What level am I at?

Schwalbach

Ok guys, I want to get a php book. I have searched the boards and found great examples. It seems o'reilly is great, and I really liked the cookbook(I just read the table of contents, I don't have the book) but I really don't know what level I am at?

Ok, I will list some things I basically know how to do(I think I would be considered pretty newbie right now, but i want to make sure)

I understand the syntax, and how to write the code(I'm really experienced in flash coding)
I understand variables, arrays, and minimal file understanding(I can open, read, write, and find things throughout the file) I understand the if and else statements, but not really the for(I have a little understanding)

I also understand the comparisons(&& == !=, etc)

So am I still a newbie? Maybe you guys could list some things I need to know before I get a certain book, and I will see if I know them..
ex: If you want to get the cookbook, you better have a good knowledge of..

Also, any good book reccomendations for my level would help, and just ask if you want to know if I understand a certain thing or not.

Thanks,
Chase

LordShryku

Well, according to this thread, you will always be a n00b.

As far as books go, I really can't say. I bought a PHP book a while ago, but have yet to crack it open. The ones my friends have bought have been crap(IMHO), since they assume register_globals is on. I say if you can learn from a book, more power to ya. For me, I can realy only learn from trial and error...

Schwalbach

Yea, I totally understand...That's how I learnt from flash, learning what does what...but the reason for that is there is a list of actions in the program and what actions they are used for, and there is no "program" for php. I could go to php.net, but the thing is there are what seems like 1000's of functions, and I just don't know what to look for to find what function I need.

LordShryku

They are categorized though. First, you have to know what you want to do. So you wanna read from a MySQL database, the functions are probably listed under the MySQL category. Wanna read a file? Probably under the filesystem category. On top of that, you have so many web resources for PHP. Like I said, maybe a book will help you, I dunno.

Schwalbach

Ok, I kind've see that now..

Well, I do like the books though. I just want something explaining everything that I need to know, and just a thing I would like to have(Can't really explain why I want a book, but I do 😛)

So any suggestions on how I can tell what kind I need, or what kind for my level?

Schwalbach

For an example....for a person that has never seen this code before, tell me how much this helps me understand it(from php.net)

ftruncate

(PHP 4 )
ftruncate -- Truncates a file to a given length
Description
bool ftruncate ( resource handle, int size)

Takes the filepointer, handle, and truncates the file to length, size. Returns TRUE on success or FALSE on failure.

Moonglobe

Originally posted by Schwalbach
For an example....for a person that has never seen this code before, tell me how much this helps me understand it(from php.net)

ftruncate

(PHP 4 )
ftruncate -- Truncates a file to a given length
Description
bool ftruncate ( resource handle, int size)

Takes the filepointer, handle, and truncates the file to length, size. Returns TRUE on success or FALSE on failure.

seems easy to understand, as long as you know what 'truncate' means...

Schwalbach

That's good to know that you understand it, but I don't know what truncate means, and seeing as there is no reference to it on the page, how am I supposed to know that I should know what truncate means first?

Could anyone please just give me some advice on books that I need to look at, that would be good for my level instead of pointing out the things they understand that I don't?
(Sorry if I sound mean, it's just this topic has produced nothing so far.)

Thanks guys 🙂

LordShryku

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=truncate

Anyway, as I hear, you can't go wrong with O'reilly. This topic has also been discussed thoroughly, many times over, so a search on the forums would help you

Moonglobe

my advice: pick a section of the manual that interests you, and read all the user notes for taht section. it may sound wierd, but there are some very interesting examples posted there. I realize you want a book, but as i have never used one, i can't reccomend any.

Schwalbach

thanks moonglobe, that is more helpful 🙂 I will try that if I can't find anything, I just think that if the book is written and published, it will be a good reference for me...thanks again, any books for my level anybody else?

jebster

Originally posted by Schwalbach
Can't really explain why I want a book, but I do 😛

Easy, gives you something to read on the john 🙂

Originally posted by Schwalbach
For an example....for a person that has never seen this code before, tell me how much this helps me understand it(from php.net)

ftruncate

(PHP 4 )
ftruncate -- Truncates a file to a given length
Description
bool ftruncate ( resource handle, int size)

Takes the filepointer, handle, and truncates the file to length, size. Returns TRUE on success or FALSE on failure.

I didn't know what the word meant, but guessed and was right cause I could tell in what context they were using it in 🙂

And I would suggest Wrox books but maybe try finding one written more recently cause I have Beginning PHP4 and it was written in 2000 and the code is sloppy IMO and they also assume global variables too if I am not mistaken!

Also be sure to stop by Amazon before you buy a book and read some reviews on it 😉

Elizabeth

I can recommend a really good book if you can wait until March to get it 😃

-Elizabeth

Schwalbach

Lol, any books I can buy now(and what book is that anyways, the one you are going to recommend?)

pipe_girl

Doesn't anybody use the library anymore?? I have a tough time bringing myself to buy a $40 or $50 book that I'm not sure will be any good, and even then I won't buy it unless I know I am going to constantly be referencing it.

I've checked out some great books on PHP and MySQL from the library (though usually they are in demand), and it can really help you to decide what to buy.

stolzyboy

Originally posted by Elizabeth
I can recommend a really good book if you can wait until March to get it 😃

-Elizabeth

Oh, beth, getting pretty anxious, are we? 😃

Me too!

jebster

Originally posted by stolzyboy
Oh, beth, getting pretty anxious, are we? 😃

Me too!

And I'm lost.. did someone here right a book or something?

LordShryku

Taking from the previous "You're all out of the loop" thread, I'm guessing the mods here wrote a book....

jebster

Geez, I must be really out of the loop cause I have never even seen this "You're all out of the loop" thread.. LOL

But if the mods here did right a book, I hope it will be widely available cause I would want it! 🙂

LordShryku

I really don't remember what the thread was about, but it ended with the mods aluding to this huge project they had just finished.