PHP for the World Wide Web : Visual QuickStart Guide

by Ullman, Larry

• ISBN13: 9780201727876
• ISBN10: 0201727870
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-01-01
• Publisher: Peachpit Press

Summary

PHP is a powerful (and free) scripting language used to create dynamic Web sites and Web applications. With PHP, Web application developers can perform both simple and complex functions with a few lines of additional code in a standard HTML Web page. PHP is frequently being used to replace forms and functions formerly created by CGI scripts. PHP for the World Wide Web: Visual QuickStart Guide is geared for beginning and intermediate Web developers looking for an introductory guide. The task-based format gets users started with basic syntax, testing scripts, working with variables, creating Web applications, and more. Throughout the book, sample scripts and projects show the readers just what they need to know, and a companion Web site offers every script in this book available for downloading.

Table of Contents

Introduction	ix
What is PHP?	x
Why Use PHP	xii
How PHP Works	xiv
What You'll Need	xv
About This Book	xvii
Companion Web Site	xix
Getting Started with PHP	1	(16)
Basic Syntax	2	(1)
Sending Data to the Browser	3	(2)
Testing Your Script	5	(2)
Sending Text to the Browser	7	(2)
Sending HTML to the Browser	9	(1)
Using White Space in PHP (and HTML)	10	(3)
Adding Comments to Your Scripts	13	(4)
Variables	17	(10)
What are Variables?	18	(1)
Variable Syntax	19	(1)
Types of Variables	20	(5)
Assigning Values to Variables	25	(1)
Predefined Variables	26	(1)
HTML Forms and PHP	27	(12)
Creating a Simple Form	28	(3)
Using Get or Post	31	(2)
Receiving Data from a Form in PHP	33	(2)
Inputting Data Manually	35	(4)
Using Numbers	39	(12)
Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying, and Dividing	40	(3)
Formatting Numbers	43	(2)
Incrementing and Decrementing a Number	45	(1)
Using Multiple Operators	46	(2)
Using Built-in Mathematical Functions	48	(3)
Using Strings	51	(16)
Trimming Strings	52	(2)
Connecting Strings (Concatenation)	54	(2)
Encoding and Decoding Strings	56	(3)
Encrypting and Decrypting Strings	59	(3)
Pulling Out Parts from a String	62	(5)
Control Structures	67	(28)
The If Conditional	68	(3)
More Operators	71	(6)
Using Else	77	(2)
Using Elseif	79	(3)
The Switch Conditional	82	(6)
The While Loop	88	(4)
The For Loop	92	(3)
Using Arrays	95	(22)
Creating an Array	97	(2)
Adding Items to an Array	99	(4)
Accessing Array Elements	103	(3)
Sorting Arrays	106	(3)
Transforming Between Strings and Arrays	109	(4)
Creating an Array from a Form	113	(2)
Creating Multidimensional Arrays	115	(2)
Regular Expressions	117	(16)
What are Regular Expressions?	118	(1)
Defining a Simple Pattern	119	(3)
Matching Patterns	122	(4)
Defining More Complicated Patterns	126	(4)
Matching and Replacing Patterns	130	(3)
Creating Functions	133	(22)
Creating and Using Simple Functions	134	(4)
Creating and Calling Functions that Take Arguments	138	(3)
Creating and Using Functions that Return a Value	141	(5)
Variables and Functions	146	(9)
Files and Directories	155	(28)
File Permissions	156	(2)
Writing to Files	158	(5)
Reading from Files	163	(5)
Directories	168	(5)
Handling File Uploads	173	(4)
Renaming and Deleting Files and Directories	177	(6)
Databases	183	(18)
Connecting to and Creating a Database	185	(4)
Creating a Table	189	(4)
Sending Data to a Database	193	(4)
Retrieving Data from a Database	197	(4)
Cookies	201	(12)
Creating and Reading from Cookies	203	(4)
Adding Parameters to a Cookie	207	(3)
Deleting a Cookie	210	(3)
Creating Web Applications	213	(20)
Using include and require	214	(5)
Determining the Date and Time	219	(6)
Using HTTP Headers	225	(4)
Sending Email	229	(4)
Debugging	233	(16)
Common Errors	234	(3)
Error Reporting and Logging	237	(4)
Debugging Detective Work	241	(3)
Using the Die Statement	244	(5)
Appendix A: Installation and Configuration	249	(6)
Installing on a Linux Server	250	(3)
Installing on a Windows 2000 Server	253	(1)
Configuration	254	(1)
Appendix B: Security	255	(4)
Cryptography and SSL	256	(1)
Writing Secure PHP	257	(1)
Security Resources	258	(1)
Appendix C: PHP Resources	259	(10)
The PHP Manual	260	(1)
Web sites and Newsgroups	261	(2)
Database Resources	263	(1)
Advanced Topics	264	(2)
Tables	266	(3)
Index	269