I'm probably in the wrong forum, if so, could someone please direct me to the correct one. I need to figure out how to configure multiple windows on our web site (www.csflancaster.org) to allow students to apply for our interest-free loans for college on-line.

I don't know where to start other than the design of the web page (www.csflancaster.org/NewAppForm.html). How does one configure the windows and then how can I set up a receptacle on our server? Can I use MS Access for this? If so, how?

Some direction would really help, since I want to save money by not hiring a programmer in order to have as much money as possible to loan to our students.

Joe Webber

I believe you are looking for Java, not JavaScript. JavaScript is a client-side web scripting language, and Java is a programming language.

P2P does have Java forums, I would relocate your message to there, but I am not a moderator.

Meanwhile, I hope you find the help you need.

Snib

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Hi Joe,

It's difficult to suggest a proper forum, because your question is quite unclear. The forum is about JavaScript, yet the topic mentions Java programming. And to make it even more confusing, the post itself seems to deal with.... ?? Websites?

What are you trying to accomplish? What do you mean with "configure multiple windows"?

Are you trying to set up different web sites? e.g. www.csflancaster.org/Joe and www.csflancaster.org/Imar where each student can have a custom Web space?
Or do you want students to sign up for the site so they can view content targeted at them specifically??

Cheers,

Imar
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Imar Spaanjaars
Everyone is unique, except for me.

Imar, I appreciate your reply. Maybe if you check out the web page (www.csflancaster.org/NewAppForm.html), it may be more apparent what I'm trying to accomplish. I need to have a web page that students can make application on-line for student loans from our association.

I suspect from what you and others have written that, indeed, I was in the wrong forum.

Joe

Right, I see. I looked at the site before, but not at the NewAppForm page.

In short, this is what you'll need (to do):

1. Make sure you have a Web server that supports a server side programming technology. For example, PHP, ASP, ASP.NET, JSP etc etc. What you choose doesn't really matter, but you're often limited to what your ISP or host supports. It looks like you're running Apache, so using ASP.NET for example may not be an option.
But if you're new to this, it doesn't really matter what you pick; you'll have to learn something anyway.

2. Create a database for the data that is submitted.

3. With the programming language of your choice, receive the information send to the server (from the HTML form), validate it and add it to the database.

This is a 10,000 foot overview; building a page like this is not a trivial task, and it's pretty difficult explaining what you need to do and how you need to do it in a few forum posts.

If I were you, I'd find out what server side technologies you can use, and then choose one. ASP is a good option, but only runs on Windows (well, it can also run on Unix, but not as easy). PHP would be a very good alternative too.

Once you know what technology you can use, buy a book. I can imagine you don't want to hire a programmer, but without a few good books you're not getting very far. For ASP, you can check out my book: http://www.wrox.com/books/0764555243.shtml It deals with creating database driven web sites with Macromedia Dreamweaver.

For PHP, take a look at this book: http://www.wrox.com/books/0764557440.shtml

There used to be a book called "Beginning ASP Databases", but it's not a Wrox book anymore. I am not sure if it still exists, but Amazon can give you an answer to that question.

Once you have the technology and a book, come back to these forums and locate a forum related to your technology (or book). There are lots of people willing to help you when you run into troubles.

In the mean time, feel free to post follow up questions here; it may not be very on-topic for this forum, but right now there really isn't a more suitable forum.

Cheers,

Imar
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Imar Spaanjaars
Everyone is unique, except for me.
While typing this post, I was listening to: Miss World by Hole (Track 2 from the album: Live Through This) What's This?