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General Discussion

Posted by Yusuf Bagha
Yusuf Bagha
28,853 Points

Changing a part of a Website Dynamically

How would I code a system that updates a page in real time. For example, if I posted a photo/status on a social network, how does that photo/status get updated on my friends wall?

I'm not creating a Social Network, but the same principals apply.

2 Answers

Rasmus Ishøi
PLUS
Rasmus Ishøi
Courses Plus Student 157 Points
Rasmus Ishøi
Rasmus Ishøi
Courses Plus Student 157 Points

Often you will want to make a lot of system script and such in PHP. PHP is running server-side meaning its kinda executed before it hits the browser, which is often referred to as being Synchronous. If you want to change the content on a site without reloading the site, you will want Asynchronous loading, which can be achieved by fx. AJAX. For using AJAX you will want to learn jQuery and/or Javascript (jQuery is a framework for Javascript).

Yusuf Bagha
Yusuf Bagha
28,853 Points

Thanks for the answer, now I understand that but how would I write a PHP script that would do that, and how would that system work, and I already know JS and some PHP

Rasmus Ishøi
Rasmus Ishøi
Courses Plus Student 157 Points

It's not about writing the PHP to make it execute Asynchronously, it's about making the jQuery or JS script call the PHP script, and retrieve info to post in the browser. JS can work in the browser like it wants to, as the browser executes the JS script free of the server. Take a look at the AJAX basics: http://teamtreehouse.com/library/ajax-basics/upcoming

Yusuf Bagha
Yusuf Bagha
28,853 Points

So simply have JS take the string data or file from the user, push it into the PHP script and have the PHP script throw it into the browser of the friends/ followers.

So JS is the one changing the html on the page not the PHP

Rasmus Ishøi
Rasmus Ishøi
Courses Plus Student 157 Points

Roughly, yes.

Rasmus Ishøi
PLUS
Rasmus Ishøi
Courses Plus Student 157 Points
Rasmus Ishøi
Rasmus Ishøi
Courses Plus Student 157 Points

EDIT: Oops.

Yusuf Bagha
Yusuf Bagha
28,853 Points

So then what would the JS programming look like, can you give me an example?

Rasmus Ishøi
Rasmus Ishøi
Courses Plus Student 157 Points

Oh, didn't realize that the tutorial for AJAX is not available yet. I'm actually terrible in JS, so you will want to take a look at this maybe: http://www.w3schools.com/php/php_ajax_php.asp or this: http://api.jquery.com/jquery.getjson/ for jQuery

Yusuf Bagha
Yusuf Bagha
28,853 Points

Alright Thank You Rasmus