Chris Hubbard

PHP and PostgreSQL

PHP supports a large number of DBMS interfaces. In the last chapter, we covered basic database principles while focusing on the MySQL database interface. In this chapter, we will cover the PostgreSQL interface.

Object-Oriented Programming with PHP

Object-oriented programming (OOP) has been around for quite some time. It began with Smalltalk and C++, and later on expanded to languages such as Java and Python. When it comes to building software applications, such as your favorite word processor or computer game, it’s no longer an optional language feature. It is the standard way for software architects to develop highly maintainable, complex, and scalable solutions used in both proprietary and open source software packages.

Networking and TCP/IP

With the proliferation of TCP/IP-based networks and services accessible over these networks, the ways and means to access these services by other applications is of significant interest. PHP scripts are no exception to this trend. In this chapter we shall look at the functions that PHP provides for such access by building illustrative applications that utilize these functions.

Sessions and Cookies

Sessions and cookies provide the ability to “remember” information about users, each providing a different way of storing variables for use between multiple pages. Sessions store data in temporary files on the server’s hard drive. Cookies store small files on the client’s computer, which the browser will send back to the server upon request.

PHP Extension Libraries

PHP comes with over 75 extensions to the core language. These extensions allow developers to handle such diverse tasks such as the creation of PDF files to scripting Flash movies, from creating dynamic WAP and WML pages to creating images on the fly.

Non-Web PHP Programming

One of the aspects of PHP often overlooked by the programmer is its ability to act as a command line interpreter through COM, CORBA, and the new PHP-GTK to create applications that present the user with a Graphical User Interface (GUI). There are many situations where PHP is the ideal choice to use as the language for the backend of a simple desktop GUI or interactive command line application.

PHP and MySQL

One huge benefit of using a scripting language like PHP is the ability to generate dynamic content. However, it is important to consider the source of that content. We have already seen how input can be received from the user — from session storage, and from flat text files. Now, we will learn how to use the power of a relational database to serve content for a PHP-driven application.

Introduction to Multi-Tier Development

Multi-tier development is a development process oriented to create software that is easy to maintain and integrate. As the various Apache and C libraries open themselves to PHP programmers, the time to start thinking multi-tier is now.

A WAP Case Study

In this case study, we will develop a web-based shopping cart application for mobile devices using PHP. This application will allow users to access the shopping site from their mobile devices (mainly phones). Most of the cell phones available in the market today have a built in Wireless Markup Language (WML) browser. Users can browse different WML sites (for example, http://mobile.yahoo.com/home/), using the browser.

Retrieving E-Mail and News

In the previous chapter, we looked at the basics of the Internet e-mail system and Usenet. We also demonstrated how to send e-mail and how to post news articles with PHP. You should be reasonably comfortable with the general concept of the e-mail system by now. As we mentioned in the previous chapter, however, retrieving e-mail messages or news articles in PHP is a lot trickier than sending or posting them. In this chapter, you’ll be introduced to additional e-mail protocols and more advanced concepts of e-mail and news. We’ll also look at how PHP provides e-mail and news retrieval capabilities with IMAP functions. Make sure you read the previous chapter first, which details the basics of the email system and Usenet.