1. Web Site Integration using WordPress MySql A presentation (that should have been made) to WordPress Meetup By Peter Mantos; Mantos I.T.Consulting, Inc. http://mantos.com 13-Feb-2014

2. Presentation Objectives Show Web Site Integration as a valuable and viable Business Strategy for small business Show Web Site Integration is relatively easy for sites developed using WordPress 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com2

3. Intended Audience Original presentation MISSED target audience This is for WordPress Web Site Developers – Assumes familiarity with WordPress – Does NOT assume any programming (PHP) – Shows where to find some resources – Includes some screen shots 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com3

4. Integration Data exchange between information systems Relieves people of duplicate entry Keeps data in synch – Same email address in two different systems – Confident that you have THE correct address Makes data available that otherwise isnt – Employees can access blog/post re. new insurance – HR doesnt know if Fred has read that post – Fred doesnt know if he is eligible for insurance 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com4

5. Web Site Integration 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com5

6. WordPress has a Database? WP has its own database Open Source MySql Holds pages / posts Hold usernames & logins Can be accessed outside of WordPress Can be augmented to hold other data 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com6

7. Example: Read and Understood The Problem: – How to know that Fred has read the post on the new insurance plan? The Solution: – Use the Read and Understood WordPress plugin Function(s) – Gives Fred a button to acknowledge the post – Gives HR a list of acknowledgements 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com7

8. How to Install / Configure Read and Understood (RnU) WordPress Admin Dashboard => Plugins Click Add New (Plugin) Search for Read and Understood Press Install Now, then Activate Option: add category & posts to acknowledge Click Settings; select Read and Understood Select category to acknowledge, Save changes 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com8

9. RnU Plugin Settings (admin) 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com9

10. How Reader Acknowledges Login to WordPress (optionally, not required) Read a post unacknowledged Post in category Press Read and Understood Button (after post) 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com10

11. How to Get a List of Acknowledgements Login as WP Admin Go to RnU Settings Enter Date Range Press Export – Save CSV file or – Open with a program such as Microsoft Excel 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com11

12. Exported Acknowledgements 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com12

13. How does RnU work? When Installing RnU, a table is created in the existing WordPress MySql database When Acknowledged, a record is saved with user info, posting info, and date-time Export looks into the table to find records 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com13

14. Can Store Data from Anywhere in the WordPress MySql Database Example gets who, what, when from user. Could get data from anywhere to populate – From companys HR system (or spreadsheets) – From government web site Just as easy to write data into table as export Plugin is just a one-page program in PHP Most plugins exploit WP Database Could write custom program to read/write 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com14

15. Accessing MySql Data w/o Plugin Assuming the host permits MySql access – You need the Hostname to the MySql database – And the authorized username and password You can access data using : – MySql WorkBench (download it MySql.org) – PhpAdmin (usually on your Hosts control panel) – Custom Programs (written in PHP, C++, etc.) – Linked Tables (such as using MS Access or eXcel) 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com15

16. Low Hanging Fruit Capabilities needed for Web Site integration are: – Have a MySql database – Can already run programs (plugins / custom PHP) – User Login mechanism to secure access to data WordPress Web Sites already have those Potential Custom Development effort: – 1 added table to existing database – 1 program to display 1 additional interactive page Low cost; possible huge value to clients 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com16

17. Conclusion You have already paid for the capabilities to push/pull data to/from your website Web Sites enabled with company data are – Secured via logins – More valuable to customers – More attractive to potential customers Web Site Integration can be simple Do it ahead of your competitors 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com17

18. Questions? Feel free to contact: Peter Mantos (505) 291-1047 Mantos I.T. Consulting, Inc. peter@mantos.com See more on the web at: – http://mantos.com/services/web-site-integration/ http://mantos.com/services/web-site-integration/ 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com18

19. Extra: Accessing Data using MySql Workbench 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com19

20. Extra: PhpAdmin 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com20

21. Extra: MS Access Database linked to MySql table on Website Download and install MySql Connector/ODBC 5.1.13 (32 bit) from dev.mysql.org Create new MSACCESS (2010) database Select External Data ODBC database Select Link to Data Source using linked tables Create/Choose Machine Data Source Can now use MSACESS queries, forms, reporting tools to read, write, & delete 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com21

22. Example: MS Access (2 of 4) 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com22

23. Example: MS Access (3 of 4) 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com23

24. Example: MS Access (4 of 4) 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com24

25. Extra: Accessing MySql from WP using PHP global $wpdb; – is already accessible within WordPress – Can even be used outside of WordPress: include_once($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'].'/…/wp- load.php' ); // … depends on your site – Is an instance of a class: WordPress Database – Contains properties such as $wpdb->prefix – Contains methods such as $wpdb->query() – Host, Username, & Password already included! 2/13/2014Web Site Integration - Mantos.com25