I am just learing PHP and have bought the PHP Dreamweaver 8 book. I like it but as a beginner I unfortunately needed help in chapter 3 setting up a server. I am testing remotely and just getting the server setup correct is causing me pain. Do you think you can include a simple screenshot local info, of the remote server settings and the remote testing server for your a sample remote testing config.

Here is an example of my setup…

Local Site:

(all information to a local folder for files and an image folder except:

HTTP address: http://example.com/

Here is my setup:

http://www.example.com

I stick by making the examples (admittedly still on the first one) far more concise though.

The original concept of the book was to teach PHP to Flash developers. The original version of Foundation PHP for Flash had been very popular, but was hopelessly out of date. Although I hadn’t been involved with the first edition, foED said they wanted me to write it. That meant I had to take a completely fresh approach. The original used HTML forms, but my editor said he wanted me to use Flash forms instead. If I had used HTML forms for the PHP, the book would have been much shorter. On the other hand, a lot of readers seem to use the book to learn as much about ActionScript as PHP. Many of the questions I’m asked have nothing to do with PHP, but are about using version 2 components.

As for validation, I disagree that it could be relegated to an appendix. Validation is extremely important in PHP. The fact that Flash enables you to do it reliably on the client side reduces the amount of PHP scripting required.

Do we get learners help us to write books? Not directly, although Sham Bhangal knew virtually nothing about PHP when he started working on the book as my technical reviewer. So he was a learner in that sense. I regularly monitor online forums to see what sort of problems are being asked about; and I use direct feedback about my books to improve future versions. foED want me to write a new version of Foundation PHP 5 for Flash, but I’m currently up to my eyeballs in a completely different book – all PHP, no Flash.

I’m not going to be to critical cus your helping me out on the forums right now

My opinion for what its worth:

The Idea for the book is great. I was really excited about the book, and still am if I can get through it. Its a natural progression for many clientside developers to eventually move into serverside scripting.

The problem is, I think it incorrectly reads its audience.

1) I don’t believe a purchaser of the book would be a beginner to actionscript as they would not be interested in, or really start off mixing actionscript with php.

2) I do believe however that your audience will be, presumptuous as this is, be like me. Fairly experienced in client-side development – specifically Flash but not have a clue about server side scripting or hooking up to database.

3) This leaves another category – someone with serverside expertise and little clientside dev experience. Perhaps the book is more suited to them, I don’t know i’m not really amongst them.

Noting the above. Superfluous graphics or even too much scripting (not related to communicating with the server) on the flash side is just ignored by readers trying to get a grasp of php working with Flash. For example pgs 66 – 71 deals with putting a flash form together and validation. This whole section could be made more concise and even validation, important as it is, given that its clientside most readers of this book could accomplish. So that said probably best left out or the detailed in an appendix. The mail example is also evidence of misreading the audience, this may seem easy but to many flash developers who only really work clientside is a complete mystery. Judging from the forums this seems to be a sticking point and although you say its not the point of the excersise – its still really frustrating and affects the readers confidence. So that should be left till later in the book.

Hope I haven’t been to critical as it was intended to be constructive. Also I anticipate to get much reward from the rest of the book as you know I’m only on pg 77.

I reckon Moock’s approach is better model but perhaps leaving some of Moock’s attention to detail (exemplified by EAS 2) out.

I must say though your contributions on the forums are hugely refreshing and inspires readers to continue.

I finish with a question, do authors actually use people who don’t know what they are doing i.e.learners, to help them write books?