PHP and MySQL: Your Visual Blueprint for Creating Dynamic, Database-driven Web Sites(Visual Blueprint)

"The expertise, thought, and effort that go into each book are obvious, and I sincerely appreciate your efforts. Keep up the wonderful work!" - Tracey Moore (Memphis, TN). Welcome to the only guidebook series that takes a visual approach to professional-level computer topics. Open the book and you will discover step-by-step screen shots that demonstrate over 140 key techniques using PHP and MySQL, including: configuring Apache to process PHP code; working with character strings; creating, sorting, and comparing arrays; defining and using functions; finding and replacing substrings; querying databases and retrieving data; stopping and starting the MySQL server; adding dynamic check boxes; sending new Web pages to a browser. High-resolution screen shots demonstrate each task. Succinct explanations walk you through step-by-step and two-page lessons break big topics into bite-sized modules. "Apply It" and "Extra" sidebars highlight useful tips.

Table of Contents:
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK. 1 SETTING UP YOUR DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT. Introducing Dynamic Web Sites. Set Up Your Development Environment. Obtain Apache. Install Apache. Obtain MySQL. Install MySQL. Configure MySQL. Install MySQL Administration Programs. Create MySQL Accounts for Use in PHP Scripts. Obtain PHP. Install PHP. Configure Apache to Process PHP Code. Configure PHP. Test Your Development Environment. 2 LEARNING PHP BASICS. How PHP Works. Add PHP Code to a Web Page File. Using PHP Statements. Understanding PHP Output Statements. Using PHP Variables. Using PHP Constants. Work with Numbers. Work with Character Strings. Work with Dates and Times. Modify or Remove Variables. Using Variable Variables. Understanding Error Messages. Add Comments to a Script. 3 USING ARRAYS. Create an Array. Modify or Remove an Array. Get Information about an Array. Sort an Array. Walk through an Array with foreach. Walk through an Array Manually. Find Values in an Array. Compare Arrays. Split and Merge Arrays. Convert an Array into a String and Vice Versa. Store a Set of Variables in an Array. Store Array Elements in Separate Variables. Create a Multidimensional Array. Walk through a Multidimensional Array. Using Built-in PHP Arrays. 4 CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF THE SCRIPT. Change the Order of Statement Execution. Check the Contents of a Variable. Set up Conditions with Comparison Operators. Introducing Regular Expressions. Match Character Strings to Patterns Using Regular Expressions. Join Multiple Comparisons with Logical Operators. Using an if Statement. Using a switch Statement. Using a for Loop. Using a while Loop. Using a do-while Loop. Avoid an Infinite Loop. Break Out of a Loop. 5 REUSING PHP CODE. Include a Code File. Configure the Path to the include Files. Include Files Automatically. Store include Files Securely. Define and Use a Function. Using Variables in a Function. Pass Values to a Function. Return Values from a Function. 6 SOME USEFUL PHP BUILT-IN FUNCTIONS. Format a Number. Round a Number. Find the Largest or Smallest Number. Remove Leading and Trailing Blank Spaces. Change the Case of a String. Format a String. Count the Characters or Substrings in a String. Locate a Substring in a String. Get a Substring. Find and Replace Substrings. Add a Substring to a String. Using Regular Expressions to Replace Text. Pad or Repeat a String. Convert a Character to and from an ASCII Value. Compare Strings. Convert a String into an Array. Send an Email Message. Send an HTTP Header. Read Configuration Settings. Set a Local PHP Configuration Option. 7 USING MYSQL DATABASES. How a MySQL Database Works. Send a Query with the mysql Client. Send a Query with the MySQL Query Browser. Create, Select, or Remove a MySQL Database. Define a MySQL Table. Create and Remove a MySQL Table. Modify the MySQL Table Structure. Add a Row of Data to a Database. Add Data from a Text File to a Database. Store Incremental Values in a Column. Retrieve Data from a Database. Limit Query Execution to Specific Rows with a WHERE Clause. Retrieve Data from Multiple Tables with UNION. Retrieve Data from Multiple Tables by Joining Tables. Update Data in a Database. Remove Data from a Database. Query a MySQL Database from a PHP Script. Display Database Data on a Web Page in a PHP Script. Handle MySQL Errors. 8 ADMINISTERING MYSQL DATABASES. Understanding MySQL Accounts. View Existing Accounts. Create a MySQL Account. Change the Password of a MySQL Account. Add and Remove Privileges. Change the Name of a MySQL Account. Remove a MySQL Account. Stop and Start the MySQL Server. Using MySQL Logs. Back Up Data. Restore Data. Upgrade MySQL. 9 ADDING HTML FORMS TO A WEB PAGE. Display an HTML Form. Add a Text Field. Add a Multiline Text Area. Add a Hidden Field. Add a Dynamic Selection List to a Form. Add a Date Selection List. Add Dynamic Radio Buttons. Add Dynamic Check Boxes. Create One or More Submit Buttons. Choose the POST or GET Method for a Form. Create a Form That Uploads a File. 10 PROCESSING DATA FROM FORMS. Process Information from a Form. Display Data from a Form. Display and Process a Form in One Script. Check for Blank Fields. Verify Form Data. Clean Form Data. Add Form Data to a Database. Insert Form Data into a Database. Update or Remove Database Data. Process an Uploaded File. 11 MANAGING USER SESSIONS. Understanding User Sessions. Send a New Web Page to the Browser. Add Information to a URL. Store Information in Cookies. Store Information in a PHP Session. Using PHP Sessions without Cookies. 12 OBJECT-ORIENTED PROGRAMMING IN PHP. Understanding Object-Oriented Programming. Create and Use an Object. Set Properties in a Class. Add Methods to a Class. Write a Constructor or a Destructor Method. Using PHP Magic Methods to Get or Set Properties. Using Inheritance in a Class. Using Exceptions. Copy and Compare Objects. Get Information about Objects and Classes. Using Abstract Classes. Using Interfaces. APPENDIX A: PROGRAMMING EDITORS AND IDES FOR PHP. APPENDIX B: TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS. INDEX.

About the Author :
Janet Valade has 20 years experience in the computing field. Her background includes experience as a technical writer for several companies, as a Web designer/programmer for an engineering firm, and as a systems analyst in a university environment where, for over 10 years, she supervised the installation and operation of computing resources, designed and developed a statewide data archive, provided technical support to faculty and staff, wrote numerous technical papers and documentation, and designed and presented seminars and workshops on a variety of technology topics. Janet currently has four published books - PHP & MySQL For Dummies, Second Edition, PHP 5 For Dummies, PHP & MySQL Everyday Apps For Dummies, and Spring into Linux, and has coauthored Master VISUALLY Dreamweaver 8 and Flash 8. In addition, she has authored chapters for several Linux and Web development books.