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 Customer Reviews
A head of the game, 26 Sep 2008
This book is a head of the game, it will teach you the fundamentals of php6 and it tells you when the code is only for php6 (and that php5 code won't work). The good thing about this book is that it teaches you how php and mysql dance together. Don't miss this book, get it while it is still new. Even if you don't know much about mysql this book has an introduction chapter to mysql. I highly recommend this book to all levels except those who are super advanced programmers.
Whoever formatted this book needs to be shot., 15 Sep 2008
This is the worst technical book I have ever attempted to read. Not because of its content, which may or may not be fine, but because of its formatting.
I don't know whether I have a newer edition to everybody else but my copy is formatted in two narrow columns per page, instead of the usual one column.
This makes listings look ridiculous. Lines of code which should fit on one line are instead splayed over 3 or 4 lines.
In one particularly bad example, the page layout went as follows:
Column 1: standard text. Then mid way down column 1 a listing starts. The listing continues to the end of column 1 then goes to the next page, where it goes down column 1 and column 2. You now have to go back two pages to pick up on the standard text, which continued on column 2 of the first page.
The content of this book may well be excellent, I couldn't really say, but its presentation is awful.
Excellent primer for PHP MySQL, 03 Sep 2008
This is an excellent starter for learning how to use PHP/ MySQL.
It goes along at a fair pace, and may be too fast if you don't have previous HTML and programming experience. The separate PHP for the World Wide Web: Visual Quickstart Guide (Visual QuickStart Guides)and MySQL: Visual Quickstart Guide (Visual QuickStart Guides)books in this series take this a bit more slowly, so if you're struggling they might be a good place to look.
Otherwise this will quickly introduce you to the concepts and use of both products. I'm still using this when I do some PHP programming, and other members of my team are also using it. It's excellent and the code is all available for download which avoids either losing/ scratching the CD or lots of typing.
The install Appendix A is worth the money alone, as I've used it to install both PHP and MySQL on Windows servers and my Mac at home. It points to easy installs on the web for the Mac.
My only gripe is that the layout is difficult to follow and it was hard to work out what the projects were actually doing, a little more explanation here might be useful.
Otherwise excellent, recommended particularly as PHP/ MySQL are free leaving you with some spare cash to buy this!
excellent communicator, 29 Aug 2008
I bought this book at the same time as 2 others on similar topics. I've hardly used the other 2. This book is well-written, with useful examples and the author has explained the sample code line-by-line... a real help when trying to amend one of his examples to produce something for your own purposes. As a teacher with some experience of HTML/ VB / ASP.NET I found this book really easy to follow.
There are a few very minor typos in the text (not surprising, given the number of pages), but if you visit the author's website there's a full list of corrections. It took me about 5 mins to go through and correct them, so it didn't really reduce the effectiveness of the book.
One feature I've really found useful... there are occasional little tables of other functions that do similar things. There isn't space in the book to describe them all in detail, but knowing the name of a fucntion makes it really easy to find out more using your favourite search engine.
Strongly recommended.
I also boughtHow to Do Everything with PHP and MySQL (How to Do Everything) (which is absolutely useless) and Mysql Crash Course (Sams Teach Yourself) (which is just about OK as a reference, but has awful page layout that makes it really hard to read). This book was far better than either of those.
Perfect starting point, 21 Aug 2008
This books is a perfect starting point for people coming from HTML, CSS and Javascript.
It goes through all the necessary and most basic parts of PHP and MySQL, but doesn't go into any depth with anything. So if you want to become an expert at PHP, you WILL need to get other books as well.
The book is set up in a tutorial fashion, where you are taken through a step by step description of everything.
Having coded PHP for a few years, i still go back to this book to look up stuff i can't quite remember.
It's definitely worth buying if you want to learn PHP and MySQL.
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Product Description
PHP and MySQL Web Development introduces readers (who are assumed to have little or no experience with the title subjects) to PHP and MySQL for the purpose of creating dynamic Internet sites. It teaches the same skills as introductory Active Server Pages (ASP) and ColdFusion books--technologies which address the same niche. Authors Luke Welling and Laura Thomson's technique aims to get readers going on their own projects as soon as possible. They present easily digestible sections on specific technical processes--"Accessing Array Contents" and "Using Encryption with PHP" are two examples. Each section centres on a sample program that strips the task at hand down to its essentials, enabling the reader to fit the process into his or her own solutions as required. Tables that list options and other nuggets of reference material appear as well, but the many examples and the authors' commentary on them take centre stage. For reference material on MySQL, have a look at Paul DuBois's MySQL. On the PHP side, Web Application Development with PHP4 is excellent. --David Wall Topics covered: - The MySQL Database Server (for both Unix and Windows)
- Accessing MySQL Databases Through PHP Scripting (the letters don't really stand for anything)
- Database Creation and Modification
- PHP Tricks in Order of Increasing Complexity--everything from basic SQL queries to secure transactions for commerce
- Authentication
- Network Connectivity
- Session Management
- Content Customisation
Customer Reviews
A head of the game, 26 Sep 2008
This book is a head of the game, it will teach you the fundamentals of php6 and it tells you when the code is only for php6 (and that php5 code won't work). The good thing about this book is that it teaches you how php and mysql dance together. Don't miss this book, get it while it is still new. Even if you don't know much about mysql this book has an introduction chapter to mysql. I highly recommend this book to all levels except those who are super advanced programmers.
Whoever formatted this book needs to be shot., 15 Sep 2008
This is the worst technical book I have ever attempted to read. Not because of its content, which may or may not be fine, but because of its formatting.
I don't know whether I have a newer edition to everybody else but my copy is formatted in two narrow columns per page, instead of the usual one column.
This makes listings look ridiculous. Lines of code which should fit on one line are instead splayed over 3 or 4 lines.
In one particularly bad example, the page layout went as follows:
Column 1: standard text. Then mid way down column 1 a listing starts. The listing continues to the end of column 1 then goes to the next page, where it goes down column 1 and column 2. You now have to go back two pages to pick up on the standard text, which continued on column 2 of the first page.
The content of this book may well be excellent, I couldn't really say, but its presentation is awful.
Excellent primer for PHP MySQL, 03 Sep 2008
This is an excellent starter for learning how to use PHP/ MySQL.
It goes along at a fair pace, and may be too fast if you don't have previous HTML and programming experience. The separate PHP for the World Wide Web: Visual Quickstart Guide (Visual QuickStart Guides)and MySQL: Visual Quickstart Guide (Visual QuickStart Guides)books in this series take this a bit more slowly, so if you're struggling they might be a good place to look.
Otherwise this will quickly introduce you to the concepts and use of both products. I'm still using this when I do some PHP programming, and other members of my team are also using it. It's excellent and the code is all available for download which avoids either losing/ scratching the CD or lots of typing.
The install Appendix A is worth the money alone, as I've used it to install both PHP and MySQL on Windows servers and my Mac at home. It points to easy installs on the web for the Mac.
My only gripe is that the layout is difficult to follow and it was hard to work out what the projects were actually doing, a little more explanation here might be useful.
Otherwise excellent, recommended particularly as PHP/ MySQL are free leaving you with some spare cash to buy this!
excellent communicator, 29 Aug 2008
I bought this book at the same time as 2 others on similar topics. I've hardly used the other 2. This book is well-written, with useful examples and the author has explained the sample code line-by-line... a real help when trying to amend one of his examples to produce something for your own purposes. As a teacher with some experience of HTML/ VB / ASP.NET I found this book really easy to follow.
There are a few very minor typos in the text (not surprising, given the number of pages), but if you visit the author's website there's a full list of corrections. It took me about 5 mins to go through and correct them, so it didn't really reduce the effectiveness of the book.
One feature I've really found useful... there are occasional little tables of other functions that do similar things. There isn't space in the book to describe them all in detail, but knowing the name of a fucntion makes it really easy to find out more using your favourite search engine.
Strongly recommended.
I also boughtHow to Do Everything with PHP and MySQL (How to Do Everything) (which is absolutely useless) and Mysql Crash Course (Sams Teach Yourself) (which is just about OK as a reference, but has awful page layout that makes it really hard to read). This book was far better than either of those.
Perfect starting point, 21 Aug 2008
This books is a perfect starting point for people coming from HTML, CSS and Javascript.
It goes through all the necessary and most basic parts of PHP and MySQL, but doesn't go into any depth with anything. So if you want to become an expert at PHP, you WILL need to get other books as well.
The book is set up in a tutorial fashion, where you are taken through a step by step description of everything.
Having coded PHP for a few years, i still go back to this book to look up stuff i can't quite remember.
It's definitely worth buying if you want to learn PHP and MySQL.
Excellent, 08 Nov 2008
I bought this to learn from scratch PHP. It's an excellent book and has brillient examples. I had a working web site up and running within a week including security and personalisation options.
If you want a PHP based web site and have just a bit of HTML knowledge then you'll not get a better book then this to help you.
Highly reccomended primer, 25 Jul 2007
The first thing to note about this book is it's fantastic readability.
I have an object-oriented development background and wanted a book to get me started in PHP and MySQL for a large scale web site I am developing. I picked a copy of this book off the shelf in a bookshop in Cornwall got on the train and by the time I arrived in Suffolk I had devoured the first 200 or so pages.
I have found it to be an exceptionally useful book, clearly explaining many aspects of web development and how to implement them using the powerful combo of PHP & MySQL. I have already recommended it to three other people, who having no previous experience in the subject matter are starting to create useful work.
I would say that to a complete newbie it might be a second book but once you have a basic knowledge and understanding of web development and object-oriented development then this book will catapult yo to the next level and beyond.
A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too, 30 Apr 2006
"PHP and MySQL Web Development, 3rd Edition" is a a beast of a book, weighing in at a hefty 960 pages and covering everything from the very basics to database design & creation, web services, security and XML and beyond.
It's thoughtfully written, with many code examples and very well designed and explains everything you need to know in detail.
A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too. It includes a CD-ROM which contains all the code examples as well as a PDF of the entire book. It's sometimes useful to have the PDF open on the side of the screen and learn by editing and creating code in your favourite code editor at the same time.
Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in learning PHP.
Fantastic book, 23 Jan 2006
I've started my own web design company. This book really helped me when I decided I needed to learn php and mysql. Good for the beginner and still for those experienced with php. I still find it useful now. My advice is if you want to buy one book on this subject then this is the one.
Excellent, so much useful code, 17 Jun 2005
This is an extremely well written book, with an abundance of useful code that can be modified to suit all sorts of projects. I am new to PHP and MySQL and this book has served as an excellent introduction. It guides you through building all sorts of web based applications step by step and explains the code clearly. It has been the most useful and accessible computer book I have ever bought. I would have been lost without it.
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Customer Reviews
A head of the game, 26 Sep 2008
This book is a head of the game, it will teach you the fundamentals of php6 and it tells you when the code is only for php6 (and that php5 code won't work). The good thing about this book is that it teaches you how php and mysql dance together. Don't miss this book, get it while it is still new. Even if you don't know much about mysql this book has an introduction chapter to mysql. I highly recommend this book to all levels except those who are super advanced programmers.
Whoever formatted this book needs to be shot., 15 Sep 2008
This is the worst technical book I have ever attempted to read. Not because of its content, which may or may not be fine, but because of its formatting.
I don't know whether I have a newer edition to everybody else but my copy is formatted in two narrow columns per page, instead of the usual one column.
This makes listings look ridiculous. Lines of code which should fit on one line are instead splayed over 3 or 4 lines.
In one particularly bad example, the page layout went as follows:
Column 1: standard text. Then mid way down column 1 a listing starts. The listing continues to the end of column 1 then goes to the next page, where it goes down column 1 and column 2. You now have to go back two pages to pick up on the standard text, which continued on column 2 of the first page.
The content of this book may well be excellent, I couldn't really say, but its presentation is awful.
Excellent primer for PHP MySQL, 03 Sep 2008
This is an excellent starter for learning how to use PHP/ MySQL.
It goes along at a fair pace, and may be too fast if you don't have previous HTML and programming experience. The separate PHP for the World Wide Web: Visual Quickstart Guide (Visual QuickStart Guides)and MySQL: Visual Quickstart Guide (Visual QuickStart Guides)books in this series take this a bit more slowly, so if you're struggling they might be a good place to look.
Otherwise this will quickly introduce you to the concepts and use of both products. I'm still using this when I do some PHP programming, and other members of my team are also using it. It's excellent and the code is all available for download which avoids either losing/ scratching the CD or lots of typing.
The install Appendix A is worth the money alone, as I've used it to install both PHP and MySQL on Windows servers and my Mac at home. It points to easy installs on the web for the Mac.
My only gripe is that the layout is difficult to follow and it was hard to work out what the projects were actually doing, a little more explanation here might be useful.
Otherwise excellent, recommended particularly as PHP/ MySQL are free leaving you with some spare cash to buy this!
excellent communicator, 29 Aug 2008
I bought this book at the same time as 2 others on similar topics. I've hardly used the other 2. This book is well-written, with useful examples and the author has explained the sample code line-by-line... a real help when trying to amend one of his examples to produce something for your own purposes. As a teacher with some experience of HTML/ VB / ASP.NET I found this book really easy to follow.
There are a few very minor typos in the text (not surprising, given the number of pages), but if you visit the author's website there's a full list of corrections. It took me about 5 mins to go through and correct them, so it didn't really reduce the effectiveness of the book.
One feature I've really found useful... there are occasional little tables of other functions that do similar things. There isn't space in the book to describe them all in detail, but knowing the name of a fucntion makes it really easy to find out more using your favourite search engine.
Strongly recommended.
I also boughtHow to Do Everything with PHP and MySQL (How to Do Everything) (which is absolutely useless) and Mysql Crash Course (Sams Teach Yourself) (which is just about OK as a reference, but has awful page layout that makes it really hard to read). This book was far better than either of those.
Perfect starting point, 21 Aug 2008
This books is a perfect starting point for people coming from HTML, CSS and Javascript.
It goes through all the necessary and most basic parts of PHP and MySQL, but doesn't go into any depth with anything. So if you want to become an expert at PHP, you WILL need to get other books as well.
The book is set up in a tutorial fashion, where you are taken through a step by step description of everything.
Having coded PHP for a few years, i still go back to this book to look up stuff i can't quite remember.
It's definitely worth buying if you want to learn PHP and MySQL.
Excellent, 08 Nov 2008
I bought this to learn from scratch PHP. It's an excellent book and has brillient examples. I had a working web site up and running within a week including security and personalisation options.
If you want a PHP based web site and have just a bit of HTML knowledge then you'll not get a better book then this to help you.
Highly reccomended primer, 25 Jul 2007
The first thing to note about this book is it's fantastic readability.
I have an object-oriented development background and wanted a book to get me started in PHP and MySQL for a large scale web site I am developing. I picked a copy of this book off the shelf in a bookshop in Cornwall got on the train and by the time I arrived in Suffolk I had devoured the first 200 or so pages.
I have found it to be an exceptionally useful book, clearly explaining many aspects of web development and how to implement them using the powerful combo of PHP & MySQL. I have already recommended it to three other people, who having no previous experience in the subject matter are starting to create useful work.
I would say that to a complete newbie it might be a second book but once you have a basic knowledge and understanding of web development and object-oriented development then this book will catapult yo to the next level and beyond.
A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too, 30 Apr 2006
"PHP and MySQL Web Development, 3rd Edition" is a a beast of a book, weighing in at a hefty 960 pages and covering everything from the very basics to database design & creation, web services, security and XML and beyond.
It's thoughtfully written, with many code examples and very well designed and explains everything you need to know in detail.
A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too. It includes a CD-ROM which contains all the code examples as well as a PDF of the entire book. It's sometimes useful to have the PDF open on the side of the screen and learn by editing and creating code in your favourite code editor at the same time.
Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in learning PHP.
Fantastic book, 23 Jan 2006
I've started my own web design company. This book really helped me when I decided I needed to learn php and mysql. Good for the beginner and still for those experienced with php. I still find it useful now. My advice is if you want to buy one book on this subject then this is the one.
Excellent, so much useful code, 17 Jun 2005
This is an extremely well written book, with an abundance of useful code that can be modified to suit all sorts of projects. I am new to PHP and MySQL and this book has served as an excellent introduction. It guides you through building all sorts of web based applications step by step and explains the code clearly. It has been the most useful and accessible computer book I have ever bought. I would have been lost without it.
Buy a different book !, 03 Mar 2008
This has to be the worst teach yourself book I have come across!
There are errors and omissions which will cause the newcomer hours of frustration when the software doesn't do what he expects.
For example in chapter 18, when describing the use of the mysqli_connect() function, the example erroneously gives the code as mysqli().There is no such function!! This is simply shoddy proof reading. Fortunately in this case, the code on the CD is correct. There are other examples which are not so obvious.
Another significant problem is the way the book skips over many details of the set-up of PHP and the way it links to MySQL. For example, there is no mention of tailoring the PHP.INI file to ensure that it loads the appropriate DLL files to run with MySQL. In my case, having set the software up (running under Windows XP) as described in the manual, PHP would not connect to MySQL, and because the book provided no guide as to how to turn on PHP error reporting, I was completely in the dark as to the cause of the problem. It took several hours of searching the web to identify how to turn on error reporting which then enabled me to identify the missing DLL files. Further web searches showed me how to include these PHP components and I now have a working set-up. No thanks to the authors of this book.
A Great PHP and MySQL Starter but..., 04 Jan 2008
I'm two thirds through and found this to be a great introduction to PHP and MySQL. By following the examples and experimenting I have become adept in a language which I had no knowledge of 2 weeks earlier.
The text guides you through the development process, from simple HTML additions to "stateful" HTML Forms which allow development of Shopping Carts, etc. I have plenty of 'C' programming knowledge and found the sections on PHP syntax and string/date manipulation a bit drawn out, but overall the text is well-paced and builds on earlier chapters.
The SQL/MySQL sections cover this complex subject at a fairly high level, but give enough information for you to get started. My objective in reading this book was to understand enough PHP to build an eCommerce site, driven by a MySQL database, and the text has certainly given me the knowledge to do this.
Critisms? Only one - the proof-reading is terrible.
The book's examples often don't run because of some syntax error, or the documented answers are cut-and-paste errors!
$num_tries = (isset($_POST[num_tries])) ? $num_tries + 1 : 0;
may look very similar to what should have been written:
$num_tries = (isset($_POST[num_tries])) ? $_POST[num_tries] + 1 : 0;
...but let me assure you that when you've spent 3 hours trying to figure out why you can't get this new language to work for you then you'll be equally indignant!
So, you decide. As a PHP & MySQL introduction its great, but as for proof-reading Julie Meloni should be speaking with her publisher...
I gave up, 25 Jun 2007
These comments relate to the April 2007 edition.
I'm a complete layman here, having only a rough knowledge of HTML, though I have put together 3 reasonable web sites on the back of this.
I have to say I just got stuck with this book. The first few rungs of the ladder I could climb, but then there seemed to be several rungs missing, and I felt I was expected to jump to the next level, and I couldn't.
To me it felt like there were too many assumptions being made about what I should know before reading the book, and it seemed to lack a clear progression from the simple to the more complex, with each stage building on the last. So, for example, some of the basic starting stuff about PHP is shoved in at the end of a chapter about something else entirely, whereas to my mind it should be trumpeted as the start of the trail of learning.
I can imagine this book might come in useful once I've learned more about PhP, but as a starter book for a non-geek, I can't recommend it. It feels like the author has forgotten what it's like to be a complete beginner.
Sorry for a lukewarm review! I'm not stupid, but I did get stuck!
One of your best options for learning PHP, but forget the MySQL section., 07 Dec 2006
Studying towards a degree in programming, I have access to a large selection of programming books at my institute. Having sampled at least half a dozen PHP books, this was definitely the most help. PHP is a fairly easy language to learn (especially if you have some experience with HTML), although many other books will overcomplicate the learning process by elaborating on small details to a ridiculous extent (think the Wiley 'Bible' books).
This book teaches you everything you need to know to learn PHP's fundamentals and by the time you've finished the PHP section of the book, you'll be capable of writing various PHP scripts. Everything you learn is accompanied with examples. Everything is explained clearly. I didn't find myself losing track even once. Thorough but to the point, this book is my highest recommendation for anybody wishing to learn PHP. A few days after finishing the book, I had written a purely-PHP image gallery interface that thumbnails and displays details for all of the images in a folder on a web server. I had to use forums to finish the gallery off, but the book is owed the main thanks.
As with most programming books, you won't walk away able to program the most complex scripts. "Expert" is a title no book will get you. Luckily, there are countless forums online that will expand your knowledge of the language further than any book on the market.
Unfortunately, the book's section on MySQL is rather poor. It assumes you have foundational knowledge of MySQL's commands and using the command prompt to modify database tables (why would you?). Quite disappointing, really, as the PHP section of the book (almost 300 pages) is fantastic.
Still, this book puts many of the other PHP books out there to shame.
Help for install, 23 Nov 2006
I basically bought this book(2nd ed.) because I was having trouble installing the software from the versions I'd downloaded seperatly. The instructions that came with them seemed to assume you knew what you were doing "simply do this, and change that setting in the thingy" and as a beginner (complete novice) in all three subjects, I had no idea what they were talking about.
So, I bought an earlier version of this book an used it to get everything set up reletively painlesly. Sure it's not an 'in depth' book about any of them, it's not meant to be, the most imortant bits of are the CD, and the first couple of chapters. Once you are up and running, the rest gives you a basic grounding in stuff after which you can read other stuff for the specific info you need.
I would and have recomended this book to friends who want to get all three application up and running on their PC's.
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Customer Reviews
A head of the game, 26 Sep 2008
This book is a head of the game, it will teach you the fundamentals of php6 and it tells you when the code is only for php6 (and that php5 code won't work). The good thing about this book is that it teaches you how php and mysql dance together. Don't miss this book, get it while it is still new. Even if you don't know much about mysql this book has an introduction chapter to mysql. I highly recommend this book to all levels except those who are super advanced programmers.
Whoever formatted this book needs to be shot., 15 Sep 2008
This is the worst technical book I have ever attempted to read. Not because of its content, which may or may not be fine, but because of its formatting.
I don't know whether I have a newer edition to everybody else but my copy is formatted in two narrow columns per page, instead of the usual one column.
This makes listings look ridiculous. Lines of code which should fit on one line are instead splayed over 3 or 4 lines.
In one particularly bad example, the page layout went as follows:
Column 1: standard text. Then mid way down column 1 a listing starts. The listing continues to the end of column 1 then goes to the next page, where it goes down column 1 and column 2. You now have to go back two pages to pick up on the standard text, which continued on column 2 of the first page.
The content of this book may well be excellent, I couldn't really say, but its presentation is awful.
Excellent primer for PHP MySQL, 03 Sep 2008
This is an excellent starter for learning how to use PHP/ MySQL.
It goes along at a fair pace, and may be too fast if you don't have previous HTML and programming experience. The separate PHP for the World Wide Web: Visual Quickstart Guide (Visual QuickStart Guides)and MySQL: Visual Quickstart Guide (Visual QuickStart Guides)books in this series take this a bit more slowly, so if you're struggling they might be a good place to look.
Otherwise this will quickly introduce you to the concepts and use of both products. I'm still using this when I do some PHP programming, and other members of my team are also using it. It's excellent and the code is all available for download which avoids either losing/ scratching the CD or lots of typing.
The install Appendix A is worth the money alone, as I've used it to install both PHP and MySQL on Windows servers and my Mac at home. It points to easy installs on the web for the Mac.
My only gripe is that the layout is difficult to follow and it was hard to work out what the projects were actually doing, a little more explanation here might be useful.
Otherwise excellent, recommended particularly as PHP/ MySQL are free leaving you with some spare cash to buy this!
excellent communicator, 29 Aug 2008
I bought this book at the same time as 2 others on similar topics. I've hardly used the other 2. This book is well-written, with useful examples and the author has explained the sample code line-by-line... a real help when trying to amend one of his examples to produce something for your own purposes. As a teacher with some experience of HTML/ VB / ASP.NET I found this book really easy to follow.
There are a few very minor typos in the text (not surprising, given the number of pages), but if you visit the author's website there's a full list of corrections. It took me about 5 mins to go through and correct them, so it didn't really reduce the effectiveness of the book.
One feature I've really found useful... there are occasional little tables of other functions that do similar things. There isn't space in the book to describe them all in detail, but knowing the name of a fucntion makes it really easy to find out more using your favourite search engine.
Strongly recommended.
I also boughtHow to Do Everything with PHP and MySQL (How to Do Everything) (which is absolutely useless) and Mysql Crash Course (Sams Teach Yourself) (which is just about OK as a reference, but has awful page layout that makes it really hard to read). This book was far better than either of those.
Perfect starting point, 21 Aug 2008
This books is a perfect starting point for people coming from HTML, CSS and Javascript.
It goes through all the necessary and most basic parts of PHP and MySQL, but doesn't go into any depth with anything. So if you want to become an expert at PHP, you WILL need to get other books as well.
The book is set up in a tutorial fashion, where you are taken through a step by step description of everything.
Having coded PHP for a few years, i still go back to this book to look up stuff i can't quite remember.
It's definitely worth buying if you want to learn PHP and MySQL.
Excellent, 08 Nov 2008
I bought this to learn from scratch PHP. It's an excellent book and has brillient examples. I had a working web site up and running within a week including security and personalisation options.
If you want a PHP based web site and have just a bit of HTML knowledge then you'll not get a better book then this to help you.
Highly reccomended primer, 25 Jul 2007
The first thing to note about this book is it's fantastic readability.
I have an object-oriented development background and wanted a book to get me started in PHP and MySQL for a large scale web site I am developing. I picked a copy of this book off the shelf in a bookshop in Cornwall got on the train and by the time I arrived in Suffolk I had devoured the first 200 or so pages.
I have found it to be an exceptionally useful book, clearly explaining many aspects of web development and how to implement them using the powerful combo of PHP & MySQL. I have already recommended it to three other people, who having no previous experience in the subject matter are starting to create useful work.
I would say that to a complete newbie it might be a second book but once you have a basic knowledge and understanding of web development and object-oriented development then this book will catapult yo to the next level and beyond.
A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too, 30 Apr 2006
"PHP and MySQL Web Development, 3rd Edition" is a a beast of a book, weighing in at a hefty 960 pages and covering everything from the very basics to database design & creation, web services, security and XML and beyond.
It's thoughtfully written, with many code examples and very well designed and explains everything you need to know in detail.
A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too. It includes a CD-ROM which contains all the code examples as well as a PDF of the entire book. It's sometimes useful to have the PDF open on the side of the screen and learn by editing and creating code in your favourite code editor at the same time.
Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in learning PHP.
Fantastic book, 23 Jan 2006
I've started my own web design company. This book really helped me when I decided I needed to learn php and mysql. Good for the beginner and still for those experienced with php. I still find it useful now. My advice is if you want to buy one book on this subject then this is the one.
Excellent, so much useful code, 17 Jun 2005
This is an extremely well written book, with an abundance of useful code that can be modified to suit all sorts of projects. I am new to PHP and MySQL and this book has served as an excellent introduction. It guides you through building all sorts of web based applications step by step and explains the code clearly. It has been the most useful and accessible computer book I have ever bought. I would have been lost without it.
Buy a different book !, 03 Mar 2008
This has to be the worst teach yourself book I have come across!
There are errors and omissions which will cause the newcomer hours of frustration when the software doesn't do what he expects.
For example in chapter 18, when describing the use of the mysqli_connect() function, the example erroneously gives the code as mysqli().There is no such function!! This is simply shoddy proof reading. Fortunately in this case, the code on the CD is correct. There are other examples which are not so obvious.
Another significant problem is the way the book skips over many details of the set-up of PHP and the way it links to MySQL. For example, there is no mention of tailoring the PHP.INI file to ensure that it loads the appropriate DLL files to run with MySQL. In my case, having set the software up (running under Windows XP) as described in the manual, PHP would not connect to MySQL, and because the book provided no guide as to how to turn on PHP error reporting, I was completely in the dark as to the cause of the problem. It took several hours of searching the web to identify how to turn on error reporting which then enabled me to identify the missing DLL files. Further web searches showed me how to include these PHP components and I now have a working set-up. No thanks to the authors of this book.
A Great PHP and MySQL Starter but..., 04 Jan 2008
I'm two thirds through and found this to be a great introduction to PHP and MySQL. By following the examples and experimenting I have become adept in a language which I had no knowledge of 2 weeks earlier.
The text guides you through the development process, from simple HTML additions to "stateful" HTML Forms which allow development of Shopping Carts, etc. I have plenty of 'C' programming knowledge and found the sections on PHP syntax and string/date manipulation a bit drawn out, but overall the text is well-paced and builds on earlier chapters.
The SQL/MySQL sections cover this complex subject at a fairly high level, but give enough information for you to get started. My objective in reading this book was to understand enough PHP to build an eCommerce site, driven by a MySQL database, and the text has certainly given me the knowledge to do this.
Critisms? Only one - the proof-reading is terrible.
The book's examples often don't run because of some syntax error, or the documented answers are cut-and-paste errors!
$num_tries = (isset($_POST[num_tries])) ? $num_tries + 1 : 0;
may look very similar to what should have been written:
$num_tries = (isset($_POST[num_tries])) ? $_POST[num_tries] + 1 : 0;
...but let me assure you that when you've spent 3 hours trying to figure out why you can't get this new language to work for you then you'll be equally indignant!
So, you decide. As a PHP & MySQL introduction its great, but as for proof-reading Julie Meloni should be speaking with her publisher...
I gave up, 25 Jun 2007
These comments relate to the April 2007 edition.
I'm a complete layman here, having only a rough knowledge of HTML, though I have put together 3 reasonable web sites on the back of this.
I have to say I just got stuck with this book. The first few rungs of the ladder I could climb, but then there seemed to be several rungs missing, and I felt I was expected to jump to the next level, and I couldn't.
To me it felt like there were too many assumptions being made about what I should know before reading the book, and it seemed to lack a clear progression from the simple to the more complex, with each stage building on the last. So, for example, some of the basic starting stuff about PHP is shoved in at the end of a chapter about something else entirely, whereas to my mind it should be trumpeted as the start of the trail of learning.
I can imagine this book might come in useful once I've learned more about PhP, but as a starter book for a non-geek, I can't recommend it. It feels like the author has forgotten what it's like to be a complete beginner.
Sorry for a lukewarm review! I'm not stupid, but I did get stuck!
One of your best options for learning PHP, but forget the MySQL section., 07 Dec 2006
Studying towards a degree in programming, I have access to a large selection of programming books at my institute. Having sampled at least half a dozen PHP books, this was definitely the most help. PHP is a fairly easy language to learn (especially if you have some experience with HTML), although many other books will overcomplicate the learning process by elaborating on small details to a ridiculous extent (think the Wiley 'Bible' books).
This book teaches you everything you need to know to learn PHP's fundamentals and by the time you've finished the PHP section of the book, you'll be capable of writing various PHP scripts. Everything you learn is accompanied with examples. Everything is explained clearly. I didn't find myself losing track even once. Thorough but to the point, this book is my highest recommendation for anybody wishing to learn PHP. A few days after finishing the book, I had written a purely-PHP image gallery interface that thumbnails and displays details for all of the images in a folder on a web server. I had to use forums to finish the gallery off, but the book is owed the main thanks.
As with most programming books, you won't walk away able to program the most complex scripts. "Expert" is a title no book will get you. Luckily, there are countless forums online that will expand your knowledge of the language further than any book on the market.
Unfortunately, the book's section on MySQL is rather poor. It assumes you have foundational knowledge of MySQL's commands and using the command prompt to modify database tables (why would you?). Quite disappointing, really, as the PHP section of the book (almost 300 pages) is fantastic.
Still, this book puts many of the other PHP books out there to shame.
Help for install, 23 Nov 2006
I basically bought this book(2nd ed.) because I was having trouble installing the software from the versions I'd downloaded seperatly. The instructions that came with them seemed to assume you knew what you were doing "simply do this, and change that setting in the thingy" and as a beginner (complete novice) in all three subjects, I had no idea what they were talking about.
So, I bought an earlier version of this book an used it to get everything set up reletively painlesly. Sure it's not an 'in depth' book about any of them, it's not meant to be, the most imortant bits of are the CD, and the first couple of chapters. Once you are up and running, the rest gives you a basic grounding in stuff after which you can read other stuff for the specific info you need.
I would and have recomended this book to friends who want to get all three application up and running on their PC's.
Awful lot of waffle and poor page layout, 29 Aug 2008
I bought this book at the same time as PHP 6 and MySQL 5 for Dynamic Web Sites: Visual QuickPro Guide (Visual QuickPro Guides) (which has been great) and Mysql Crash Course (Sams Teach Yourself) (which is a useful reference). I'd already developed one successful website using ASP.net, and had started to learn a few little bits of php from the web.
This book was the worst of my 3 purchases by a long way. It's just so boring! It was the first book I started with (because the outside looks nicest!) but inside it's just dull and badly laid out. The author may be technically competent but he rarely uses one word when he could squeeze in 3 or 4 instead. The code is annotated by comments in the lsitings, but these aren't really detailed enough to help you understand what's going on.
Sadly, I put a coffee cup down on this book and it's marked the cover. Otherwise I'd have sent it back.
php & mysql comments, 05 Aug 2008
before studying this text, i couldn't even spell php.
a great way to start learning php.
takes you through the basics quick and clean enjoyably.
How to Do Everything with PHP and MySQL (How to Do Everything)
Not for the experienced programmer, 12 Apr 2008
Too simple for someone who knows other languages like C#, C, Javascript or Java as PHP is similar in syntax. What I need is some hardcore PHP and this failed! I will be looking for another book.
best mysql php book ever!, 12 Dec 2007
I've bought many books and tried many cbt's to learn php and mysql. How to do everything with php and mysql by vikram vaswani is amazing in how clearly everything is explained.
Well done and thanks Vikram for a great book! Keep up the good work! I've already bought another php book by Vikram Vaswani.
10/10.
Imran (London)
A great place to start PHP and Mysql, 10 Sep 2007
I spent some time looking at books before I selected this one - I am glad I took the time. It is well worth while. It's a very well put together book. From installing php and mysql it examines first PHP and the Mysql and then the two working together. It doesn't really have tutorials but there are loads of really useful code examples. At the end it demonstrates the build of a news publishing system. Every chapter has a load of great websites for more information.
This is a very good intro book. It is not really a very useful once your up and running needing a good reference.
Downside - I found the set-up lacked something. I didn't bother with Apache as I already have IIS and it would have been good to have an ISS set-up, but its not hard to find on the web. Also its a bit Unix based - sorry but I use .... what's it called again?? - oh yes 'windows' or something! I think most people buying this book will be using windows and if you use windows this is still the book for you.
However the book does not deserve less than a 5.
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Customer Reviews
A head of the game, 26 Sep 2008
This book is a head of the game, it will teach you the fundamentals of php6 and it tells you when the code is only for php6 (and that php5 code won't work). The good thing about this book is that it teaches you how php and mysql dance together. Don't miss this book, get it while it is still new. Even if you don't know much about mysql this book has an introduction chapter to mysql. I highly recommend this book to all levels except those who are super advanced programmers.
Whoever formatted this book needs to be shot., 15 Sep 2008
This is the worst technical book I have ever attempted to read. Not because of its content, which may or may not be fine, but because of its formatting.
I don't know whether I have a newer edition to everybody else but my copy is formatted in two narrow columns per page, instead of the usual one column.
This makes listings look ridiculous. Lines of code which should fit on one line are instead splayed over 3 or 4 lines.
In one particularly bad example, the page layout went as follows:
Column 1: standard text. Then mid way down column 1 a listing starts. The listing continues to the end of column 1 then goes to the next page, where it goes down column 1 and column 2. You now have to go back two pages to pick up on the standard text, which continued on column 2 of the first page.
The content of this book may well be excellent, I couldn't really say, but its presentation is awful.
Excellent primer for PHP MySQL, 03 Sep 2008
This is an excellent starter for learning how to use PHP/ MySQL.
It goes along at a fair pace, and may be too fast if you don't have previous HTML and programming experience. The separate PHP for the World Wide Web: Visual Quickstart Guide (Visual QuickStart Guides)and MySQL: Visual Quickstart Guide (Visual QuickStart Guides)books in this series take this a bit more slowly, so if you're struggling they might be a good place to look.
Otherwise this will quickly introduce you to the concepts and use of both products. I'm still using this when I do some PHP programming, and other members of my team are also using it. It's excellent and the code is all available for download which avoids either losing/ scratching the CD or lots of typing.
The install Appendix A is worth the money alone, as I've used it to install both PHP and MySQL on Windows servers and my Mac at home. It points to easy installs on the web for the Mac.
My only gripe is that the layout is difficult to follow and it was hard to work out what the projects were actually doing, a little more explanation here might be useful.
Otherwise excellent, recommended particularly as PHP/ MySQL are free leaving you with some spare cash to buy this!
excellent communicator, 29 Aug 2008
I bought this book at the same time as 2 others on similar topics. I've hardly used the other 2. This book is well-written, with useful examples and the author has explained the sample code line-by-line... a real help when trying to amend one of his examples to produce something for your own purposes. As a teacher with some experience of HTML/ VB / ASP.NET I found this book really easy to follow.
There are a few very minor typos in the text (not surprising, given the number of pages), but if you visit the author's website there's a full list of corrections. It took me about 5 mins to go through and correct them, so it didn't really reduce the effectiveness of the book.
One feature I've really found useful... there are occasional little tables of other functions that do similar things. There isn't space in the book to describe them all in detail, but knowing the name of a fucntion makes it really easy to find out more using your favourite search engine.
Strongly recommended.
I also boughtHow to Do Everything with PHP and MySQL (How to Do Everything) (which is absolutely useless) and Mysql Crash Course (Sams Teach Yourself) (which is just about OK as a reference, but has awful page layout that makes it really hard to read). This book was far better than either of those.
Perfect starting point, 21 Aug 2008
This books is a perfect starting point for people coming from HTML, CSS and Javascript.
It goes through all the necessary and most basic parts of PHP and MySQL, but doesn't go into any depth with anything. So if you want to become an expert at PHP, you WILL need to get other books as well.
The book is set up in a tutorial fashion, where you are taken through a step by step description of everything.
Having coded PHP for a few years, i still go back to this book to look up stuff i can't quite remember.
It's definitely worth buying if you want to learn PHP and MySQL.
Excellent, 08 Nov 2008
I bought this to learn from scratch PHP. It's an excellent book and has brillient examples. I had a working web site up and running within a week including security and personalisation options.
If you want a PHP based web site and have just a bit of HTML knowledge then you'll not get a better book then this to help you.
Highly reccomended primer, 25 Jul 2007
The first thing to note about this book is it's fantastic readability.
I have an object-oriented development background and wanted a book to get me started in PHP and MySQL for a large scale web site I am developing. I picked a copy of this book off the shelf in a bookshop in Cornwall got on the train and by the time I arrived in Suffolk I had devoured the first 200 or so pages.
I have found it to be an exceptionally useful book, clearly explaining many aspects of web development and how to implement them using the powerful combo of PHP & MySQL. I have already recommended it to three other people, who having no previous experience in the subject matter are starting to create useful work.
I would say that to a complete newbie it might be a second book but once you have a basic knowledge and understanding of web development and object-oriented development then this book will catapult yo to the next level and beyond.
A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too, 30 Apr 2006
"PHP and MySQL Web Development, 3rd Edition" is a a beast of a book, weighing in at a hefty 960 pages and covering everything from the very basics to database design & creation, web services, security and XML and beyond.
It's thoughtfully written, with many code examples and very well designed and explains everything you need to know in detail.
A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too. It includes a CD-ROM which contains all the code examples as well as a PDF of the entire book. It's sometimes useful to have the PDF open on the side of the screen and learn by editing and creating code in your favourite code editor at the same time.
Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in learning PHP.
Fantastic book, 23 Jan 2006
I've started my own web design company. This book really helped me when I decided I needed to learn php and mysql. Good for the beginner and still for those experienced with php. I still find it useful now. My advice is if you want to buy one book on this subject then this is the one.
Excellent, so much useful code, 17 Jun 2005
This is an extremely well written book, with an abundance of useful code that can be modified to suit all sorts of projects. I am new to PHP and MySQL and this book has served as an excellent introduction. It guides you through building all sorts of web based applications step by step and explains the code clearly. It has been the most useful and accessible computer book I have ever bought. I would have been lost without it.
Buy a different book !, 03 Mar 2008
This has to be the worst teach yourself book I have come across!
There are errors and omissions which will cause the newcomer hours of frustration when the software doesn't do what he expects.
For example in chapter 18, when describing the use of the mysqli_connect() function, the example erroneously gives the code as mysqli().There is no such function!! This is simply shoddy proof reading. Fortunately in this case, the code on the CD is correct. There are other examples which are not so obvious.
Another significant problem is the way the book skips over many details of the set-up of PHP and the way it links to MySQL. For example, there is no mention of tailoring the PHP.INI file to ensure that it loads the appropriate DLL files to run with MySQL. In my case, having set the software up (running under Windows XP) as described in the manual, PHP would not connect to MySQL, and because the book provided no guide as to how to turn on PHP error reporting, I was completely in the dark as to the cause of the problem. It took several hours of searching the web to identify how to turn on error reporting which then enabled me to identify the missing DLL files. Further web searches showed me how to include these PHP components and I now have a working set-up. No thanks to the authors of this book.
A Great PHP and MySQL Starter but..., 04 Jan 2008
I'm two thirds through and found this to be a great introduction to PHP and MySQL. By following the examples and experimenting I have become adept in a language which I had no knowledge of 2 weeks earlier.
The text guides you through the development process, from simple HTML additions to "stateful" HTML Forms which allow development of Shopping Carts, etc. I have plenty of 'C' programming knowledge and found the sections on PHP syntax and string/date manipulation a bit drawn out, but overall the text is well-paced and builds on earlier chapters.
The SQL/MySQL sections cover this complex subject at a fairly high level, but give enough information for you to get started. My objective in reading this book was to understand enough PHP to build an eCommerce site, driven by a MySQL database, and the text has certainly given me the knowledge to do this.
Critisms? Only one - the proof-reading is terrible.
The book's examples often don't run because of some syntax error, or the documented answers are cut-and-paste errors!
$num_tries = (isset($_POST[num_tries])) ? $num_tries + 1 : 0;
may look very similar to what should have been written:
$num_tries = (isset($_POST[num_tries])) ? $_POST[num_tries] + 1 : 0;
...but let me assure you that when you've spent 3 hours trying to figure out why you can't get this new language to work for you then you'll be equally indignant!
So, you decide. As a PHP & MySQL introduction its great, but as for proof-reading Julie Meloni should be speaking with her publisher...
I gave up, 25 Jun 2007
These comments relate to the April 2007 edition.
I'm a complete layman here, having only a rough knowledge of HTML, though I have put together 3 reasonable web sites on the back of this.
I have to say I just got stuck with this book. The first few rungs of the ladder I could climb, but then there seemed to be several rungs missing, and I felt I was expected to jump to the next level, and I couldn't.
To me it felt like there were too many assumptions being made about what I should know before reading the book, and it seemed to lack a clear progression from the simple to the more complex, with each stage building on the last. So, for example, some of the basic starting stuff about PHP is shoved in at the end of a chapter about something else entirely, whereas to my mind it should be trumpeted as the start of the trail of learning.
I can imagine this book might come in useful once I've learned more about PhP, but as a starter book for a non-geek, I can't recommend it. It feels like the author has forgotten what it's like to be a complete beginner.
Sorry for a lukewarm review! I'm not stupid, but I did get stuck!
One of your best options for learning PHP, but forget the MySQL section., 07 Dec 2006
Studying towards a degree in programming, I have access to a large selection of programming books at my institute. Having sampled at least half a dozen PHP books, this was definitely the most help. PHP is a fairly easy language to learn (especially if you have some experience with HTML), although many other books will overcomplicate the learning process by elaborating on small details to a ridiculous extent (think the Wiley 'Bible' books).
This book teaches you everything you need to know to learn PHP's fundamentals and by the time you've finished the PHP section of the book, you'll be capable of writing various PHP scripts. Everything you learn is accompanied with examples. Everything is explained clearly. I didn't find myself losing track even once. Thorough but to the point, this book is my highest recommendation for anybody wishing to learn PHP. A few days after finishing the book, I had written a purely-PHP image gallery interface that thumbnails and displays details for all of the images in a folder on a web server. I had to use forums to finish the gallery off, but the book is owed the main thanks.
As with most programming books, you won't walk away able to program the most complex scripts. "Expert" is a title no book will get you. Luckily, there are countless forums online that will expand your knowledge of the language further than any book on the market.
Unfortunately, the book's section on MySQL is rather poor. It assumes you have foundational knowledge of MySQL's commands and using the command prompt to modify database tables (why would you?). Quite disappointing, really, as the PHP section of the book (almost 300 pages) is fantastic.
Still, this book puts many of the other PHP books out there to shame.
Help for install, 23 Nov 2006
I basically bought this book(2nd ed.) because I was having trouble installing the software from the versions I'd downloaded seperatly. The instructions that came with them seemed to assume you knew what you were doing "simply do this, and change that setting in the thingy" and as a beginner (complete novice) in all three subjects, I had no idea what they were talking about.
So, I bought an earlier version of this book an used it to get everything set up reletively painlesly. Sure it's not an 'in depth' book about any of them, it's not meant to be, the most imortant bits of are the CD, and the first couple of chapters. Once you are up and running, the rest gives you a basic grounding in stuff after which you can read other stuff for the specific info you need.
I would and have recomended this book to friends who want to get all three application up and running on their PC's.
Awful lot of waffle and poor page layout, 29 Aug 2008
I bought this book at the same time as PHP 6 and MySQL 5 for Dynamic Web Sites: Visual QuickPro Guide (Visual QuickPro Guides) (which has been great) and Mysql Crash Course (Sams Teach Yourself) (which is a useful reference). I'd already developed one successful website using ASP.net, and had started to learn a few little bits of php from the web.
This book was the worst of my 3 purchases by a long way. It's just so boring! It was the first book I started with (because the outside looks nicest!) but inside it's just dull and badly laid out. The author may be technically competent but he rarely uses one word when he could squeeze in 3 or 4 instead. The code is annotated by comments in the lsitings, but these aren't really detailed enough to help you understand what's going on.
Sadly, I put a coffee cup down on this book and it's marked the cover. Otherwise I'd have sent it back.
php & mysql comments, 05 Aug 2008
before studying this text, i couldn't even spell php.
a great way to start learning php.
takes you through the basics quick and clean enjoyably.
How to Do Everything with PHP and MySQL (How to Do Everything)
Not for the experienced programmer, 12 Apr 2008
Too simple for someone who knows other languages like C#, C, Javascript or Java as PHP is similar in syntax. What I need is some hardcore PHP and this failed! I will be looking for another book.
best mysql php book ever!, 12 Dec 2007
I've bought many books and tried many cbt's to learn php and mysql. How to do everything with php and mysql by vikram vaswani is amazing in how clearly everything is explained.
Well done and thanks Vikram for a great book! Keep up the good work! I've already bought another php book by Vikram Vaswani.
10/10.
Imran (London)
A great place to start PHP and Mysql, 10 Sep 2007
I spent some time looking at books before I selected this one - I am glad I took the time. It is well worth while. It's a very well put together book. From installing php and mysql it examines first PHP and the Mysql and then the two working together. It doesn't really have tutorials but there are loads of really useful code examples. At the end it demonstrates the build of a news publishing system. Every chapter has a load of great websites for more information.
This is a very good intro book. It is not really a very useful once your up and running needing a good reference.
Downside - I found the set-up lacked something. I didn't bother with Apache as I already have IIS and it would have been good to have an ISS set-up, but its not hard to find on the web. Also its a bit Unix based - sorry but I use .... what's it called again?? - oh yes 'windows' or something! I think most people buying this book will be using windows and if you use windows this is still the book for you.
However the book does not deserve less than a 5.
Somewhat okay, but was confusing at the time..., 27 Apr 2008
This book was very interesting to read. At the time I read this book I had only knowledge of HTML and was interested in learning PHP. This book was a total disaster in some respect, it baffled on to very complex terms right at the start for someone who has never learnt a scripting language before, not the way to go. I obviously learnt a few things out of it, including variables and loops, and the likes - but after that Janet went onto explaining very complex code. But, for me, I want a book that gets right into the code and let me actually code something instead of just showing me the code without a clue of, a) how to use it and b) where to put it.
Lastly, the MySQL chapters weren't descriptive enough to understand but despite the fact it was explained in early chapters of the book, I'd rather learn the basics of PHP before being taught SQL queries and the MySQL facility.
The way I learnt PHP in the end is doing so over the Web, and learning it by producing something with what I understood already, which is the best practice for most people learning scripting languages alike of PHP. PHP is very easy and logical, and obviously this book author makes it seem too easy in her description of what PHP is, before actually being disappointed with this book.
I'd stay completely away from the 'for Dummies' books, absolutely a waste of money, although very affordable prices.
Has it's uses..., 12 Feb 2008
...Good for killing flies, propping tables or pressing flowers.
While this has some genuinely good points (which aren't worth buying the book for alone), there are too many things here to throw off newcomers to PHP & MySQL.
The example applications are poor and mostly unrealistic. While it can be a difficult subject for a newbie to take on, the book tends to patronise rather than educate. If you need the softly, softly approach then this might be a book for you. If you're looking to hit the ground running (as is the way with most web designers/developers), I'd personally suggest looking at the Sam's range or any of the New Riders publications.
After thumbing through a friends copy of this book, I was amazed to see that some of the example code wouldn't run on a number of PHP-enabled machines (needing many code modifications to work).
This might be good if you're a fast-learner as you can fix these issues.
Having said that, a number of people have used the sections from this book to look further into aspects. One thing a reader might gleam from this book is an idea of the terminology and the uses that PHP has for everyday applications.
Worth getting if it's on a special offer, gift voucher or present - I'd think twice about spending your own money though as I doubt it'll offer the value that many people look for from training guides.
That is to say, don't expect to be writing the next Amazon, Ebay or Play after reading this book.
Maybe the worlds most basic pet shop site though!
Fanstastic, 16 Jan 2008
I know No HTML or PHP coding, and i mean the max i know is < b > etc etc.
I have started an online business and this book gave me the information I needed for creating dynamic pages, connecting to databases and so on and so forth. All the examples in the book can be downloaded from www.janetvalade.com which i found very useful, each file she creates you are allowed to use on your own without having to add any information apart from your database credentials.
The book starts with the very basics, telling you how print simple statements like "it is raining" using the echo" " functions. It then progresses with using if statements and conditionals, functions and other parts of the PHP code which are useful. The book then goes into in depth information on how to build a MYSQL database with PHP MYSQL queries, it tells you how to DROP, CREATE, UPDATE, DELETE etc which i personally found useful
The book then carries on and shows a live running example on what PHP applications can be used for, giving a useful example of a online catalogue and a Members only Area which is what i use. The code can be edited to your needs, for example i added a user level to the database and extra code to the top of every page that disallowed entry depending on the user entry (if you want that code, please email me at dominic.langmead@college-downloads.co.uk and i will send it to you).
The online catalgoue is also very useful, i added it to my site then removed it for the paypal alternative. Janet Explains what she is doing in her coding examples with #number which is explained on the pages after, very useful i must say.
With the help of this book i have been able to create a fully dynamic site within 3 weeks, okay, its not the best read of all, and not fantastic examples, but her pet shop model is easy to follow and edit, whether it be Dreamweaver, Notepad or Publisher that you may be using.
Overall i would recommend this book to anybody who is having some problems creating what you need, Janet also refers to some free PHP sites that help, although personally i prefer this book as the free sites are harder to follow and understand.
I hope my review helps you.
Dom,
Seadogs
Unclear, 20 Dec 2007
Frustratingly unclear and cluttered in it's approach. The worst book of it's kind that I have encountered. Look elsewhere
Not Enough Practice, 15 Nov 2007
I am usually a fan of the for dummies series but this book disappointed me. I couldn't beleive how bored and annoyed I was when trying to learn something from it. Trying to remember some of the stuff was so hard because there was no practice to reinforce it into my brain. Very disappointed.
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Customer Reviews
A head of the game, 26 Sep 2008
This book is a head of the game, it will teach you the fundamentals of php6 and it tells you when the code is only for php6 (and that php5 code won't work). The good thing about this book is that it teaches you how php and mysql dance together. Don't miss this book, get it while it is still new. Even if you don't know much about mysql this book has an introduction chapter to mysql. I highly recommend this book to all levels except those who are super advanced programmers.
Whoever formatted this book needs to be shot., 15 Sep 2008
This is the worst technical book I have ever attempted to read. Not because of its content, which may or may not be fine, but because of its formatting.
I don't know whether I have a newer edition to everybody else but my copy is formatted in two narrow columns per page, instead of the usual one column.
This makes listings look ridiculous. Lines of code which should fit on one line are instead splayed over 3 or 4 lines.
In one particularly bad example, the page layout went as follows:
Column 1: standard text. Then mid way down column 1 a listing starts. The listing continues to the end of column 1 then goes to the next page, where it goes down column 1 and column 2. You now have to go back two pages to pick up on the standard text, which continued on column 2 of the first page.
The content of this book may well be excellent, I couldn't really say, but its presentation is awful.
Excellent primer for PHP MySQL, 03 Sep 2008
This is an excellent starter for learning how to use PHP/ MySQL.
It goes along at a fair pace, and may be too fast if you don't have previous HTML and programming experience. The separate PHP for the World Wide Web: Visual Quickstart Guide (Visual QuickStart Guides)and MySQL: Visual Quickstart Guide (Visual QuickStart Guides)books in this series take this a bit more slowly, so if you're struggling they might be a good place to look.
Otherwise this will quickly introduce you to the concepts and use of both products. I'm still using this when I do some PHP programming, and other members of my team are also using it. It's excellent and the code is all available for download which avoids either losing/ scratching the CD or lots of typing.
The install Appendix A is worth the money alone, as I've used it to install both PHP and MySQL on Windows servers and my Mac at home. It points to easy installs on the web for the Mac.
My only gripe is that the layout is difficult to follow and it was hard to work out what the projects were actually doing, a little more explanation here might be useful.
Otherwise excellent, recommended particularly as PHP/ MySQL are free leaving you with some spare cash to buy this!
excellent communicator, 29 Aug 2008
I bought this book at the same time as 2 others on similar topics. I've hardly used the other 2. This book is well-written, with useful examples and the author has explained the sample code line-by-line... a real help when trying to amend one of his examples to produce something for your own purposes. As a teacher with some experience of HTML/ VB / ASP.NET I found this book really easy to follow.
There are a few very minor typos in the text (not surprising, given the number of pages), but if you visit the author's website there's a full list of corrections. It took me about 5 mins to go through and correct them, so it didn't really reduce the effectiveness of the book.
One feature I've really found useful... there are occasional little tables of other functions that do similar things. There isn't space in the book to describe them all in detail, but knowing the name of a fucntion makes it really easy to find out more using your favourite search engine.
Strongly recommended.
I also boughtHow to Do Everything with PHP and MySQL (How to Do Everything) (which is absolutely useless) and Mysql Crash Course (Sams Teach Yourself) (which is just about OK as a reference, but has awful page layout that makes it really hard to read). This book was far better than either of those.
Perfect starting point, 21 Aug 2008
This books is a perfect starting point for people coming from HTML, CSS and Javascript.
It goes through all the necessary and most basic parts of PHP and MySQL, but doesn't go into any depth with anything. So if you want to become an expert at PHP, you WILL need to get other books as well.
The book is set up in a tutorial fashion, where you are taken through a step by step description of everything.
Having coded PHP for a few years, i still go back to this book to look up stuff i can't quite remember.
It's definitely worth buying if you want to learn PHP and MySQL.
Excellent, 08 Nov 2008
I bought this to learn from scratch PHP. It's an excellent book and has brillient examples. I had a working web site up and running within a week including security and personalisation options.
If you want a PHP based web site and have just a bit of HTML knowledge then you'll not get a better book then this to help you.
Highly reccomended primer, 25 Jul 2007
The first thing to note about this book is it's fantastic readability.
I have an object-oriented development background and wanted a book to get me started in PHP and MySQL for a large scale web site I am developing. I picked a copy of this book off the shelf in a bookshop in Cornwall got on the train and by the time I arrived in Suffolk I had devoured the first 200 or so pages.
I have found it to be an exceptionally useful book, clearly explaining many aspects of web development and how to implement them using the powerful combo of PHP & MySQL. I have already recommended it to three other people, who having no previous experience in the subject matter are starting to create useful work.
I would say that to a complete newbie it might be a second book but once you have a basic knowledge and understanding of web development and object-oriented development then this book will catapult yo to the next level and beyond.
A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too, 30 Apr 2006
"PHP and MySQL Web Development, 3rd Edition" is a a beast of a book, weighing in at a hefty 960 pages and covering everything from the very basics to database design & creation, web services, security and XML and beyond.
It's thoughtfully written, with many code examples and very well designed and explains everything you need to know in detail.
A fantastic learning aid and a great reference tool too. It includes a CD-ROM which contains all the code examples as well as a PDF of the entire book. It's sometimes useful to have the PDF open on the side of the screen and learn by editing and creating code in your favourite code editor at the same time.
Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in learning PHP.
Fantastic book, 23 Jan 2006
I've started my own web design company. This book really helped me when I decided I needed to learn php and mysql. Good for the beginner and still for those experienced with php. I still find it useful now. My advice is if you want to buy one book on this subject then this is the one.
Excellent, so much useful code, 17 Jun 2005
This is an extremely well written book, with an abundance of useful code that can be modified to suit all sorts of projects. I am new to PHP and MySQL and this book has served as an excellent introduction. It guides you through building all sorts of web based applications step by step and explains the code clearly. It has been the most useful and accessible computer book I have ever bought. I would have been lost without it.
Buy a different book !, 03 Mar 2008
This has to be the worst teach yourself book I have come across!
There are errors and omissions which will cause the newcomer hours of frustration when the software doesn't do what he expects.
For example in chapter 18, when describing the use of the mysqli_connect() function, the example erroneously gives the code as mysqli().There is no such function!! This is simply shoddy proof reading. Fortunately in this case, the code on the CD is correct. There are other examples which are not so obvious.
Another significant problem is the way the book skips over many details of the set-up of PHP and the way it links to MySQL. For example, there is no mention of tailoring the PHP.INI file to ensure that it loads the appropriate DLL files to run with MySQL. In my case, having set the software up (running under Windows XP) as described in the manual, PHP would not connect to MySQL, and because the book provided no guide as to how to turn on PHP error reporting, I was completely in the dark as to the cause of the problem. It took several hours of searching the web to identify how to turn on error reporting which then enabled me to identify the missing DLL files. Further web searches showed me how to include these PHP components and I now have a working set-up. No thanks to the authors of this book.
A Great PHP and MySQL Starter but..., 04 Jan 2008
I'm two thirds through and found this to be a great introduction to PHP and MySQL. By following the examples and experimenting I have become adept in a language which I had no knowledge of 2 weeks earlier.
The text guides you through the development process, from simple HTML additions to "stateful" HTML Forms which allow development of Shopping Carts, etc. I have plenty of 'C' programming knowledge and found the sections on PHP syntax and string/date manipulation a bit drawn out, but overall the text is well-paced and builds on earlier chapters.
The SQL/MySQL sections cover this complex subject at a fairly high level, but give enough information for you to get started. My objective in reading this book was to understand enough PHP to build an eCommerce site, driven by a MySQL database, and the text has certainly given me the knowledge to do this.
Critisms? Only one - the proof-reading is terrible.
The book's examples often don't run because of some syntax error, or the documented answers are cut-and-paste errors!
$num_tries = (isset($_POST[num_tries])) ? $num_tries + 1 : 0;
may look very similar to what should have been written:
$num_tries = (isset($_POST[num_tries])) ? $_POST[num_tries] + 1 : 0;
...but let me assure you that when you've spent 3 hours trying to figure out why you can't get this new language to work for you then you'll be equally indignant!
So, you decide. As a PHP & MySQL introduction its great, but as for proof-reading Julie Meloni should be speaking with her publisher...
I gave up, 25 Jun 2007
These comments relate to the April 2007 edition.
I'm a complete layman here, having only a rough knowledge of HTML, though I have put together 3 reasonable web sites on the back of this.
I have to say I just got stuck with this book. The first few rungs of the ladder I could climb, but then there seemed to be several rungs missing, and I felt I was expected to jump to the next level, and I couldn't.
To me it felt like there were too many assumptions being made about what I should know before reading the book, and it seemed to lack a clear progression from the simple to the more complex, with each stage building on the last. So, for example, some of the basic starting stuff about PHP is shoved in at the end of a chapter about something else entirely, whereas to my mind it should be trumpeted as the start of the trail of learning.
I can imagine this book might come in useful once I've learned more about PhP, but as a starter book for a non-geek, I can't recommend it. It feels like the author has forgotten what it's like to be a complete beginner.
Sorry for a lukewarm review! I'm not stupid, but I did get stuck!
One of your best options for learning PHP, but forget the MySQL section., 07 Dec 2006
Studying towards a degree in programming, I have access to a large selection of programming books at my institute. Having sampled at least half a dozen PHP books, this was definitely the most help. PHP is a fairly easy language to learn (especially if you have some experience with HTML), although many other books will overcomplicate the learning process by elaborating on small details to a ridiculous extent (think the Wiley 'Bible' books).
This book teaches you everything you need to know to learn PHP's fundamentals and by the time you've finished the PHP section of the book, you'll be capable of writing various PHP scripts. Everything you learn is accompanied with examples. Everything is explained clearly. I didn't find myself losing track even once. Thorough but to the point, this book is my highest recommendation for anybody wishing to learn PHP. A few days after finishing the book, I had written a purely-PHP image gallery interface that thumbnails and displays details for all of the images in a folder on a web server. I had to use forums to finish the gallery off, but the book is owed the main thanks.
As with most programming books, you won't walk away able to program the most complex scripts. "Expert" is a title no book will get you. Luckily, there are countless forums online that will expand your knowledge of the language further than any book on the market.
Unfortunately, the book's section on MySQL is rather poor. It assumes you have foundational knowledge of MySQL's commands and using the command prompt to modify database tables (why would you?). Quite disappointing, really, as the PHP section of the book (almost 300 pages) is fantastic.
Still, this book puts many of the other PHP books out there to shame.
Help for install, 23 Nov 2006
I basically bought this book(2nd ed.) because I was having trouble installing the software from the versions I'd downloaded seperatly. The instructions that came with them seemed to assume you knew what you were doing "simply do this, and change that setting in the thingy" and as a beginner (complete novice) in all three subjects, I had no idea what they were talking about.
So, I bought an earlier version of this book an used it to get everything set up reletively painlesly. Sure it's not an 'in depth' book about any of them, it's not meant to be, the most imortant bits of are the CD, and the first couple of chapters. Once you are up and running, the rest gives you a basic grounding in stuff after which you can read other stuff for the specific info you need.
I would and have recomended this book to friends who want to get all three application up and running on their PC's.
Awful lot of waffle and poor page layout, 29 Aug 2008
I bought this book at the same time as PHP 6 and MySQL 5 for Dynamic Web Sites: Visual QuickPro Guide (Visual QuickPro Guides) (which has been great) and Mysql Crash Course (Sams Teach Yourself) (which is a useful reference). I'd already developed one successful website using ASP.net, and had started to learn a few little bits of php from the web.
This book was the worst of my 3 purchases by a long way. It's just so boring! It was the first book I started with (because the outside looks nicest!) but inside it's just dull and badly laid out. The author may be technically competent but he rarely uses one word when he could squeeze in 3 or 4 instead. The code is annotated by comments in the lsitings, but these aren't really detailed enough to help you understand what's going on.
Sadly, I put a coffee cup down on this book and it's marked the cover. Otherwise I'd have sent it back.
php & mysql comments, 05 Aug 2008
before studying this text, i couldn't even spell php.
a great way to start learning php.
takes you through the basics quick and clean enjoyably.
How to Do Everything with PHP and MySQL (How to Do Everything)
Not for the experienced programmer, 12 Apr 2008
Too simple for someone who knows other languages like C#, C, Javascript or Java as PHP is similar in syntax. What I need is some hardcore PHP and this failed! I will be looking for another book.
best mysql php book ever!, 12 Dec 2007
I've bought many books and tried many cbt's to learn php and mysql. How to do everything with php and mysql by vikram vaswani is amazing in how clearly everything is explained.
Well done and thanks Vikram for a great book! Keep up the good work! I've already bought another php book by Vikram Vaswani.
10/10.
Imran (London)
A great place to start PHP and Mysql, 10 Sep 2007
I spent some time looking at books before I selected this one - I am glad I took the time. It is well worth while. It's a very well put together book. From installing php and mysql it examines first PHP and the Mysql and then the two working together. It doesn't really have tutorials but there are loads of really useful code examples. At the end it demonstrates the build of a news publishing system. Every chapter has a load of great websites for more information.
This is a very good intro book. It is not really a very useful once your up and running needing a good reference.
Downside - I found the set-up lacked something. I didn't bother with Apache as I already have IIS and it would have been good to have an ISS set-up, but its not hard to find on the web. Also its a bit Unix based - sorry but I use .... what's it called again?? - oh yes 'windows' or something! I think most people buying this book will be using windows and if you use windows this is still the book for you.
However the book does not deserve less than a 5.
Somewhat okay, but was confusing at the time..., 27 Apr 2008
This book was very interesting to read. At the time I read this book I had only knowledge of HTML and was interested in learning PHP. This book was a total disaster in some respect, it baffled on to very complex terms right at the start for someone who has never learnt a scripting language before, not the way to go. I obviously learnt a few things out of it, including variables and loops, and the likes - but after that Janet went onto explaining very complex code. But, for me, I want a book that gets right into the code and let me actually code something instead of just showing me the code without a clue of, a) how to use it and b) where to put it.
Lastly, the MySQL chapters weren't descriptive enough to understand but despite the fact it was explained in early chapters of the book, I'd rather learn the basics of PHP before being taught SQL queries and the MySQL facility.
The way I learnt PHP in the end is doing so over the Web, and learning it by producing something with what I understood already, which is the best practice for most people learning scripting languages alike of PHP. PHP is very easy and logical, and obviously this book author makes it seem too easy in her description of what PHP is, before actually being disappointed with this book.
I'd stay completely away from the 'for Dummies' books, absolutely a waste of money, although very affordable prices.
Has it's uses..., 12 Feb 2008
...Good for killing flies, propping tables or pressing flowers.
While this has some genuinely good points (which aren't worth buying the book for alone), there are too many things here to throw off newcomers to PHP & MySQL.
The example applications are poor and mostly unrealistic. While it can be a difficult subject for a newbie to take on, the book tends to patronise rather than educate. If you need the softly, softly approach then this might be a book for you. If you're looking to hit the ground running (as is the way with most web designers/developers), I'd personally suggest looking at the Sam's range or any of the New Riders publications.
After thumbing through a friends copy of this book, I was amazed to see that some of the example code wouldn't run on a number of PHP-enabled machines (needing many code modifications to work).
This might be good if you're a fast-learner as you can fix these issues.
Having said that, a number of people have used the sections from this book to look further into aspects. One thing a reader might gleam from this book is an idea of the terminology and the uses that PHP has for everyday applications.
Worth getting if it's on a special offer, gift voucher or present - I'd think twice about spending your own money though as I doubt it'll offer the value that many people look for from training guides.
That is to say, don't expect to be writing the next Amazon, Ebay or Play after reading this book.
Maybe the worlds most basic pet shop site though!
Fanstastic, 16 Jan 2008
I know No HTML or PHP coding, and i mean the max i know is < b > etc etc.
I have started an online business and this book gave me the information I needed for creating dynamic pages, connecting to databases and so on and so forth. All the examples in the book can be downloaded from www.janetvalade.com which i found very useful, each file she creates you are allowed to use on your own without having to add any information apart from your database credentials.
The book starts with the very basics, telling you how print simple statements like "it is raining" using the echo" " functions. It then progresses with using if statements and conditionals, functions and other parts of the PHP code which are useful. The book then goes into in depth information on how to build a MYSQL database with PHP MYSQL queries, it tells you how to DROP, CREATE, UPDATE, DELETE etc which i personally found useful
The book then carries on and shows a live running example on what PHP applications can be used for, giving a useful example of a online catalogue and a Members only Area which is what i use. The code can be edited to your needs, for example i added a user level to the database and extra code to the top of every page that disallowed entry depending on the user entry (if you want that code, please email me at dominic.langmead@college-downloads.co.uk and i will send it to you).
The online catalgoue is also very useful, i added it to my site then removed it for the paypal alternative. Janet Explains what she is doing in her coding examples with #number which is explained on the pages after, very useful i must say.
With the help of this book i have been able to create a fully dynamic site within 3 weeks, okay, its not the best read of all, and not fantastic examples, but her pet shop model is easy to follow and edit, whether it be Dreamweaver, Notepad or Publisher that you may be using.
Overall i would recommend this book to anybody who is having some problems creating what you need, Janet also refers to some free PHP sites that help, although personally i prefer this book as the free sites are harder to follow and understand.
I hope my review helps you.
Dom,
Seadogs
Unclear, 20 Dec 2007
Frustratingly unclear and cluttered in it's approach. The worst book of it's kind that I have encountered. Look elsewhere
Not Enough Practice, 15 Nov 2007
I am usually a fan of the for dummies series but this book disappointed me. I couldn't beleive how bored and annoyed I was when trying to learn something from it. Trying to remember some of the stuff was so hard because there was no practice to reinforce it into my brain. Very disappointed.
Great for an absolute beginner, but not cutting edge enough for novices, 29 Jul 2008
This is the second book I bought on the topic, after Beginning PHP and MySQL: From Novice to Professional, Third Edition: From Novice to Professional (Beginning from Novice to Professional).
I'm an established novice in Object-Oriented programming in Java as well as PHP and MySQL. I bought this book because I specifically wanted to learn how to apply my knowledge to make a "content management system" with PHP and MySQL, as this book promises. Whilst it accomplishes this, I'd say the methods used are slightly outdated, Web 1.0 methods and ideas.
Yes, it certainly gets the job done and I cannot recommend this book highly enough to absolute beginners in the subject who want to make something very simple (such as a guestbook for their site, or a directory for a company intranet), however if you are like me and were looking for something that involves cutting edge Web 2.0 with AJAX, using Zend Framework and Smarty, then I'd go for something a little bit different.
To summarise:- If you're a beginner and have never tried using PHP and MySQL before, then this is definitely for you, you won't be disappointed. You can use this book as a foundation and then move onto something else.
However, if you're like me and looking to create something that utilises cutting edge Web 2.0 technologies and ideas, I'd probably look elsewhere.
Happy coding :-)
Great PHP study guide!!, 18 Sep 2007
This book is ideal for those who really want to get right in programming in PHP and MySQL. This really helped me during my dissertation project!! A great reference point for PHP..what there to lose go for it!!
Not For Beginners, 14 Aug 2007
I have a steadily growing library of 'Sitepoint' books which have so far taught me the basics of html and css. Having had good experiences in the past with 'Sitepoint', I decided to give this a try without hesitation.
It went ok for the first 3 chapters, then the terminology and increasingly fast pace of the book threw me for a loop. I got a grasp of the very basic principles of php from the first parts of chapter's 3 and 4, but after that the book dives into a world of techno-jargon and the author moves from one thing to | | |