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PHP @ Web Programming
Programming Shed : Programmer Store & Resources |
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PHP Index - PHP Book :
PHP3: Programming Browser-Based Applications with PHP
by Dave Medinets, David Medinets Paperback: 448 pages Dimensions (in inches): 1.57 x 8.97 x 6.12 Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing ISBN: 0071353429; Bk&Cd Rom edition (October 4, 1999) David Medinets's principal task in PHP3: Programming Browser-Based Applications is to find common ground for a discussion of PHP3, the database-interfacing module for the Apache Web server. Unfortunately, his task is subverted by PHP3's complexity. In principle, PHP3's Perl-like script slides into HTML. When accessed by a browser, the code is interpreted by the Apache server, building a Web page out of data pulled from an SQL database through Apache's PHP3 module. The centrality of PHP3 in linking the user to the database is clear, but the stability of a uniform PHP3 implementation in an intrinsically heterogeneous Linux/Unix environment is so problematic as to be prohibitive. To be fair, Medinets's PHP3: Programming Browser-Based Applications is a thoughtfully constructed book, but it sends mixed signals about whether it will enter the fray of PHP3 module support. Medinets's 20-page line-by-line description of building PHP3 begins with guidelines on how to make a new gcc compiler. Safe to ignore? Maybe not, because his Apache server-build instructions should be followed verbatim. A clean build and test on a generic Linux distribution is a multi-day effort because essential environment variables aren't documented--neither by Medinets nor by the PHP3 development team. Dynamical loading of the PHP3 module (the modern standard for module handling) is itself a subject of strongly worded statements in the newsgroups. Medinets has no comment on this show-stopping issue. The book consists of didactic chapters on data manipulation, regular expressions, basic object-orientation, the CGI interface, and XML, all of which get interspersed with task-oriented interludes on connecting to databases, maintaining lists, creating HTML modules, and managing concurrent access. Over 100 pages of appendices provide SQL and PHP function references and Internet resources. But the PHP3 development team must stabilize its interfaces before any single-source tract will suffice. Until then, readers must make personal commitments to read all available documentation. For the fearless few who venture into the PHP3 backcountry, Medinets offers an errata page at www.mtolive.com/phpbook to help with orientation. Active PHP3 mailing lists (www.php3.org) contain questions and answers, which are disparaging and hyperbolic but occasionally helpful. The PHP3 developers have an outpost with a stable platform, and Medinets is safe at the outpost, but his smoke signals are too far away and the winds too variable for him to be of much help to us yet. --Peter Leopold Book Description: Usage of PHP--cross-platform, server-side, HTML embedded scripting language--is rising by 100,000 domains per month. First PHP reference on market, and it contains more code examples with more comments than any other UNIX book. Provides UNIX programmers with all the necessary tools to build dynamic Web applications and databases from open-source software. CD-ROM includes Red Hat Linux 6.0 operating system, award-winning MySQL database engine, code listings, sample applications, software documentation, and much more. From the Back Cover: The most comprehensive collection of PHP programming tools for creating dynamic Web pages available anywhere. As the essence of the Web resides more and more in databases, UNIX programmers need a complete set of tools that work well together, as well as a platform for building dynamic content. In this first-of-its-kind book/CD-ROM package, programmers are provided with an expansive set of support tools to develop state-of-the-art, dynamic Web applications and databases using. All open source software. Written in a clear and precise manner by well-known author David Medinets, this book will teach you how to use the power of award-winning PHP and SQL Web tools to program browser-based applications. Programming languages, an open source database engine, and the Red Hat Linux operating system are fully explored, giving you a clear understanding of this thriving, explosive technology. Plus, the accompanying CD-ROM contains the PHP programming language, the SQL database engine, the Red Hat Linux 5.2 operating system, sample applications and code listings, and all the software documentation found in the book. UNIX Administrator's Complete Programming Toolkit: • PHP Fundamentals • Database Fundamentals • Advanced PHP • Application Fundamentals • Application Examples • Extending PHP Customer Reviews Reviewer: A reader from McHenry, IL I've looked at a bunch of PHP books and this one is a good variable/basic primer. I was a bit daunted by the length of the Wrox book so I picked this one up to quickly learn the basics. I wasn't too disappointed. However, there are several code typos (luckily, they can be found corrected on the author's web site). In addition, I found some of the comments about certain things vague. He talks about forms and cookies but fails to give a simple example to reinforce these subjects. His discussion on PHP objects left me with many questions. I also didn't like having PHP functions used without explaining them to me first (I had to hit php's web site to learn what they did). I suppose I could've used the function glossary in the back of the book, but that is pretty spartan (and consumes about 100 pages). Overall, I recommend this book to seasoned programmers (a first-time programmer would be crushed) who want to know the basics of PHP quickly. Pick up the Wrox book as well for the details. Reviewer: Robert Nagle from Austin, TX United States This was the first book I bought on php. Medinets explains things very well, and it's clear he knows a lot of tricks for installing and making things work. The advantage of this book is its simplicity and attention to detail. Most of the steps worked in the installation, and he explains why he does things the way he does. The stuff on XML and SQL is pretty cursory, but it's enough to make you aware of how it works and how php could help with that kind of data. He is clearly geared toward writing a tutorial and not a reference book. At one point, we're supposed to be establishing a mysql connection and after going through the steps, he says, "well, this doesn't work because..." (and then he explains what was missing). I appreciate this sort of method, but it might be confusing for some readers. This book is to be a quick breezy read and intended for people who want to get their feet wet before getting seriously into the subject. I would mention that Professional PhP is an excellent book, much more comprehensive than this one and just as readable. Readers might seriously consider bypassing this book and reading the Wrox Professional PhP book. The Wrox book has excellent examples and gives switches and api's when trying to connect to other databases beside mysql. In summary: an excellent straightforward introduction, but many readers might prefer to read a more comprehensive book like Professional PHP (by Wrox) Reviewer: A reader from Leipzig, SA, Germany hi! this book is the worst one i ever worked with. the author uses advanced implementations in the first few examples, without explaination; some statements are just simply wrong (type error?) and the peak are wrong working examples. e.g. page 84/85 a flag variable is used to track a break in a loop; but the flag is defined after the break - it never gets executed and in the end the script does the whole opposite! rating this book 4 or 5 stars means didn't read it! |
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