PHP Class Text Book - Spring 2009

TEXT BOOK COMPANION SITE

Recommended Books on topics that USE PHP

• Beginning GOOGLE MAPS Applications with PHP & Ajax - I loved this one, by Purvis, Sambells & Turner
• Practical Web 2.0 applications with PHP by Quenetin Zervaas
• Word Press 2 - QuickStart Guide by Langer & Jordan
• Beginning Joomla from Novice to Professional by Dan Rahmel
• Joomla - a Users Guide by Barrie M. North <-- who is speaking at Joomla Day - May 30th at the Grad Ctr.

Synopsis
Need to learn PHP fast? Try a Visual QuickStart!

This best-selling reference’s visual format and step-by-step, task-based instructions will have you up and running with the PHP scripting language in no time! In this completely updated edition of our best-selling guide PHP for the World Wide Web: Visual QuickStart Guide, leading Web scripting expert Larry Ullman uses crystal-clear instructions and friendly prose to introduce you to everything that’s new in PHP. Filled with step-by-step, task-based instructions and loads of visual aids, this book explains how to learn the ins and outs of this important and popular scripting language. Along the way, you'll find extensive coverage of all the language’s new features: including a complete rewrite of date handling code, with improved time-zone support, important security fixes, and over 30 new functions in various extensions and built-in functionality.
Biography
PHP expert Larry Ullman has written several best-selling books on the topic, including the previous edition of this guide. In addition, he serves as the Director of Digital Media Technology at DMC Insights http://www.dmcinsights.com and teaches numerous classes on PHP.
.
With PHP for the World Wide Web, Third Edition: Visual QuickStart Guide, readers can start from the beginning to get a tour of the programming language, or look up specific tasks to learn just what they need to know. This task-based visual reference guide uses step-by-step instructions and plenty of screenshots to teach beginning and intermediate users this popular open-source scripting language. Leading technology author Larry Ullman guides readers through the new features in PHP 6, focusing primarily on improved support for handling any language in a Web site. Other addressed changes include removal of outdated and insecure features, plus new functions and more efficient ways to tackle common needs. Both beginning users, who want a thorough introduction to the technology, and more intermediate users, who are looking for a convenient reference, will find what they need here--in straightforward language and thorough readily accessible examples.
Although you can register when you buy the book to receive additional resources,  as of 1/20/2009 there were no extras for the 1st, 2nd or 3rd Edition – but Larry states that you can use any extras from any of his other books.  http://www.dmcinsights.com/bk_pages/extras.php?i=phpvqs3#phpvqs3  which are interesting, PHP Advanced, PHP & MySQL, Ajax, AIR, etc.
 The 3rd Edition is a slightly revised edition of the popular beginner's guide to PHP. Covers everything you need to know to begin developing dynamic Web sites today, but at a more moderate pace. Basic enough for the non-programmer but thorough enough for today's Web developer, the book takes you step-by-step through practical examples. Covers PHP and 6 and MySQL 4 and 5.

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Table of Contents (short)

Introduction
Chapter 1: Getting Started with PHP
Chapter 2: Variables
Chapter 3: HTML Forms and PHP
Chapter 4: Using Numbers
Chapter 5: Using Strings
Chapter 6: Control Structures
Chapter 7: Using Arrays
Chapter 8: Creating Web Applications
Chapter 9: Cookies and Sessions
Chapter 10: Creating Functions
Chapter 11: Files and Directories
Chapter 12: Intro to Databases
Chapter 13: Regular Expressions
Appendix A: Installation and Configuration
Appendix B: Resources and Next Steps
Index
Table of Contents (expanded)

Table of Contents (expanded)

Introduction
• What is PHP?
• Why Use PHP?
• How PHP Works
• What You'll Need
• About This Book
• Companion Web Site
Chapter 1: Getting Started With PHP

• Basic XHTML Syntax
• Basic PHP Syntax
• Testing Your Script
• Sending Text to the Browser
• Sending HTML to the Browser
• Using White Space
• Adding Comments to Scripts
• Basic Debugging Steps

Chapter 2: Variables

• What are Variables?
• Variable Syntax
• Types of Variables
• Assigning Values to Variables
• Understanding Quotation Marks

Chapter 3: HTML Forms and PHP

• Creating a Simple Form
• Using GET or POST
• Receiving Form Data in PHP
• Displaying Errors
• Error Reporting
• Manually Sending Data to a Page

Chapter 4: Using Numbers

• Creating the Form
• Performing Arithmetic
• Formatting Numbers
• Understanding Precedence
• Incrementing and Decrementing a Number
• Creating Random Numbers

Chapter 5: Using Strings

• Creating the HTML Form
• Connecting Strings (Concatenation)
• Handling Newlines
• HTML and PHP
• Encoding and Decoding Strings
• Finding Substrings
• Replacing Parts of a String

Chapter 6: Control Structures

• Creating the HTML Form
• The if Conditional
• Validation Functions
• Using Else
• More Operators
• Using elseif
• The Switch Conditional
• The For Loop

Chapter 7: Using Arrays

• What Is an Array?
• Creating an Array
• Adding Items to an Array
• Accessing Array Elements
• Creating Multidimensional Arrays
• Sorting Arrays
• Transforming Between Strings and Arrays
• Creating an Array from a Form

Chapter 8: Creating Web Applications

• Creating Templates
• Using External Files
• Using Constatns
• Working with the Date and Time
• Handling HTML Forms with PHP, Revisited
• Making Forms Sticky
• Sending Email
• Output Buffering
• Manipulating HTTP Headers

Chapter 9: Cookies and Sessions

• What Are Cookies?
• Creating Cookies
• Reading from Cookies
• Adding Parameters to a Cookie
• Deleting a Cookie
• What Are Sessions?
• Creating a Session
• Accessing Sessoin Variables
• Deleting a Session

Chapter 10: Creating Functions

• Creating and Using Simple Functions
• Creating and Calling Functions that Take Arguments
• Setting Default Argument Values
• Creating and Using Functions that Return a Value
• Understanding Variable Scope

Chapter 11: Files and Directories

• File Permissions
• Writing to Files
• Locking Files
• Reading from Files
• Handling File Uploads
• Navigating Directories
• Creating Directories
• Reading Files Incrementally

Chapter 12: Intro to Databases

• Introduction to SQL
• Connecting to MySQL
• MySQL Error Handling
• Creating and Selecting a Database
• Creating a Table
• Inserting Data into a Database
• Securing Query Data
• Retrieving Data from a Database
• Deleting Data in a Database
• Updating Data in a Database

Chapter 13: Regular Expressions

• What are Regular Expressions?
• Matching Patterns
• Using Literals
• Using Metacharacters
• Using Quantifiers
• Using Classes
• Matching and Replacing Patterns

Appendix A: Installation and Configuration

• Installing on Windows
• Installing on Mac OS X
• Using the MySQL Client
• Creating MySQL Users
• PHP Configuration

Appendix B: Resources and Next Steps

• Online PHP Resources
  • Database Resources
  • Top Ten Frequently Asked Questions (or Problems)
  • Next Steps
  • Tables

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  RULES
  I run my classes like a users group.  However everyone runs their groups differently – just like every family has different rules ie.  Dinner at 5:00, No shoes in the house, Weekly chores done by Saturday Noon.
  Larry has his set of rules for his forums:   http://www.dmcinsights.com/phorum/terms-of-service.php?23

  Read out loud the following items, one at a time, asking students to raise
  their hands whenever they hear a word that describes them (Note: you may
  have to define briefly some of these if language proficiency is an issue):
  Logical
  Detailed
  Collaborative
  Visual
  Auditory
  Intuitive
  Practical
  Theoretical
  Detailoriented
  Big picture oriented
  Inquisitive
  Creative
  Selfstarter
  Motivated
  Artistic
  Ambitious
  Peopleoriented
  Emotional
  Systematic
  Relaxed

   

Learn more about places where JilMac teaches classes, workshops, tutors and consults:

• CCV - Community College of Vermont - I teach On-Ground at several locations and On-Line
• Marlboro Grad Center - Downtown Brattleboro VT
• WSSU - Windham SouthEast Supervisory Union - Adult Education & Career Center
• eTutoring - A Collaborative Online Tutoring Program & Platform servicing 32 Colleges & Universities in NewEngland
• New England Adobe Users Group

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