Windows installation of PHP, MySql & Apache

This article will show how with only a few easy steps you can install the Apache web server, the PHP language, and the MySQL databases all under Windows OS. This way you'll be able to develop your own websites and follow up practical web development courses such as:

Star Rating with PHP, MySql and JavaScript
Create contact form with PHP, JavaScript and CSS

Let's begin! Here we will be doing the manual way of installation, if you prefer an automated way you can use XAMPP as shown in the video:

First, download and install the following packages in this way:
1. Apache Win32 Binary http://httpd.apache.org/download.cgi
2. PHP installer http://www.php.net/downloads.php
3. MySQL community server http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/mysql/5.0.html
(optionally: mysql php_mysqli.dll driver from http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/connector/php-mysqlnd/)

APACHE
Check up: After the initial installation in a browser window address bar window type: http://localhost
If working properly the Apache server will show you this message: It works!

PHP
1. Open the file httpd.conf found in directory:  C:\Program files\Apache Software Foundation\Apache2.4\conf\ and add after the last LoadModule section:
LoadModule php5_module "C:\Program Files\PHP\php7apache2_4.dll" where php4apache2_4.dll is the file telling Apache to load dynamically the PHP language.
Note: If your file has a different name please use it!

2. Find the AddType line and add the following under:
AddHandler application/x-httpd-php .php
PHPIniDir "C:/PHP"

This tells the webserver to associate all .php files to the interpreter. Otherwise, when you run a .php file in your browser you'll see it as a normal text file followed by the usual Save as dialogue.
 

Check: Create a new file named index.php and type in the following: <? phpinfo(); ?> . Place it in C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Apache2.4\htdocs. Open the browser again and load the index.php file. If it loads up properly then your Php is being installed correctly!

MYSQL
0. Get and run the MySql installer from https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/installer/

1. Rename the file php-dist.ini to php.ini and copy it from the directory it's installation directory i.e. Program files\PHP in c:\windows. Then copy the files php_mysql.dll and libmysql.dll in directory c:\windows\system32.

2. Open c:\windows\php.ini and add after the section Dynamic extensions the following 2:
extension=libmysql.dll
extension=php_mysql.dll

Check: If everything is ready, create index.php file with content: <? phpinfo(); ?> inside: C:\Program Files\Apache Software Foundation\Apache2.4\htdocs
Point your browser to: http://localhost and you'll have to see in the information the MySQL section.

When having problems:
If Apache fails to run open Start->Run->eventvwr.msc and check under the Application tab the type of error coming from Apache Service. A most common error is:

Only one usage of each socket address (protocol/network address/port) is normally permitted. : make_sock: could not bind to address 0.0.0.0:80

Solution: open httpd.conf and change the listening port used by Apache to 3128 for example.

Other often harder to see the error is being produced when you use the short <? when typing your code - this is forbidden in some of the PHP versions. If you want to use this functionality then change the option:
short_open_tag = On
in php.ini

Cheers, and if you have any questions just ask!

How to share Internet connection in Windows XP, 7 & 8

Here is how to share your Internet connection in a way that other computers to be able to use it.  Happy learning and be sure to check my Windows 10 course!

The popular way of doing this is by using a hardware router or a combination of a proxy server and a hub. In the following article, I'll show how to easily share your connection with the Windows integrated Internet Connection Sharing.
 The alternatives:
Hardware router
Pros: - once turned on the device provides an Internet connection.
Cons: - set up, price.

Hub
Pros: - price, allows proper connectivity and data transfer between several computers.
Cons: - doesn't support network address translation(NAT).
+
Proxy server
Pros: - emulates hardware router functionality and gives IP address and port to the clients to provide Internet connectivity.
Cons:
- every client needs to use the Proxy server address
- network connection protocols are not being fully supported

What you'll need:
- one additional network(LAN) card, which will act as an outgoing Internet device
- (optionally) hub, if you are willing to share your Internet with more than one computer
Note: if you are sharing internet connection over Wi-Fi making hotspot, you are just fine with one incoming network card connection!

Let's begin
Server setup
First off you'll have to know whether you've been using:
Dial-up type of connection (PPPoE) providing a username and password or you are directly connected to your provider(ADSL...) without having to enter username and password every time prior to using the Internet.

Windows XP

Open up Start->Settings->Network Connections to see your network cards(LAN). Important: If you are using ADSL find the incoming Internet connection card(i.e through which the Internet comes in) and right-click ->Properties
If you are using LAN + Dial-up find your Dial-up connection(and not the LAN card) and right-click -> Properties(fig. 1)


Fig 1. LAN + Dial-up

On the next screen check the Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection.

Then you'll be prompted to allow the ICS to change your second(inner) LAN card settings.
From now on it'll have IP 192.168.0.1 and will serve dynamic IP addresses via DCHP to the connected computers(clients).

Other computers setup(clients)
The only thing left to do is to go to Start->Settings->Network Connections, right-click on the network card Properties ->; Internet Protocol(TCP/IP) - then again on Properties.


...and check both as shown automatically


Don't forget to protect the shared connection
When all of your computers already have the Internet it is important to turn on the integrated Windows firewall:
from Start->Run->Firewall.cpl
and then check both: On(recommended) and Don't allow exceptions

Windows 7 & 8

The same procedure applies for these versions of Windows. So first go to Control Panel  -> Network and Internet -> Network and Sharing Center and click on Connections: Local Area Connection. Same can be achieved if you just right click on the network icon from the taskbar ->Properties




Then choose a network connection you want to share with other computers and click on its properties:

Finally from tab Sharing, click on 'Allow Other Network Users to Connect through This Computer’s Internet Connection checkbox.'

How to set up the clients:

they have to use automatic settings for IP and DNS settings.

Now you are ready. Happy surfing!!!

Remarks:
If your home LAN has IP addresses different than 192.168.0.х you'll have to change your DHCP server settings from here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/230148

Easy solve the AJAX c00ce514 error

If your AJAX code runs smoothly on Mozilla Firefox but experiences problems when running on Internet Explorer and gives out an error:

"Could not complete the operation due to error c00ce514"

The error means that Microsoft XML Parser is having problems when parsing the AJAX response string.
Here is what to do: just set the proper character set encoding in your requested file then try again:)

PHP Example:

header("Content-type: text/html; charset=windows-1251");

Cheers!

Advanced hard drive partition and geometry recovery

Here is the story: After running several Scandisk tests on a 160GB hard drive it failed to show at BIOS system report on reboot. The hard drive was NFTS formatted so I thought that the recovery process should go easy.

I ran my favorite recovery software R-Studio, FileScavenger etc… but they didn’t recognize the hard drive at all. It appeared that drive’s geometry (heads,sectors,cylinders) information was incorrect. So no matter how many file recovery applications I was running the result was the same: unrecognized file system or misplaced file information.

I looked at the hard drive’s sticker and noted the Cylinders Heads Sectors values (information that could also be found in drive's service manual). Then loaded up the free testdisk program and carefully entered those numbers in the Geomety section. But the 160GB hard drive now appeared as 37GB… - what was happening? In order to allocate and handle bigger hard drives sizes engineers have invented: 2 types of addressing: logical and physical - physical were the ones that I found on the drive’s cover. The logical CHS values are chosen by the operating system.

Indeed in this case testdisk was looking for a one more value: the sector size (512, 1024, 2048 or 4092). And since the drive was used on windows I just started the format command dialogue in windows and noticed that the default 'sector size' value is 512. Next searched in Google for my hard drive’s serial number and found the drive's logical CHS values in forum postings from linux 'dmesg' command output as well as other diagnostic tools.

I loaded testdisk’s Geometry with these new numbers, and ran Analyse to rescan the hard drive for partitions and they showed up!
Write followed and after the reboot the hard drive finally showed in the BIOS system report. Windows also recognized the drive but the stored information was still inaccessible.

So I run Filescavenger and restored the information to a blank hard drive. At this point you can also use testdisk. Then reformatted the first drive and moved back the recovered information.
It was a back and forth game but in the end proved worthy!

AJAX & PHP star rating system script

Here is how to make a star rating script for your webpages.
The new and updated version of the script is now tracking all of your web pages automatically. You just have to include it on the desired page.
A new and improved version of the script, along with its explanation can be found in the star rating script course.

if you don't have a database you can create it with first with:

CREATE DATABASE ratings;

then enter the database with :

use database ratings;

and lets set up the MySQL table:

CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `ratings` (

  `id` varchar(255) NOT NULL,

  `total_votes` int(11) NOT NULL,

  `total_value` int(11) NOT NULL,

  `used_ips` longtext,

  PRIMARY KEY (`id`)

);

Then copy and paste this php code into ratings.php and open the file for edit:

 var http_request = false;  
 function alertContents(response, ret_el) {  
   document.getElementById(ret_el).innerHTML = response;  
 }  
 function makePOSTRequest(url, parameters, ret_el, callback_function) {  
   if (typeof callback_function == 'undefined') callback_function = alertContents;  
   var http_request = false;  
   var activex_ids = ['MSXML2.XMLHTTP.3.0', 'MSXML2.XMLHTTP', 'Microsoft.XMLHTTP'];  
   if (window.XMLHttpRequest) { // Mozilla, Safari, IE7+...  
     http_request = new XMLHttpRequest();  
     if (http_request.overrideMimeType) {  
       http_request.overrideMimeType('text/xml');  
     }  
   } else if (window.ActiveXObject) { // IE6 and older  
     for (i = 0; i < activex_ids.length; i++) {  
       try {  
         http_request = new ActiveXObject(activex_ids[i]);  
       } catch (e) {}  
     }  
   }  
   if (!http_request) {  
     alert('Please update your browser!');  
     return false;  
   }  
   document.getElementById(ret_el).innerHTML = "Please wait...";  
   document.getElementsByTagName("body").item(0).style.cursor = "wait";  
   http_request.onreadystatechange = function() {  
     if (http_request.readyState !== 4) {  
       return;  
     }  
     if (http_request.status !== 200) {  
       alert('Please try again later.');  
       return;  
     }  
     document.getElementsByTagName("body").item(0).style.cursor = "auto";  
     var response = http_request.responseText;  
     callback_function(response, ret_el);  
     return;  
   };  
   http_request.open('POST', url, true);  
   http_request.setRequestHeader("Content-type", "application/x-www-form-urlencoded");  
   // http_request.setRequestHeader("Charset", "windows-1251");  
   http_request.setRequestHeader("Content-length", parameters.length);  
   http_request.setRequestHeader("Connection", "close");  
   http_request.send(parameters);  
 }  
 function rate(url_id, vote) {  
   makePOSTRequest('star_rating.php', 'url_id=' + url_id + '&vote=' + vote, 'myspan');  
 }  
 window.onload = function() {  
   var percentstyle = '',  
     rate_percent = 0;  
   var current_rating = document.getElementById("current_rating");  
   if (current_rating) {  
     rate_id = current_rating.getAttribute('data-id');  
     rate_percent = current_rating.getAttribute('data-percent');  
   }  
   percentstyle = 'width:' + rate_percent + 'px;';  
   var content = '<div class="rating" id="rating"><ul class="star-rating"><li class="current-rating" style="' + percentstyle + '" >Current rating</li><li><a id="rate1" class="one-star">1</a></li><li><a id="rate2" class="two-stars">2</a></li><li><a id="rate3" class="three-stars">3</a></li><li><a id="rate4" class="four-stars">4</a></li><li><a id="rate5" class="five-stars">5</a></li></ul></div>';  
   if (document.getElementById("myspan")) {  
     document.getElementById("myspan").innerHTML = content;  
   }  
   var url_id = encodeURIComponent(rate_id);  
   for (var i = 1; i < 6; i++) {  
     (function(i) {  
       document.getElementById("rate" + i).addEventListener("click", function() {  
         rate(url_id, i);  
         return false;  
       });  
     })(i);  
   }  
 }  

<?php  
 $dbhost = 'localhost';  
 $dbuser = '';  
 $dbpass = '';  
 $dbname = 'ratings';  
 $dbtable = "ratings";  
 $conn = mysqli_connect($dbhost, $dbuser, $dbpass, $dbname) or die('Error connecting to mysql');  
 $is_voting = isset($_POST['vote']) ? $_POST['vote'] : ''; //the actual user vote  
 if ($is_voting) {  
   $id = isset($_POST['url_id']) ? $_POST['url_id'] : ''; //passed url_id   
 } else {  
   $id = substr($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'], 1);  
   $id = htmlentities(urlencode($id), ENT_QUOTES);  
 }  
 //make initial vote check  
 $sql = "SELECT total_votes, total_value, used_ips FROM $dbtable WHERE id = '$id' ";  
 $query = mysqli_query($conn, $sql) or die(" Error: " . mysqli_error());  
 $number_rows  = mysqli_num_rows($query);  
 $numbers    = mysqli_fetch_assoc($query);  
 $checkIP    = unserialize($numbers['used_ips']);  
 $count     = $numbers['total_votes']; //how many votes total  
 $current_rating = $numbers['total_value']; //total number of rating added together and stored  
 $sum      = $is_voting + $current_rating; // add together the current vote value and the total vote value  
 $tense     = ($count == 1) ? "vote" : "votes"; //plural form votes/vote  
 if (!$is_voting) {  
   //check if have voted already  
   $voted = mysqli_fetch_assoc(mysqli_query($conn, "SELECT * FROM $dbtable WHERE used_ips LIKE '%" . $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'] . "%' AND id='$id' ")); //This variable searches through the previous ip addresses that have voted and returns true or false  
   //when already voted  
   if ($voted) {  
     echo '<ul class="star-rating"><li class="current-rating" style="width:' . @number_format($current_rating / $count, 2) * 25 . '%;"></li></ul>  
 Rating: <strong>' . @number_format($current_rating / $count, 2) . '</strong> ( ' . $count . $tense . ')  
 <br /><span style="color:red;">You have already voted.</span><br />';  
   } else {  
     //if not voting just show the current rating  
     //set data for the css  
     echo '<div id="myspan"><span id="current_rating" data-id="' . $id . '" data-percent="' . @number_format($current_rating / $count, 2) * 25 . '"></span></div>';  
   }  
 }  
 //if not voted do the actual voting  
 if ($is_voting) {  
   //open initial voting row if necessary  
   if ($number_rows == 0) {  
     $sql = "INSERT INTO $dbtable (id, total_votes, total_value, used_ips) VALUES ('$id', '0', '0', '')";  
     $result = mysqli_query($conn, $sql) or die("err");  
   }  
   //increment votes, check ips & add/update vote to table  
   if ($sum == 0) {  
     $added = 0;  
   } else {  
     $added = $count + 1;  
   }  
   if (is_array($checkIP)) {  
     array_push($checkIP, $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']);  
   } else {  
     $checkIP = array(  
       $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR']  
     );  
   }  
   $insert = serialize($checkIP);  
   mysqli_query($conn, "UPDATE $dbtable SET total_votes='$added', total_value='$sum', used_ips='$insert' WHERE id='$id'") or die("Error");  
   echo $response = '<div class="rating">Your rating:' . $is_voting . ' <br />';  
   echo '<ul class="star-rating"><li class="current-rating" style="width:' . @number_format($sum / $added, 2) * 25 . '%;"></li></ul>';  
   echo 'Overall rating: <strong>' . @number_format($sum / $added, 2) . '</strong> <br />   
   <span style="color:red;">Thank you for your vote cast!</span></div>';  
   //echo iconv("windows-1251", "UTF-8", $response);  
 }  
 ?>  

You can also explore the full version of the script in the course.

Enjoy!