Ultimate Guestbook Tutorial: How to build a Guestbook with a honeypot, error checking, IP banning, pagination, e-mail notification and smilies with PHP and mySQL
I will get started with this tutorial straight away. So lets build some HTML to show our form. We will do the HTML for displaying the posts of the guestbook at a later stage. So in order to make our form do this:
1. Make a new folder somewhere on your webserver and call it templates. I am working in the folder called guestbook, so it looks like '/home/guestbook/templates/'.
2. Next make a file in the templates folder and call it form.php.
3. Open up the file and put this code in:
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<form name="guestbook" method="post" action="<?php echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']; ?>" class="guestbookform">
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<table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
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<tr>
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<td valign="top">Name:*</td>
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<td valign="top"><input type="text" name="name" /></td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td valign="top">E-Mail:*</td>
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<td valign="top"><input type="text" name="email" /></td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td valign="top">Website:</td>
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<td valign="top"><input type="text" name="website" /></td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td valign="top" colspan="2">Message:</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td valign="top" colspan="2"><textarea name="message"></textarea></td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td valign="top" colspan="2" align="center"><input type="submit" name="submit" value="Sign Guestbook" /></td>
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</tr>
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</table>
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</form>
This code should be fairly self explanatory. Most of it is just simple HTML code that first declares how the browser passes data to the server (POST) and sets up the user interface elements. The only php in this code is in the action of the form, which tells where the browser should send the request to:
This simply accesses a predefined PHP variable, which spits out the location where the user currently is. So if you were looking at the page we made in the browser it would output 'form.php'.
Now if you just looked at the form.php page in your browser you will notice it looks bad. Lets get into the styling of the form before we start giving it some functions. We will achieve this by using a main skin template. This can be achieved simply through a file called skin.php which allows you to simply add bits of code to different sections of the HTML.
32 Responses to “Ultimate Guestbook Tutorial: How to build a Guestbook with a honeypot, error checking, IP banning, pagination, e-mail notification and smilies with PHP and mySQL”
By VLADIS
on Jun 2, 2008
I make this guestbook.
It go not me. It always write this errors:
Warning: mysql_num_rows(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in /3w/wz.cz/m/medvede/5/includes/actions.php on line 3
Warning: mysql_num_rows(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in /3w/wz.cz/m/medvede/5/includes/functions.php on line 12
Warning: mysql_fetch_array(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in /3w/wz.cz/m/medvede/5/templates/entries.php on line 15
i have it on http://medvede.wz.cz/5/index.php
Help me, please.
thank you
By VoiDeT
on Jun 2, 2008
Hey Vladis,
Did you make sure you have created the database correctly?
Please make sure you have done this, otherwise this error would definitely show up.
By VLADIS
on Jun 3, 2008
I make this TABLE :
CREATE TABLE `entries` (
`id` int(8) NOT NULL auto_increment,
`name` varchar(255) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL,
`email` varchar(255) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL,
`website` varchar(255) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL,
`message` text collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL,
`date` timestamp NOT NULL default CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
`ip` varchar(15) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL,
PRIMARY KEY (`id`)
) ENGINE=MyISAM DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1 COLLATE=latin1_general_ci AUTO_INCREMENT=1 ;
and this:
CREATE TABLE `spam` (
`id` int(8) NOT NULL auto_increment,
`ip` varchar(15) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL,
PRIMARY KEY (`id`),
KEY `ip` (`ip`)
) ENGINE=MyISAM DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1 COLLATE=latin1_general_ci AUTO_INCREMENT=1 ;
I have in config.php this code:
And it doesn’t go.
By VLADIS
on Jun 3, 2008
I have in config.php this code:
$host = ‘mysql.webzdarma.cz’;
$username = ‘medvede48′;
$password = ‘xxx’;
$dbname = ‘guestbook’; - - I try also entries
$email = ‘your@email.com’;
$connect = mysql_connect($host, $username, $password);
$dbselect = mysql_select_db($dbname);
$items = 10;
By VoiDeT
on Jun 3, 2008
Can you please provide me with your ftp details?
It could be my end, or it could be your end. But i thought i tested this script without any rows in the database. Let me know
By VLADIS
on Jun 3, 2008
I have it on: photoshopsk.wz.cz
password: 7754705
I have files from this tutorial.
By VoiDeT
on Jun 4, 2008
And your username for me to log in please?
By VLADIS
on Jun 5, 2008
(https://www.webzdarma.cz/)
My username on FTP is : photoshopsk.wz.cz
and password: 7754705
(https://www.webzdarma.cz/mysql/index.php)
And username on mysql server is: photoshopsk
password:ragp3s
By VoiDeT
on Jun 7, 2008
Those settings do not work.
I need username, password, and address.
Otherwise i cannot look for you.
By VLADIS
on Jun 7, 2008
Look you:
1) http://photoshopsk.wz.cz/1/1.JPG
2) http://photoshopsk.wz.cz/1/2.JPG
3) http://photoshopsk.wz.cz/1/3.JPG
Do you thing this or no?
If no this, then what you think? What of address?
By Linnea
on Jun 9, 2008
Hi! I just want to say thank you for a wonderful tutorial. I will probably use this at my website when I have finished it, so I can send the link later. Thank you!
By VoiDeT
on Jun 9, 2008
@ Linnea - Thanks alot for your comment. I would love to see your website when you have finished with it!
@Vladis - Doesn’t work dude. Maybe you have limited the IP range of access?
By VLADIS
on Jun 11, 2008
My action what I make.
1.) I am download this tutorial: http://www.jotlab.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/guestbook.zip
2.) I give it on a web all. (http://photoshopsk.wz.cz/)
3.) I am create table :
CREATE TABLE `entries` (
`id` int(8) NOT NULL auto_increment,
`name` varchar(255) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL,
`email` varchar(255) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL,
`website` varchar(255) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL,
`message` text collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL,
`date` timestamp NOT NULL default CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
`ip` varchar(15) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL,
PRIMARY KEY (`id`)
) ENGINE=MyISAM DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1 COLLATE=latin1_general_ci AUTO_INCREMENT=1 ;
and this:
CREATE TABLE `spam` (
`id` int(8) NOT NULL auto_increment,
`ip` varchar(15) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL,
PRIMARY KEY (`id`),
KEY `ip` (`ip`)
) ENGINE=MyISAM DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1 COLLATE=latin1_general_ci AUTO_INCREMENT=1 ;
4.) I chanqe in config.php on it :
AND IT NO GO.
You know where is mistake???
By Amanda
on Jun 11, 2008
Hello. I am trying to make a wedding website and want to add a guestbook feature. Everything seemed to be working okay but now I get two big errors.
Warning: mysql_num_rows(): supplied argument is not a valid MySQL result resource in /home/.magdalen/danfrancis/www/attempt/includes/actions.php on line 3
and
Fatal error: Call to undefined function: pagination() in /home/.magdalen/danfrancis/www/attempt/templates/skin.php on line 48
Any clue what is going on? Any help would be great. The site it’s at right now (just testing it out) is: http://www.danfrancisphotography.com/attempt/index.php
THANKS AGAIN!
By Lily
on Jun 11, 2008
Hello there.
It doesn’t work at myhomepage.. Can you please tell me, what I’ve done wrong?
- Lily.
By VoiDeT
on Jun 11, 2008
Hey people,
I don’t know why you are having these problems. It sounds like an error in the SQL. I am happy to look on your server if you provide me with the correct FTP details or cpanel details.
I have installed this script from the zip file and it works fine.
Thank you
By Lily
on Jun 12, 2008
What do you mean with the correct FTP details or cpanel details?
By VoiDeT
on Jun 12, 2008
However you upload the files to your server,
so i can see what the problem is. Because i cant replicate it
By Lily
on Jun 12, 2008
The only thing I’ve changed is the MySQL otherwise I haven’t touched anything. The same text as Amanda got I have at my page.
By VoiDeT
on Jun 12, 2008
Yep,
what sql did you change?
the connection settings?
By eHobayyeb
on Jun 22, 2008
Amazing!
Everything works fine.
I am new PHPier and found many useful tips & tricks!
Keep it up VoiDeT, I will do all PHP tuts here.
Thanks
Mohammad
hattoon.com
By HCF
on Jul 5, 2008
Hi, awesome tutorial, shows exactly how to use the basics. 2 questions regarding your techniques:
1. What about using mySQLi instead of the usual mySQL (only PHP5, but way better), since it is faster and more secure.
2. I guess this was designed for beginner and advanced user, so it would be useful to show a lil bit of object oriented programming, since it makes the source code more accessible and php more flexible.
Awesome work, greetings from Germany.
By VoiDeT
on Jul 5, 2008
HCF!
Vielen dank für ihre nette antwort. Du hast auf Englisch geschreiben, so ich werde auf Deutsch antworten. Es freut mich so viel das du die tutorial magst. So danke noch mal. Ich hab noch nicht viele mysqli probiert. Aber ich weiß das es OOP ist. Für dieser tutorial will ich sehr einfach machen, aber vielleicht lern ich MySQLi für meine selber projekte.
Vielen dank noch mal,
By Fredrik
on Jul 7, 2008
Hi voidet,
I like the icons you use to identify the country, OS and browser. How did you do that?
By VoiDeT
on Jul 7, 2008
Firestats plugin mate
By Akira
on Jul 30, 2008
Nice guestbook. I like it.
By Dan Bunyard
on Aug 9, 2008
Awesome work! I have a guestbook on my existing site but….to put it mildly….it was hacked together to make it work. You have sure a great example here of the things you can do with PHP/MySQL. Keep up the great work, and happy coding!!
By Franklyn
on Aug 11, 2008
I havent read the code in detail but wouldnt it be better to do the error handling client side ?.
By VoiDeT
on Aug 12, 2008
Doing just client side opens you up to attacks.
This is a server side tutorial anyhow. By just doing client side error checking would be insecure and negligent.
By mm
on Aug 24, 2008
hi - this is really a great tutorial. Im very glad you did this as I was confused about how to add a honeypot.
listen, do you know how to add an ADMIN page/function to this GB, or is it already there? I was testing mine and managed to ban my own IP! I’m not sure how to manage the database at this point. Any help is appreciated.
Thanks!
By VoiDeT
on Aug 24, 2008
Hey,
Simply go into phpmyadmin and delete the entry in the banlist that is associated with your IP address
Thanks for the comments!
By Yousha
on Sep 11, 2008
This form needs CAPTCHA security image.
GL.