Ive installed wamp and it works but can some clarify some things!!!

Hi there,

(hope im posting in the right place here)

New to php, my sql etc.

Ive managed to install wamp and it works. Ive managed to get the "hello world" up in my browser.

Being new to everything here theres just a few things that arent clear:

1) Php scripts will only work when i put them in the document root directory. I have to create a folder and then put my php file in it-is this correct??

2)To view a php script i open my browser and type in the path to the php file i.e http://localhost et etc- is this correct?

3)Apache is a server right? So what does that actually mean. How does this server differ from a server that i upload and store my website on?

These are just a few of my questions, its all a bit hazy at the moment and i like to understand everything unfortunalely!!!

Could anyone suggest a good link that might make the overall thing a bit clearer??

thanks for any help

1) PHP scripts work anywhere if the php parser just can access them, but they can only be viewed by visitors if they are somewhere under document root.

2) Yes, but this will only work from your own (local) machine. From other machines you will have to go to http://your.ip.address.here/

3) It doesn't. Most web sites use Apache as their server software. Only in this case you have full control of the server. This includes the ability to screw everything up and expose your private files to everyone.

Server can refer to at least these two things:
- It is a computer that is running one or more server programs.
- It is a program that serves files or other information to other programs or computers. The programs receiving information from the server are called clients.

In WAMP configuration there are actually two server programs: Apache and MySQL.

Thanks for the reply,

just a couple of things:

1> how do i find my ip address-ive never had the need to look for it before.

2>how do i get the original test page back up. Every time i tpye http://localhost now it just gives me an index with every file inside the www file.

thanks for your time again

1) In Windows it can be found the following way: Start -> Run -> cmd -> ipconfig. In some cases this is not the IP address that is visible outside your home. That address can be found in http://whatismyip.com/

2)Just create a file named index.html or index.php inside your document root.

many thanks