Phpmyadmin

the reason why these forums “skip over” that sort of stuff is because, not to state the obvious really, but phpmyadmin isnt wordpress. It really boils down to that — the same reason “how to use an ftp client” is more or less skipped over.

The general usage of phpmyadmin is beyond the scope of these forums, and if _we_ went that route, eventually we would be explaining to ppl how to use cpanel, how to use plesk, how to rummage around in mysql from a shell prompt, how to install Apache with php and MySQL onto a LINUX server, how to use any number of ftp clients, how to use windows file manager to find the installed ftp client, etc..etc.. it could go on for days, trust me.

the phpmyadmin web site @ https://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/index.php

has their own set of tutorials, a demo set up, and a very good set of documentation.

Additionally, most hosts can direct users to where phpmyadmin is installed, if it is, at all, and give a general walkthrough of how to get there.

Secondly, phpmyadmin isnt necessary for any wordpress install, and not everyone has it available.

Just today, my host upgraded their cpanel, and in addition to phpmyadmin it now looks like I have 2 other ways to access my MySQL databasese.

So its not really one of “the basics” as you say. And its very important for those of us that help here to have a limited scope, even if its rarely enforced. It helps to keep us sane.

This Link and this one are pretty extensive. I’d say that most people on the forums tend to get tired of the “basic” questions that are asked over and over again.

Maybe the problem is that “codex” or “docs” isn’t a user friendly enough term. I’ll admit the codex in general, at least the front page, is a bit too cluttered.

I dont beleive its so much “tired” as it is what Ive said all along — “there is an implied level of knowledge”

1. one has to be able to help themselves, and that occasionally means not using this site as Google. One needs to understand that there is wealth of information on the net- that most, if not all, applications provide some sort of help files, and that it OK, in fact, its NICE if ppl can seek out their own information.

So many questions, like “where do I get an ftp client?” arent just tiring, they are frankly, frustrating.

Still, my favourite is:

“I downloaded word press to my desktop now what?”

??

I hear you guys. I know people who have trouble with the real basics are frustrating and trust me when I say I tried very hard not to be frustrating. I went looking all over last night for over an hour trying to figure out how to open the page up.

The most frustrating part is that I think I did it before. I can’t really remember. Maybe the volunteer who came in and helped me and told me there was something pretty messed up about my host’s system just did it all and I never looked at it.

But it is hard, very hard, to sort some of this stuff out if you don’t live it all the time. The codex, in particular, usually leaves me more confused than edified.

Believe me, I do try to go through these things before asking. I work in another sort of world where a lot of people ask others before trying to figure out anything themselves, but at a certain point you get flabbergasted.

Okay, I got it going.

Maybe a comment in some of the guides along the lines of “Your host probably has a tools section in which you can find MySql and Databse tools.”

That was my problem. After hunting around in tools I found it, but yesterday I was looking straight at my list of files.