[Q] Opinions on this site design

[Eric]

This is just a thought in my head at the moment and I wanted to get some
opinions on an idea on how to design my web site.

First, it would be a 100% (or very close to it) PHP site.

The best way to descibe this thought would be to give a specific
example.

The site would revolve around a single .php file...index.ph p.

It is a two column site. The left column is a common navigation column
and the right column is (obviously) the content column.

The site also involve user registration and login for access.

So, if a user is not logged, the left column would contain the common
username and password fields. Just below these are two links 'Register'
and 'Forgot Password'.

Assume that a new user needs to register. They would then proceed to
click on the 'Register' link.

What I have found that most sites do would be to take the user to, for
example, http://<address>/register.php

Here is the meat of the alternative I was considering.

The 'Register' link would be:

http://<address>/index.php?func= register

Now, my php code would then see that 'func' was assigned and would call
a function that would put the appropriate content in the right column.
In the 'Register' case, it would be the standard request items ask of
users (e-mail, desired username, desired password).

In the same manner, the 'Forgot Password' link would be:

http://<address>/index.php?func= forgotpassword

Now, func would essentially represent top level sections of my site.
The top level sections will have sub-sections. I would handle this by
essentially doing the following:

http://<address>/index.php?func= <majorsection>& param1=someinfo rmation

To keep index.php from growing just far to big, the major sections would
be handled in their own .php files. index.php would basically be just a
large if/elseif statement based on what func said (or did not say).

If a user, who wasn't logged in, attempted to access part of the site by
providing a 'func', access would be denied via the common session
management provided by PHP.

What do people think?

--
== Eric Gorr ========= http://www.ericgorr.net ========= ICQ:9293199 ===
"Therefore the considerations of the intelligent always include both
benefit and harm." - Sun Tzu
== Insults, like violence, are the last refuge of the incompetent... ===

[Eric]

Randell D. <yo************ **************@ yahoo.com> wrote:

The only comments I can throw forward on this is that some search engines
might find difficulty in indexing any meta tags - but if its hidden behind a
username/password then I gather you're not too bothered on search engines
Right...do not want the search engines to index beyond the default page
that would appear when no 'func' was defined.
Secondly, because you would have few (if any) static pages, you should
ensure your server could handle the traffic.
Good point. My page will be a low traffic one.
Lastly... you could encounter debugging problems since I believe any
faults you do find will only report the script name and not any
arguments that might have been passed.
Another good point. I agree, it is unlikely that arguments passed would
be directly reported, but I believe the URL being used would be
available in the field and that should provide sufficient information as
I will be using the GET method.

If nothing else, if a problem is experienced, the path to that problem
should be known and would provide sufficient information to aid in
solving the problem.
I hope this gives you some food for thought...

It did. Thank you.

--
== Eric Gorr ========= http://www.ericgorr.net ========= ICQ:9293199 ===
"Therefore the considerations of the intelligent always include both
benefit and harm." - Sun Tzu
== Insults, like violence, are the last refuge of the incompetent... ===

[Eric]

Stanimir Stamenkov <s7****@netscap e.net> wrote:

Here is the meat of the alternative I was considering.

The 'Register' link would be:

http://<address>/index.php?func= register

http://www.w3.org/Provider/Style/URI
http://www.w3.org/QA/Tips
http://www.w3.org/QA/Tips/readable-uri
http://www.w3.org/QA/Tips/uri-choose

That is some great information. Thank you.

I shall have to reconsider my approach.
--
== Eric Gorr ========= http://www.ericgorr.net ========= ICQ:9293199 ===
"Therefore the considerations of the intelligent always include both
benefit and harm." - Sun Tzu
== Insults, like violence, are the last refuge of the incompetent... ===

[SwissCheese]

"Eric" <eg************ *@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:1g3t2yz.1a 9e9lnp5sadbN%eg *************@v erizon.net...

SwissCheese <Sw*********@cf l.rr.com> wrote:

People think that this is done every day.

Interesting.

I have yet to find a site that is based solely around this idea.
Can you point to one?

Now, considering that there is rarely a single solution that solves all
problems, in what ways would the design break down?

Eric,

It really depends on what you are trying to accomplish for yourself. Why
are you trying to keep everything together in one file - what is the
purpose? The only upside I can think of is that you would have only one file
for the server to cache so that may be a little faster. I have a site that
i'm planning and my first thought was to do it the same way - but the more
my plan comes together the more it seems rediculous to try to jam all the
functionality into one file. Just the overhead of all the error checking
every time you add new functions...

[R. Rajesh Jeba Anbiah]

Stephen Poley <sb*****@xs4all .nl> wrote in message news:<4c******* *************** **********@4ax. com>...

On Sun, 02 Nov 2003 20:15:22 GMT, eg************* @verizon.net (Eric)
wrote:

Here is the meat of the alternative I was considering.

The 'Register' link would be:

http://<address>/index.php?func= register

Now, my php code would then see that 'func' was assigned and would call
a function that would put the appropriate content in the right column.

...

What do people think?

What do you wish to achieve with this approach? It seems slightly more
complex than the straightforward approach, and I can't immediately see
the advantage.

The idea is centralized approach.

For example,
if ($func=="regist er")
include("includ es/register.inc.ph p");
else if ($func=="login" )
include("includ es/login.inc.php") ;
....

The problem with this approach is debugging (by 3rd programmer).

Also, you'll suffer search engine ranking problem if you don't
have mod rewrite facility as the URI is somewhat messy.

---
"Success = 10% sweat + 90% tears"
Email: rrjanbiah-at-Y!com

[Mark Parnell]

Sometime around 3 Nov 2003 20:43:11 -0800, R. Rajesh Jeba Anbiah is
reported to have stated:

"Success = 10% sweat + 90% tears"

Success is very wet.

--
Mark Parnell
http://www.clarkecomputers.com.au

[R. Rajesh Jeba Anbiah]

Mark Parnell <we*******@clar kecomputers.com .au> wrote in message news:<tt******* *************** ******@40tude.n et>...

Sometime around 3 Nov 2003 20:43:11 -0800, R. Rajesh Jeba Anbiah is
reported to have stated:

"Success = 10% sweat + 90% tears"

Success is very wet.

Yeah :) I hope it is not dry

---
"If there is a God, he must be a sadist!"
Email: rrjanbiah-at-Y!com