Web Directory help

Hi there, i am a total noobie, so need some words of wisdom please.
I would like to create an accommodation directory, but i have little knowledge of php and mysql.
My questions are these (and please bear with me and i am only learning!!)

1. I would need a database to input my advertisers into, including an image column. Would i store this image as a blob or an image path??

2. I've had a little play and can create a basic upload form to get the details into the database, including an image in blob form. I have also managed to make a recordset (i use dreamweaver) master page and results page. But the image displays as binary, not an image. No idea what i'm doing wrong. Is it better to stick to storing an image path in the database! If so, how do i retrieve the image from the database.

3. I'd need a search facility, some drop down boxes, like, type of accommodation (hotel, b&b etc) that people can search by, also a text box for town for example that people could type in. So i'd need to search multiple fields. All suggestions welcome, and please don't laugh at me for asking what is probably very simple to you all out there!!

4. I don't want advertisers to enter their own details into my database. They'll send their info separately and i'll upload it onto the database. The rest of the site is static html, i just want people to be able to search the database and display the relevant results.

All help greatly appreciated, i know i'm new, but i'm trying to learn!!

Thank in advance :confused:

1. I wouldn't store the images in the database (just the filename); I don't think it has any advantages, and will be slower and more difficult while storing and getting
2. Isn't this the same question? There are ways to retrieve a BLOB from the database and display it, but a simple name-store would be much easier...
3. You managed to create a form to put data into the database, searching should be pretty similar (only use select's instead of insert's and update's)
4. Just don't give them the link to the insert-page... You can add a password to the insert-page (it could even just be hardcoded)

All the text-fields that will be used for searching should have an index in the database, that will be better for the performance once your database starts growing...