creating a very simple cms with one login and one mySQL database

I'm new to php and am trying to create a very basic content management system to let my client update a popup on their homepage. I'm using mySQL and have a good idea of how to do the login and set & read cookies, as well as accessing the database during the admin process. The part I'm not too clear on is how to implement the front end for the general users. When someone visits the site and the popup pops up, what happens on that page? Does it access the database at the time it loads to load the information? If so, is this possible without hardcoding the username/password information (to access the database) in the popup page code? Is there a tutorial or article on stuff like this somewhere? -- Charlie Fiskeaux II Media Designer Cre8tive Group cre8tivegroup.com 859/858-9054x29