Help! Uploading trackable ads into a .php script!

[authormum]

:o
Sorry in advance if this is answered elsewhere but I couldnt find it and I'm a
complete newbie and very confused!

I am creating an advertisment site (but not classifieds, sort of more a pixel
site) but my programming is pretty much zilch.
I want to use Contribute to upload 'adverts' to a .php or to a .html page - I
know it will work uploading to a .html page but will it work editing a .php
page too? Or can you create html areas on a .php page?

Secondly, I need to upload 'banner ads' or 'ads' - visitors click the ad and
go straight to the website of the advertiser - BUT I need to track their stats
ie. no of clicks / impressions etc. (I can generate the code for these ads
using other software, I think?). Can I upload these adverts to a page using
contribute? Even if it is a .php page? Also, How would I choose exactly where
in the page it was to go via contribute?

Any help and advice would be very much appreciated. I'm going totally mad!

Thanks so much

B

[Joeyb]

B,

Short answer: Yes, you can use Contribute on PHP pages.

Long answer: You may be better served with Dreamweaver for writing the PHP and
a crash course in PHP programming. Contribute is mainly meant for non-technical
folks to edit content on a page (usually built by a techie person). You don't
directly edit source code or even html with Contribute. All that dynamic stuff
you're talking about will need to be done at the source code level in an editor.

You can, however, upload images all day long with Contribute.

[authormum]

:D:D
Thanks so much Joeyb
Much appreciated! You've saved me a lot of potential heartache - I'll have a go now!

[jhutchdublin]

Just looking at your question. My advice is the same -- Use Dreamweaver and get
a course on PHP. As certified MM instructor I recommend you read the book
Dreamweaver MX 2004 (or 8) depending on your version with asp, coldfusion and
php. By Jeffrey Bardzell. This will give you a good grounding on how to use
Dreamweaver with PHP. Also, I would look at several books on PHP writing and
development.

If you have no programming experience -- go on a course for php. Also, when
downloading PHP to your machine [url]www.php.org[/url] get the version your host will be
using. While PHP 5 is out not all hosting companies currently offer it. Check
with your ISP and get the same version