connection faliure with local host

[mumahg]

Dear sir,
I am a novice.I recently installed xammpp and so far am learning the ropes as I go along.I am working a website in Dreamweaver CS5 and created a MYSQL database in phpMyadmin and successfully exported it to my Downloads.However,when I try to do a mysql connection in dreamweaver to find and connect to the database,an error message pops up which says that there is an FTP error and cant find the localhost.My Xammpp server is set up on my desktop(shortcut-HTdocs folder).I wrote a Mysql_connect script using PHP and tested it in firefox and it echoed "successful connection" message using the value $db_host for "localhost".It found the database .However when i try to make the connection in dreamweaver through adding the database through a PHP login form in dreamweaver,the error message says that it failed to make a connection to the localhost.Now I do not wish to host this website online.All I am trying to do is host using my remote server(xammp server) and have a friend view it.Am I missing something?I am very new to this.Thank You.

I have a Root folder for my website with all my pages,index,css.Is there anyway I can send this to friend so that he can view it.I have so far used gmail to send and attached all that is contained in the Root folder.When i opened it,the website is distorted.Could you advise please.Thank you