Features
- Cover Type: Paperback with 409 pages
- Published by: Charles River Media
- Edition: 1st Edition June 30, 2003
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 1584502649
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-1584502647
-
Book Dimensions:
9 x 7.3 x 1.2 inches
- Weighs: 2 pounds
Product Description
If you want to add more power and functionality to your Web sites, add some database applications like a powerful shopping cart or a fun quiz game. Such applications make your site more dynamic, allow you to gather information, and provide customized experiences for your visitors. Creating Database Web Applications with PHP and ASP teaches beginning and intermediate designers the basics of creating complex Web applications. By covering both open source (PHP/MySQL) and proprietary tools (
Microsoft ASP and Access), readers gain insight to the strengths and weaknesses of each. In addition, they learn how to work with both sets of tools and determine which works best for their projects. Practical examples, including a shopping cart and quiz show, are used to teach the basic concepts behind creating and testing database code. Every example is also provided in both PHP and ASP for easy comparison and use. With the knowledge and experience gained here, beginners will learn the fundamental concepts behind these two technologies, while more experienced developers will learn which technology works best for their specific needs. Exercises, questions, and projects are included with each chapter.
About The Author
Jeanine Meyer received an M.A. in mathematics from Columbia University and then worked in computing at various major companies before earning her Ph.D. from New York University. She then joined IBM Research in Yorktown Heights, New York, working in the robotics group. She left IBM to become a teacher, first at Pace University and later at Purchase College/SUNY. Jeanine is a tenured, full professor, the coordinator of the Mathematics/Computer Science Board of Study, and a member of the New Media Board of Study. She is the author of four books, covering such topics as multimedia, programming games, and creating databases for Web applications. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi, the Association for Women in Science, and the Association of Computing Machinery. In addition, she is a featured reviewer for ACM Computing Reviews and is a frequent panelist for National Science Foundation grants.
Reader ReviewsI'm a seasoned (some would say salty) web developer, and I have been teaching web applications for two years both online and "on the ground." I've looked in vain for the right mixture of theory, practical application and humor (a needed ingredient for this type of instruction). I use this book for intermediate web developer students who have a solid grounding in HTML, CSS and Javascript, and some basic knowledge of either PHP or ASP (or other programming logic). I used to use Wrox's Beginning ASP, but at more than 1000 pages, and more errata than I could cover in a single class, I continued looking. With this book, I think I've found the right text for some of the classes I teach! Dr. Meyer's work starts with a review of HTML and Javascript, with an emphasis on how to use the DOM in an application setting. Regarding databases, there are chapters explaining application concepts and E-R diagrams, as well as how to use the CLI client for MySQL. The CD-ROM even has SQL instructions for importing the material from the text; and for Access users, db files that mirror the work in the text. But the real heart of the matter is the instruction in coding practices, from reading and writing to databases (using MySQL and DSN-less Access connections), to using cookies and session variables for data persistance. And this is where this book has no equal: it supports both the hugely popular open-source PHP/MySQL as equally as it shows ASP and Access. I've never seen such a universal attempt pulled off quite as well. I recommend the book, but no work is perfect. I don't think that a book can equal the combination of education and experience (but as an instructor, I may be biased). The PHP code supplied in the accompanying CD-ROM utilizes global variables (which may be turned off in some production environments for security purposes)--but that underscores the use of the text as a textbook, and not a coding "cookbook" with samples that are "ready-to-eat." Also, the ASP uses the less-common, but more palatable ASP JavaScript (or JScript) instead of the more commonly utilized ASP VBScript (but even third-party ASP interpreters like that used in the SunOne Server handled the code). I found that students should adapt and improve the code from the CD-ROM as part of their studies, so that they could fix some typos, and learn how code integration works. Also, they needed to create interfaces for the samples so we could stop staring at web forms and add some color to the examples! Students have created portfolio pieces using the concepts in this text like psychological profile tests, e-commerce sites, calendar applications and marketing surveys.
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