PHP3

Table of contents

Introduction

What is PHP?

Origins

Features

How Much Does PHP Cost?

The PHP Language Is Embedded in HTML

The PHP Language Executes on the Web Server

PHP is Ubiquitous

Is PHP Similar to C or Java?

Is PHP better than ColdFusion, Active Server Pages, or Java Server Pages?

Summary

Installing PHP

Basic Concepts

Preparation for Compilation

Compiling gcc, the C Compiler

Compiling MySQL

Testing MySQL

Compiling iODBC and MyODBC

Compiling PHP

Installing PHPLIB

Testing ODBC on Linux

Summary

Manipulating Data within PHP

Literal Values

Variables

Constants

Operators

Summary

Controlling Your Programs

Expressions

Statements

Functions

Summary

Interlude One: Connecting to a Database

The Beginning

Making the Connection

Accessing HTML Form Information

Using HTML Form Information

The common.inc File

Summary

Databases and SQL

How is Information Different from Data?

Moving from Information to Databases

Creating Unique Records

Important Fields for Each Record

A Word or Two about Field Data Types

Designing Fields to Store Email Messages

An Introduction to SQL

The SQL Delete Statement

Field Definitions, Revisited

Summary

Interlude Two: Maintaining a List

The List Maintenance Specifications

Creating the Connection Code

Creating the phpuser Username

Creating the Database Table

Revising the menu.php3 File

Inserting Records

Displaying Records

Deleting Records

Editing Records

Cloning Records

Configuring the Application for a New Database Table

phpMyAdmin: An Open Source Front End To MySQL

phpMyAdmin's Features

Installing phpMyAdmin

Avoiding the Web Spiders

Password Protecting the phpMyAdmin Directory

Using phpMyAdmin

Variable Functions: Dumping Table Data

Query by Example, or Constructing User-Definable Pages

Creating Multilanguage Web Sites

Frequently Asked Questions

Summary

Pattern Matching

Regular Expressions Defined

POSIX Style Functions

Perl-Style Functions

MySQL

Summary

Object Orientation

I Learning about Classes

Objects and PHP

Summary

Interlude Three: Creating an HTML Module

Goals of the HTML Class

Forming a Base Class

Moving toward the Future

Consolidating the generate Function

Adding Head Support

Adding Body Support

Adding TITLE Support

Adding Comment Support

Adding Support for Generic Tags

Adding Support for Default Values

Saving (or Cacheing) HTML

Summary

What is CGI?

CGI Apps versus Java Applets

CGI Apps versus JavaScript

Home Brew or Off-the-Shelf Scripts?

How Does CGI Work?

Calling Your CGI Program

HTTP Headers CGI and Environment Variables

URL Encoding and Decoding

Security

Cookies

Debugging CGI Programs

Form Processing

Summary

Authentication

HTTP Authentication

htaccess Authentication

Simple Authentication with a Database

Summary

Real-World SQL

Table Relations

Creating the Database Tables

Forming Virtual Tables through joins

Using Link Tables

The Many Types of joining

Working with Nothing (NULL Values)

Referential Integrity

Summary

Interlude Four: Managing Concurrent Access

Problem: One User Can Overwrite Another's Change

Solution: Preventing Multi-User Editing

Summary

XML

Why XML?

The XML Answer

Core XML

The Document Type Definition (DTD)

XMI Applications

What Does XML Look Like?

For Further Study

Summary

Processing XML with PHP

Getting Movie Information

Summary