PHP: Your Visual Blueprint for Creating Open Source, Server-Side Content (Paperback)

~ (Author), Joel Desamero (Author) "A Web server processes all the PHP code in a Web page and translates the code into simple HTML code..." (more)
Key Phrases: Function Description Returns, Apache Web, Internet Information Services (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This full color book is the only PHP title available that is designed for the visual learner. It covers over 100 tasks! Including using cookies to monitor the activity of Web site visitors to retrieving information from Oracle, MySql and Microsoft databases, creating images and Web pages on the fly and processing XML documents.

From the Back Cover

Welcome to the only guidebook series that takes a visual approach to professional-level computer topics. Open the book and you'll discover step-by-step screen shots that demonstrate over 100 key PHP tasks, including:

• Using PHP with Apache
• Working with arrays
• Processing data from forms
• Creating cookies
• Managing user sessions
• Retrieving data from databases
• Working with MySQL
• Creating classes and objects
• Accessing data in files
• Troubleshooting PHP

Extra Apply It

• "Apply It" and "Extra" sidebars highlight useful tips
• High-resolution screen shots demonstrate each task
• Succinct explanations walk you through step-by-step
• Two-page lessons break big topics into bite-sized modules

Development tools on CD-ROM!

• PHP code creation tools for Windows, Unix, and Macintosh platforms
• PHP, MySQL, and Apache Web Server for Unix and Windows
• Plus a fully searchable e-version of the book

System requirements: PC running Windows 95 or later, Windows NT 4 or later; Power Macintosh running System 7.6 or later; Linux or Unix. See the What's on the CD-ROM Appendix for details and complete system requirements.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Visual (June 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764535617
• ISBN-13: 978-0764535611
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 8.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #685,110 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best "non-bible like" php book, October 18, 2001

By	"biolight" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

It took me only about 15 minutes to size this book up and it's a winner. It's concise, complete, and extremely well organized. It's a heck of a good reference when you're programming and just can't remember something. And unlike most of the programming books I've used, it's large titles (every two pages are a "module" discussing an important concept) make it EASY to find exactly what you're looking for.

IT'S UNIQUE, AND IT'S ACTUALLY INTELLIGENTLY WRITTEN

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What's unique about this book is that the information is presents is very easily digestable. I own 4 php books including this one, and none of them are as useful to me on a day to day basis, because finding information in them is so much work--I usually just end up looking on google. Most of the books I own (and I do own quite a few), well, they.... um.... suck. Especially after you realized they're index is not good for looking things up or they're written like the hobbit (actually, we have a theory about that... you see... how do hobbits make money after all...).

Additionally, the format seems to appeal to different kinds of learners. I am more brainy in the way that I learn, but my more corporeal "hands-on" programmer friend (who learns by doing) took one look at this thing and insisted I order him a copy (which is the reason I'm writing reviews, don't you know ;-). I think the format will appeal to a wide variety of learners.

WHAT'S REALLY REALLY GOOD
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* Awesome format
* Complete index
* easy to find information
* clear writing
* well laid out information
* introductions to more advanced material (like how to set up a mysql database)
* the entire book is on PDF on the CD, which is SO COMPLETELY AWESOME IT SOLD THE BOOK (publisher if you read this, it's the reason I bought a copy of your book -- keep it up). No more wishing you had a copy of the book with you at work when you need it -- now you don't have to own 2 copies to have a decent reference!!!
* It's CHEAP. I'm buying a number of this series because it's almost like two for one on Amazon.
* lots of pictures and screen shots (that make sense for once!)
* an example on the same page as almost every category
* it's the same format most folks learn in -- do and then see what happens, then do this and see what happens, etc...

WHAT'S NOT GOOD, OR COULD BE IMPROVED
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* Could use a little more in depth information
* Could use a keyed index (in other words, put the page number of the page the stuff you're talking about is referenced in the reference section -- a minor, but useful, tune up)
* Index of functions, while useful, it pretty slim on explination
* Missing more comprehensive examples -- how do you put it all together kind of material. Kind of a mixed blessing.
* It has a few typos. And as you know BOOKS are not supposed to be like web pages.
* I'll bet you one of the examples is broken somehow. All computer books have a broken example in them. It's like, a cyber-rule. Really. So go find it. Go on. Email me and I'll put it in the review (I couldn't find anything that looks obviously messed up straight off).
* A map of the php world would rock. I love books that give me nice big fold-out "reminescent of National Geographic" maps of programming languages. <sniff>
* This book could be improved if it was packaged with $100 dollars of cold hard cash. That's a joke.

WHAT I REALLY THINK (REALLY!)
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In short, this book won't help you write better programs or give you a really good framework for understanding and developing applications (and don't be fooled, most books that claim to suck continuiously for 500 pages before boring you into submission).

It will get you productive in php and teach you what you need to know. And the pdf version of the book on cd makes this the benchmark computer book format (it's like it's, NOOO!!! It's from the future!!! Oh my god, another publisher realized that releasing computer books in pdf won't hurt sales, and in fact encourages users to buy more of their books! <nod o'reilly>

THE BOTTOM LINE
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If you're a beginner/intermediate, or even just want something to use as a reference or occasionally brush up, this should be in your library.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Learning Tool for PHP, September 28, 2001

By	Tony Degnan (Kansas) - See all my reviews

I have purchased many books to learn new programming languages in my spare time. Most of them I got boared with that rambled on and on and didn't really help me much. I give this 5 stars because for a person with programming logic and some programming skill you can get a ton out of this book. This is the best programming tutorial I have ever read. I am a software programmer by trade so I have seen a lot of books. This book is right to the point with graphic examples and makes things so easy to understand. If you know a little bit about programming and want to pick up the PHP language this is a must have book. I am about 1/2 way through it right now and can't wait to get the time to finish it. All in all this is a must have book for Newbie PHP programmers to help get your feet wet in the PHP world. Great Job!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Depends on what you want..., September 26, 2002

By	Paul A. Martinez (Grants Pass, OR United States) - See all my reviews

If you are a beginner to programming languages this book is very good. If you are a proffesional this is a book that you would breeze through in a night, maybe two to get an overview of the language.

The book is good for a beginner because you cannot get more detailed about the small topic chunks they covered at any given time. The books assumes you know nothing or virtually nothing of programming languages or server side scripting.

The book is only a wet your lips kind of thing for a proffessional. It will not give you everything you need to really write good production sites. You need another book for that. Even though it only wets your lips, this book is a good book even for the proffesional because it is a very quick read for someone who knows other programming languages.