A question about PHP

[Al Lowe]

I'm trying to create a site for a friend, and she would like it in frames. After chatting with some people on a Yahoo group devoted to HTML, they've recommended that I use php instead.

My problem, I'm not very well versed in php. I know HTML pretty well, and can stumble around in it until I get it right. But PHP might as well be Greek (or is it "Geek?") to me.

What I want, or would like is to create a page with a header, main body and a footer. AND if possible, perhaps a side bar to the main body.

Can I do this with PHP?

I've looked through different tutorials, and so far, have not found anything that answers my specific question. So I would appreciate any and all assistance.

Thanks,

Al Lowe

[stymiee]

You'll want to use PHP's include() function to include the common header, footer, and sidebar.

[Al Lowe]

Is there a source you'd recommend that could help me to understand PHP a little better, such as a site or a book or something?

Thanks,

[stymiee]

php.net. They even have a page dedicated to every function.

[Puckdropper]

Most of your site description seems to be CSS/HTML related. I'd look in to figuring out a way to do create the site as you want it with CSS and HTML, and simplify the different pages with PHP later.

What PHP allows you to do (in a nut shell) is branch to different sections of code based upon a response or simplify maintenance by extracting duplicated code to a single source file. (You can have as many seperate files as you want.)

[greenphpcoder]

i recommend the use of Smarty

[stymiee]

Smarty is usually overkill for sites like Al's. Way too much work an overhead for something that can done as easily as a couple of include files.

[greenphpcoder]

i find smarty is a time saver in the long run.

[stymiee]

For larger sites, sure. But for what this member will be doing it will obviously be overkill plus something far too complex to set up.