41 replies to this topic

[linux_lover]

I would personally recomment NOT using a multiple installation package for AMP (Apache Mysql PHP). Ok its easier at first but you dont learn how everything works that way, depends if you want to become good at coding or just dabble.

[Randy]

Good point LiLo. It's always good to test in a real server environment. If for no other reason than to figure out if you need safe mode on or off, Globals on or off (especially for older scripts), etc. At least that's how I justify renewing some of my spare domains every year so that I can have test beds.

TDavid: Thanks for stopping by! Long time no see. And a special thanks for the additional info re: Webmaster Cookbook. I forgot to mention the Friday web broadcasts, but you're right... Those are a really nice touch.

If it wouldn't be too much of a hassle for you, could you drop me a note when you launch the new site with the tutorials? I seem to get a lot of younger people asking me where they can start to learn PHP/MySQL that can turn into real applications rather than just theoretical stuff. Sounds like it'll be the perfect place to refer them to.

[omahonydonnelly]

Thanks again. With your input - and a long talk with my web host - I feel a bit more confident about using existing scripts, modules, etc. to try to do what I want. Once I get the hang of installing, configuring and doing a little customising I should be able to offer a lot more features.

Any recommendations on sites with good reviews on scripts, etc.?

I was worried that a "real web designer" would look bad using things like that.

I have started a PHP primer which will definitely help me in getting around these things. Just when I was getting the hang of CGI/Perl.....

[linux_lover]

If you can code perl, PHP should come easy to you - the syntax is derived from perl/c

[Randy]

I have no suggestions on sites that offer reviews of scripts. There are lots of script repositories out there, but the main information usually comes from the script author.

You'll catch on very quickly having a Perl/CGI background. That and the php.net manual will have you flying high in no time. I've even seen the same type of thing from those who only had a Javascript background. The syntax is similar enough that it's a pretty easy transition.

[linux_lover]

yeah that was what I came from....

JS and Actionscript (practically sames as JS)

[Scottie]

Sourceforge has a ton of useful open source applications that you can install and learn on.

[Raphael]

Once you've learnt one scripting language, the rest come easy, because it's just a case of syntax. (e.g. do I end my lines with;? do my variables start with $?, how do they want if..then statements constructed?)

The hard part is learning the first one and getting your head around all the new 'programming' concepts.

I debugged one of Hyperformance's ASP problems last week without knowing any ASP *grin*

[BobetteKyle]

 
I would personally recomment NOT using a multiple installation package for AMP (Apache Mysql PHP).  Ok its easier at first but you dont learn how everything works that way, depends if you want to become good at coding or just dabble. 

 

This is same thing Yank recommends in the book. Even though my host already has everything installed on the server with a PHPMyAdmin interface (did I say that right?), I am going the headachy route. If history is any indication, I'm going to want to do something I can't do with the interface and will have to go rooting around changing code anyway, so I might as well learn it from the start.

westcorkweek, from what LiLo and Raphael say, sounds like you are going to have a relatively easy time with it. I have no programming background (well, there were those FORTRAN and BASIC courses 20 years ago ) and was already able to change the look and layout of a guest book script last night. So you oughta be zipping along in no time!


<P.S. This part is totally , but I'm so excited about my daughter, Amarette ... she and a friend have started a show called Sweet Dreams of Elvis, they perform three hours of Patsy Cline and Elvis Presley songs. We made costumes for her and everything (OK, I was the buyer and sparkly gluer. Mom and Amarette actually made the costumes). Their first performance went very well. They have their second booking early March and promises for two more this year. The kid's going to be a big star some day...the potential is definitely there! Anyway, we are making them a Website - Elvis and Patsy .com and that is one reason I want to learn this PHP / MySQL stuff. End of offtopic now...sorry about the digression. >

[Googlewhacked]

I just want to throw in my recommendation for Kevin Yank's book as well.

Scottie, I'm guessing you are referring to this one? http://www.sitepoint...ooks/phpmysql1/

I just requested the 4 sample chapters...

Phil

[BobetteKyle]

That's the one, Phil.

[Crifer]

Yes, I agree that it's better learn from the basics and get to know how the server work, the multiple installation is for quick server setup if you need to test something or don't have the time to configuring. And you can always edit the Globals and Safe mode when the installation is done.

Kristoffer

[Hawaiian_Style]

Newbie here and just adding my $.02
I recently picked up php myself and I found out that the best way (at least for me) to learn was by looking at code and trying to make some sense of it. Also I looked at the php manual which explains what the code does.

the only issue with looking at other people's code is that you gotta know about variables, but if you have done shell scripting before, it should be no problem.

again this worked for me, I'm not saying that I'm a guru now but at least I can write scripts to connect to a DB and pull records from it and have them displayed on webpages.

This is not rocket science and even if it was, there's always a way to learn thing, just gotta know what works for you and stick with it.

[Scottie]

Welcome to the forum, Hawaiian Style!

I agree- a lot of it comes from your learning style. What I know so far has come from implementing changes in existing stuff, following other people's direction and that can get you a working knowledge.

But I found I needed to know why things did what in order to make my own changes (without trial and error for 2 days...) so I started with the simplest book I could find (which is the one Phil links to above).

It's still taking me a while to get my head around it because I'm very picky about knowing why every step is needed and what it's for and whether or not I have to do it and what happens if I don't and all that mess... just like learning HTML.

I started out like most people probably do- copying a site I liked and then playing with it until it looked the way I wanted it to. But when I messed it up... I couldn't figure out how to fix it. For me, I finally comprended it all by building a few from scratch... THEN I could figure out why closing this tag here and that tag there was an issue.

Some people don't need to know all that stuff- they can just know this chunk of code does that and be fine with it. It's all about what makes you comfortable!

[Raphael]

again this worked for me, I'm not saying that I'm a guru now but at least I can write scripts to connect to a DB and pull records from it and have them displayed on webpages.

If you can do that, you can do 90% of everything anyone will ever ask you to do using PHP on the web. I've worked in industries ranging from the financial sector, to the online gaming industry, and at the end of the day, everything I did always came down to pulling stuff from a DB and putting it on the web.

(or the reverse, of course)