Foundation PHP 5 for Flash friends of ED, 2005
Are you a reasonably experienced Flash user who has certain mastered the basics, but wished you could take your SWFs further into the realm of dynamic data rich applications? Well, look no further. Foundation PHP 5 for Flash brings together three of the web's hottest technologies - Flash, the server-side language PHP, and the MySQL database system. It's bang up to date, using ActionScript 2.0, PHP 5.0, and MySQL 4.1, but has been designed to be version-neutral. In other words, you can be confident that you're working with the latest standards, but that your applications won't break if deployed on an older server. The book also provides a brief introduction to an alternative database system, SQLite, which is now automatically bundled with PHP 5 and requires no installation. At each stage in the learning you are given an overview of a new area of PHP/MySQL, introducing you to the syntax while showing how it compares to ActionScript, and how it integrates with Flash to produce increasingly complex applications. For example, earlier chapters cover things such as getting data from PHP to Flash and back again, variables, arrays, string manipulation, validating user input, and feedback forms. Later on, you move on to more advanced subjects such as creating databases with MySQL Monitor and phpMyAdmin, manipulating database data through a Flash interface, displaying data from an RSS feed in Flash, persisting data with sessions, and creating a full blown content management system. In addition, to get you up and running, the book features a detailed guide to setting up your environment - PHP, MySQL, and the Apache web server - along with extensive troubleshooting information. PHP is the language of choice on nearly 18 million domains, and MySQL has more than five million active users, including industry leaders like Google, the Associated Press, Sony, and NASA. They're open source and free; and with the help of this book, you'll see that they're easy and fun to learn. |
Beginning PHP 5 and MySQL: From Novice to Professional Apress, 2004
The book is laid out in much the same way as a grammar book, with a chapter on funtions, another on arrays, two on OOP. There's also coverage of file handling, strings and regular expressions, as well as the new error and exception handling features of PHP 5, using try, throw and catch. All the main functions are laid out under separate headings, usually with one of two useful examples of how they work. A nice touch is that Jason Gilmore doesn't restrict himself to core PHP. He also introduces some PHP add-ons, like templating with Smarty, and the very useful RSS feed parser, MagpieRSS. Before moving on to MySQL, there's also a chapter on SQLite, the lightweight, but very powerful relational database system that's now an integral part of PHP. The MySQL section of the book is much shorter, but it covers all the essential ingredients for getting a MySQL database working with PHP. The book was written before MySQL 4.1 was generally available, so there's no coverage of mysqli, the Improved MySQL extension that's new to PHP 5. If you're looking for a good reference book for PHP 5, this is the best one I've found so far. If you're a beginner who wants to learn PHP from scratch, I would recommend "PHP and MySQL Web Development" by Welling and Thomson. Or if you want to learn PHP in a Dreamweaver context, either of the books I have co-authored, "Foundation Dreamweaver MX 2004" and "PHP Web Development with Dreamweaver MX 2004". |
Usable Shopping Carts (Reprint) friends of ED, 2004
For anyone with intermediate skills in ASP or PHP and database design, this is an ideal route-map to rolling your own solution to building an online e-commerce site. Full coding is given for both implementations - ASP and PHP - and each section is presented separately, so ASP developers do not have to worry about irrelevant (to them) explanations about PHP, and vice versa. ASP developers should note, though, that the entire project uses Microsoft's high-end database, SQL Server, not Access. So the target readership is developers interested in creating robust, scalable solutions. The PHP implementation makes use of the most popular open source database, MySQL. Although the final chapter covers security issues, the emphasis is on cataloguing, database design, content management, and the shopping cart that leads customers to the final checkout (with options to change their choices right up to the last minute). It does not provide details of how to set up secure credit card transactions - a specialist area beyond the scope of the book. Of particular value, though, are the discussions of information architecture and e-commerce site design. The authors believe strongly that the success of any online e-commerce site lies in well thought-out planning, and provide useful guidelines as to what contributes to success in this area. Although the coding is fully explained throughout the book, readers are expected to have at least a basic understanding of PHP/MySQL or ASP/MS SQL. Even for anyone not yet needing to implement an e-commerce site, this book would provide a very solid grounding for the development of any database or content management system. There's no CD-ROM, but all the files can be downloaded from the accompanying website. |
The Definitive Guide to MySQL, 2nd Edition Apress, 2003
Both books assume no previous knowledge of database design or SQL, and adopt a tutorial-style approach to creating and manipulating a database in MySQL. They also serve as useful reference books to experienced users, covering all aspects of installation, SQL usage, administration, and backup. What I have found particularly useful in Kofler's book is the clear, logical layout with bold headings and important points highlighted, making it much easier to browse and find the information you're looking for. Another strong point in Kofler's favour is Chapter 5, a 50-page primer in database design. He takes the example of a database of books, and leads you through the process of working out the best structure for the tables. He handles the subject of normalization in strightforward, easy-to-understand terms, and describes the various types of table columns, with examples of how they should be used. There is no single "right" answer to database design, but Kofler presents a solution and then discusses the pros and cons. He takes a similar approach to many other issues, such as the choice between MySQL's default MyISAM tables and the newer InnoDB. Both have their advantages and drawbacks, but Kofler's sound advice makes the decision a lot clearer. A large part of the book is devoted to how web applications can be built by combining MySQL with a variety of programming languages - PHP, Perl, Java, C, C++, Visual Basic and C# (but not ColdFusion). Because of PHP's close integration with MySQL, the lion's share is devoted to PHP, with two chapters given over to developing a fully functional database of books and web forum. PHP users also benefit from a tutorial in the use of phpMyAdmin, the user-friendly graphical interface for MySQL offered by many ISPs. Where this book suffers in comparison with DuBois is in its coverage of MySQL functions. Although they're listed and described, there are fewer worked examples. It's probably not worth owning both books, but if you don't have either, on balance I'd say Kofler is the one to go for (and not just because of my Apress connnections). For anyone planning to use MySQL a lot, a good companion to this book would be the O'Reilly "MySQL Cookbook" (by Paul DuBois, so he still gets my vote). By the way, don't be put off by the fact that this book is a translation from the German. It reads very well; in fact, a lot more smoothly than some books written by native English speakers. |
Teach Yourself SQL in 10 Minutes (2nd Edition) Sams, 2001
The variety of SQL covered in this book is not software-specific, so the skills learned are fully applicable to most major relational databases. Written in a straightforward, approachable style. |
SQL Queries for Mere Mortals Addison-Wesley, 2000
It begins with a review of how relational databases work, and guidelines for making sure your database structure is sound. A nice touch is the way in which queries are presented first in everyday language, and then with a single line crossing out words that should be omitted in formulating a SQL statement. |
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This is a book I wrote myself, so the review is by no means impartial. I think it's the best thing since sliced bread. I hope you do, too.
If I have a complaint about this book, it's the title. It gives the impression that a beginner might be able to use it to learn PHP and MySQL from scratch. Not really. It's much more of a reference book that will be of value to anyone from novice to professional. It covers just about every aspect of PHP 5 - from basics, such as datatypes and variables, to advanced subjects like the new object-oriented syntax.
This is a reprint of the very popular book of the same title, published by Glasshaus just before its collapse. It's now published by friends of ED. I've not seen the new edition, but I understand it's not just a straight reprint. The code is said to have been considerably improved. If so, that's very good news, because the original was superb.
Apress sent me a free copy of this book to assist me with writing "PHP Web Development with Dreamweaver MX 2004" (co-authored with Allan Kent and Rachel Andrew, due out in May 2004). I'm delighted they did. I've always relied on "MySQL" by Paul DuBois, which I still think is an excellent book, but so is this one, and it has many features that probably make it a better choice for many people.
As with all of Sams "Teach Yourself in..." titles, the 10 minutes is, to put it mildly, an exaggeration. What Ben Forta has done, though, is concentrate on the essentials of SQL, and split them up into 22 handy bite-size chunks that can be read through in about 10 minutes. To get the most out of this book, you need to download the sample database files, and work through all the examples. By the time you have done so, you should have a strong grasp of all the main commands in SQL. The book is small enough to slip into a pocket or bag, so you can brush up your knowledge when you're away from the computer and with a few minutes to spare.
This is a follow-up to Michael Hernandez's highly successful "Database Design for Mere Mortals" (also reviewed on this site), and takes the same straightforward approach to SQL - the programming language common to all main relational database systems. As with the previous book, one of this book's great strengths is its software-independent approach. Hernandez and Viescas concentrate on the core language, so you will be able to apply your knowledge to any database system.