Web Application Design and Implementation : Apache 2, PHP5, MySQL, JavaScript, and Linux/UNIX

by Gabarro, Steven A.

• ISBN13: 9780471773917
• ISBN10: 0471773913
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-12-26
• Publisher: Wiley-IEEE Computer Society Pr

Summary

Web Application Design and Implementation uses a hands-on approach of the major technologies and programming languages to teach readers web development. Providing an understanding of all major aspects of web programming in order to achieve the construction of a database-driven website, the book features state-of-the-art programming languages such as HTML, JavaScript, MySQL, PHP, Apache, Linux/Unix.

Author Biography

STEVEN A. GABARRÓ, MSc, is a member of the faculty at Stevens Institute of Technology. He created the first Web programming course at Stevens in 2003, a course which is now considered one of the most instructive computer science elective courses by students and fellow faculty. The success of the course became the drive to create this book.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
About the Author	xiii
Before We Get Started	xiii
Who Should Read This Book?	xiv
About the Examples	xiv
How to Read This Book	xiv
Acknowledgments	xv
Introduction: Web Application Recipe	1
Overview	1
Procedure	1
Step 1 Understanding the Problem and Finding the Solution	1
Step 2 Designing the Database	2
Step 3 Major Functionalities	2
Step 4 Backside	2
Step 5 Improvements on Functionality	2
Step 6 Improvements on Looks	3
Step 7 Thorough Testing, Hacking Attempts	3
Step 8 Presentation	3
Step 9 Publication	3
Step 10 Celebration (and Maintenance)	4
1. Fundamentals	5
The Origins of the Internet	5
The World Wide Web	6
The Web Browsers	7
The Web Servers	7
TCP/IP BASICS	8
The Internet Layer	9
The Transport Layer	11
The Application Layer	11
The Toolbox	12
Browsers	12
FTP	13
Email Clients	14
Programming Tools	14
Other Useful Tools	15
2. The Different Approaches of Web Programming	17
Before We Get Started	17
The Basics—HTML	17
The Creator—SGML	18
Other SGML-Based Languages—XML and XSL	19
The Good Old Java	20
Something Different—JavaScript	21
The Savior—PHP	22
The Rival ASP.NET	22
The Myth CGI	23
Another Big Option—Perl	23
The Future?—C#	24
Client-Side versus Server-Side—Which Side to Pick?	24
My Choices—PHP, MySQL, JavaScript	25
3. Introduction to HTML	27
What Do You Need to Get Started?	27
How Does HTML Work?	28
Syntax Basics	28
File Structure	28
Tag Parameters	30
Basic Text Formatting	30
External References	32
Links	32
Images	33
Organizing Data	34
Lists	35
Tables	36
Frames	39
Special Characters	43
4. Work Environment	45
Introduction	45
Downloading the Software	45
Installing the Apache Server	46
Installation Steps	46
Checking the Installation	47
Possible Errors	47
Configuring Apache	48
Installing PHPS	48
Testing PHP	50
Installing MySQL	50
Adding a MySQL User	51
How Do I Know if MySQL is Running?	51
Installing PhpMyAdmin	51
Installing a Bulletin Board: phpBB	52
Installation Steps	52
Basic Security Considerations	54
Conclusion	55
5. PHP—A Server-Side Scripting Language	57
How Does It Work?	57
Some "New" Words on PHP	57
Syntax Generalities	58
Instructions	58
Operators	61
Mathematical Functions	61
Data Types	63
Constants	64
Variables	65
6. PHP Arrays and Flow of Control	69
Arrays	69
Basic Arrays	69
Associative Arrays	70
Multidimensional Arrays	71
Array Functions	74
PHP Program Structure and Flow of Control	77
Conditions	77
Loops	80
Functions	82
7. Using Files, Folders, and Strings in PHP	85
Using Files	85
Folder Manipulation	89
Basic String Manipulation	90
Changing a String	90
Finding and Comparing	93
Formatting Strings	94
Manipulating HTML Files	95
PHP Information Functions	96
Closing Remarks	97
Writing a Basic File Explorer	97
Requirements	97
Hints	98
Case Study: An Indexer/Searcher Step 1	98
Overview	98
The Indexer—Step 1	99
8. PHP5 and Object-Oriented Programming	101
Overview	101
Classes and Objects	101
Classes in PHP	102
Constructors and Destructors	103
Visibility	104
The Scope Resolution Operator	105
The Static Keyword	105
Class Constants	106
Class Abstraction	106
Object Interfaces	106
Copying and Cloning Objects	107
Comparing Objects	108
Type Hinting	109
Exceptions	109
Final Words	110
9. Creating Some Interactivity	111
Overview	111
Forms	111
Writing a Form in HTML	111
GET versus POST	115
Retrieving the Form Information on a PHP Script	115
Dynamically Creating Forms	116
Transferring Data Between PHP Scripts	117
Cookies	117
Sessions	120
One Last Useful Function and Design Techniques	122
Assignments	123
File Explorer—Step 2	123
Case Study: Indexer/Searcher—Step 2	124
10. Making Cleaner Code and Output	127
Cleaning Up Your Code	127
What You Need	127
How to Use It?—HTML Side	128
How to Use It?—PHP Side	128
Cleaning Up Your Output	131
The CSS File	132
Useful Tools	134
Assignment	135
11. Using Databases	137
Overview	137
Database Basics	137
The Entity Relationship Model	137
More Practical Examples	138
Typical Sources of Error	139
Simplifying the Diagrams	140
Using MySQL	140
MySQL Syntax	141
Data Types	142
MySQL Numeric Data Types	142
Date and Time Data Types	143
String Data Types	144
MySQL Operators	144
MySQL Instructions	145
Using Functions in MySQL	150
12. Using PhpMyAdmin	151
Overview	151
Creating a Database	151
Creating Tables	152
Accessing an Existing Table	154
Exporting/Importing a Database Structure and Content	154
Assignment—Final Project	157
13. Creating Database-Driven Websites with PHP/MySQL	159
Overview	159
Connecting to Your MySQL Server with PHP	159
Submitting SQL Queries	160
Processing the Results of a Query	161
Example of Login Procedure	162
Other Useful Functions	163
Grouping Our Methods in a Class	164
Indexer/Searcher—Steps 3 and 4	168
14. JavaScript-A Client-Side Scripting Language	171
Introduction	171
JavaScript Syntax	173
Types of Data and Variables	173
Operations and Calculations	173
Arrays	175
Decisions	176
Loops	176
Using Functions	177
Using Objects	178
The String Objects	178
The Math Class	179
The Array Objects	181
The Date Objects	181
15. Programming the Browser	185
Overview	185
The Window Object	185
The Location Object	186
The History Object	186
The Navigator Object	186
The Screen Object	187
The Document Object	187
Using Events	191
Timers	194
Time to Practice!	195
16. Windows and Frames	197
Frames and JavaScript	197
Windows and JavaScript	201
Assignments	206
One Last Funny Example	206
17. String Manipulations Revisited	209
Overview	209
New Basic String Methods	209
Regular Expressions in JavaScript	210
Regular Expressions in PHP	213
The Set of PCRE	214
18. JavaScript and DHTML	217
Overview	217
Positioning Elements	217
Writing Dynamic Menus in DHTML	222
Your Turn!!	225
19. Putting It All Together!	227
Overview	227
Procedure	227
Step 1 Understanding the Problem and Finding the Solution	227
Step 2 Designing the Database	228
Step 3 Main Functionalities	230
Step 4 Backside	231
Step 5 Improvements on Functionality	231
Step 6 Improvements on Looks	232
Step 7 Thorough Testing, Hacking Attempts	232
Step 8 Presentation	233
Step 9 Publication	233
Step 10 Celebration (and Maintenance)	234
What Language to Use?	234
Appendix A: Special Characters	237
Appendix B: Installing on UNIX	241
Overview	241
Installing Apache and PHP	241
Installing MySQL	243
Appendix C: Advanced phpBB	247
Appendix D: class.FastTemplate.php	251
Appendix E: File Upload Script	267
Bibliography	269
Index	271