How do you deal with PHP for student IT lessons?

[burgemaster]

Hi,

 

Previously we setup PHP on a test internal web server and allowed the BTEC students to FTP their PHP code to it, allowing them to test their code.

 

The IT teacher has said that as the FTP either within Dreamweaver or the FTP client they had access to previously was a lot of fuss. I can kind of see their point.

What they have requested is that PHP be installed on each IT student machine so that they can test and code without having to FTP files around etc.

 

Wouldn't this require a webserver on each machine? involve installing IIS/PHP and configure on each machine?

I can see it becoming a nightmare before even looking into it further.

 

Could I please ask, what do you guys do for PHP?

 

Thanks in advance!

[ForgotMyPassword]

Top of my head, what about setting up a VM of something running PHP which you can then bin once complete and replace with a fresh one? Still a bit of a fuss but once you've a process in place, it'd be doable...Virtualbox maybe?

[danbuntu]

You could do that with wamp or xamp of each machine. that would be a right headache though

 

We use ehcp (Easy Hosting Control Panel | for Ubuntu and alikes...- Free Fast Opensource web hosting control panel for your server **) on a linux server. The tutors can create account on this as needed like studentwebserver.x.ac.uk/joeblogs

 

They also create a mysql database on there.

 

The student then use dreamweaver to hook up to it and fiddle with code and send to it.

 

Whilst your tutor might think ftping code to a server is a hassle it's how an awful lots of web developers work so the students should possibly get used to it - unless they are using vagrant, docker, a local vm or other.

 

I also recommend phpstorrm (https://www.jetbrains.com/phpstorm/) which has a free version for education. once set up it can automatically upload files via ssh/ ftp when saved and unlike dreamweaver it's not god awful :-)

[Sylv3r]

We have done here what you originally suggested. All students have been setup with FTP accounts and they just connect directly with Dreamweaver. Once the details are in nothing else really needs setting up - staff and students here find it relatively simple to use.

[dhicks]

Previously we setup PHP on a test internal web server and allowed the BTEC students to FTP their PHP code to it, allowing them to test their code.

 

Can you not just make that same FTP location into a Windows file share, either directly if you are using a Windows server, or via Samba if your PHP server is Linux based? Then just map a drive for each student at logon, they should be able to open and use files as usual.

[ass17]

Students should always try to work as if in the real world. So FTP is a must to a remote web server.

[zoohead]

Sonofsanta has produced this excellent 2 part guide which I followed. Installing a PHP/MySQL Development Server for students on Windows Server 2012 - Part1 - Blogs - EduGeek.net and Installing a PHP/MySQL Development Server for students on Windows Server 2012 - Part2 - Blogs - EduGeek.net I know nothing about php but was able to get this up and running.

[CamelMan]

Our Head of IT bought in "PHP on a Stick" which was a self contained virtualised setup for running and executing php - we managed to get it working over the network as well - however this was only for a handful of students on a short run course. Might be worth a look I think it cost him around £70.

[ColinP]

Cant quite understand how an FTP client could be to complicated for BTEC students? we have 11 year olds using filezilla with no problems?

[localzuk]

I don't understand how the FTP in Dreamweaver is a fuss! Once you've configured your site in it, updating is a case of pressing a single button and it uploads files for you.

 

I'd be against the idea of installing a full web stack on each machine, it is just bad practice.

 

One option you could do is set up a web server, create a share which contains basically a per user folder for their work and allow them to work directly in that share on their accounts. That way, they aren't "uploading" as such, the files are just always on the web server.

 

Still, seems odd that FTP is too complex!

[matt40k]

I'd be against the idea of installing a full web stack on each machine, it is just bad practice.

 

Never heard of https://www.vagrantup.com/ then? Its what the cool kids use.

[localzuk]

Never heard of https://www.vagrantup.com/ then? Its what the cool kids use.

 

I hadn't, but then I personally develop with my own setup of various VPS servers! I never have PHP running on my own dev machine.

[sonofsanta]

Sonofsanta has produced this excellent 2 part guide which I followed. Installing a PHP/MySQL Development Server for students on Windows Server 2012 - Part1 - Blogs - EduGeek.net and Installing a PHP/MySQL Development Server for students on Windows Server 2012 - Part2 - Blogs - EduGeek.net I know nothing about php but was able to get this up and running.

 

Thanks

 

We've been using that mapped drive/internal server set up for a couple of years now and it still works like a charm for us. Easy not only for the students (save it here, go to this URL) but also for the teacher to mark, as he has the root of all their folders mapped instead, so he can easily browse through their code.

[webman]

In the real world, as well as a variety of virtual environments (local or not, for development and testing), we also use source control, automated deployment services/systems and secure connections. But how far you do want to take it? How far does the curriculum or course or teacher want to take it?

[dhicks]

I'd be against the idea of installing a full web stack on each machine, it is just bad practice.

 

But then you could use each machine as a processing machine for a front-end load balancer, it might make for quite a nice collaberative project for a class.

[burgemaster]

Thanks for the replies everyone, we are going to setup a mapped drive as sonofsanta suggested for the IT Suites.

Thanks again