Cindy,

I had webhero install my database for me and that has worked out fantastic (no issues).  For my PHP coding, I use Notepad.  Nothing fancy (just remember to add .php extension to your file names and save the file as "all files" when you're saving them).

One suggestion when setting up a database site (got this from Larry Ullman's book) is to have your database connection info in a separate file that is not accessible from the internet.  Although PHP isn't parsed by the browser and no one can 'see' it when they view your source code, if the server went down for some reason people could read your PHP files as text files and get your passwords (not cool).

Keep your PHP connect info in a separate file outside of your public_html (such as the root directory).  Then just include your PHP connect info in each PHP script.  Only caveat to this is you have to have all your PHP files in public_html (no subfolders) from what I can see.  That is because you have to tell your script to go up a directory to access the connection info and you need to go a directory above public_html.

Some of the coding examples in books assume that you've installed PHP client -side.  I've always just improvised my way around this and haven't found myself restricted by this at all.  I occassionally back up my tables, but its actually a little liberating knowing someone else (webhero) has my back as well...

Hope this helps!,

Regards,

Laura