What is PhP All about?

[Magicalneo]

First of all , I think php is good to enhance a website though I really do not know what it is all about.

Since I use dreamweaver to make my .html files


phpnuke.com/.org
Php seems to be very good but I do not know where to start learning it , there is something called php nuke , but if I install it I can't use my fireworks/photoshop/dreamweaver files? cuz it just gives me something called theme , dunno what the hell it is all about.

phpfreak.com/.org
These website I dun even know what to do there people keep telling me to go to their web but I really do not what to do there.

my main objective are to create a chatbox , poll , online stats and counter by using php and making a online virtual login feature box that links up with both website and forum , not using phpnuke , but using pure website done using dreamweaver,fireworks.

theres also something I need to know about php website files
what are these index.php=id(a number here) .php=action(a number here) files
and how diffrent are they from .htm files.


One more thing , about fireworks and photoshop ,how do I inport fonts so that I can use the fonts I downloaded on the web.

[kabatak]

you should start by making a simple guestbook from a tutorial. google it, theres a lot out there. once you grab the concepts, you can do almost anything from there. you don't need dreamweaver or fireworks to code php, you only need a text editor like notepad.

about the fonts, simply copy the fonts to your systen folder, usually, C:\WINDOWS\Fonts

[perforcehosting]

you can try LDU if your interested in CMS, I think LDU is a very good CMS
www.neocrome.net

[openlate]

theres also something I need to know about php website files
what are these index.php=id(a number here) .php=action(a number here) files
and how diffrent are they from .htm files.

In a nutshell php files have variables and the url fills in one or more of these variables, take the url for the page I'm on now:

http://www.freewebspace.net/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=541040

in the code there would be something saying if do=xxx do this, etc. in this case it would be something like if do=newreply then show the reply to thread box which it did. thats the dumbed down basics of it, if you get into php you'll read up about it sooner or later.