running php from my computer problems

[Ryan McGrady]

Hi forum,

I learned enough PHP/MySQL/CSS/HTML to write my own blog software (didn't want to rely on a Google/WordPress), but I'm concerned about security issues so I want my blog-inputting file to be local (on my desktop).

I want to open new.php, enter blog post data into a form, and have added.php (also on my desktop) put it into the database.

The two files work when on the web server, but when I run it in FireFox, added.php just outputs a bunch of PHP code and doesn't add it. The code it spits out is, for reasons unknown, just a bunch of echo commands I have in there to output html (it starts halfway through the first echo).

Ideas? :/

Thanks for any insight...hope this wasn't too convoluted.