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Hook up Flash to external data sources with PHP
Foundation PHP 5 for Flash brings together three of the web's hottest technologies—Flash, PHP, and the MySQL database system. It uses ActionScript 2.0, PHP 5.0, and MySQL 4.1, but has been designed to be version-neutral. In other words, you can be confident that your applications won't break if deployed on an older server.
At each stage you are given an overview of a new area of PHP/MySQL, introducing you to the syntax and showing how it compares to ActionScript, and then integrating it with Flash to produce increasingly sophisticated applications. For example, earlier chapters cover things such as getting data from PHP to Flash and back again, variables, arrays, string manipulation, validating user input, and feedback forms. Later on, it moves on to more advanced subjects such as creating databases using MySQL Monitor and phpMyAdmin, manipulating database data with a Flash interface, displaying data from an RSS feed in Flash, persisting data with sessions, and creating a full blown content management system.
Compatible with all versions from Flash MX
The book is based on Flash MX 2004, but everything is still fully applicable to Flash 8. All the example files (available directly from the friends of ED website) are also available in Flash MX format—with the code rewritten in ActionScript 1.0 format, where necessary. Consequently, the book is suitable for all versions of Flash from MX. Similarly, although the focus is on PHP 5, the code has been designed so that 95% of it will work with PHP 4.2.0 or above.
Note: This book uses ActionScript 2.0. It does not cover ActionScript 3.0.
- Take a look in detail at what each chapter covers
- Download a free sample chapter, which includes a fully-worked example of sending email from an online Flash form (PDF file—898KB)
- Updates since publication
In addition, to get you up and running, the book features a detailed guide to setting up your environment—PHP, MySQL, and the Apache web server—along with extensive troubleshooting information.
