[ Thanks to drfickle for this link.
]
“Steve shows how to create personalized Web sites that let
visitors customize their view of the site and the information they
see. This server-side application, for PHP developers with some
experience, stores user profiles in a MySQL database and
dynamically generates information using PHP. Steve also introduces
the new session management features in PHP4 and discusses efficient
PHP coding.”
“In this example, a link at the top of the Web page brings
visitors to the login page, where they can sign in or create a new
account. To create a new account, the visitor enters an e-mail
address and a password. The system sends a confirmation to the
e-mail address that includes a link containing the confirmation
code. When the visitor uses the link, he or she can confirm the
e-mail address and password entered previously. If the information
entered is valid, the visitor is sent to the user profile page
where to set preferences. Once the visitor has edited a profile, he
or she can return to the homepage to view it using those
preferences.”
“This article assumes that you are already familiar with basic
PHP syntax and function. If you need an introduction, read Craig
Knudsen’s introductory article on PHP, which I’ve included in the
Resources section. I use the new session management features that
are only available with PHP version 4. I also assume that you are
familiar with MySQL user and database management. If not, I
recommend the MySQL Administration tutorial offered by DevShed.com
(also in the Resources section). Keep in mind that MySQL has
recently been relicensed under the GNU Public License, which means
that it is now free on all platforms, including Microsoft
Windows.”