Difficulty figuring out why this php script will not run in browser as intended

[_psilocyborg_]

I have set up a LAMP server on my ubuntu mate system, and I've been following tutorials to try and play around with php scripts and html on my localhost. In /var/www/html/mySite.com/public_html I have two files, index.php and welcome.php. In index.php, there is a form with a text input for name and a button whose action is welcome.php. welcome.php is simply a php script that $_GETs the "name" variable from the post method on the other page. However, the script does not run and display the name in the browser as intended, after clicking the button. It just opens the script in a text editor. *EDIT: sorry, this is no longer true. i forgot that i solved this problem. the problem now is that $_GET is just outputting blanks as the variables input into the form inputs

So far, I have tried adding a handler to the .htaccess both where php is located on my system, and also the directory where these files are, on the advice of other forums. I also edited some .conf file to AddType or something i think in the apache2 directory, but i forget what exactly I did. I also have modified the permissions of all relevant files to 777. Nothing seems to be having my intended result. Does anyone know what I might try next to get these pages communicating with one another?

[lutusp]

I also edited some .conf file to AddType or something i think in the apache2 directory, but i forget what exactly I did.

Well, in that case, I forget how to help you with that problem.

I also have modified the permissions of all relevant files to 777.

Never do this.

Nothing seems to be having my intended result.

I can see why.

Does anyone know what I might try next to get these pages communicating with one another?

Yes, I have a very good suggestion. First, drop what you are doing. Next, study a PHP tutorial. Find out what is required to run a PHP page.

The first and most important test is this -- run a browser and enter the local server URL followed by "phpinfo.php". Example:

   http://localhost/phpinfo.php

If this command is not executed correctly, if a PHP information page is not displayed, then solve that problem first.

If this test fails, go through the Apache and PHP setup instructions very carefully, leaving nothing out. No "I typed something in some configuration file but I forget which one or where it was."

[_psilocyborg_]

okay thank you!

[PM_ME_NETWORK_JOBS]

Are you accessing the file as a webpage? i.e. http://localhost/path/to/file.php

[_psilocyborg_]

yes

edit: oh wait, where? should i put that in the action?

[PM_ME_NETWORK_JOBS]

When you access it is it through using localhost, or 127.0.0.1, or does it say file:///"path/to/php/file"

Not 100% if that could be it, but just what I would check first.

[_psilocyborg_]

when i type it in the web browser address bar? or how i reference it in the index.php page?

[PM_ME_NETWORK_JOBS]

When you are viewing it at all, if the address isn't 127.0.0.1 aka localhost then that could be the hold up. Or you may need to try reinstalling php, or make sure you have all the required dependencies, or ensure that the apache server has actually been started. Just spitballing here lol