[php-list] Classes

[listgroups08]

Hi all,
        I am playing with classes for the first time and I am at a bit of a 
loss in php.

How do I access the properties/functions of the parent class from sub 
function?

And how do I register resources into the scope of the parent class?

For example if I have -
class Data_Base
  {
  var $server;
  var $username;
  var $password;
  function Data_Base
    {
    $this->server = "127.0.01";
    $this->username = "username";
    $this->password = "password";
    }
  function Connect
    {
    $handle = mysql_connect($server, $username, $password);
     }
  }

How do I get $server etc from the root scope of Data_Base?

And how do I register $handle into the global scope of Data_Base without 
registering it into the global scope of PHP?

ie - does var $server create a scope that is accessible in sub functions or 
is it just in the root scope?

Thanks, Robert.