<help> Connecting my MS Access database to my webpage using PHP

[stanfordftw]

I am in the process of developing a local website that needs to be able to be logged on and off of without using an active connection to the Internet.
I've decided to go with Microsoft Access as the database (if there is a better one for local databases, please refer me to it) and all I really need to know is the code needed to connect the webpage to the database.

For example, if I were to use an database from an online host, I would probably use a code like this to connect it to my webpage:

mysql_connect("your.hostaddress.com", "username", "password") or die(mysql_error());
mysql_select_db("Database_Name") or die(mysql_error());

Note: If this code can connect to a local database too, please tell me and explain what to insert to do so.

Code like this usually goes in front of the rest of the code for a login form or register form. This is the code I have for a register form. Feel free to look over this if it helps you figure out what code I need for it to work locally or if you want to just double check to see if this code could even work online if I needed it to.

<?php
// Connects to your Database
mysql_connect("your.hostaddress.com", "username", "password") or die(mysql_error());
mysql_select_db("Database_Name") or die(mysql_error());

//This code runs if the form has been submitted
if (isset($_POST['submit'])) {

//This makes sure they did not leave any fields blank
if (!$_POST['username'] | !$_POST['pass'] | !$_POST['pass2'] ) {
die('You did not complete all of the required fields');
}

// checks if the username is in use
if (!get_magic_quotes_gpc()) {
$_POST['username'] = addslashes($_POST['username']);
}
$usercheck = $_POST['username'];
$check = mysql_query("SELECT username FROM users WHERE username = '$usercheck'")
or die(mysql_error());
$check2 = mysql_num_rows($check);

//if the name exists it gives an error
if ($check2 != 0) {
die('Sorry, the username '.$_POST['username'].' is already in use.');
}

// this makes sure both passwords entered match
if ($_POST['pass'] != $_POST['pass2']) {
die('Your passwords did not match. ');
}

// here we encrypt the password and add slashes if needed
$_POST['pass'] = md5($_POST['pass']);
if (!get_magic_quotes_gpc()) {
$_POST['pass'] = addslashes($_POST['pass']);
$_POST['username'] = addslashes($_POST['username']);
}

// now we insert it into the database
$insert = "INSERT INTO users (username, password)
VALUES ('".$_POST['username']."', '".$_POST['pass']."')";
$add_member = mysql_query($insert);
?>
<h1>Registered</h1>
<p>Thank you, you have registered - you may now login</a>.</p>

<?php
}
else
{
?>


<form action="<?php echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']; ?>" method="post">
<table border="0">
<tr><td>Username:</td><td>
<input type="text" name="username" maxlength="60">
</td></tr>
<tr><td>Password:</td><td>
<input type="password" name="pass" maxlength="10">
</td></tr>
<tr><td>Confirm Password:</td><td>
<input type="password" name="pass2" maxlength="10">
</td></tr>
<tr><th colspan=2><input type="submit" name="submit" value="Register"></th></tr> </table>
</form>

<?php
}
?>

Thanks for reading my predicament. Reply with speed, please.

Regards,
stanfordftw