How to create an installer (setup) for tables and connection to the database?

Question

I would like to thank you in advance for your cooperation. I know it’s possible, but I still have no idea how to do that. I have a script but it will be used for sale, however I would like in the middle of the script to have a way to ask the client what the connection data as, (localhoat,root,pass,BD) and after connection successfully insert the tables in the database.

Similar to the beginning of Wordpress.

Answer 1

Modifications within the main system

In your script (the system that will be sold), it should check if the file exists config.inc.php, which in our case, will (or should be) in the folder system.

if (!file_exists('system/config.inc.php')) {
    echo "Clique <a href='./install/' title='Iniciar instalacao'>aqui</a> para iniciar a instalacao do sistema.";
    exit;
}

Explaining the above code: it will check whether the file config.inc.php exists inside the folder system. Note that we put a denial operator ! before the function, that is, if it does not exist it returns true and executes the code within the condition, which only displays a message and a link to the folder install/ (which will contain the installation system) and stop executing the script using Exit.

If the file config.inc.php already existing, it is also interesting to put a new condition (below the previous one) to check the folder install exists, if yes, we will oblige the user to delete it in order to use the system, since maintaining that folder would be a security risk.

if (file_exists('install/')) {
    echo "Por favor, delete a pasta install.";
    exit;
}

Okay, these are the only changes within the system that you will sell. Now we will have to create a new system to do the installation.

It is interesting that it does not depend on any file of the main system, ie, all css file, images, files connection to database, functions, anyway... everything must exist inside the folder install to be used only by the installer.

Creating the installer

Create a file index.php inside the briefcase install. This file will be responsible for calling the pages according to the step (progress) that will be passed via $_GET. See the model below and modify according to your needs.

<?php

    $step = (isset($_GET['step'])) ? (int) $_GET['step'] : null;

    //Quantidade de etapas que seu instalador irá ter.
    $qntEtapas = 3;

    if (empty($step) || $step > $qntEtapas) {
        header('Location: ./?step=1');
    }

    //Crie uma pasta chamada step e dentro dela, coloque as páginas seguindo o modelo: pagina-1.php pagina-2.php pagina-3.php, conforme a quantidade de etapas.
    require_once 'step/pagina-' . $step . '.php';

Now you have to build the layout of the pages of each step, which is a little off the subject, so I won’t tell you how to do it. But, I’ll give you a hint: the pages of each step will usually only have the form different, so it would be interesting if you create 2 files .php called header.php and footer.php, and include them, leaving the pages of the steps cleaner and facilitating maintenance.

Below, an example of a step page (with the same image fields you posted from Wordpress).

<?php

if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] === 'POST') {
    $database = (isset($_POST['database'])) ? trim($_POST['database']) : null;
    $username = (isset($_POST['username'])) ? trim($_POST['username']) : null;
    $password = (isset($_POST['password'])) ? trim($_POST['password']) : null;
    $hostname = (isset($_POST['hostname'])) ? trim($_POST['hostname']) : null;
    $dbprefix = (isset($_POST['dbprefix'])) ? trim($_POST['dbprefix']) : null;

    if (!empty($database) || !empty($username) || !empty($hostname)) {

        //Nesse caso em especifico, precisamos fazer uma conexão com o banco
        //usando os dados informados pelo usuário, para ter certeza de que estão
        //corretos.

        function dbTest($host, $user, $pass, $db) {
            try {
                $pdo = new PDO("mysql:host={$host};dbname={$db};charset=utf8", $user, $pass);
                return $pdo;
            } catch (PDOException $e) {
                return false;
            }
        }

        if (dbTest($hostname, $username, $password, $database)) {

            //Se a conexão der certo, cria (caso não exista) o arquivo config.inc.php
            //dentro da pasta system e escreve os dados nele.
            file_put_contents('../system/config.inc.php',
                '<?php'
              . '    $hostname = ' . "'{$hostname}'; \n"
              . '    $username = ' . "'{$username}'; \n"
              . '    $password = ' . "'{$password}'; \n"
              . '    $database = ' . "'{$database}'; \n"
              . '    $dbprefix = ' . "'{$dbprefix}'; \n"
            );

            //Redireciona para próxima etapa, se for o caso.
            header('Location: ./?step=2');
        } else {
            echo 'Desculpe, mas não foi possível conectar-se ao banco de dados informado.';
        }
    } else {
        echo 'Por favor, preencha os campos corretamente...';
    }
}
?>

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="pt-br">
    <head>
        <meta charset="utf-8">
        <title>Instalando sistema | Etapa 1 de 1</title>
    </head>
    <body>
        <form action="" method="post">
            <label for="database">Nome do banco</label>
            <input type="text" id="database" name="database"><br>
            <label for="username">Usuário</label>
            <input type="text" id="username" name="username"><br>
            <label for="password">Senha</label>
            <input type="password" id="password" name="password"><br>
            <label for="hostname">Servidor MySQL</label>
            <input type="text" id="hostname" name="hostname" value="localhost"><br>
            <label for="dbprefix">Prefixo da tabela</label>
            <input type="text" id="dbprefix" name="dbprefix">
            <hr>
            <button type="submit">Ir para próxima etapa</button>
        </form>
    </body>
</html>

Notice that the big X of the question is the function file_put_contents, it is she who will record the data passed in the specified file.

To insert tables in the database informed by the user, you just need to execute a query normally, only putting the SQL code to create it.

The SQL code you must do manually, or create the tables via phpMyAdmin, Mysql Workbench or any other program that helps you with this, then copy the generated SQL and put in your script to run as a normal query.

It’s the same as giving one SELECT * FROM usuarios WHERE id = 1; only changes the SQL command.

That’s basically it. Now is to take a look at what was said here, and improve the code to suit your needs.

Recommended readings

Function file_exists
Ternary operator in PHP
Function file_put_contents