What do I need to learn to do my own Directory script?

I'm having a difficult time trying to find the ideal Paid Directory script for a particular industry type directory.

I've spent the better part of the past 7 days (and did not sleep last night) testing demos, downloading a few and having difficulty with installation, scripting errors, and some just plain don't work, or offer no support.

I've only found two that comes close to what I need: One costs over $700 and still needs development to change the design, and the other is perfect in function AND design but is not a paid solution, only free classifieds.

Sooooo, I've come to the conclusion, NOT to hire someone, but to see if I can develop my own solution specifically for my needs, strip away what I don't need, keep only what I do need and add functions that I have not seen anywhere else.

This would just be for me, but then I realize I don't even know where to start looking to learn all of this.

What is it even called when you program a classifieds or directory website? Is it php? Scripting? I didn't have much success looking under "learn how to make your own scripts" as I know this project would involve much more than just "scripting". But I also know it is a little more than just basic php as well. I would have to learn MySQL, etc.

Soooo, where do I start? I'm ready to learn. I know I'm probably getting in over my head but I really do love this kind of stuff. I've engrossed myself in code for the past 7 days and I'm not yet tired of it, so I'm in this for the long haul.

Tell me what I need to do. Where do I start?

I know enough php, html and css to read it, but not to write it from scratch. Here is what I already know: I can change basic css code to change colors, padding, pixel sizes. I can add a few custom lines to css if needed. I know enough php and html to comment-out lines that I don't need and add new div tags. Basic stuff I know, but it has helped me with my own websites the past few years.

So here is what I figure my options are:

1) Learn to take a script and ADD the functions that I need. As in the case of script #2, I could teach myself to add the paid function to the website.

2) Learn to take an already existing code and know where the bugs are that need to be fixed, and be able to change them accordingly, but also be able to change the design put-out as well. For example, one script seemed perfect, I could have easily changed the design within css and added a few new graphics, BUT the very simple function of "adding" a listing didn't work. There was always an error message. Many complained of this in the support forum, but after 6 months there has never been a response from the developer of the script.

3) Learn to build my own directory from the ground up.


So where do I go from here?