Php News Script - how to make news script that uses MySQL writen in PHP

Corey

May 17 2005, 09:05 PM

How to make a News script with PHP + MySQL

So..in this tutorial i will explain how to create PHP news script.

first we have to create the table in My SQL..

with the code below you will do this ( you have to enter it into SQL field ..in PHPmyADMIN)

CODE

CREATE TABLE news ( id int(10) unsigned NOT NULL auto_increment, postdate timestamp(14) NOT NULL, title varchar(50) NOT NULL default '', content text NOT NULL, PRIMARY KEY (id), KEY postdate (postdate), FULLTEXT KEY content (content) )

>>>> script files

1 file will show the news ,1 file will contain variables and with the third one we can add news.

we'll call the first file "news.php"

CODE

<?php

$query = "SELECT *," .
"DATE_FORMAT(postdate, '%Y-%m-%d') as date " .
"FROM news ORDER BY id DESC LIMIT $news_limit"; // 1.
$result = mysql_query($query);

while($r=mysql_fetch_array($result)) // 2.
{
echo "<br><table width='100%'><tr bgcolor='$title_cell_color'><td>
<img src='$bullet'><b>$title</b> posted on $date</td></tr>
<tr bgcolor='$news_cell_color'><td>$content</td></tr>
</table><br>";

}

?>

explaination:

1. inlcuding variables into the script

2. selecting the table in the db,formating date, limiting the number of news the script is going to show.

3. now the script is writing the data form db into tables.

now we have to make another file which can add new news into db.

we will call it "add.php"

CODE

<?php
include "var.php"; // 1.
if ($action==add) // 2.
{
$title=$_POST['title'];
$content=$_POST['content']; // 3.
mysql_query("insert into news (title,content) VALUES ('$title','$content')");
echo "<a href='index.php'>Home</a>"; // 4.
}
else // 4.
{
print "<table width=\"100%\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">
<tr>
<td><form name=\"form1\" method=\"post\" action=\"add.php?action=add\">
<div align=\"center\">
<p>Title:
<input type=\"text\" name=\"textfield\">
</p>
<p>News content :
<textarea name=\"title\" cols=\"50\" rows=\"10\" id=\"title\"></textarea>
</p>
<p>
<input type=\"submit\" name=\"Submit\" value=\"Add\">
</p>
</div>
</form></td>
</tr>
</table>\n";
}

?>

explaination:

1. includeing variables into the script

2. if the $action id add..then the script is going to add data into the db,and if $action isn't selected,then the scipt is gonna show form for adding news.

3. the script is putting the data that we have entered into variables

4. if $action isn't set to "add" the script is showing a form for adding news

this is the third file....we are gonna define all important variables here..and we're gonna make a connection to db.

CODE

<?php
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
$news_limit="xxxx"; // number of news that script shows
$user="xxxx"; // db username
$pass="xxxx"; // password
$db_name="xxxx"; // database name
$bullet="xxxx"; // path to the bullet image
$title_cell_color="xxxx"; // bg color for title cell in RGB...(black = #000000)
$news_cell_color="xxx"; // bg color for news cell in RGB...(black = #000000)
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
$db = mysql_connect("localhost", "$user", "$pass");
mysql_select_db("$db_name", $db); //
?>

You have to change all the variables.

You can download all script files here.

http://tema.trap17.com/php/SNS-php.rar

..if you have some questions are if you have found a mistake in this script...please let me know. (post here)

hype

May 18 2005, 12:22 AM

Can you put the download file in zip instead of rar? I dont wanna download winrar for that....

dtygel

May 18 2005, 01:12 AM

Great script Corey!
Two questions:

1) Can I use some change of this script for a newsletter? I mean, is there a way to send the news genterated and stored in the database?

2) Is there a way to generate some reports (search reports) crossing more than one field, like "some words in the subject", and "sent before X day"?

Thanks a lot, I'm a newbie in php!

daniel (from Brasil)

Corey

May 18 2005, 09:44 AM

QUOTE(hype @ May 18 2005, 02:22 AM)

Can you put the download file in zip instead of rar? I dont wanna download winrar for that....

no problem...
here..
http://tema.trap17.com/php/SNS-php.zip

QUOTE(dtygel @ May 18 2005, 03:12 AM)

1) yes...but afkors..you have to make some changes ...u have to make a script that pulls the data from db and sends it to users via e-mail

2) ....maybe...don't know it yet..

karlo

May 18 2005, 01:29 PM

http://www.karlo.ph.tc

On my website, I have a NEWS SCRIPT that I made, with pages support, bbcodes, and RSS feed support.

Van2003ko

May 23 2005, 05:01 PM

Wow very useful infomation will used this in the future..

rvalkass

May 29 2005, 03:50 PM

On the subject of dtygel's suggestions:

1. Could this be done using the PHP mail() function?

2. A search could be done by asking the user for a search term in a text field and asking what to search in e.g Date, Title etc and also placing that in a variable. Then selecting the appropriate results from the SQL database.

The search could also help with the email, to ensure that only the current months news is mailed.

Just a thought

dtygel

Jun 1 2005, 11:33 AM

Hi all,

rvalkass and corey showed a way, but I'm a terrible programmer (sorry...), so I would prefer to find some solution. My problem is the following: I'd like to send "automagically" the latest news in my website (which is still under construction

); and also, I would like to let the user make some searchs on the news sent in the past. I took a look at karlo's site, but didn't find the news script he mentioned.

Now, about using the mail() function: wouldn't I be limited to the hourly limit in the server of e-mails sent? Or is the mail() function out of this account? Would it be better to use, say, the phplist software?

Thanks folks: I'm understanding a little bit more about php since I came accross this topic

Daniel

rvalkass

Jun 1 2005, 11:55 AM

As the mail() function sends emails from an address you specify I belive you would be limited to the servers limits. I belive that PHPList also uses the mail function so would have the same problems. I think a mySQL query soemthing like the one below would allow for a search funtion:

CODE

mysql_query("SELECT title, content FROM news WHERE title='$search' ");

This would get all news entries where the title is equal to the search term. The variable $search would be a text box containing the search term. I may have got this code wrong, so please correct me. I am also unsure of whether the term has to exactly match that in the database, or just contain it. Everyone, please feel free to correct me or change this code. Thanks.

dtygel

Jun 1 2005, 12:27 PM

Great, Valkass!
Thank you for the answers.

Well, how do I get rid of the servers limits? Can mailman do that? Or should I contract a mailing service? (some suggestion?)

About the script: that was a suggestion of a simple search. I would like to give the user the possibility to cross between fields (maybe the AND syntax...): a cross-fields search.

Daniel

Latest Entries

iGuest

Oct 18 2007, 02:31 PM

The zip and rar files are no longer available to download. Any chance of putting them back up?

Spectre

Jun 15 2006, 08:47 AM

Because you aren't specifying a password: '(using password: NO)'. Did you notice how old this thread was?

skter4938

Jun 15 2006, 05:25 AM

I got this error when all was done and done:

CODE

Warning: mysql_query(): Access denied for user 'webtodes'@'localhost' (using password: NO) in /home/webtodes/public_html/news/index.php on line 50

Warning: mysql_query(): A link to the server could not be established in /home/webtodes/public_html/news/index.php on line 50

Warning: mysql_fetch_array(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in /home/webtodes/public_html/news/index.php on line 52

and the username was webtodes_admin in the var.php file

Why does it give me this error, even though I put in a different username?

rvalkass

Jun 25 2005, 08:35 AM

The <= thing means less than or equal to. There are loads of them used in all programming languages. Some of the most common ones are listed below:

< less than
> greater than
<= less than or equal to
>= greater than or equal to
== exactly equal to
!= not equal to

They can be very useful in all sorts of eventualities. I can't remember what they are collectively called (hopefully someone will help out

)

They can be used with dates, numbers, variables, times, all sorts of things.

karlo

Jun 25 2005, 12:49 AM

QUOTE(Shawn @ Jun 1 2005, 11:35 PM)

dtygl: Yes it is possible to do this you just must have more than one WHERE clause.

CODE

$query = "SELECT * FROM `news` WHERE `timestamp`<='$searchDate' AND `text` LIKE '$searchString'";

Hmmm.. that's a new function of MySQL for me. The <= thing in the query is new to me. Where did you learn to use it? Because all i know is the basic MySQL things, as in basic.

ADD REPLY / Got an Opinion!	Remove these ADs!	RAPID SEARCH!	Free Web Hosting	[X]
Express your Opinions, Thoughts or Contribute more info. to help others. Ask your Doubts & Queries to get answers, So that "Together We can help others!"	Register FREE for AD-FREE forum, Create your own topics, Ask Questions, track topics, setup subscriptions & notifications and Get a Free Website w/ Email and FTP.		500MB Space No Ads, CPanel, FTP, PHP, MySQL, EMails - 100% FREE