478.Visualize Your Sensor Readings from Anywhere in the World (ESP32/ESP8266 + MySQL + PHP) During the course of this project, you will develop a web page that can be accessed from any location in the world and displays sensor readings in the form of a plot. In a nutshell, you will construct a client for the ESP32 or ESP8266 microcontroller family that issues a query to a PHP script in order to save sensor readings in a MySQL database.

For the purpose of illustration, we will be using a BME280 sensor that is linked to an ESP board. You can either use multiple boards or modify the code that was provided so that it sends readings from a different sensor.

Arduino IDE-based programming of an ESP32 or ESP8266 microcontroller Hosting server and domain name. A script written in PHP that inserts data into a MySQL database and displays it on a website. Readings will be stored in a MySQL database. A chart-generating PHP script that pulls data from a database. 1. Providing Hosted Services for Your PHP Application and MySQL Database This project's objective is to provide you with your very own domain name and hosting account so that you can save sensor readings obtained from an ESP32 or ESP8266 microcontroller. If you access your own server domain, you will be able to visualize the readings no matter where you are in the world. An overview of the project is as follows, at a high level:

It is strongly suggested that you use one of the following hosting services, as they are able to fulfill all of the requirements for the project: When you sign up for Bluehost's 3-year plan, you'll receive a free domain name. Bluehost is known for being user-friendly and offering cPanel. It is highly recommended that you go with the option that allows unlimited websites; A Linux server hosted by Digital Ocean that can be administered via a command line. This choice is one that I would only recommend to more

experienced users. Those are the two hosting services that I use and highly recommend to others, but you are free to use whichever hosting service you prefer. This project will function properly with any web hosting service so long as it provides PHP and MySQL. 2. Preparing Your MySQL Database After registering for a hosting account and establishing a domain name, you will be able to access your cPanel or an interface that is very similar to it. After that, you will need to create your database, username, and password, as well as a SQL table, by following the subsequent steps. Developing a user base and a database

1. In the search bar, enter "database," then select "MySQL Database Wizard." 2. Give the database the name you want it to have. In my particular scenario, the name of the database is esp data. After that, click the button

Note: when the time comes, you'll need to use the database name that includes the prefix that your host provides for you (my database prefix in the screenshot above is blurred). From this point forward, I'll refer to it as example esp data. 3. Enter your username for the Database and create a password for it. You have to make sure to save all of those particulars, as you will require them in the future in order to set up a database connection using your PHP code.

That wraps it up! Both the new database and user that you wanted to create have been successfully made. Save all of your information

Go back to the cPanel dashboard once you have finished creating your database and user, and then search for "phpMyAdmin." Choose "example esp data" as the name of your database in the sidebar on the left, and then click the "SQL" tab. To create your table, copy the following, then press the "Go" button after pasting it into the SQL query field (which is highlighted with a

After that, you should be able to locate your freshly created table in the example esp data database under the name Sensor. 3. Insert Data into MySQL Database Utilizing PHP Script via HTTP POST In this part of the tutorial, we are going to create a PHP script that will insert incoming requests from the ESP32 or ESP8266 into a MySQL database after receiving them from the respective boards. You can search for "File Manager" if you are utilizing a hosting

After that, choose the public html option from the drop-down menu, and then click the "+ File" button to produce a new.php file. 4. A PHP Script That Allows You to View the Content of a Database as a Chart Make a new PHP file in the public html directory that will plot the contents of the database as a chart on a website. This file should be created. Name your new file: esp-chart.php

After you have finished all of the steps, you should now allow your ESP board to collect some readings and then publish them to your server. If everything is functioning as it should, you should see the following in the Serial Monitor of your Arduino ID. You have gained the knowledge necessary to publish sensor data into a database on your own server domain, which you are able to access from any location in the world thanks to this project. You need to have your very own server and domain name in order to do this (you can also use a Raspberry Pi for local access). You will have complete control over your server and the ability to switch to a new host if this configuration is used. There are a wide variety of cloud services, both free and paid, that you can use to publish your readings; however, using these services may come with a number of drawbacks, including limitations on the number of readings that can be published, the number of connected devices, and the individuals who can view your data.

In addition, the cloud service may undergo price reductions or other modifications at any time. The illustration that is given to you is kept as straightforward as is humanly possible so that you can comprehend how everything operates. Once you have a firm grasp of this illustration, you will be able to alter the visual presentation of the web page, publish varying sensor readings, publish from multiple ESP boards, and do a great deal more.