Beginning PHP4 Programming - Softcover

Blank, Jon; Etc.; Choi, Wankyu; Kent, Allan; Prasad, Ganesh; Ullman, Chris

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1861003730 ISBN 13: 9781861003737

Publisher: WROX Press Ltd, 2000

Synopsis

PHP is a server-side scripting language. It is an open source, cross platform technology (NT, Linux, UNIX), rapidly gaining popularity as a scripting language for people running dynamic websites. Using practical examples and a step by step approach, this book explains how to develop web applications using PHP.

About this title

Review

Beginning PHP4 offers an almost ideal introductory tutorial to one of today's hottest scripting languages. This book is really all the novice needs to start building dynamic Web sites powered by PHP4, but old hands at programming will also find valuable information inside it.

PHP, of course, is introduced in the book, but there is also an approachable and effective introduction to programming in general. The conscientious tutorial on basic concepts like variables, keywords and flow control will give even beginners an understanding of the basics of writing programs. PHP, it turns out, is not only a great way to generate HTML dynamically, it's a very marketable skill. Web fundamentals like HTTP, HTML form variables, and managing session information using no less than four different techniques are explained thoroughly and effectively. You also find out how to install PHP and other tools on your system, with the assistance of plenty of screen shots.

That's not to say that this book will cramp the style of more experienced developers. Some chapters delve into such important and advanced topics as database programming (with MySQL) and PHP's support for XML. One standout section demystifies the new support for objects and classes in PHP4. Basic topics like managing files and directories on the server, plus graphics processing, are addressed, of course, and a nifty sample program shows you how to build a Web-based text editor. Except for the final case study, a "URL directory manager" (akin to Yahoo) that is rather specialised, the examples are spot on, illustrating everyday programming tasks. You will also learn to generate e-mail with PHP, certainly a valuable skill to have.

The appendix lists several hundred PHP functions in over 50 pages--a handy and useful feature. In all, Beginning PHP4 provides a strong choice for learning about one of today's most powerful and easy-to-use scripting languages. It is concise, fast-moving and thoroughly approachable. --Richard Dragan

About the Author

Wankyu Choi holds a Master′s degree in English/Korean interpretation and translation from the Graduate School of Translation & Interpretation. He is the president/CEO of NeoQuest Communications, Inc. running a PHP–powered English language education portal (http://www.neoqst.com) in the Republic of Korea. He is independently working on an open source PHP project called NeoBoard (http://www.neoboard.net), a feature–rich web discussion board.

Allan Kent has been programming seriously for the last 7 years and other than the single blemish when he achieved a Diploma in Cobol programming, is entirely self–taught. He started his career working at the local University and now runs his own company. Allan lives in Cape Town, South Africa with his girlfriend and 5 cats.

Chris Lea is one of the co–founders of Lucid Designs (http://www.luciddesigns.com), a Venice, CA based web design and development firm. He received a BS in Physics with Highest Honors and Distinction from UNC–CH in 1997, and has been hacking away with lots of (mostly open source) software since then. During his tenure with Lucid, he has worked on a wide variety of web site development projects ranging from the entertainment industry to the financial sector. When he′s not staring at his monitor, you can usually find him swing dancing somewhere in the Los Angeles area. For more information, you can always check out his personal site at http://www.chrislea.com/.

Ganesh Prasad has worked in IT for 13 years, specializing in applications software design and development, in a number of countries including India, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. He currently works for Reply2 Ltd., Australia, an e–CRM service provider. His experience covers IBM mainframes, VAX and UNIX minis, as well as Windows client/server and Web–based programming. Interests include Java and Open Source software, and his hope is that Open Source software will bring cheap computing to the masses and kick–start Third World economies. He is an Australian citizen, and lives in Sydney with his wife Sashi and son Lalit.

Chris Ullman is a Computer Science graduate who came to Wrox five years ago, when 14.4 modems were the hottest Internet technology and Netscape Navigator 2.0 was a groundbreaking innovation. Since then he′s applied his knowledge of HTML, server–side web technologies, Java, and Visual Basic to developing, editing, and authoring books. When not trying to reconstruct the guts of his own PC or trying to write extra chapters in a hurry, he can be found either playing keyboards in psychedelic band, The Bee men, tutoring his cats in the way of eating peacefully from their own food bowl and not the one next to theirs, or hoping against hope that this is the year his favorite soccer team, Birmingham City, can manage to end their exile from the Premier League.

Jon Blank has been a part of the Linux world since before "Linux" was a buzzword, and has been programming (much to the detriment of his social life) in various languages for the better part of his life. He came to the PHP world by way of Perl, and came to Perl by way of The Web Union, an experimental Web hosting provider for students and non–profit organizations that he runs in his spare time. He currently lives in the New York City area, where he is trying to craft a stable career in a field where tempting offers are always around the corner. He doesn′t think he′ll succeed.
Jon′s interests include online role–playing, vintage computers and video games, and graphics arts, as well as many sorts of programming. His primary focus as a programmer is on automation convincing the computer to do the sort of boring and/or repetitive work that only a computer can stand.

Edition details

• Publisher: WROX Press Ltd
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 1861003730
• ISBN 13: 9781861003737
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 800