Blog Help

[GhettoT]

OK, so I just got ambitious and decided to write my own simple blog system. Nothing too fancy just 2-3 tables/frames that will display the latest 2-3 blog entries, and a link to see a list of all blog entries.

I hope to use a MySQL db to store the info but I am pretty noobalicious with db's right now. Any tips on where to begin with this venture?

Thanks a WHOLE LOT!!!

[codeexploiter]

You can start with planning what are the features that you need in your blog system. Once you complete the planning part then you can anlyze your requirements so that you can avoid any conflicting view that you had started in your phase one. Then you can design your database (be very careful here) you must consider your entire system what are the information you intend to store in the database, their relationships,etc. You need to develop a flexible database inorder to make your system more robust. After completing each phase try to evaluate what you've done (it reduce the maintenence time later).

Since you've posted it in a PHP forum I think you've already decided about the server-side technology try to develop the code in such a way that it is reusable and easy to maintain or extend.

[GhettoT]

Well, I am hoping to create a simple system that can easily be implemented into any site so I can reuse it again later on any site I create.

I have begun to design my database structure via a PDF file. I am hoping to have a simple admin back-end where you can go enter a title, content, and brief summary of the entry. Then using PHP I would hope to pick up the date/time and then have all this info stored in the db. I am not sure how doable this is, but its my dream! lol

[TheBigT]

A side note... don't have one page with a link to all the blogs. If you get more than 15 blogs, it becomes a pain to look at that many links. It is better to have them classified by month.

EDIT: Another small note. You say you don't know much about databases. I am not sure how much you know with queries and such, but when you are getting the 2 - 3 most recent blogs, use your query to limit the amount of rows returned.

[GhettoT]

Thanks for all the feedback folks. But I have decided, that since my knowledge is limited by means of databases and such. I will be using WordPress and will create my own layout, or if at all possible do a

<?php include 'http://www.whatever.com/wordpress/index.php ?>

You think that is possible if i completely strip down index.php and all the related files to just strait blog and no images?

[GhettoT]

This has nothing o do with PHP anymore. Its more of a CSS/HTML question now, (so feel free to move it if you'd like). But I am using an iframe to put WordPress into my existing layout. Http://www.team330.org/tests/blog.php . Now, I am having trouble getting the wordpress to make its width thinner. Any ideas? I have never used wordpress, but i tried tweaking the CSS and stuff with now luck... I would rather not scrap the sidebar menu and stuff bit I will as a last resort. Any ideas?