!-- we echo topic info-->
<table width="400" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" bgcolor="#CCCCCC">
<tr>
<td colspan="-5" align="right" bgcolor="#F8F7F1"></td>
<td><table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" bordercolor="1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#F8F7F1"><strong><? echo $rows['topic']; ?></strong></td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td bgcolor="#F8F7F1"><? echo $rows['detail']; ?></td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td bgcolor="#F8F7F1"><strong>By :</strong> <? echo $rows['name']; ?> <strong>Email : </strong><? echo $rows['email'];?></td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td bgcolor="#F8F7F1"><strong>Date/time : </strong><? echo $rows['datetime']; ?></td>
</tr>
</table></td>
</tr>
</table>
<BR>
<?php
$tbl_name2="forum_answer"; //we switch to the table "forum_answer" and retrieve answers

$sql2="SELECT * FROM $tbl_name2 WHERE question_id='$id'";
$result2=mysql_query($sql2);

while($rows=mysql_fetch_array($result2)){
?>
<table width="400" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" bgcolor="#CCCCCC">
<tr>
<td><table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#F8F7F1"><strong>ID</strong></td>
<td bgcolor="#F8F7F1">:</td>
<td bgcolor="#F8F7F1"><? echo $rows['a_id']; ?></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="18%" bgcolor="#F8F7F1"><strong>Name</strong></td>
<td width="5%" bgcolor="#F8F7F1">:</td>
<td width="77%" bgcolor="#F8F7F1"><? echo $rows['a_name']; ?></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#F8F7F1"><strong>Email</strong></td>
<td bgcolor="#F8F7F1">:</td>
<td bgcolor="#F8F7F1"><? echo $rows['a_email']; ?></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#F8F7F1"><strong>Answer</strong></td>
<td bgcolor="#F8F7F1">:</td>
<td bgcolor="#F8F7F1"><? echo $rows['a_answer']; ?></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#F8F7F1"><strong>Date/Time</strong></td>
<td bgcolor="#F8F7F1">:</td>
<td bgcolor="#F8F7F1"><? echo $rows['a_datetime']; ?></td>
</tr>
</table></td>
</tr>
</table><br>

<?
}

$sql3="SELECT view FROM $tbl_name WHERE id='$id'";
$result3=mysql_query($sql3);

$rows=mysql_fetch_array($result3);
$view=$rows['view'];

// if have no counter value set counter = 1
if(empty($view)){
$view=1;
$sql4="INSERT INTO $tbl_name(view) VALUES('$view') WHERE id='$id'";
$result4=mysql_query($sql4);
}

// count more value
$addview=$view+1;
$sql5="update $tbl_name set view='$addview' WHERE id='$id'";
$result5=mysql_query($sql5);

mysql_close();
?>
<!--now we create a form to post answers with the method add_answer.php-->
<BR>
<table width="400" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" bgcolor="#CCCCCC">
<tr>
<form name="form1" method="post" action="add_answer.php">
<td>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<tr>
<td width="18%"><strong>Name</strong></td>
<td width="3%">:</td>
<td width="79%"><input name="a_name" type="text" id="a_name" size="45"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Email</strong></td>
<td>:</td>
<td><input name="a_email" type="text" id="a_email" size="45"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"><strong>Answer</strong></td>
<td valign="top">:</td>
<td><textarea name="a_answer" cols="45" rows="3" id="a_answer"></textarea></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>&nbsp;</td>
<td><input name="id" type="hidden" value="<? echo $id; ?>"></td>
<td><input type="submit" name="Submit" value="Submit"> <input type="reset" name="Submit2" value="Reset"></td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</form>
</tr>
</table>


now me make a simple method to receive and add information to th db from view_topic.php

add_answer.php

<?php require_once('db.php')?>

<?php
$tbl_name="forum_answer"; // table name
// Get value of id that sent from hidden field
$id=$_POST['id'];

// Find highest answer number.
$sql="SELECT MAX(a_id) AS Maxa_id FROM $tbl_name WHERE question_id='$id'";
$result=mysql_query($sql);
$rows=mysql_fetch_array($result);

// add + 1 to highest answer number and keep it in variable name "$Max_id". if there no answer yet set it = 1
if ($rows) {
$Max_id = $rows['Maxa_id']+1;
}
else {
$Max_id = 1;
}

// get values that sent from form
$a_name=$_POST['a_name'];
$a_email=$_POST['a_email'];
$a_answer=$_POST['a_answer'];

$datetime=date("d/m/y H:i:s"); // create date and time

// Insert answer
$sql2="INSERT INTO $tbl_name(question_id, a_id, a_name, a_email, a_answer, a_datetime)VALUES('$id', '$Max_id', '$a_name', '$a_email', '$a_answer', '$datetime')";
$result2=mysql_query($sql2);

if($result2){
echo "Successful<BR>";
echo "<a href='view_topic.php?id=".$id."'>View your answer</a><BR>";


// If added new answer, add value +1 in reply column
$tbl_name2="forum_question";
$sql3="UPDATE $tbl_name2 SET reply='$Max_id' WHERE id='$id'";
$result3=mysql_query($sql3);

}
else {
echo "ERROR";
}

mysql_close();
?>


ok thats it you have coded your own forum, easy right? :p this is the simplest way of making a forum just like a counter most ways are practically the same but may slightly differ.:big_eyes:

this is a slightly different version of the forum used by the Ceica Minus Groupware (http://ceica.seich.uni.cc) platform (which i currently produce/own/code/(whatever) before you guys say i stoled this.);)

*For those who doesn't know DB stands for Database

read the code try to understand it if you dont understand something just tell me:p

Hope you like it! sorry for the double post but it didnt fit on one single post, you should try to raise the post limit a little bit

[Young]

very nice. im impressed. :D:D. nice work. great useful post;)

[Seich]

Hey thanks I really apreciate it :)