Why would this site use PHP

[tomyknoker]

Hi All,

Am trying to get my head around PHP and am wondering this site here http://www.dumbofeather.com/df.php what part of the index page would use php? I thought PHP talked to a database?

[BLiZZaRD]

Lots of reasons, could be anything really.

My guess (based on the extra space below the </html> tag is a page/hit counter. I used some that were php based and show no code on page.

perhaps something like this is the case here, and the owner doesn't use the

AddType application/x-httpd-php .html .htm
AddHandler application/x-httpd-php .html .php .htm

to allow php in the html pages??

[djr33]

1. It's valid to replace any .htm extension with .php.... might be habit or for consistancy with the rest of the site.
2. it's not just for databases... it's also for dynamic content.. perhaps the src for the flash is dynamic, OR even from a datase.
3. CMS (content management services) use php sometimes.... could be related to something along these lines.
4. Might use php to track IPs for unique hits.

Lots and lots of possibilities.

[alexjewell]

Sometimes, you can mesh flash and PHP. Maybe the pages in the flash file are added in dynamically. Also, as stated above, it could be for a counter.

PHP is not always hooked up with a database, as well.

[djr33]

Yes. Flash can also output POST data and other things that might be php related.

Mainly, we have no idea, since we can't see the source code, as that's how php works.

I still would guess that it's more for consistancy than anything else, but there may also be other things going on, like cookies, for examples, perhaps storing a preference, like that you have (or don't have) flash player installed.