Takes an easy, visual approach to teaching PHP scripting, using pictures to guide you through the language and show you what to do.

Works like a reference book--you look up what you need and then get straight to work.

No long-winded passes--concise, straightforward commentary explains what you need to know.

Companion Web site contains complete source code for examples in the book, online resources, updates, and more.

Affordable--perhaps the least expensive PHP book you'll find! PHP: VQS Companion Web Site

Chapter 1: Getting Started With PHP Basic Syntax Sending Data to the Browser Testing Your Script Sending Text to the Browser Sending HTML to the Browser Using White Space in PHP (and HTML) Adding Comments to Your Scripts

Chapter 2: Variables What are Variables? Variable Syntax Types of Variables Assigning Values to Variables Predefined Variables

Chapter 3: HTML Forms and PHP Creating a Simple Form Using Get or Post Receiving Data from a Form in PHP Inputting Data Manually

Chapter 4: Using Numbers Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying, and Dividing Formatting Numbers Incrementing and Decrementing a Number Using Multiple Operators Using Built-in Mathematical Functions

Chapter 5: Using Strings Trimming Strings Connecting Strings (Concatenation) Encoding and Decoding Strings Encrypting and Decrypting Strings Pulling Out Parts from a String

Chapter 6: Control Structures The If Conditional More Operators Using Else Using Elseif The Switch Conditional The While Loop The For Loop

Chapter 7: Using Arrays Creating an Array Adding Items to an Array Accessing Array Elements Sorting Arrays Transforming Between Strings and Arrays Creating an Array from a Form Creating Multidimensional Arrays

Chapter 8: Regular Expressions What are Regular Expressions? Defining a Simple Pattern Matching Patterns Defining More Complicated Patterns Matching and Replacing Patterns

Chapter 9: Creating Functions Creating and Using Simple Functions Creating and Calling Functions that Take Arguments Creating and Using Functions that Return a Value Variables and Functions

Chapter 10: Files and Directories File Permissions Writing to Files Reading from Files Directories Handling File Uploads Renaming and Deleting Files and Directories

Chapter 11: Databases Connecting to and Creating a Database

Creating a Table Sending Data to a Database Retrieving Data from a Database

Chapter 12: Cookies Creating and Reading from Cookies Adding Parameters to a Cookie Deleting a Cookie

Chapter 13: Creating Web Applications Using include and require Determining the Date and Time Using http Headers Sending Email

Chapter 14: Debugging Common Errors Error Reporting and Logging Debugging Detective Work Using the Die Statement

Appendix A: Installation and Configuration Installing on a Linux Server Installing on a Windows 2000 Server Configuration

Appendix B: Security Cryptography and SSL Writing Secure PHP Security Resources

Appendix C: PHP Resources The PHP Manual Web Sites and Newsgroups Database Resources Advanced Topics Tables