DYNAMIC WEB DEVELOPMENT
WEEK 7.A: DEVELOP, SETUP AND CONNECT TO A
DATABASE
Dr. Basel Almourad
GET READY
For this Lecture you have to do Tutorial 5
Part 1
Start Apache Web Server & MySQL
Server (using XAMPP control panel)
GOALS
Learn how to develop a new database, setup a database in
MySQL, and connect a web page to the created database.
OUTLINE
1. Design and develop a database
2. Access MySQL
3. Setup a database in MySQL
4. Connect to a database using PHP
5. Q & A
DEVELOP A DATABASE
Naming Database elements
database name:
o Just make sure the name is unique within your MySQL server
o example: we will use registrations
tables’ names
o need to be unique within this database
o example: we will use users
columns’ names & data type
o depends on the data to be stored
o example: see next slide
-------------- chose meaningful names for all items -----------
DEVELOP A DATABASE
As example, we will be using the columns below for the
users table
DEVELOP A DATABASE
How to chose a column type?
Step 1: identify the high-level type; e.g. number, text or date/time
Step 2: chose the most appropriate sub-type, depending on the used
database
Step 3: add any restriction, e.g. maximum number of characters
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3
MySQL data types: examples
DEVELOP A DATABASE
CHAR vs. VARCHAR
Both store strings
CHAR stored with fixed length, VARCHAR stored
with variable length:
e.g.
The word CAT stored in CHAR(10) requires 10
bytes, but requires 4 bytes if VARCHAR(10)
Which one to use?
If variable with fixed number of bytes (e.g.
emirate ID) use CHAR
Otherwise, use VARCHAR
DEVELOP A DATABASE
CHAR vs. VARCHAR vs. TEXT
CHAR : the fastest to store and retrieve
Maximum 255 Character
VARCHAR: can be slower to store and retrieve
TEXT: a character Binary Large Object (BLOB)
can hold a variable amount of data
TEXT columns cannot have DEFAULT values.
Can store files, images, etc.
DEVELOP A DATABASE
ENUM and SET
ENUM: string object with value from a list of permitted
values enumerated explicitly at table creation time
SET: Like ENUM except that each column can have more
than one of several possible values
DEVELOP A DATABASE
Other Column Properties
NOT NULL: force a column to have a value
a primary key column should always be NOT NULL
Primary key:
• must always have a value
• value must never change
• value must be unique for each record
Foreign key:
primary key in one table is often linked as a foreign key
in another
AUTO_INCREMENT:
Default starting value 1
Auto-increments by 1 for each new record
ACCESSING MYSQL SERVER
Several ways to access MySQL
e.g.
mysql client
MySQL Workbench
Web-based phpMyAdmin
PHP code
ACCESSING
MYSQL SERVER
MySQL Workbench
• To lunch MySQL
Workbench
from start menu, search for
mysql
Then click MySQL 2
Workbench CE
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ACCESSING MYSQL SERVER
Web-based phpMyAdmin
You can access the MySQL Server via the PHP Admin
Interface
ACCESSING MYSQL SERVER
Practice :
• Create the database and the table with the
specified columns, in MySQL server
• Use phpMyAdmin
Tutorial 5 – Part 1
• Add some users to the table
Database: registrations
Table: users
AUTO_INCREMENT
ACCESSING MYSQL SERVER
PHP Code
o This is what we will use from a web page
Connecting to MySQL
$dbc = mysqli_connect (hostname,
➝ username, password, db_name);
More on next chapters …..
CONNECTING TO MYSQL
$dbc = mysqli_connect (hostname, username, password, db_name);
mysqli_set_charset($dbc, 'utf8’); // not necessary but useful
Or better version …
$dbc = @mysqli_connect (hostname, username, password, db_name)
OR die ('Could not connect to MySQL: ' . mysqli_connect_error() );
(@). prevents the PHP error from being
displayed in the Web browser. This is
preferable, as the error will be handled
by the OR die( ) clause.
CONNECTION ERRORS
PROTECTING ACCESS
Best to store the MySQL connection
script outside of the Web root
directory.
EXECUTING SIMPLE
QUERIES
$sql = "SELECT id, firstname, lastname FROM user";
$r = mysqli_query($dbc, $sql);
if ($r) { // Worked!
// Do whatever.
} else {
echo mysqli_error($dbc);
}
mysqli_close($dbc);
COUNTING RETURNED
RECORDS
$num = mysqli_num_rows($r);
RETRIEVING QUERY
RESULTS
while ($row = mysqli_fetch_array($r)) {
// Do something with $row.
}
mysqli_free_result ($r);
mysqli_free_result
removes the overhead (memory)
taken by $r. It’s an optional step, since PHP
will automatically free up the resources
at the end of a script, but—like using
mysqli_close( )—it does make for good
programming form
EXAMPLE
$num = mysqli_num_rows($r); // Count the number of returned
rows:
if ($num > 0) { // If it ran OK, display the records.
// Print how many users there are:
echo "<p>There are currently $num registered users.</p>\n";
// Fetch and print all the records:
while ($row = mysqli_fetch_array($r, MYSQLI_ASSOC)) {
echo $row['name'] . ' ' . $row['dr'] . '</br>';
}
mysqli_free_result ($r); // Free up the resources.
} else { // If no records were returned.
echo '<p class="error">There are currently no registered users.</p>'
RETRIEVING QUERY
RESULTS
Constant Example
MYSQLI_ASSOC $row['column']
MYSQLI_NUM $row[0]
MYSQLI_BOTH $row['column'] or $row[0]
while ($row = mysqli_fetch_array($r, MYSQLI_NUM)) {
// Do something with $row[0], $row[1], etc.
}
view_users1.php view_users2.php
COUNTING AFFECTED
RECORDS
$num = mysqli_affected_rows($dbc);
$q = "UPDATE users SET pass=SHA1('$np') WHERE user_id=$row[0]";
$r = @mysqli_query($dbc, $q);
if (mysqli_affected_rows($dbc) == 1) {
echo '<h1>Thank you!</h1>
<p>Your password has been updated. In Chapter 12 you will actually
be able to log in!</p><p><br /></p>’;
mysqli_affected_rows
Returns the number of records affected by
an INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE query.
ANY QUESTIONS?
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REFERENCES AND MORE READING
• Book
• Chapter 4: Introduction to MySQL
• Chapter 9: Using PHP with MySQL
• W3School
• https://www.w3schools.com/php/php_mysql_intro.asp
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