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EasyPHP is an application that you install on your Windows computer which you can use as a development system for PHP / Apache and mySQL databases.

It can be downloaded form http://www.easyphp.org/ and I find it a very good way to develop applications using PHP on my Windows computer.

EasyPHP contains a single exectuable which when run, installs PHP, Apache web server and a mySQL database onto your Windows computer. All
very neat an convenient to use.

However, when I tried to install on Windows 7 I came across a number of issues with Apache and with mySQL.

When I launched the software, Apache wouldn’t start. Here is the error :

Apache cannot run: another Web server is using the Web port or port is blocked by firewall.

To overcome this issue :

1. Click the EasyPHP icon beside the “Apache” button.
2. Click “Configure” then click “EasyPHP“.
3. Uncheck “Check server’s TCP port before starting” then click “Apply” button and then “Close” button.
4. Click “Apache” button and then click “Start“.

That fixes the “Apache cannot run…” problem.

The above gets the Apache server to work but after I closed EasyPHP and ran it again, I got this second error message :

Unexpected end of MySql… See log file?

This is a mySQL error message and is actually a file permission problem.

So I changed the user permission for the EasyPHP directory and mySQL correctly started.

To set your permissions this is what you do :

1. Open and view Drive C using the windows explorer, then double click “Program Files” assuming that you installed EasyPHP in that folder.
2. Right click on the folder where you installed EasyPHP then click “Properties“.
3. On “Security” tab click “Edit…” button.
4. Select the user that you are currently using. This will probably be something like “Users (computer name)”
5. Under “Permissions for Users” box, tick “Full control” on “Allow” column.
6. And then click “OK” button to apply the changes.

Now you should be able to start mySQL server by clicking “mySQL” button on EasyPHP dialog and then click “Start“. Or shut down EasyPHP and restart it again.

Hopefully that will solve issues when working with Windows 7 and EasyPHP.

Interesting Google watch site : http://googlewatch.eweek.com/index.html

Provides information on Google developments and other Google issues.

Sometimes you may want to display one page using a link to the shop, say page 2.

This is easily done by the following link :

http://www.yourservername.com/shop/index.php?page=2

Running results for the on line poll asking ‘What kind of content are you mainly selling” up to the begining of April 2010.

You can vote on the page : http://www.withinweb.com/phpeseller/index.php

The survey is located on the right hand side of the page.

• mp3 audio files : 31.6%
• e-books : 17.7%
• Video files : 14.8%
• Software : 8.9%
• Images : 8.4%
• Physcial CDs/DVDs : 8.4%
• Other physical goods : 5.9%
• Other content : 4.2%

Comparing with the previous results, the mp3 audio files appear to be the most popular type of files that are being sold.

When you have completed the set up of PHP-eSeller, here are a few pointers which you should check if emails are not being sent out after a purchase.

• Make sure that you have assoicated a digital file with the product that you are purchasing.  If you have not assoicated a digital file with the product, an email will not be sent to the purchaser although an email will be sent to the admin email address saying no file is assoicated with the product.
• Check that your web server is able to send emails using PHP.    Most web servers will not have a problem with this so is unlikely to be the issue now.
• Check if you have entered the installation url correctly in the Global Set up admin page. I have seen http://wwww/ rather than http://www. or even just www.
• Check that your PayPal email address is the PayPal PRIMARY email account which you set in Global Set up admin page.

This web page provides a list of depreciated functions in PHP 5.3

http://php.net/manual/en/migration53.deprecated.php

This is the survey results asking What type of digital files are you selling. The results are from the end of Janurary 2010 and are a running total.

You can vote on the page : http://www.withinweb.com/phpeseller/index.php The survey is located on the right hand side of the page.

mp3 Audio Files 28.6%
video files 16.7%
e-books 16.7%
software 10.1%
Images 8.9%
Physical CDs / DVDs 8.9%
Other Physical Goods 5.4%
Other content 4.8%

Comparing the last results shows that video products have increased in percentage together with software products. mp3 Audio files are still the most popular items being sold.

phpMyAdmin is a program used to manipulate databases remotely through a web interface. A good hosting package will have this included.

1. Login to phpMyAdmin.
2. Create a new blank database first.
3. Click databases, and select the database that you will be importing your data into.
4. Across the top of the screen will be a row of tabs. Click the Import tab.
5. On the next screen will be a Location of Text File box, and next to that a button named Browse.
6. Click Browse. Locate the backup file stored on your computer.
7. Make sure the SQL radio button is checked.
8. Click the Go button.

Eventually you will see a success screen.

This desciption is applicable to all the applications PHP-eSeller, PHP-SecureArea and PHP-KeyCodes.

You should backup your database at regular intervals. You will then be able to restore the database if something goes wrong.

phpMyAdmin is the name of the program that you can use to manipulate databases.  It is usually provided as part of you control panel from your hosting company.

1.  Log into your web server control panel to access phpMyAdmin

2. Select ‘Databases’

3. Now click the name of your database.

4. The next screen will show you all the tables inside your database.  Click the ‘Export’ tab on the top set of tabs.

5. Look at the left box at the top of the Export section. All the tables in the database you selected are in that box.

* If you have other programs that use the database, then choose only those tables that correspond to your install. In the case of PHP-eSeller, they will be the ones with that start with “ipn_”, with PHP-SecureArea they are the ones that start with “sec_” and with PHP-KeyCodes, they are the ones that start with “key_”
* If the database is being used only by the one program, then, leave it as is (or click ‘Select All’ if you changed the selection)
* Ensure that SQL is checked.

6. In the SQL section, tick the following boxes:

* ‘Structure’
* ‘Add DROP TABLE’
* ‘Add AUTO_INCREMENT’ and
* ‘Enclose table and field names with backquotes’

7. In the DATA section, leave the boxes inside this section unticked, but make sure to keep the checkbox next to the “DATA” heading checked.

8.  Tick the ‘Save as file’ option, and leave the template name as is.

9. Now click ‘Go’ and you should be prompted for a file to download. Save the file to your computer.  Depending on the database size, this may take a few moments.

10. You have now backed up your database.   If you wanted, you could download a backup in each of the compression formats. Your choice. For example: None and “zipped”

Remember : You have not backed up your files or images.  Only the database itself.

How to fix Apache and MySQL problem

EasyPHP is an application that you install on your Windows computer and use as a development system for PHP / Apache and mySQL databases.

It can be downloaded form http://www.easyphp.org/

However, when I tried to install on Windows 7 I came across a number of issues with Apache and with mySQL.

This article

http://ryan.rawswift.com/2009/09/20/easyphp-on-64-bit-windows-7-how-to-fix-apache-and-mysql-problem/

solved the problems for me.