database for a blog

gerry87

I'm looking to get something set up for a competition on my blog where people can enter their name and a contact detail so that their name appears on a list on a separate page beside a number, but only i can see the contact details.

Also, is it possible to make it so each person can only enter once per hour or per day or something like that.

Is that a hard thing to set up?

forbairt

How long is a piece of string ?

No its not to the first part ( thats because I do this for a living if you are for example computer iliterate for example then its extremely difficult)

yes and no to them entering multiple times ...
- Track their email address ... (they could use multiple email addresses)
- Track their IP .. it could be a gateway so you're stopping others using it a UNI for example ...
- and so on ...

You have a blog you setup yourself ? what is your experience with it all

mneylon

Cookies might help

forbairt

blacknight wrote:

Cookies might help

Cookies always help ... but I don't see what this has to do with webdesign ...

*joke* :P

Cookies can be deleted ... so its not fool proof ...

Probably a combination of a lot of things would be good.

Cookies + Email Address + Verification of Link sent to email address

Seth Brundle

You cannot guarrantee anything - even with a home IP & email tracking incorporating cookies, etc., the user could just use their work PC and sign it.
However, by asking them for their mobile number along with their email (for contact purposes!) will more then likely reduce the number of times people will attempt to sign it.
I would not block IP ranges unless I was sure that 'innocent' people would not be affected.

gerry87

Thanks for the replies.

I'm looking to put a competition up on a blog. At the end of it there's going to be a draw, when people enter their name is put on a page beside a number and whatever number comes out wins the prize.

It's not really vital that people can only enter once, but i just wanted to make it awkward for people who would just enter hundreds of times. How likely is it someone would set something up to enter automatically for a small comp?

Now that i think about it's not really a big issue. The entry form would really be my first priority.

To the first reply, i've set up a couple of websites mashing together basic HTML and i've done a lil bit of java in college, but nothing major. I could probably put something together from a good tutorial, does anyone know of any on the subject? What could i google to find info on it?

forbairt

What you'll want ... (I'd use php / mysql ... but asp should be handy enough as well if that floats your boat)

something like ...

Entry Form -> php script -> mysql database

mysql database -> php script -> webpage

What you'll be looking for is

form validation
storing data in mysql database
reading from a mysql database


Here's a link I just googled ... no idea if its any good but it'll probably set you in the right direction. Is your site hosted on linux box or a windows box ?

http://www.freewebmasterhelp.com/tutorials/phpmysql

gerry87

Ok, i found an entry form for the website, is this ok?

[HTML]<FORM NAME=demo onsubmit="return validateOnSubmit()" action="listofentrants.html">
<TABLE CLASS=formtab SUMMARY="Demonstration form">
<TR>
<TD STYLE="width: 10em">
<LABEL FOR=from>Your name:</LABEL></TD>
<TD><INPUT TYPE=text NAME="from" ID="from" SIZE="35" MAXLENGTH="50"
ONCHANGE="validatePresent(this, 'inf_from');"></TD>


</TR>

<TR>
<TD><LABEL FOR=email>Your e-mail address:<br /><br />OR</LABEL></TD>
<TD><INPUT TYPE=text NAME="email" ID="email" SIZE="35" MAXLENGTH="50"
ONCHANGE="validateEmail(this, 'inf_email', true);"></TD>

</TR>

<TR>

<TD><LABEL FOR=telnr>Your telephone number:</LABEL></TD>
<TD><INPUT TYPE=text NAME="telnr" ID="telnr" SIZE="35" MAXLENGTH="25"
ONCHANGE="validateTelnr(this, 'inf_telnr', true);"></TD>

</TR>

<TR>
<TD> </TD>
<TD><INPUT TYPE="Submit" NAME="Submit" VALUE="Send"></TD>

<TD> </TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</FORM>[/HTML]

The blog is just on Blogger.com, but if i need to host a html or php file i can set up a freewebs.com account, would that work?

What would my next step be? A php script of some sort? What will that do? Sorry bout all the questions but its my first time