PHP Learning Tools

Tekron-X

Ok what free tools do you guys recoment using to learn php I mean tutorials ect. The reason I ask is I have a book that does not stress the register_globals = off fact and it is impossible to fix there errous ways so I need something else.

NO ONE BUY Beginning_PHP4 by wrox publishing it is impossible to learn from for the above reasons.

Bunkermaster

Wrox is dead...

Tekron-X

Good their Books sucks for learners.

Bunkermaster

ermm no... Some of my friends learned from their books and now do very well...

BuzzLY

Actually, the Wrox books are very good. Unfortunately, Wrox is gone, which means people have lost their jobs, and that is never "good."

Tekron-X

yea but none of thier examples worked for me and are unfixable.

Bunkermaster

O_o can you post an example? I am curious...

Tekron-X

Actually I did numerous times but I will gladly post 1 example from thier book in this post.

<?php
session_register("view1count");
session_register("view2count");
session_register("view3count");
session_register("view4count");
?>

<?php
//page_count.php

if (!$view1count) $view1count = 0;
if (!$view2count) $view2count = 0;
if (!$view3count) $view3count = 0;
if (!$view4count) $view4count = 0;

echo "<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Web Page Hit Counter</TITLE></HEAD><BODY>";

if ($whichpage) {
  echo "<B>You are currently on page $whichpage.</B><BR><BR>\n";
  $GLOBALS["view${whichpage}count"]++;
}

for ($i = 1; $i <= 4; $i++) {

  if ($whichpage == $i) {
    echo "<B><A HREF=\"$PHP_SELF?".SID."&whichpage=$i\">Page $i</A></B>";
  } else {
    echo "<A HREF=\"$PHP_SELF?".SID."&whichpage=$i\">Page $i</A>";
  }
  echo ", which you have chosen ".$GLOBALS["view${i}count"]." times.<BR>\n";
}

echo "\n\n<BR><BR>\n\n";
echo "</BODY></HTML>";

?>

This code generates error after error even after altering it for Reg_globs off It just drives you nuts.

Bunkermaster

lol nice code indeed
(my hidden counter code takes 2 lines)

Well it ain;t wrox's fault if you buy old used PHP books is it?

😃

Tekron-X

Actually I bought this book brand new yea it came out in 2000 lol but it was the only wrox book in the stor and they don't have any begging more recent ones. Guess I need to find another book lol 😛

Bunkermaster

I think some responsability goes to the books shops who don't see the use to sell new books when the old ones are perfectly good (du'h). In book stores here there still is some PHP 3 (new edition) books. I am sure their publisher would love to see them gone and replaced with new accurate ones...

BuzzLY

... unless of course that publisher has been liquidated. 😉

I'm wondering how long we are going to see Wrox books on the shelves.

Bunkermaster

as long as peeps won't have bought the whole stock or book shops are patient...

Tekron-X

Well don't any of you guys have ideas for me that was the whole point of the post instead it changed to busting on wrox 😃

Can you guys give me some sort of redirection?

BuzzLY

Quite honestly, Tekron, there are a number of threads on this board that discuss the very thing you are looking for -- discussions on what books and what websites are the best for learning PHP. I think the lack of an answer is an indication of the frustration many of us feel in constantly repeating ourselves.

I won't recommend that you read the guidelines (the link in my sig), since with 212 posts on this board already, you should already know them... 😉

Now, let us bow our heads and say a little prayer for Wrox...

Weedpacket

I can't comment on books and tutorials and such. Haven't even read O'Reilly's book on the subject (though I'm betting it's as good as their books tend to be). The only "free tools" I used to learn PHP were PHP and its manual.

Tekron-X

Well as far as finding those old post man that would take forever :p

saidbakr

Indeed, Excellent Book = Fast and Easy way to learn any thing, and PHP is not an Exception.

However, How much and What ?
How much does it cost?
What's the way to determine the good book before Purchasing?

These are the Questions.😃

Tekron-X

LOL the more money the better 😛