Advanced Php for Flash [Illustrated] [Paperback]

Steve Webster (Author), Matt Rice (Author), Havard Eide (Author), Jacob Hanson (Author), Todd Marks (Author), James Palmer (Author), Kev Sutherland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2002

Advanced PHP for Flash is the follow-up to the hugely popular Foundation PHP for Flash.

The main aim of this book is to extend the reader's knowledge of using PHP and MySQL to produce dynamic content for Flash. Essentially, it picks up the baton from the first book and runs with it until there's no more road.

The book takes the reader from being an intermediate to an advanced PHP/Flash developer, and to help them create some awesome Flash-based web applications along the way. It covers the core PHP features, as well as some exciting extras, that follow on directly from the knowledge gained in the first chapter, and show the reader how to use them in real-world applications.

This book covers:

- Sessions

- File Uploading

- Advanced MySQL

- Socket Functions

- PHP and XML

- Ming

- Plus fully functional case studies

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This book is aimed squarely at those readers who want to create dynamic Flash-based web applications, and especially at those who have finished the first book and are hungry for more.

As this book is pitched at those with an intermediate knowledge of PHP (and a decent grasp of MySQL) it has the advantage of being useful to both programmers and those coming over from the first book.

About the Author

A bio is not available for this author.

James Dean Palmer graduated in 1998 from Texas A&M University's computer engineering program. In 2000, he completed his master of science degree in computer visualization. Deeply technical and profoundly visual, James has been working professionally both in print and the web since 1994. James founded Caramba Designs in 2001 to develop web-based applications and end-to-end solutions for unique problems.

Todd Marks is an avid developer, designer, instructor, and author of information display technologies. In 2000, Todd moved from teaching mathematics and computer science in the public sector to becoming a vice president of research and development at digitalorganism. In 2002, Todd founded Mindgrub Technologies and established a web technologies portal. In 2003, Todd joined Pope de Flash as the head of technology to form The Unity Project. Todd currently works as a product engineer for the mediaEdge division of Exceptional Software Strategies, Inc. Todd is a Macromedia-certified developer, designer, and subject matter expert. His efforts have earned him three Flash Film Festival nominations, a Macromedia Site of the Day award, two Addy Awards, and several educational partnerships. Todd has written and contributed to several books including Macromedia Flash MX Video, Foundation Dreamweaver MX, Beginning Dreamweaver MX 2004, Advanced PHP for Flash, Macromedia Flash MX Components Most Wanted, and Macromedia Flash MX 2004 Magic. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 600 pages
• Publisher: Friends of ed; illustrated edition edition (September 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1904344038
• ISBN-13: 978-1904344032
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 7.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,872,439 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, December 7, 2002

By 

J. J. Wijman (Hengelo Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Advanced Php for Flash (Paperback)

The book is good, but I think it is a little limited because it is a succession of cases, which do not correlate. Yoyr skills may be improved but not your knowledge. It is like learning a formula with the numbers already filled in , but not the formula with its symbols.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is a good book!, November 12, 2002

By 

J. KIEHL "eyez" (Gap France) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Advanced Php for Flash (Paperback)

It's raining in Paris, which is sad.
But not as sad as the bad reviews here.
Apparently, some reviewers didn't take the time
to get familiar with the contents of the book
as stated here before buying it;
nowhere does it say the message board (Flash+PHP+mySQL)
is discussed in the Advanced book.
The sourcecode for that board was part of the "Foundation" book
and can be downloaded from the publishers site.
As to this one: it includes a working chat,
shows you how to build an e-commerce site
(including how to generate a pdf invoice from PHP),
talks about sessions (remembering user info with a handy shopping cart application),
how to let users upload files (jpg's for example to be pulled into Flash later..),
and many more.
Each and every php script has many usefull details
that you'll be able to integrate into your site;
and the Flash part takes full advantage of MX's new features
like loadVars, loading images etc...
Where is there another book integrating PHP and Flash
as closely as this one (and the Foundation one)?!
And best of all, if you ever get stuck,
the people on the support board are always ready to help.
So go ahead and get it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Increase Your Flash Application Skills, March 20, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Advanced Php for Flash (Paperback)

Flash is becoming much more of an application/interface tool than ever before. This book does a good job of furthering the skills taught in the first book. While the book doesn't follow with a case study pertaining to all chapters, it does give you methods that you can pick and choose from, so that you don't necessarily need to read from beginning to end to get real and usable benefits.

I particulary enjoyed Chatper 5, which shows some very good ways of using MySQL with Flash: getting lists, details, and searching without having to load new pages or go back to previous pages...that's the good thing about Flash interfaces.

The book is a rather big step in difficulty from the first book, but worth it.