PHP Cookbook: 1

PHP is a simple yet powerful open source scripting language that has become a big player in web development. Over a million web sites, from large corporate sites to small personal sites, are using PHP to serve dynamic web content. PHP's broad feature set, approachable syntax, and support for different operating systems and web servers make it an ideal language for rapid web development.

The PHP Cookbook is a collection of problems, solutions, and practical examples for PHP programmers. The book contains a unique and extensive collection of best practices for everyday PHP programming dilemmas. For every problem addressed in the book, there's a worked-out solution or "recipe" -- short, focused pieces of code that you can insert directly into your applications. But this book offers more than cut-and-paste code. You also get explanations of how and why the code works, so you can learn to adapt the problem-solving techniques to similar situations.

The recipes in the PHP Cookbook range from simple tasks, such as sending a database query and fetching URLs, to entire programs that demonstrate complex tasks, such as printing HTML tables and generating bar charts. This book contains over 250 recipes on the following topics:

• Working with basic data types, including strings, numbers, dates and times, and arrays
• PHP building blocks, such as variables, functions, classes, and objects
• Web programming, including forms, database access, and XML
• Useful features like regular expressions, encryption and security, graphics, internationalization and localization, and Internet services
• Working with files and directories
• Command-line PHP and PHP-GTK
• PEAR, the PHP Extension and Application Repository

This book contains an impressive collection of useful code for PHP programmers, from novices to advanced practitioners. Instead of poking around mailing lists, online documentation, and other sources, you can rely on the PHP Cookbook to provide quick solutions to common problems, so you can spend your time on those out-of-the-ordinary problems specific to your application.

is an independent software development and strategic technology consultant. He was a co-founder and the Chief Technology Officer of Student.Com and TVGrid.Com. At both companies, David oversaw the architecture and development of varied systems to deliver personalized dynamic content to users around the world. After discovering PHP as a solution to his web programming needs in 1996, he created the PX (http://px.sklar.com/), which enables PHP users to exchange programs. Since then, he has continued to rely on PHP for personal and professional projects. When away from the computer, David eats mini-donuts, plays records, and likes to cook. He lives in New York City and has a degree in Computer Science from Yale University.

Adam Trachtenberg has an MBA from Columbia Business School. At business school, he focused on general management and operations, with an emphasis on the field of technology. Adam also has a BA from Columbia University. As an undergraduate, he majored in mathematics and his other studies included computer science and Chinese. Before returning to school, he co-founded and served as Vice President for Development at two companies, Student.Com and TVGrid.Com. At both firms, he led the front- and middle-end web site design and development, worked on corporate planning and strategy, and served as liaison between the product and marketing teams. During study breaks, Adam enjoys playing squash, reading fiction, and eating in New York City's many wonderful restaurants. He wishes he was a better at playing pool, knew the constellations, and was handy around the house.