The easy way

I couldn’t do what I wanted with PHP. So I’ve switched to ASP. Dean Allen suggested a method of getting my PHP includes to use virtual paths – use $__SERVER["DOCUMENT_ROOT"];

All servers doing what they’re supposed to do, this would have been fine and dandy. Unfortunately, this server doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do, as we have started to establish over the last month.

So we’re back to the Microsoft server side language, ASP. Although it’s a fairly robust language that capably handles session variables and is used by many UK banks (see: IF), it’s not open source and wont run on anything but a Windows server. PHP can run on Unix or Windows. I’m getting used to crossing bridges when I come to them and I guess, when (if) I move to a Unix server I will change to PHP. At this point, the whole $_SERVER[‘DOCUMENT_ROOT’]; thing will work.

One bonus with ASP is that it’s easy for a non-programmer like me to get my head around. It’s an end to a means. I need server side scripting because I need to save time developing this personal site. Now all I need to do is understand how ASP interfaces with mySQL!

Tags: Life