Beginning PHP5 is a complete tutorial in PHP5's language features and functionality, beginning with the basics and building up to the design and construction of complex data-driven Web sites. Fully functioning applications are developed through the course of the book. Other features of the book include installation guide and troubleshooting tips, introduction to relational databases, practical working examples and applications, and a detailed language reference.

Here are the new topics in this edition: <ul> <li>OOP <li>PEAR <li>GTK <li>MSI <li>CLI <li>SQLite <li>Error handling with try/catch

PHP, of course, is introduced in the book, but there's also an approachable and effective introduction to programming in general. The conscientious tutorial on basic concepts like variables, keywords, and flow control will give even beginners an understanding of the basics of writing programs. PHP, it turns out, is not only a great way to generate HTML dynamically, but a very marketable skill. Web fundamentals like HTTP, HTML form variables, and managing session information using no less than four different techniques are explained thoroughly and effectively. You also find out how to install PHP and other tools on your system, with the assistance of plenty of screen shots.

That's not to say that this book will cramp the style of more experienced developers. Some chapters delve into such important and advanced topics as database programming (with MySQL) and PHP's support for XML. One standout section demystifies the new support for objects and classes in PHP4. Basic topics like managing files and directories on the server, plus graphics processing, are addressed, of course, and a nifty sample program shows you how to build a Web-based text editor. Except for the final case study--a "URL directory manager" (akin to Yahoo!) that's rather specialized--the examples are right on, and illustrate everyday programming tasks. You'll learn also how to generate e-mail with PHP--certainly a valuable skill to have.

The appendix lists several hundred PHP functions in over 50 pages--a handy and useful feature. In all, Beginning PHP4 provides a strong choice for learning about one of today's most powerful and easy-to-use scripting languages; it's concise, fast moving, and thoroughly approachable. --Richard Dragan

Topics covered: <table cellspacing="7" border="0"><ul><ol><tr><td><li>Introduction to PHP 4 <li>Downloading and installing PHP <li>Basics of HTTP and Web pages <li>PHP as a scripting language <li>PHP data types <li>Constants and conversions <li>HTML primer <li>Form variables <li>Decision making in PHP <li>Loops and arrays <li>PHP functions <li>Error handling in PHP <li>Tips on writing more maintainable code <li>Debugging hints <li>Preserving state with hidden form variables <td>
<td><li>Query strings <li>Cookies and PHP4 native sessions <li>Using PHP objects <li>File and directory functions <li>PHP database programming <li>Installing and using MySQL <li>Tutorial for SQL syntax <li>Querying and updating records <li>XML "quickstart" for PHP users <li>Creating e-mail and electronic newsletters <li>PHP graphics processing (including image maps) <li>Case study for a URL directory manager <li>ODBC tutorial <li>PHP4 function reference

Here's another. Many websites display thumbnails of images that you click on to display the full size image, or perhaps as a link to another page. Of course, we don't want to have to create thumbnails of all these images ourselves, and then store the thumbnails and full size images too. A much more effective way to handle thumbnails is to generate them "on the fly" from the original image, which we can do several ways using PHP. But which approach would produce the best quality thumbnails? And which would create them the fastest? We tell you.

Both of these examples involve generating images or charts dynamically (on the fly). This is the main benefit of using PHP to generate graphics, so it's the thread that links all of the topics we discuss in the book. With the knowledge you pick up from the book, you'll be able to enhance the appearance and functionality of your website dramatically.

The book teaches you how to apply all of the following techniques on the fly using your PHP code:

- Creating new image files in various formats and drawing on blank images
- Merging, blurring, cropping, copying and cutting-up images
- The most effective ways to generate thumbnails and store images
- Manipulating color, grayscaling and duotone, adjusting brightness
- Adding transparency, soft and hard shadows, and watermarks
- How to add text to images: handling fonts and text layout
- How to create professional-looking charts and graphs

Dreamweaver MX 2004 Design Projects takes you through the process of creating four real-world case studies, enabling you to take your Dreamweaver skills to a new level. Each case study is written by a different web design professional, and features a common web site archetype taken from inception to completion. All are brimming with essential techniques to inspire and teach you. The four different sites are as follows:

- Christopher Schmitt’s entertainment/fan site project, dedicated to the band U2, covers setting site goals; producing user profiles to define the audience, site maps, and design mockups; refining the design and producing it in Photoshop; and finally working with Dreamweaver MX 2004 to easily construct an accessible, easy-to-maintain web site.
- Allan Kent’s news portal project takes you through the process of designing and building a dynamic, database-driven site with Dreamweaver MX 2004 and PHP. He looks at information architecture, building the back-end database, creating the necessary admin tools, and finally building a front-end that is both standards compliant and easy to use.
- Craig Grannell’s corporate site project begins with groundwork and methodology, then shows how to harness the power of CSS and Dreamweaver MX 2004 templates to rapidly get a site up and running and ensure that updates and maintenance are painless and cost effective.
- Rachel Andrew’s company intranet projectwalks you through the entire process of creating a company intranet using the ASP server model in Dreamweaver MX 2004. It begins with a detailed planning stage, then continues by looking at database development, providing user logins, and managing files on the server. This project utilizes built-in Server Behaviors in Dreamweaver, third-party extensions, and hand-coding.

Each package is broken down logically by function, and each one is covered in detail. The book presents each package in a manner that allows you to jump quickly to the key items you need to implement a solution. The authors understand that you need to see the packages in action--each performing in real-world applications. So they've included four projects in the book that each use a combination of PEAR packages in their implementations. Once you're armed with the knowledge in this book, you'll be set to take your PHP development to a new level.