php script not showing on webpage (code)

[paulmo]

database is mysql version 4.1 on godaddy server/host, trying digitalmidget.com php comments (guestbook) script. have created database table specified in script instructions using database import function. looks good. copy/paste php code into index.htm (notepad) file:

<?

$page_id="6";//for example

include ("comments/comments_show.php");

include ("comments/comments_form.php");

?>

 

ok to paste in index.htm page? or create page/upload using php?

 

if that's the case, have downloaded php version 5. when trying to open php script files, i get a flashing black (like starting in safe mode) box that goes away quickly, so it doesn't stay open for me to do anything with it. so i open php files using notepad and have edited/saved database log-in etc that way and uploaded scripts file folder to server.

 

but no comment form appears on webpage--wondering if my procedure is correct or if i need to edit these scripts by opening a php prog, which i'm unable to do (only opens in notepad).

 

hope to get some help please. i'm completely new at this yet seem to be close.

 

the author of digitalmidget.com comment form script does not provide tech support as it's a free script.

[pocobueno1388]

Is the file a .php?

Try using <?php instead of using the short tag (<?).

[revraz]

You need to name the file with a .php extension, not .htm or .html

 

 

ok to paste in index.htm page? or create page/upload using php?

 

[paulmo]

great--so i create a .php file and upload with just that script pasted in? how does it know where to show script in index.htm file (or any other file)?

thanks--

[revraz]

It doesn't.

 

Display it on the .php page.

[paulmo]

ok, so i created a comments.php page with that script pasted in and

$page_id = "index.htm";

because that's where I want the comments system to appear (index.htm being a separate file). ftp'd comments.php to server.

 

still nothing. again the database table and edited scripts all match up, double checked.

 

thanks for your patience this is new to me obviously.

[revraz]

There is nothing on that page to show except

 

include ("comments/comments_show.php");

include ("comments/comments_form.php");

 

So do those two pages exist in a folder under the location of this script called comments?

[paulmo]

ok, have tried several things

 

1) created .php file with that snippet of code, uploaded to server, nothing

2) embedded php code in index.htm file and renamed file index.php; that shuts down the site.

3) downloaded apache server (win32 installer) to see if i can make a .php file appear in browser. apache installed but doesn't show simple "hello world" doc from local.

 

test configuration does flash "system ok" in that black "start up" box then disappears.

 

how close am i to getting this?

 

[Pancake]

You need to also download PHP 

 

Click Here and download it.

 

When it asks to configure for a server, select "Apache 2.X"

 

And when it asks for the config directory for apache, browse for something like this:

C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Apache2.2\conf

 

For your previous posts, PHP (by default) will only process files that end in .php.

 

a .php file is basically a .html file, but PHP processes them.

[paulmo]

i've already got php and the ini file says

; Enable the PHP scripting language engine under Apache.

engine = On

 

is that configured for apache server? can't seem to find anything else relating to that.

 

also there's all this stuff for mysql:

 

; Default socket name for local MySQL connects.  If empty, uses the built-in

; MySQL defaults.

mysqli.default_socket =

 

; Default host for mysql_connect() (doesn't apply in safe mode).

mysqli.default_host =

 

; Default user for mysql_connect() (doesn't apply in safe mode).

mysqli.default_user =

 

wondering: godaddy is my server so that's all good but does it have php or do i need to upload php somehow with my files (and specify mysql in php doc)? there's a folder in godaddy ftp that says php uploads but i can't seem to select it to move files into it...it only seems to work the other way around...of course it's empty.

 

i knew i was getting in over my head with barely knowing html and external css; but the comment/guestbook script thing has led me to this path..guess i need to stay on it. frustrating though this is script is not coming together yet all pieces seem to be in place.