INTRODUCTION

• What is PHP?
  • A Brief History of PHP
  • Yes, But What Does PHP Do?
• Is PHP Right for Me?
• For More Stuff

PART I: GETTING STARTED

Chapter 1: Installing and Configuring MySQL

• If You're Using Windows
  • Installing MySQL for Windows
  • Testing Your MySQL Installation
    • Starting MySQL
    • Creating a Test Database
    • Creating a Test Table
    • Selecting Data from Your Test Table
• If You're Using Linux
  • Installing MySQL for Linux
  • Testing Your MySQL Installation
    • Starting MySQL
    • Creating a Test Database
    • Creating a Test Table
    • Selecting Data from Your Test Table

Chapter 2: Installing Apache

• If You're Using Windows
  • Installing Apache for Windows
  • Configuring Apache
  • Starting Apache
    • Starting Apache as a Service
    • Manually Starting and Stopping Apache
  • Connecting to Apache
• If You're Using Linux
  • Installing Apache for Linux
  • Configuring Apache
  • Starting and Stopping Apache
  • Connecting to Apache

Chapter 3: Installing PHP4

• If You're Using Windows
  • Installing PHP4 for Windows
  • Configuring Apache to Use PHP4
  • Restarting Apache and Testing the PHP4 Installation
• If You're Using Linux
  • Installing PHP4 for Linux
  • Configuring Apache to Use PHP4
  • Restarting Apache and Testing the PHP4 Installation

PART II: THE ABSOLUTE BASICS OF CODING IN PHP

Chapter 4: Mixing PHP and HTML

• How PHP is Parsed
• PHP Start and End Tags
• Code Cohabitation
  • The Importance of the Instruction Terminator
• Escaping Your Code
• Commenting Your Code

Chapter 5: Introducing Variables and Operators

• What's a Variable?
  • Naming Your Variables
• PHP Variable and Value Types
• What's an Operator?
• PHP Operator Types
  • Assignment Operators
  • Arithmetic Operators
  • Comparison Operators
  • Logical Operators

Chapter 6: Using PHP Variables

• Getting Variables from Forms
  • Creating a Calculation Form
  • Creating the Calculation Script
  • Submitting Your Form and Getting Results
• HTTP Environment Variables
  • Retrieving and Using REMOTE_ADDR
  • Retrieving and Using HTTP_USER_AGENT

PART III: START WITH THE SIMPLE STUFF

Chapter 7: Displaying Dynamic Content

• Displaying Browser-Specific HTML
• Displaying Platform-Specific HTML
• Working with String Functions
  • Creating an Input Form
  • Creating a Script to Display Form Values
  • Submitting Your Form and Getting Results
• Redirecting to a New Location
  • Creating a Redirection Form
  • Creating the Redirection Script and Test It

Chapter 8: Sending E-Mail

• Windows Users: Check Your php.ini File
• The Simple Feedback Form
  • Creating the Feedback Form
  • Creating a Script to Mail Your Form
  • Submitting Your Form and Getting Results
• A Feedback Form with Custom Error Messages
  • Creating the Initial Script
  • Adding Error Checking to the Script
  • Submitting Your Form and Getting Results
  • Saving the Values if You Make an Error

Chapter 9: Using Your Filesystem

• A Note Regarding File Paths
• Displaying Directory Contents
• Working with fopen() and fclose()
  • Creating a New File
    • Checking if the File Exists
• Appending Data to an Existing File
• Reading Data From a File
• Sending File Contents Via E-Mail
  • File System Housekeeping
• Copying Files
  • Renaming Files
  • Deleting Files

Chapter 10: Uploading Files to Your Web Site

• Check Your php.ini File
• Understanding the Process
• Creating the Form
• Creating the Upload Script
• Uploading a File Using Your Form and Script

PART IV: GETTING TO KNOW YOUR DATABASE

Chapter 11: Establishing a Connection and Poking Around

• Creating a Username and Password
• Connecting to MySQL
  • Break Your Connection Script
• Listing Databases on a Server
• Listing Tables in a Database
• Creating a New Database
• Deleting a Database

Chapter 12: Creating a Database Table

• Planning Your Fields
  • A Word About Datatypes
    • The Importance of Unique Fields
• A Two-Step Form Sequence
  • Step 1: Number of Fields
  • Step 2: Define Your Fields
  • Start the Process
• Creating the Table Creation Script
• Create that Table!

Chapter 13: Inserting Data into the Table

• Creating the Record Addition Form
• Creating the Record Addition Script
• Populating Your Table

Chapter 14: Selecting and Displaying Data

• Planning and Creating Your Administrative Menu
• Selecting Data From the my_music Table
  • Displaying Records Ordered by ID
  • Displaying Records Ordered by Date Acquired
  • Displaying Records Ordered by Title
  • Displaying Records Ordered by Artist

PART V: USER AUTHENTICATION AND TRACKING

Chapter 15: Database-Driven User Authentication

• Why Authenticate Anyone?
• Creating the User Table
• Adding Users to Your Table
  • Creating the User Addition Form and Script
  • Adding Some Users
• Creating the Login Form
• Creating the Authentication Script
• Try to Authenticate Yourself

Chapter 16: Using Cookies

• What's a Cookie?
• Setting Cookies
  • Counting Time
  • Setting a Test Cookie
• Using Cookie Variables
  • Using Cookies with Authentication
  • Checking for the Authentication Cookie

Chapter 17: Session Basics

• Checking Your php.ini File
• What's a Session?
• Understanding Session Variables
  • Starting a Session
  • Registering and Modifying Session Variables
• Managing User Preferences with Sessions
  • Registering Defaults
  • Making Preference Changes
  • Displaying Changes

PART VI: CREATING YOUR OWN CONTACT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Chapter 18: Planning Your System

• Plan and Create the Administration Menu
  • Login to the Administration Menu
• Defining the my_contacts Table
  • Modifying the Table Creation Scripts
• Creating the my_contacts Table

Chapter 19: Adding Contacts

• Creating the Record Addition Form
• Creating the Record Addition Script
• Populating Your Table

Chapter 20: Modifying Contacts

• Creating the Record Selection Form
• Creating the Record Modification Form
• Creating the Record Modification Script
• Modifying Records

Chapter 21: Deleting Contacts

• Using the Record Selection Form
• Creating the Record Deletion Form
• Creating the Record Deletion Script
• Deleting Records

Chapter 22: Working with Contacts

• Modifying Your Administration Menu
  • Show Number of Contacts
  • Display Today's Date
  • Show Birthdays in Current Month
• Select Data From the my_contacts Table
  • Display Record List
  • Display Read-Only Record

PART VII: APPENDICES

Appendix A: Additional Configuration Options

• Windows Extensions
• Linux Configuration Options

Appendix B: Essential PHP Function Reference

• PHP Start and End Tags
• Variables
• Operators
• Control Structures
• Built-In Functions

Appendix C: Basic MySQL Reference

• CREATE or DROP a Database
• CREATE or DROP a TABLE
• ALTER a Table
• INSERT, UPDATE or REPLACE Within a Table
• DELETE From a Table
• SELECT From a Table
  • A Few String Functions
  • A Few Date and Time Functions

Appendix D: Getting Help

• PHP Resources
  • Web Sites
  • Mailing Lists
  • User Groups
• MySQL Resources
• Apache Resources

Appendix E: What's on the CD-ROM