Amazon.com Review
Perl is widely available across the various platforms that drive the Web, yet many developers overlook this powerful programming language. Even those coders who have some experience with Perl might not realize the language's full capabilities. In
Perl Developer's Guide, authors Ed Peschko and Michele DeWolfe expand their readers' knowledge of Perl to leverage fully the powerful tool.
This title follows a rather traditional path in presenting the programming language. It begins with an overview and proceeds through the mechanical constructs of Perl: variables, expressions, data structures, and functions. The coverage is quite good, but this systematic approach and rather small type demand a dedicated reader. Those who hang in there, however, will come away with a well-rounded command of Perl.
A good amount of the text is devoted to the use of object-oriented programming (OOP) techniques as they apply to Perl. To illustrate OOP concepts, the authors take the reader through the construction of a board game called Stratagem and show how to convert procedural code into object-oriented code by using telnet and FTP scripts.
If you're looking to explore fully the capabilities of Perl up to version 5.6, this book holds the key. A bit of patience and genuine curiosity on the reader's part are the only prerequisites. --Stephen W. Plain
Topics covered: Perl 5.6 environment setup, variables, control structures, functions and scope, contexts, references, object-oriented programming, libraries and modules, abstraction and modular programming, converting procedural code, Perl development environment, and debugging tips.
From the Back Cover
A Complete Resource for Developing Applications in Perl
Of the multitude of languages available, Perl has emerged as the language of choice for Internet programmers and Web developers. In fact, over sixty-five percent of all dynamic Web pages are created using this platform-independent language.
Perl Developer's Guide offers complete guidance for professional programmers wanting to create powerful Perl applications and develop robust Web sites. This requisite sourcebook covers it all--basic, syntax, references, regular expressions, flow control, in-depth object-oriented Perl, and much more.
You'll find everything you need to:
Master Perl as a programming language, with tons of explicit, relevant examples. Master the Perl programming environment (including profilers, debuggers, and the compiler) Develop reusable modules for both Windows NT and UNIX Develop and debug CGI applications, and add database backends to your CGI scripts Leverage existing Perl scripts and put CGI front ends onto them. Get familiar with powerful, free-to-use Perl APIs
The authors also maintain a Web site, allowing you to keep up-to-date on the latest Perl developments. Highly informative and useful, this is the one book that no Perl programmer should be without.
Special features include:
A guide to the Perl compiler and core modules An in-depth regular expression tutorial A library of syntax and modules Coverage of internal functions and switches Hundreds of diagrams and real-world solutions Tools and tips for debugging Supporting examples updated to cover version 5.6
On the CD-ROM:
Perl 5.6 All of the book's source code Graphical installation tool and online documentation Helpful packages and binary installs for Windows NT and UNIX
