MySQL database

[Charles L. Cotton]

For next year's TexasCHLforum Day at PSC, I would like for people to be able to register on-line. I was hoping to use a particular software package this year, but it won't work for this event. There is no way to have a single registration form for a person that has multiple seminars, clinics and mini-clinics in the package I was considering. It's good for registering for a single event, like a CHL class.

I strongly suspect this may as well be rocket science as far as I'm concerned, but can someone tell me generally how one would program a MySQL database to allow for registration and then for me to download it. Based upon a previous question, I presume I'd download a file from MySQL in CVS or tab delimited format and import it into Excel or better yet into Access so I could get a report.

Another feature I'd like it to have is showing the remaining slots available in each seminar and clinic and have that information updated real time when someone registers. This would make it very easy for people to know immediately if they got the events they wanted.

Okay computer guys, is this a major project for a rookie like me?

Chas.

[Kalrog]

So Charles - Uh.. there are 2 main parts to this. You would have to create a database set of tables (MySQL as mentioned) and you would have to create the web front end to insert data into it. For someone experienced, you are talking a couple hours worth of work. For a newbie... uh... multiply a few times depending on how much of a newbie you are. Either way it isn't a huge deal and this is one of those things that I would suggest delegating to the experts. Come up with a set of requirements - post them here (or email someone you trust) and have them ship back a few text files for you to run/upload. Now, if you are serious about learning, there are a ton of great books out there that incorporate php and MySQL. Some of them will have examples exactly like this and if you can slightly modify the examples, even a total newb could get it done start to finish in a decent afternoon.

How detailed would you like me to be?