Making the transition from mysql_ to MySQLi or PDO - php

Question

I have been searching here and Google for how to change all my MYSQL scripts to MYSQLI or PDO starting just from the beginning. The thing is that for some reason I cannot understand because I am inexperienced and I cannot make a simple session work. Here is what I will start doing because I want to learn the new MYSQLi:
I picked the registration form ( I will not use it in public, my site is just for friends and no more people I choose who will be member and I sign em up )
<?php
/* instantiate our class, and select our database automatically */
$sql = mysqli('localhost','user','password','database');
/*
let's assume we've just received a form submission.
so we'll receive the information, and we'll escape it
this step is not necessary, but why not.
*/
$name = $_POST['name'];
$age = $_POST['age'];
$email = $_POST['email'];
/* build the query, we'll use an insert this time */
$query = $sql->prepare("INSERT INTO `tablename` VALUES ('?','?','?');");
/*
bind your parameters to your query
in our case, string integer string
*/
$query->bind_param("sis",$name,$age,$email);
/* execute the query, nice and simple */
$query->execute();
?>
This is ok for me easy to understand, now I cannot find a good example of user login, all examples I find are from expert developers and they mostly create so complex scripts that I dont even need it. Already installed many examples ready made and it feels like they are not really good.
What I have been waiting and looking for and searching 1 WEEK 12 hours a day is:
I want the user to simply login and then the script will have something simple like this:
PAGE START
HELLO <PHP ECHO USERNAME> <PHP ECHO AGE> <PHP ECHO ANYTHING FROM DB>
THANKS
<?php
ELSE
IF USER IS NOT LOGGED IN
REDIRECT TO THE PAGE NOTMEMBER.PHP
?>
PAGE END
Why? Because that's the easy and simple way I use to code in MYSQL and all the sites structure is based like this.
Examples or demo sites would also be helpful.
Thanks a lot

Answer 1

I will recommend you to learn PDO(PHP Data Objects) instead of MySQLi cause PDO supports 12 different database drivers while MySQLi only support MySQL Database.
To know the difference between PDO and MySQLi visit-PDO vs. MySQLi: Which Should You Use?
To learn about PDO visit this very nice tutorials-
1.Why you Should be using PHP's PDO for Database Access
2.PHP Database Access: Are You Doing It Correctly?

Answer 2

Your table needs to have a password column as well.
HTML log in form:
<form action="<?php echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']; ?>" method="post">
<input type="text" name="email" />
<input type="text" name="password" />
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Log in" />
</form>
Catch it in the PHP file:
if(isset($_POST['submit'])) {
$email = $_POST['email'];
$pass = $_POST['password'];
if($email != '' && $pass != '') { //both not empty, proceed
$checkUser = $sql->prepare("SELECT * FROM `users` WHERE `email` = ? AND `pass` = ?");
$checkUser->bind_param('ss', $email, $pass);
$checkUser->execute();
if($checkUser->num_rows() > 0) { //if user exists with given email and pass
$_SESSION['logged-in'] = 1;
}
}
}
Make sure you put session_start(); at the top of each PHP file. Then you simply use
if($_SESSION['logged-in'] == 1) {
echo 'this is for logged in users';
} else {
header("Location: notMember.php");
exit();
}