Educational News Script

[Skatecrazy1]

Hi, well I'm creating a news script that will serve two purposes:

-display news on a user's website
-teach beginning-intermediate php coders the basics of using MySQL

I'm trying to make the code as simple as possible, so the latter objective can be achieved.
here's the first thing I created: the installation file.  I wanted to keep everything within one file, yet still keep the code looking simple, however I haven't been able to achieve that.

Keep in mind all the code I show you here is fully functional.

I was wondering if someone here could show me things I could change/replace to make the code more readable by those who have a limited understanding of PHP.

[code]
<?php
//install.php
/*Installs the Database tables, gets the username and
password of the main admin*/
/*also asks for the server, username, and password
of the mysql for the user */
$self = $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'];
//SQL STUFF*/
$id = $_GET['act'];
if(isset($id)){
              if($id == "sqlinfo"){
$host = $_POST['server'];
$user = $_POST['server_user'];
$pass1 = $_POST['pass1'];
$pass2 = $_POST['pass2'];
$db = $_POST['db'];
      if(isset($host) && isset($user)){
        if($pass1 == $pass2){
      $filename = "db.php";
      $file = fopen($filename, "w+");
      $dbfile = "
      <?php
      \$conn = @mysql_connect(\"$host\", \"$user\", \"$pass1\") or die(\"Sorry, could not connect to MySQL.\");
      \$rs = @mysql_select_db(\"$db\") or die(\"Sorry, couldn't select MySQL database.  Make sure you entered the correct database name.\");
      ?>";
      fwrite($file, $dbfile);
      header("location:$self?act=sqlsetup");
        } else {
          echo("<font color=\"red\"><b>Passwords Did not Match</b></font>");
          }
      }
              $msg = "<form method=\"post\" action=\"$self?act=sqlinfo\">";
              $msg .= "<h3>MySQL Server Information</h3>";
              $msg .= "<p>Before you install the script, we need some basic
              MySQL information so that the news system can successfully
              be installed on your MySQL server.</p>";
              $msg .= "<table cellspacing=\"2\" cellpadding=\"0\">";
              $msg .= "<tr>";
              $msg .= "<td>";
              $msg .= "MySQL Server<br />
              <small>If you are not sure, just leave as \"localhost\"</small>";
              $msg .= "</td><td>";
              $msg .= "<input type=\"text\" name=\"server\" value=\"localhost\" />";
              $msg .= "</td></tr>";
              $msg .= "<tr><td>";
              $msg .= "Database Name";
              $msg .= "<br /><small>This is where all your data will go.  Make sure this is correct.</small>";
              $msg .= "</td><td><input type=\"text\" name=\"db\" /></td>";
              $msg .= "</tr>";
              $msg .= "<tr><td>";
              $msg .= "MySQL Username<br />
              <small>This username was most likely given to you by your sysadmin.</small>";
              $msg .= "</td><td>";
              $msg .= "<input type=\"text\" name=\"server_user\" />";
              $msg .= "</td></tr>";
              $msg .= "<tr><td>";
              $msg .= "MySQL Password";
              $msg .= "</td><td>";
              $msg .= "<input type=\"text\" name=\"pass1\" />";
              $msg .= "</td></tr><tr>";
              $msg .= "<td>Repeat Password</td><td>";
              $msg .= "<input type=\"text\" name=\"pass2\" />";
              $msg .= "</td></tr><tr>";
              $msg .= "<td colspan=\"2\"><input type=\"submit\" value=\"Install\" /></td>";
              $msg .= "</tr></table>";
              $msg .= "</form>";
              //echo out that really long form we just created
              echo $msg;
              }
             
      elseif($id == "sqlsetup"){
        require('db.php');

        $sql = array();
       
        $sql[0] = "
        CREATE TABLE `users` (
        id TINYINT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
        username TEXT NOT NULL,
        password TEXT NOT NULL,
        access_level TINYINT NOT NULL,
        email TEXT NOT NULL,
        aim TEXT NOT NULL,
        msn TEXT NOT NULL,
        yahoo TEXT NOT NULL,
        website TEXT NOT NULL
        )";
       
        $sql[1] = "
        CREATE TABLE `posts` (
        id TINYINT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
        title TEXT NOT NULL,
        body TEXT NOT NULL,
        timestamp TEXT NOT NULL,
        author TEXT NOT NULL,
        comment_amt INT NOT NULL
        )";
       
        $sql[2] = "
        CREATE TABLE `comments` (
        id TINYINT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
        name TEXT NOT NULL,
        body TEXT NOT NULL,
        email TEXT NOT NULL,
        postid INT NOT NULL
        )
        ";
       
        $sql[3] = "
        CREATE TABLE `styles` (
        id TINYINT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
        css TEXT NOT NULL
        )
        ";
       
        foreach($sql as $node)
        {
          @mysql_query($node, $conn) or die("Installation failed.");
          }
        sleep(3);
        echo("<meta http-equiv=\"refresh\" content=\"0;url=$self?act=usrreg\">");
       
       
      }
     
      elseif($id == "usrreg"){
      require('db.php');
      $username = $_POST['username'];
      $pass1 = $_POST['password'];
      $pass2 = $_POST['passconf'];
      if(isset($username)){
        if($pass1 == $pass2){
          $sql = "INSERT INTO `users` (username, password, access_level) VALUES(
          '$username',
          '$pass1',
          '1'
          )";
          @mysql_query($sql, $conn) or die("Installation failed.");
          echo("<meta http-equiv=\"refresh\" content=\"0;url=$self?act=finished\">");
          } else {
          echo("<font color=\"red\"><b>Passwords did not match.</b></font>");
          }
        }
      $form = "<h3>Final Step</h3>";
      $form .= "<form method=\"post\" action=\"$self?act=usrreg\">";
      $form .= "<p><small>Before EzNews can be put into action, you must first specify your administrative
      username and password, so you may log into the control panel.</small></p>";
      $form .= "<table cellspacing=\"2\" cellpadding=\"0\">";
      $form .= "<tr><td>Desired Username</td><td><input type=\"text\" name=\"username\" /></td></tr>";
      $form .= "<tr><td>Desired Password</td><td><input type=\"password\" name=\"password\" /></td></tr>";
      $form .= "<tr><td>Confirm Password</td><td><input type=\"password\" name=\"passconf\" /></td></tr>";
      $form .= "<tr><td><input type=\"submit\" value=\"Finish\" /></td></tr>";
      $form .= "</table>";
      $form .= "</form>";
      echo $form;
      }
     
      elseif($id == "finished"){
      $msg = "<h3>Installation Complete!</h3>";
      $msg .= "<p>Installation of EzNews has been successful; you may now log into the
      administrative control panel with your selected username and password combination.</p>";
      $msg .= "<p><a href=\"admin/index.php\">Log In Now</a></p>";
      echo $msg;
      }
     
} else {
echo("<meta http-equiv=\"refresh\" content=\"0;url=$self?act=sqlinfo\">");
}
?>
[/code]

[jsladek]

I like what your doing here, I'm doing something similar that I thought would be a good educational tool for learning PHP (for myself and other newbies).

I think that the second script admin/index.php will probably be the place for a beginner - intermediate user to start looking on how to interact with a database.  I think all the file writing and quote escaping stuff will be more of a hindrance than a help.

If you don't mind, I'd like to see the index.php script too. 

Regards,
John Sladek