book

Head First PHP & MySQL

by Lynn Beighley, Michael Morrison

December 2008

Intermediate to advanced

814 pages

18h 41m

English

O'Reilly Media, Inc.

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Head First PHP & MySQL
Dedication
A Note Regarding Supplemental Files
Advance Praise for Head First PHP & MySQL
Praise for Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML
Praise for Head First JavaScript
Author(s) of Head First PHP & MySQL
How to Use This Book: Intro
Who is this book for?Who should probably back away from this book?We know what you’re thinkingWe know what your brain is thinkingMetacognition: thinking about thinkingHere’s what WE did:Here’s what YOU can do to bend your brain into submissionRead MeThe technical review teamAcknowledgmentsSafari Books Online
1. Add Life to your Static Pages: It’s Alive
HTML is static and boringPHP brings web pages to lifeDogs in spaceA form helps Owen get the whole storyForms are made of HTMLThe HTML form has problemsHTML acts on the CLIENTPHP acts on the SERVERPHP scripts run on the serverUse PHP to access the form dataPHP scripts must live on a server!Get your PHP scripts to the serverThe server turns PHP into HTMLDeconstructing Owen’s PHP scriptA few PHP rules to live code byFinding the perfect variable nameVariables are for storing script data$–POST is a special variable that holds form data$–POST transports form data to your scriptCreating the email message body with PHPEven plain text can be formatted... a littleNewlines need double-quoted stringsAssemble an email message for OwenVariables store the email pieces and partsSending an email message with PHPOwen starts getting emailsOwen starts losing emailsYour PHP & MySQL Toolbox
2. Connecting to MySQL: How it fits together
Owen’s PHP form works well. Too well...MySQL excels at storing dataOwen needs a MySQL databaseCreate a MySQL database and tableThe INSERT statement in actionUse SELECT to get table dataLet PHP handle the tedious SQL stuffPHP lets data drive Owen’s web formConnect to your database from PHPInsert data with a PHP scriptUse PHP functions to talk to the databaseGet connected with mysqli_connect()Build the INSERT query in PHPQuery the MySQL database with PHPClose your connection with mysqli–close()$–POST provides the form dataOwen needs help sifting through his dataOwen’s on his way to finding Fang

3. Create and Populate a Database: Creating your own data
The Elvis store is open for businessElmer needs an applicationVisualize Elmer’s application designIt all starts with a tableMake contact with the MySQL serverCreate a database for Elmer’s emailsCreate a table inside the databaseWe need to define our dataTake a meeting with some MySQL data typesCreate your table with a queryGetting the cart table in front of the horse databaseUSE the database before you use itDESCRIBE reveals the structure of tablesElmer’s ready to store dataCreate the Add Email scriptThe other side of Elmer’s applicationThe nuts and bolts of the Send Email scriptFirst things first, grab the datamysqli_fetch_array() fetches query resultsLooping for a WHILELooping through data with whileYou’ve got mail...from Elmer!Sometimes people want outRemoving data with DELETEUse WHERE to DELETE specific dataMinimize the risk of accidental deletionsMakeMeElvis.com is a web applicationYour PHP & MySQL Toolbox
4. Realistic and Practical Applications: Your Application on the Web
Elmer has some irritated customersProtecting Elmer from... ElmerDemand good form dataThe logic behind Send Email validationYour code can make decisions with IFTesting for truthIF checks for more than just equalityThe logic behind Send Email validationPHP functions for verifying variablesTest multiple conditions with AND and ORForm users need feedbackEase in and out of PHP as neededUse a flag to avoid duplicate codeCode the HTML form only onceA form that references itselfPoint the form action at the scriptCheck to see if the form has been submittedSome users are still disgruntledTable rows should be uniquely identifiableWhat Elmer’s table contains now:What Elmer’s table should contain:Primary keys enforce uniquenessThe five rules of primary keys:From checkboxes to customer IDsLoop through an array with foreachYour PHP & MySQL Toolbox
5. Working with Data Stored in Files: When a database just isn’t enough
Virtual guitarists like to competeText can’t be trustedThe proof is in the rockin’ pictureThe application needs to store imagesPlanning for image file uploads in Guitar WarsThe high score database must be ALTERedHow do we get an image from the user?Insert the image filename into the databaseFind out the name of the uploaded fileWhere did the uploaded file go?Create a home for uploaded image filesShared data has to be sharedShared script data is requiredThink of require_once as “insert”Timing Order is everything with high scoresHonoring the top Guitar WarriorFormat the top score with HTML and CSSOnly small images allowedFile validation makes the app more robustPlan for an Admin pageThese pages are for users:This page is only for the administrator:Generate score removal links on the Admin pageScripts can communicate with each otherOf GETs and POSTsGET, POST, and high score removalIsolate the high score for deletionControl how much you delete with LIMITYour PHP & MySQL Toolbox
6. Securing your Application: Assume they’re all out to get you
The day the music diedWhere did the high scores go?Securing the teeming hordesProtecting the Guitar Wars Admin pageHTTP authentication requires headersTake control of headers with PHPAuthenticating with headersOK, so maybe Guitar Wars is NOT secureCreate an Authorize scriptGuitar Wars Episode II : Attack of the High Score ClonesSubtraction by additionSecurity requires humansPlan for moderation in Guitar WarsMake room for approvals with ALTERUnapproved scores aren’t worthyThe million-point hackEverything in moderation... ?How exactly did she do it?Tricking MySQL with commentsThe Add Score form was SQL injectedProtect your data from SQL injectionsA safer INSERT (with parameters)Form validation can never be too smartCease fire!Your PHP & MySQL Toolbox
7. building personalized web apps: Remember me?
They say opposites attractMismatch is all about personal dataMismatch needs user log-insUsernamePasswordCome up with a user log-in gameplanPrepping the database for log-insConstructing a log-in user interfaceEncrypt passwords with SHA()Decrypting Comparing passwordsMaking room for the encrypted passwordAuthorizing users with HTTPLogging In Users with HTTP AuthenticationA form for signing up new usersGive users a chance to sign upSometimes you just need a cookieWhat’s in a cookie?Bake Use cookies with PHPRethinking the flow of log-insA cookie-powered log-inNavigating the Mismatch applicationLogging out means deleting cookiesSessions aren’t dependent on the clientThe life and times of sessionsKeeping up with session dataRenovate Mismatch with sessionsLog out with sessionsComplete the session transformationUsers aren’t feeling welcomeSessions are short-lived...... but cookies can last forever!Sessions + Cookies = Superior log-in persistence
8. Eliminate Duplicate Code: Sharing is caring
Mismatch is in piecesRebuilding Mismatch from a templateRebuild Mismatch with templatesMismatch is whole again... and much better organized
9. Control your Data, Control your World: Harvesting data
Making the perfect mismatchMismatching is all about the dataBreak down the Mismatch dataCategoriesTopicsResponsesModel a database with a schemaWire together multiple tablesForeign keys in actionTables can match row for rowOne row leads to manyMatching rows many-to-manyBuild a Mismatch questionnaireGet responses into the databaseWe can drive a form with dataSpeaking of efficiency...Generate the Mismatch questionnaire formThe data is now driving the formStrive for a bit of normalcyWhen normalizing, think in atomsWhy be normal, really?Three steps to a normal databaseAltering the Mismatch databaseSo is Mismatch really normal?A query within a query within a query...Let’s all join hands tablesConnect the with dotsSurely we can do more with inner joinsSimplifying ON with USINGNicknames for tables and columnsJoins to the rescueLove is a numbers gameFive steps to a successful mismatchPrepare for the mismatch searchCompare users for “mismatchiness”All we need is a FOR loopFinishing the mismatchingYour PHP & MySQL Toolbox
10. String and Custom Functions: Better living through functions
A good risky job is hard to findThe search leaves no margin for errorSQL queries can be flexible with LIKEExplode a string into individual wordsimplode() builds a string from substringsPreprocess the search stringReplace unwanted search charactersThe query needs legit search termsCopy non-empty elements to a new arraySometimes you just need part of a stringExtract substrings from either endMultiple queries can sort our resultsFunctions let you reuse codeBuild a query with a custom functionSWITCH makes far more decisions than IFGive build_query() the ability to sortWe can paginate our resultsGet only the rows you need with LIMITControl page links with LIMITKeep track of the pagination dataSet up the pagination variablesRevise the query for paginated resultsGenerate the page navigation linksPutting together the complete Search scriptThe complete Search script, continued...Your PHP & MySQL Toolbox
11. Regular Expressions: Rules for replacement
Risky Jobs lets users submit resumesDecide what your data should look likeFormulate a pattern for phone numbersMatch patterns with regular expressionsBuild patterns using metacharactersFine-tune patterns with character classesCheck for patterns with preg_match()Standardize the phone number dataGet rid of the unwanted charactersMatching email addresses can be trickyDomain suffixes are everywhereUse PHP to check the domainEmail validation: putting it all togetherYour PHP & MySQL Toolbox
12. Visualizing your Data... and More!: Drawing dynamic graphics
Guitar Wars Reloaded: Rise of the MachinesNo input form is safeWe need to separate man from machineWe can defeat automation with automationGenerate the CAPTCHA pass-phrase textVisualizing the CAPTCHA imageInside the GD graphics functionsThe GD graphics functions continued...Drawing text with a fontGenerate a random CAPTCHA imageReturning sanity to Guitar WarsAdd CAPTCHA to the Add Score scriptFive degrees of opposabilityCharting mismatchinessStoring bar graph dataFrom one array to anotherBuild an array of mismatched topicsFormulating a bar graphing planCrunching categoriesDoing the category mathBar graphing basicsDraw and display the bar graph imageIndividual bar graph images for allMismatch users are digging the bar graphsYour PHP & MySQL Toolbox
13. Syndication and Web Services: Interfacing to the world
Owen needs to get the word out about FangPush alien abduction data to the peopleRSS pushes web content to the peopleRSS is really XMLFrom database to newsreaderVisualizing XML RSSDynamically generate an RSS feedLink to the RSS feedA picture video is worth a thousand million wordsPulling web content from othersSyndicating YouTube videosMake a YouTube video requestOwen is ready to build a REST requestYouTube speaks XMLDeconstruct a YouTube XML responseVisualize the XML video dataAccess XML data with objectsFrom XML elements to PHP objectsDrill into XML data with objectsNot without a namespace!Fang sightings are on the riseLay out videos for viewingFormat video data for displayYour PHP & MySQL Toolbox
A. Leftovers: The Top Ten Topics (we didn’t cover)
#1. Retrofit this book for PHP4 and mysql functions#2. User permissions in MySQL#3. Error reporting for MySQL#4. Exception handling PHP errors#4. Exception handling PHP errors (cont.)#5. Object-oriented PHP#5. Object-oriented PHP (cont.)So two big advantages of using Object Oriented PHP are:#6. Securing your PHP application#6. Securing your PHP application (cont.)#7. Protect your app from cross-site scripting#7. Protect your app from cross-site scripting (cont.)Validate everythingBuilt-in PHP functions can helpData is guilty until proven innocent#8. Operator precedence#9. What’s the difference between PHP 5 and PHP 6More Unicode support#9. What’s the difference between PHP 5 and PHP 6 (cont.)OO refinements, XML support, and other changes#10. Reusing other people’s PHPDrupalphpBBCoppermine GalleryWordPress
B. Set up a Development Environment: A place to play
Create a PHP development environmentFind out what you haveDo you have a web server?Do you have PHP? Which version?Do you have MySQL? Which version?Start with the Web ServerApache installation... concludedPHP installationPHP installation stepsPHP installation steps... concludedInstalling MySQLInstructions and TroubleshootingSteps to Install MySQL on WindowsDownload your installerPick a destination folderClick “Install” and you’re done!Enabling PHP on Mac OS XSteps to Install MySQL on Mac OS XMoving from production to a live siteDump your data (and your tables)Prepare to use your dumped dataMove dumped data to the live serverConnect to the live server
C. Extend your PHP: Get even more
Extending your PHPIf you’re using Windows, you’re in luckAnd on the Mac...
Index
About the Authors
Copyright

Content preview from Head First PHP & MySQL

How to Use This Book: Intro

In this section we answer the burning question: “So why DID they put that in a PHP & MySQL book?”

Who is this book for?

If you can answer “yes” to all of these:

Are you a web designer with HTML or XHTML experience and a desire to take your web pages to the next level?
Do you want to go beyond simple HTML pages to learn, understand, and remember how to use PHP and MySQL to build web applications?
Do you prefer stimulating dinner party conversation to dry, dull, academic lectures?

this book is for you.

Who should probably back away from this book?

If you can answer “yes” to any of these:

Are you completely unfamiliar with basic programming concepts like variables and loops?
(But even if you’ve never programmed before, you’ll probably be able to get the key concepts you need from this book.)
Are you a kick-butt PHP web developer looking for a reference book?
Are you afraid to try something different? Would you rather have a root canal than mix stripes with plaid? Do you believe that a technical book can’t be serious if it creates an alien abduction database?

this book is not for you.

[Note from marketing: this book is for anyone with a credit card.]

We know what you’re thinking

“How can this be a serious PHP and MySQL book?”

“What’s with all the graphics?”

“Can I actually learn ...

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