Hello all,

I want to create a website with a list of all my music videos, family photos/videos, etc. It will probably need a database of some kind because I have well over a thousand videos and adding new ones almost daily.

I would also want people to have to log in to an account to view/download the videos/photos because I don't want the general public to have access to all the work I have done. I don't think membership fees will be an issue, I just want friends and family to have access to the info.

I have no idea how to create a website such as this and I really don't like the idea of making each web page separately. Heck, even if I made a separate webpage for each letter of the alphabet containing a list of applicable artists/songs it would already be 26 individual pages.

I know how to create basic websites with only a few pages and upload them to a server, but I have no idea where to start with designing a website which includes a database, log in features, etc.

A tutorial on how to design such a website would be great! Someone who is willing to help me set it all up would be even better, I'd be willing to offer some sort of payment in return of course.

Any assistance is greatly appreciated,
Cheers,
ziggy

A tutorial on how to design such a website would be great!

I don't think you'll find any such tutorial.

The easiest FREE solution is to use PHP and MySQL - PHP is the scripting and MySQL is the backend database.

Hi LadynRed,

You sound like you know what you're doing, would you be interested in assisting me in setting up such a website?

Cheers,
ziggy

Unfortunately I'm not versed in PHP and know very little MySQL, sorry. I know just enough to be dangerous, not enough to do what you want.

You may want to consider a Content Managment System such as Joomla or one of the others.

Most people will not do it for you without a cost...But if you need help.. The best thing to do is trial & error... Then refer to the forums for questions and answers.

Your best bet is to use a content management system, especially since it will just be a private site. I personally recommend Xoops. Furthermore, here are some media player modules for it... http://www.xoops.org/modules/news/ar...p?storyid=3745

my personal problem with xoops was the installing
if you have got fantastico on your servertry using one of those
or even ask your web hoster (if their good enough!)to install a CMS for you

If you have all the required prerequisites you shouldn't have a problem installing Xoops.

Originally Posted by LadynRed

I don't think you'll find any such tutorial.

The easiest FREE solution is to use PHP and MySQL - PHP is the scripting and MySQL is the backend database.

She's right about using pHp; the suggestion to use a content management system clearly shows a lack of experience / knowledge.

Why is that? Because you want to attack me or because learning PHP and MySQL from ground zero, with (assuming) no other programming experience, in order to create a private, yet complex, family website to share music, videos and other media is the only advice an "experienced" person should give?

Travelagent, your so transparent. You were banned once for 7 days for harassing others and driving away members; not to mention following around a moderator just to level attacks at his intelligence. So your first order of business upon returning is to continue the same childish behavior?

Your well on your way to a permanent ban. I hope it's enjoyable at least.

I'm not attacking you Republikin -- you seem to have a personal problem with my experience and knowledge, so you keep complaining to the Admin ... I was merely pointing out that LadynRed and I were correct in using pHp, and that a CMS system is absolutely the wrong way to approach / correct the problem.

I've been doing this stuff since you were age 9 -- instead of constantly attacking me, you might want to learn alot of stuff you don't know.

In your haste to point out my "mistake" travelagent, you forgot to point out that LadynRed also suggested that a CMS might be the way to go.

So, would you please enlighten me as to why a CMS is such a poor solution to this persons individual problem?

LNR stated originally -- "The easiest FREE solution is to use PHP and MySQL" and then came back with -- "You may want to consider"; not the "way to go".

You didn't make a "mistake"; but if you would have been more kind and thoughtful to have asked why pHp is the preferred method and how to implement it, instead of jumping to conclusions; jumping down my throat; and threatening me again, I would have supplied the solution ... that's not the best sign of a Moderator, IMO ... and certainly not the way to get the answer out of me.

I would use asp and sql to build my own cms, but that's because I already know those technologies, and could stamp it out more quickly than I could learn the management system. When it comes to making Blogger look good, with it's messed up template system, I maybe should have written up an aspx system instead.

But for somebody who's not a programmer already, just learning the concepts of a procedural language, set based queries with a declarative language like sql, and so on, a cms is probably a faster path.

Also, you can get all the wordpress themes in the world. You can use open source components in your code, too, but there might be more useful wp skins, just because there are more people using wordpress than my particular code.

Originally Posted by travelagent

the suggestion to use a content management system clearly shows a lack of experience / knowledge.

You know that using something pre-made, even a template, may show a lack of knowledge when it comes to coding. However, if I'm selling a product or setting up a site for personal reasons, why do I need to know all about the coding behind the site?

If you're making a site about webmastering, then I'd definitely say not to use a CMS or template; that kinda' defeats the purpose of the site. But if I'm making a site selling wickets, I don't need to know all the ins and outs to create the website.

Maybe a good example is like turning on the lights in your room. Do you understand all there is to know about electricity? Can you wire your own room? You don't need to...unless maybe you're an electrician.

I used a template on a doctor's site. No one doubted his professionalism because it was a template. His patients will probably never know, or care. Only a webmaster may know for sure (remember that ol' commercial about only your hair stylist will know for sure....or something like that).

Dave