How to create a simple forum website with php

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Hi everyone, in this tutorial I will show how to create a simple forum website. I assume you have some background knowledge of php & mysql. I also assume you have signed up to some webhosting company which supports php/mysql (you can also find one for free). If you don’t this tutorial is not for you.

1. Download here the file simple_forum_source.rar and extract it to get the files:- add_answer.php, add_topic.php, create_topic.php, main_forum.php, view_topic.php and table_creator.php. 6 php files. For now just extract and put them in some folder in your harddisk.
2. Go to your hosting account, create a database and name it “test”. In this step I need you to write down:-host name, mysql user name, mysql password and database name(“test” in this case) . must remember!
3. Now you’ve created your database “test”, it’s time to create two tables in it. “forum_question” and “forum_answer”. To do that :-
• • Open the temporary file table_creator.php with notepad and replace -host name, mysql user name, mysql password and database name, with your own. Look below

    
    
  $host="***********"; // Host name 
  $username="*****@*****.com"; // your mysql username
  $password="***********"; //your  mysql password
  $db_name="test@*****.com"; // Database name  its “test” for this example.
  // Make a MySQL Connection
  mysql_conn…
  
    
    

• • upload the temporary file table_creator.php in your ftp and run it. Ie.www. **********.com/ table_creator.php and you must see the display table forum_question created & table forum_answer created. if you do you can delete the temporary file ” table_creator.php” and move on to the next step.
4. Upload the remaining five files. Wait!!! Before you do open up each file and replace hostname, username etc…like we did for the file ‘table creator.php’.
5. Go to your site www.**********.com/main_forum.php. Congratulations you have created your forum site.