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the users table should only hold unique/one-time user information - first name, last name. this would produce a user_id (auto-increment integer column.) you would store any repetitive user information, such as the weight/date data in a second table, related back to the user through the user_id value. once you have properly stored the data, you can write sql queries to get any user(s) information for any date or date range.

Create a table subquery to calculate the total points for each user and join that to the rewards table using the points total. (In my example I assume you have a table called points. SELECT first_name , last_name , total_points , reward FROM { SELECT first_name , last_name , SUM(points) as total_points FROM user u JOIN points p ON u.userID = p.userID GROUP BY u.userID } tot LEFT JOIN rewards r ON tot.total_points = r.valuePoints

htmlentities/htmlspecialchars are output functions. they are used when you output dynamic values in a html context (web page, email.) they are not used when data is received by a script.

Your binary representation is full of regular patterns, I'd wager it being indices (the alphanumeric text like $0<(4@LX`) preceding any compressed data (the unrepresented characters �) for each entry. Just a shot in the dark. It doesn't mean what is under it isn't encrypted. Wow, I haven't logged in for a decade, and Ignace you're a moderator, congrats!

It's... no, moving it outside the root isn't going to change anything for the better. If the script needs to be run at user request, like yours, then moving it outside the root is irrelevant. The only reason for files to be outside the root is so that the user can't plug in some URL into their browser and execute files they aren't supposed to. But here, you want the user to execute ajax.php. So not only is there no point to moving it, you're actually hurting yourself in the process. Leave it where it was. It's fine.

No, it's not a burden. It's how 95% of the web works now.

No problem. Free SEO content 👍

I don't think locate can limit to a directory. You can use find though, which will search the file system. On the plus side, it'll find anything existing. On the down side it may take a while on large trees. find /the/dir -name 'file*name'

If it's literally encrypted then who knows. Probably a file-based database system like SQLite, but you'd have to decrypt it. If not encrypted then the file extension might be your best bet. Or you can look at the program to see what kinds of libraries it uses and hope it didn't try to roll its own solution.

Have you tried the Query Browser? Also, SQLyog is also good, though the interface takes some getting used to. Obviously, Navicat is excellent, but not free. Personally, I still use the old MySQL Control Center, but only because the Query Browser is not supported under Win98. Hope that helps.