use ajax to call php to write timestamp to file - php

Question

I'm trying to call a function in javascript to write to a text file. This function uses ajax to to run some code in a php file. All my code seems to be working fine, but I havent gotten any output (If the file doesn't exist, I want it to be created when the php code runs). Everything is being run locally and must be run in chrome. I've found some other people with similar questions, but I wasn't able to apply those solutions. I am very new so please be explicit. Also, if there is a better way to do this (get the system timestamp and write/append to a text file) I am more than open. I just need to record the timestamp whenever a particular javascript function is called. In addition, I would like to eventually pass a string from my running javascript to be saved with each timestamp (the string is determined by the running javascript). Note that running in "Data: running" is a dummy variable. Eventually this will be used to pass a string.
im using this script to use ajax (in html script)
script src="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.6.1/jquery.min.js" type="text/javascript"
javascript code..... call recordTone().... javascript code
function recordTone() {
$.ajax({
url: "file:///C:/Users/ryan/Desktop/New%20folder/saveTimeStamp.php",
type: "POST",
data: running,
success: function (msg) {
alert(msg);
}
});
}
saveTImeStamp1.php in entirety
<?php
$my_file = 'session1.txt';
$handle = fopen($my_file, 'w') or die('Cannot open file: '$my_file);
$data = microtime();
fwrite($handle, $data);
fclose($handle);
echo "YES";
?>

Answer 1

You need a web server and then have a URL to it. Easy to install Apache and PHP Like "Ed Heal" said...
or you can use web service to call you procedure/function ...
function recordTone() {
$.ajax({
url: "localhost/yousite/saveTimeStamp.php",
type: "POST",
data: running,
success: function(msg){
alert(msg);
}
});
}
look at 'url', change to your local site...

Answer 2

You need a web server and then have a URL to it. Easy to install Apache and PHP
Not
file:///C:/Users/ryan/Desktop/New%20folder/saveTimeStamp.php
As this will not work

Answer 3

Install XAMPP (http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp-windows.html), and then reference your file relatively. If the html file is in C:/Users/ryan/Desktop/New%20folder/, just change the url to "saveTimeStamp.php".
Another option if you don't want to install your own webserver is to purchase some hosting online, from somewhere like http://www.arvixe.com/.