Programming tips

[dojo]

Yep .. another "tips and tricks" category you are invited to offer ideas.

*****

Use a local server
When having a site or trying new stuff, why not use a local server for Php/Mysql work? You can find good free ones and use them offline. You can refine your skills and try new hacks and mods without annoying the people who are already on your site.

[Vitesse]

Following along the idea Dojo mentioned above.



If you have enough webspace, databases available to you and you can have a subdomain then make a duplicate copy of your site/forum (obvoiusly with only a few test posts and users) on a subdomain. This is an invalauable way of testing new scripts out as you will be running scripts with the same server environment as your normal site has so any problems are bound to show up there first.

[dojo]

Wow .. awesome idea indeed. Thank you for sharing it with us .. Methinks I should put it into work ASAP.

[Insane_Sparrow]

I know this is SO obvious, but it's often overlooked - make sure whatever you're programming will work in as many environments as possible. If it only works for YOU, then it will turn everyone else away.

[dojo]

Very good tip, Insane_Sparrow. We usually forget that not all PCs are like ours, not all browsers function the same way ...

[bdude]

Exactly, I was trying to do something and then a member sent me a screenshot in IE7 and it was completely screwed up.

[compfreak986]

PHP-tip:
Use enough comments, Else you wont understand your code when you look at it in 10 ten years.

[bdude]

Better still, use phpDocumentor syntax - then you can auto-generate basic API documentation

[eviL<3]

Indeed
More info on phpdoc can be found here: http://phpdoc.org/

[Dale]

AppServ: http://www.appservnetwork.com

AppServ is something that I use which allows you to use PHP and MySQL offline.