newbie to db & php - help

I have just started using PHP and MYSQL and am having a problem placing data into my db via a PHP generated web page. To test my connectivity to the db and that I could insert data I created a php page that as soon as I loaded it on a browser connected to mysql open the particulat database placed data into the db (the info required for the db was already in the php file) the above was successful and the new data placed in the database. My next php page connected to mysql open the particular database created a form in which to place the information then allows the user to submit the form and should place the info within the db This is where I run into problems and receive the message "Method Not Allowed The requested method POST is not allowed for the URL /index.shtml." Within my apache config I have included AddType text/html .shtml AddHandler server-parsed .shtml Can anyone help? What am I missing? Also I am running Mandrake Linux 7.2 Thanx Andrew D