“PHP Solutions” tops Digital Web’s favourite books of 2006
December 22nd, 2006
PHP Solutions has been out for only just over a month, but I’m thrilled to see that Carolyn Wood, Editor of Digital Web Magazine, has put it at the top of her favourite books of 2006. What I find particularly encouraging about her brief comments is that she’s already using some of my “solutions” in her own sites. All too often I find that I pick up a book on web design or technology, and think: “Hmm, that’s interesting”, but then never really do anything with my new-found knowledge. It’s nice to know that I’ve inspired at least one person to try something out.
26 Comments
1. Ghidra99 | December 29th, 2006 at 2:43 am
I have a question about combining the multiple file upload script of Chapter 6 with the image resizing script of Chapter 8.
Would it be a matter of adding a foreach() loop around the entire upload script and then adding [$number] to the end of each array element?
2. David | December 30th, 2006 at 4:12 pm
Chapter 6 already has the multiple file upload script complete with the foreach loop. Basically, what you need to do is to adapt create_thumb.inc.php to use the value of $number.
Save a copy of create_thumb.inc.php as create_thumb_multi.inc.php. Cut the three constant definitions from the top of the script and paste them into the top of the multiple upload script. You need to do this because create_thumb_multi.inc.php will be inside the foreach loop and you can define a constant only once.
Add
[$number]to the end of the two instances of$_FILES['image']['tmp_name']and the single instance of$_FILES['image']['name'].Add square brackets after each instance of $result in create_thumb_multi.inc.php to turn it into an array.
In step 7 on page 227, change the name of the include file to create_thumb_multi.inc.php.
That’s it!
3. Ghidra99 | January 4th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
Thanks for the help.
I’ve got further questions for you, but I’d like to ask you them through email. Would you mind?
4. Caroline Schnapp | January 8th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
Congratulation David !
It’s well-deserved…
5. Caroline Schnapp | January 9th, 2007 at 5:02 am
By the way, I was the one to add a comment on amazon.com. Thank you for your kind reply over there. I will write a review quite soon. I have to think about what’ll I write. I find reviews that only say “greatest book ever” quite… useless LOL… I require some details and juice so I will try to provide some myself.
I am looking forward to reading future books from you.
I have a special request LOL… at least two of them (as if things could be done this way). I would love for you to write a book on
- open-source Flash… and…
- a content management system of your choosing (I use Drupal myself…)
So I am asking… the universe.
I will check out your blog to get the scoop on your next writing projects.
Have a good day !
From Québec.
6. Nathan | January 9th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
To give you a better idea why I want to expand the discussion through email, I should probably lay out what I’d like to do.
I’m helping with the development of a plug-in for WordPress. Essentially, what I want to do is create a PHP script that will:
1. Upload files to a temporary directory from an online folder, extracted from a zip file, or individually, file by file, in a sort of batch mode.
2. I’d like to add image details such as a title, description, and photographer to each of these images.
3. Move the uploaded files from the temporary directory into a final “category” directory and add the image details to a SQL database.
The script that is currently being used to do this is rather redundant. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like you to email me with your thoughts and see how you’d go about doing this.
Again, thanks for your help!
7. Jos Vecht | January 19th, 2007 at 11:09 am
Hi David Powers,
I might have seen somewhere on your site in an overview of one off your books mentioning a tutorial in it how to make a pop-up window only using PHP. I cannot remember which book it happened to be neither I can find it back again.
If I got it right about the tutorial can you tell me which of your books it is?
Thanks
Jos
The Netherlands
8. Terry | January 20th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
I’m not sure about asking a question regarding a problem I’m have in Chap. 5 (PHP Solutions [getting response from check box] ) after submitting the form I get “Nothing selected” when in fact I have made a selection, my response is not recognized. Perhaps you can direct me to where I can get help with my problem. Thank you.
9. David | January 23rd, 2007 at 9:20 am
Hi Jos,
Are you referring to my SmartLink extension? It doesn’t require PHP, but does what you’re referring to. You can get it from here.
10. David | January 23rd, 2007 at 9:23 am
Terry,
I suspect that your problem is that you haven’t added the name of the check boxes to the $expected array. The original download file for that PHP Solution didn’t list all form elements in the array, but I updated it a couple of weeks ago.
11. Erik | January 24th, 2007 at 2:09 am
Hi David. I’m on Chapter 7 of PHP Solutions, and have two questions: 1. in the previous post you mentioned you updated the code, is this update in the code on the FoE site? and
2. Will you be writing a sequel to this book? (please please please??!?). Between you and Larry Ullman (PHP Visual QuickPro Cuide) I’ve learned so much. But of the two of you, I must say you are the clearer, better writer as I come away understanding it and can translate (yep this is how I make sure I do understand) from PHP to English and back.
I do hope you’ll write a more advanced sequel as I’ll gladly hand over my sheckles to get it.
12. Jos Vecht | January 26th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
Hi David. Thanks again. I downloaded your SmartLink extension.
Jos
13. Chrissie | January 30th, 2007 at 8:39 am
Hi
I just wanted to say how well written and enjoyable this book was, I have been hacking away at php now for a couple of years and after reading this book i finally feel confident and easy with it. Everything suddnely slipped in to place. Its made me want to go back and rewrite past projects! Many Thanks for a supurb book!
14. Jos Vecht | February 7th, 2007 at 10:16 am
Hi David,
I have a question about adapting the javascript going with the Online gallery in your ‘PHP for dreamweaver 8 ‘
Besides the caption I like to add separately some text underneath the caption. I ammendet the javascript and the HTML but that doesn’t work properly.
The javascript I ammendet like this:
function showImage(elem) {
if(!document.getElementById) {
return false;
} else {
var bigPic = elem.getAttribute(’href’);
var newCaption = elem.firstChild.getAttribute(’alt’);
document.getElementById(’mainpic’).firstChild.setAttribute(’src’,bigPic);
var theCaption = document.getElementById(’picCaption’);
theCaption.firstChild.nodeValue = newCaption;
var newText = elem.firstChild.getAttribute(’alt’);
document.getElementById(’mainpic’).firstChild.setAttribute(’src’,bigPic);
var theText = document.getElementById(’picText’);
theText.firstChild.nodeValue = newText;
}
}
The gallerypage I ammendet like this.
src=”images_gallery/” alt=”" />
May be you can help me out.
By the way
I’ am now studying your Flash-PHP book and I am enyoing it as well as your ‘PHP for Dreamweaver 8 ‘
Thanks,
Jos Vecht
15. Dave | March 2nd, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Great book so far, it’s a shame friendsofed.com no longer exists and there are no mirrors of the downloadable content as advertised throughout the book. There’s not much point doing the practical stuff past chapter 5 as source code is required and not having it equates to having pages missing… otherwise, good work and I hope you find a more reliable publisher next time you write a book.
16. David | March 2nd, 2007 at 3:18 pm
What on earth do you mean, Dave? The friends of ED website is very much alive and well, and foED is still very much in the publishing business. Perhaps you’re thinking about the collapse of the old friends of ED in 2003 (it was owned by Peer Information, the original owners of Wrox). But that was four years ago. Wrox was bought by Wiley, and friends of ED was acquired by Apress. Both Apress and foED are thriving, and I’m currently writing another book for them.
The download files for PHP Solutions can be obtained from the following URL: http://www.friendsofed.com/download.html?isbn=1590597311.
17. Chris Mills | March 2nd, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Yes, we definitely still exist - cheers for supplying the details David
If you’ve got any further questions about our books Dave, feel free to ask, at editorial [at] friendsofed [dot] com.
thanks,
Chris Mills
Editorial Director
friends of ED
18. Caroline Schnapp | March 7th, 2007 at 6:26 am
Can we have a hint on what that book will be? A charade? A forensic clue? Anything? Can you talk while Chris Mills is looking ?
Would love to know.
You are great writer David.
19. David | March 7th, 2007 at 11:48 pm
Yes, I can talk while Chris is looking.
The book I’m working on is a major rewrite of Foundation PHP for Dreamweaver 8. Adobe will be making an official announcement about Dreamweaver and other new releases on 27 March, so I’ll be able to say more then.
How major a rewrite? I’ve written about half the book so far, and almost all of it is new. A lot of what remains to be written will be a revision of the existing book, so I would say that 60% to 70% of the book will be new. PHP still plays a central role in the book, but it’s not just about PHP this time.
Some of the new sections come from new features in the next version of Dreamweaver. Other parts come as a result of feedback from readers, plus monitoring web forums to see what issues people need to find answers for.
20. Caroline Schnapp | March 8th, 2007 at 3:42 am
Thanks!!
I am now reading chapter 8 of Foundation ActionScript for Flash 8. It’s a small world. Almost all great (computer!) books come from Friends of Ed or Apress these days. I don’t think you have written this particular chapter but it’s very well written nevertheless.
I am all over the place these days : learning php (half way through ‘php solutions’, I have to show a picture on my web site of how many post-it stickies I have in that book… so far), developing a couple of modules for Drupal CMS (probably prematurely), and doing all kinds of graphical stuff too, and now back in Flash and getting a refresher on objected-oriented programming while trying to sell an e-book on Dom Scripting. Haven’t sold one copy yet, I am just giving it away, but that’s fine.
Keep on the great work. Writing technical stuff with the aim of making it all sound so simple is hard work (for me!).
21. Caroline Schnapp | March 8th, 2007 at 3:45 am
Reading Chapter 7, not chapter 8 (Flash book).
22. David | March 8th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
Yes, Caroline, well spotted that Chapters 7 and 8 weren’t written by me. Is it that obvious?
I don’t know why the chapters were divided up between different authors the way they were. The book was originally written by Sham Bhangal, who has a very good teaching style. However, he was too busy to undertake the rewrite for Flash 8, so Kris Besley and Eric Dolecki were drafted in to do the job. Eric had to withdraw for various reasons, so I took over his chapters.
Since most chapters are self-contained, it didn’t really matter. However, coordinating the Futuremedia case study became a bit of nightmare. We discovered just before the book was about to go to the printers that two vital sections had been left out. Fortunately, we spotted it before it was too late.
Good luck with your own writing. The secret of good technical writing is to put yourself in the position of a complete beginner. What sort of things would seem odd to such a person? What sort of mistakes are they likely to make? And how would you rectify them?
23. Caroline Schnapp | March 8th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
And since the writer is not a beginner, it’s quite a gift (or a muscle to develop) to gain that mental perspective on the language and software. You are very good at this. The way you explain the how and the why, I feel intelligent when I read you. I never think : “why is he telling me this, lol, it is so obvious, this is not for me.†Because if you’re writing about something that I already know, you’re phrasing it a way that brings even more clarity, and order. I just didn’t recognize your ‘plume’ in chapter 7. Thank you very much for your excellent advice.
24. Donald Andrews | September 21st, 2007 at 10:20 pm
Is PHP Solutions: Dynamic Web Design Made Easy available for sale in digital form anywhere? I am disabled and can use digital books more easily.
25. David | September 21st, 2007 at 11:10 pm
Yes, you can get an electronic version by following the “Buy as eBook” link on the book’s page on the friends of ED site.
26. Mark | October 3rd, 2007 at 8:33 pm
I just wanted to say thank you for writing this book. Finaly, I get it. I must have read at least 5 php books before I found yours, and all I got from them was how to echo hello. PHP Solutions was very easy to understand. I can now go through some of the open source scripts that I have,and I understand what they are doing. I’ve even made some improvements on a couple of them. Thanks again
Trackback this post