Using PHP with HTML Forms

I am going to be hosting a site on a linux server. I already know they dont support asp. So, I will have to use PHP. I have no experience with this language, though I hear it is similiar to C++. I am interested in taking a webform I made and submitting it through e-mail to a specific address. I would like to do this with asp.

My main concern is testing the page. I want to be able to test it on my computer. Is there some sort of php compiler that people use to test their scripts. Will IE just recognize the language and handle it correctly if I simply use Notepad, like I do for my other pages? I'm not sure.

I basically just need the skinny on PHP and Web forms and any good resources for tutorials and information that I might need to do this sort of things. And if a compiler is involved, which one is best?

Thanks
-Jet

You need to install software locally to process php.

I think xamp handles it.

Take a look at the xamp software.

Have a look in the manual at http://php.net

The function you are going to need is mail().

There is also a very good tutrial on the Zend site that deals with sending simple and multipart emails.

http://www.zend.com/zend/spotlight/s...emailpart1.php

If you are using windows on a local machine you can use WinLAMP which installs php, apache 2 and MySQL all in one installer

http://www.dctkc.com/winlamp.php