Flash and PHP Bible

Paperback: 508 pages
Publisher: Wiley (May 5, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0470258241
ISBN-13: 978-0470258248
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 1.2 inches







The demand for rich Internet applications (RIAs) such as complete storefronts and interactive surveys is skyrocketing, as is the pressure to create these dynamic apps overnight and at low cost. This in-depth Bible provides the step-by-step instructions you need to quickly create RIAs in Flash using cost-effective, open-source PHP programming tools. You'll learn how PHP works, when you should use it in Flash, and above all, vital security techniques for keeping your interactive sites secure.

From the Back Cover
Quickly develop dynamic Flash applications with PHP

The demand for rich Internet applications (RIAs) such as complete storefronts and interactive surveys is skyrocketing, as is the pressure to create these dynamic apps overnight and at low cost. This in-depth Bible provides the step-by-step instructions you need to quickly create RIAs in Flash using cost-effective, open-source PHP programming tools. You'll learn how PHP works, when you should use it in Flash, and above all, vital security techniques for keeping your interactive sites secure.

• Install, configure, and explore the basics of PHP
• Connect Flash to PHP and PHP to MySQL
• Create contact forms and search capabilities
• Clean, store, and check your interactive data
• Apply advanced security techniques
• Develop an RSS reader or banner tracking with PHP
• Extend Flash and PHP with third-party libraries
• Learn best practices for backing up and updating your server

Companion Web Site
On the book's Web site you can see real-world examples of Flash applications and how they were developed. The Web site also includes all the source files associated with the examples. Visit www.wiley.com/go/flashandphpbible.


User Review:


This is a solid book, with great examples of PHP and Flash together; however, this isn't ideal for PHP novices .

I've waited for this book for a while, and I put off sharpening my PHP skills until I received it. I wish instead I had more experience building MySQL databases with PHP first. It's odd, there is some introduction to PHP and MySQL, but it doesn't really prep you enough if you're a newbie...

The title "Bible" is misleading; rather, it's more a cookbook. There is a lot of great info in here- lots of code and explanation of it, but the scope of the explanation is only how it pertains to the example given. For example, while explaining an example to output dynamic XML from a database, the author only focuses on the PHP script to retrieve the data, then parsing it into XML. I would have liked to have seen the XML as a file and how the MySQL database was structured. It would be repetitive, but that's what makes a good teaching book- or at least a "Bible" book.

The other drawback for Mac PHP newbs will be: the author does a good job of explaining installation of Apache and PHP on Windows and Unix, but NOT Mac. I contacted the author as he promptly replied:

"The reason for no OS X install notes was due to OS X shipping with a version of PHP which would cause issues without a large amount of editing and modifying.. which I felt was beyond the scope of the book."

He did tho, create a forum on his website for readers to post questions. He quickly replies. On this forum I posted a walkthrough (with pictures) on how to quickly get PHP and MySQL running on your mac.

On the whole, it's full of excellent code and various examples, but the scope is narrow and explanation is right to the point. Experienced users will welcome it, others may feel discouraged and have to look to other sources to fill in the gaps.


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