Where can I test PHP code?

CGameProgrammer · 03-03-2003, 04:34 AM

I run a website that uses ASP, www.devimg.net. I don't like the host and am interested in learning PHP so I can switch to a better one, since it's much more widely supported. I went with ASP because Brinkster (the host) offers free low-bandwidth accounts for people to run ASP without committing to something.

I'm looking for a similar thing for PHP, if it exists. My site uses tons of scripts and I need to be sure that everything works in PHP -- I need to be able to upload files and I need to load and manipulate images. If I can't do that in PHP (or with components widely available in PHP, assuming it uses components like 3rd-party DLLs) then what's a better language?

Ökii · 03-03-2003, 12:55 PM

Interesting site - similar stuff to what my brother does.

I don't really know any free PHP hosts (though there are plenty out there), so will just answer your 'can PHP do this?' questions.

... yes

You would need GD, ImageMagick or Gimp to do the image manipulations (GD being the most commonly supported), while the other features are easy in any PHP build.

On a subnote: to reduce bandwidth/loadtimes you might want to redesign the way your site works and grant each projetc a seperate templatized page patched into a dynamic menu system.

CGameProgrammer · 03-03-2003, 01:04 PM

Ah, thanks. I remember seeing lists of plugins supported by some free hosts, and gd was definitely among many of them... gimp may have been too. What are some PHP upload components? The reason I need them is that a user uploads images to my site, and the site resizes those images and uses them as thumbnails.

missing-score · 03-03-2003, 08:13 PM

The best FREE php hosting I have found:

http://www.coolfreepages.com ( OK )

http://www.lycos.co.uk
(lycos give you 50MB, unlim bandwidth, PHP and a free MySQL database with online editor.

http://www.ICDsoft.com offer good paid hosting

SilverSurfer · 03-04-2003, 09:44 AM

www.netfirms.com are ok - they're free and I think they allow php, but not sure

CGameProgrammer · 03-04-2003, 12:32 PM

I'll give Lycos a shot. I tried CoolFreePages but besides having a full-page ad that takes some time to load (a fraction of a second, but as a PHP newbie I'm constantly refreshing the page to test code), their FTP timeout is like 10 seconds. It's absurd. I have to constantly reconnect.

Darknight · 03-04-2003, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SilverSurfer
www.netfirms.com are ok - they're free and I think they allow php, but not sure

looks like they dont.

http://www.netfirms.com/hostingChart