Customer Reviews

Creating Database Web Applications with PHP and ASP (Charles River Media Internet & Web Design)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm a seasoned (some would say salty) web developer, and I have been teaching web applications for two years both online and "on the ground." I've looked in vain for the right mixture of theory, practical application and humor (a needed ingredient for this type of instruction). I use this book for intermediate web developer students who have a solid grounding in HTML, CSS and Javascript, and some basic knowledge of either PHP or ASP (or other programming logic). I used to use Wrox's Beginning ASP, but at more than 1000 pages, and more errata than I could cover in a single class, I continued looking. With this book, I think I've found the right text for some of the classes I teach!

Dr. Meyer's work starts with a review of HTML and Javascript, with an emphasis on how to use the DOM in an application setting. Regarding databases, there are chapters explaining application concepts and E-R diagrams, as well as how to use the CLI client for MySQL. The CD-ROM even has SQL instructions for importing the material from the text; and for Access users, db files that mirror the work in the text.

But the real heart of the matter is the instruction in coding practices, from reading and writing to databases (using MySQL and DSN-less Access connections), to using cookies and session variables for data persistance. And this is where this book has no equal: it supports both the hugely popular open-source PHP/MySQL as equally as it shows ASP and Access. I've never seen such a universal attempt pulled off quite as well.

I recommend the book, but no work is perfect. I don't think that a book can equal the combination of education and experience (but as an instructor, I may be biased). The PHP code supplied in the accompanying CD-ROM utilizes global variables (which may be turned off in some production environments for security purposes)--but that underscores the use of the text as a textbook, and not a coding "cookbook" with samples that are "ready-to-eat." Also, the ASP uses the less-common, but more palatable ASP JavaScript (or JScript) instead of the more commonly utilized ASP VBScript (but even third-party ASP interpreters like that used in the SunOne Server handled the code).

I found that students should adapt and improve the code from the CD-ROM as part of their studies, so that they could fix some typos, and learn how code integration works. Also, they needed to create interfaces for the samples so we could stop staring at web forms and add some color to the examples! Students have created portfolio pieces using the concepts in this text like psychological profile tests, e-commerce sites, calendar applications and marketing surveys.

I am very new to computing, having just learned the basics of HTML. I found this book very helpful. First of all, it does start out with basic HTML which was reassuring for me. It then adds JavaScript. It builds up gradually, with many examples in the text. There is also a complete set of code on the CD. The PHP with MySql and the ASP with Access are always compared with general previews. The book has many screen shots.

The book also has some examples of what the screen would look like if you did something wrong which beginners tend to do. I have not seen this pedagogical technique in other texts. I found it very helpful. The chapters on database design and SQL were also very good. I strongly recommend this book. It is an excellent book for anyone new to Web applications or someone with some experience, who wants to know more. In particular, if someone knows one of the technologies featured (PHP, ASP, MySql, Access, SQL) and wants to know how this one technology relates to others, this is a good source. The examples of the book are well-chosen, without any extraneous material, and are explained in a table, with code in one column and explanation in another. I liked the fact that that it is clear and concise since I like most people don't have a lot of time to expend on a lot of unnecessary verbiage.

While this book covers both ASP and PHP coding and the use of MySQL and ACCESS, the author does little to explain the 'why' behind much of the coding. This means that using the coding is not as straightforward as she would like it to be.

To start a book with the basics of HTML and then take a user through to complex database design would require more explanation and peripheral information.

I find that Larry Ullman's books provide far better explanations of the coding and help the user to understand how the coding fits in with a) the rest of the coding on the page and b) the coding that relates to subsequent pages.


I used this book as a textbook in a class, and most students encountered similar problems. If someone were to purchase this book, I strongly recommend another more hands-on book in tandem with it.

Jeanine,

Just wanted to let you know how helpful your book is. Before I thought, it was impractical to have two scripting languages and two databases. I said this because from my experience I started learning database from Access then learn Visual Basic Codes and Scripts. Originally, my field of profession is Financial Accounting. In the early 1990's I learn Lotus then migrated to Excel spreadsheet programs. I was not satisfied for what macros can do so I studied Access database. I was so amazed by it but there are things I know and hope will make things easier and faster. I wanted to learn SQL knowing how powerful it is, but how expensive commerialize DBMS softwares were it made me stick with Access. The internet period has arrived at that time, so I learned ASP with Visual Basic Scripting. I was still not comfortable & not happy with it because VBScript is always tied up with a giant corporation and at the time I was learning HTML, XML & JavaScript.

This made me confuse what direction am I going but continue what I learned so far, apply it then and whatever will make it easier. So, I studied ASP with JavaScript langauge. Consequently, from learning and experience, I read about MySQL and PHP and studied it as well. So far your book is the best and most helpful, in showing how to connect to a server and for sure will SAVE me and my clients alot. Currently, I am a financial administrator and partly the intranet designer of a university in San Francisco. My goal is to be a free lance web designer and to own a Web design company using MySQL (OPEN SOURCE database), PHP (OPEN SOURCE scripting language), Access database, and Active Server Pages (ASP).

Thank you again and more power to you.

John

Jeanine,

Just wanted to let you know how helpful your book is. Before I thought, it was impractical to have two scripting languages and two databases. I said this because from my experience I started learning database from Access then learn Visual Basic Codes and Scripts. Originally, my field of profession is Financial Accounting. In the early 90's I learn Lotus then migrated to Excel spreadsheet programs. I was not satisfied for what Macros can do so I studied Access database. I was so amazed by it but there are things I know and hope will be easier and faster. I wanted to learn SQL knowing how powerful it is, but because how expensive commerialize DBMS softwares were it made me stick with Access. The internet period has arrived at that time, so I learned ASP with Visual Basic Scripting. I was not totally satisfied with it because VBScript is always tied up to a giant corporation and at the time I was learning HTML, XML &
JavaScript. This made me confuse, what direction am I going. I decided to continue what I learned so far, apply it then to whatever will make it easier. So, I studied ASP with JavaScript Langauge. Consequently, from learning and experience, I read about MySQL and PHP and studied it as well. So far your book is the best and most helpful, in showing how to connect to a server and for sure will SAVE me and my clients alot. Currently, I am a financial administrator and partly the intranet designer of a
University in San Francisco. My goal is to have my own server
company.

Thank you again and more power to you.

John

I have created a couple of websites and know HTML pretty well. This book assumes you know ASP inside and out, and if you don't, this is not the right book for you. Even if you do, the book does not explain enough for you to actually create a database. I would recommend the Active Server Pages 3.0 book published by Wrox. I haven't tried their ASP.Net 1.0, but they are good about explaining everything to Newbies and being detailed orientated for programmers with more skill and knowledge. The Active Server Pages 3.0 book has three chapters dedicated to getting your database up and running, in addition to having a sample application that can be run on your own web server using windows 2000.