To connect to an existing Database and access the tables with-in so, the said User must have the proper grant access to the said Databases:

  ex.: 

  define ('DB_USER', 'vins');

  define ('DB_PASS', 'sysdba');

  define ('DB_HOST', 'vins.vinsky2002.org');

  define ('DB_NAME', 'foobirds');

  $dbc = @mysql_connect(DB_HOST, DB_USER, DB_PASS) or die('could not connect to MySQL ' . mysql_error());

  @mysql_select_db(DB_NAME) or die ('could not access the database ' . mysql_error());

  If there's an Error found, an Error message will be posted on screen and IF all goes well, then nothing will happen on screen.   It's just a blank page. 

  $query = "insert into users values ('$u', '$fn', '$ln', '$e', password('$p'), now())";

  $result = @mysql_query($query);

  IF ($result) {

   . . . . .

   . . .

   exit();

  }

  mysql_close();

Note

exit() 

    this function terminates the current script

mysql_close() 

    this function closes the openned database connection

password() 

    this function is build-in to PHP and provides none readable equivalent of what ever was entered to the said field

now() 

    returns the current date value, based on the clock

mysql_query() 

    this function will return TRUE, IF the query had no Errors at all and FALSE other wise.

    this function also accepts the query string($query) as parameter

syntax: 

  $row = mysql_fetch_array($result, option)

  $row = mysql_fetch_object($result, option)

Note

$row 

   the result set (array), where all the fields are found, as per record basis

option 

   this could be any of the three(3) options and as follows:

$result 

    this is the result of the @mysql_query($query) statement earlier, in short this is the result set

  ex.: 

  while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result, MYSQL_NUM))

  {

      echo '< tr>' .  ''< td align="left">' .     

              $row[0] .     

              '</td>' .  '</tr>';

  }

  ex.:  

   while ($row = mysql_fetch_object($result))

   {

        if (!empty($row->field_name_1)) {

            ....

            ...

        }

   } 

syntax: 

  $num = mysql_num_rows($result);

  ex.: 

  $query = "select * from users where ( username='$u' and password = password('$p'))";

  $result = @mysql_query($query);

  $num = mysql_num_rows($result);

  IF ($num > 0) {

       . . . . .. .

       // do some thing here

       . . . . .

   }

  This function as it was written before, was based upon whether the query did or did not work; not whether or not any records were returned at all.

This command or function is used to verify IF an Insert, Delete, Update operation works or not.   Returns a value greater than zero(0), IF it is OK.

  $num = mysql_affected_rows( $connection )

  ex.: 

  $row = mysql_fetch_array( $result, MYSQL_NUM);

  $query2 = "update users set password = password('$np') where user_id = $row[0]";

  $result = @mysql_query($query2);

  IF ( ( mysql_affected_rows( $dbc)) > 0) {

       . . . ..

       // If it runs OK

       . . . .

       exit();

  }

ex.: 

  function esc_data( $data ) {

      global  $dbc;

      IF (ini_get('magic_quotes_gpc')) {  $data = stripslashes($data);  }

      return mysql_real_escape_string($data, $dbc);

  }

mysql_real_escape_string 

   will automatically escapte problematic characters for text entered in forms and requires a connection ($dbc).

   requires two(2) basic parameters; the subject data ($data) and the connection ($dbc) and returns only characters that are readable

ini_get 

    returns FALSE, when there is no need to strip any existing slashes and it accepts a single parameter (which is the string to be search)

To fetch the last insert ID or the auto incremental value assign after an entry had been inserted (added) into the selected active Table.    Please note that this statement must be executed right after the INSERT SQL command had been executed in order to get the proper value.

   $_SESSION['nrec'] = mysql_insert_id();

I recommend SESSION to be active for this execution.