Learning PHP & SQL where to start?

[KING]

Hey all I am trying to lear something new, I know HTML with my eyes closed.. Now I would like to expand to PHP and SQL but have no idea where to start..
I both PHP & MySQL for Dummies book its ok but not exacly for me, any suggestions what to do if you are VERY VERY NEW AT THIS?

Thanks for help!

[mikesherov]

Hi Bizzy,
This question is a tough one. Usually my advice his been to buy a PHP & MySQL book from the visual quickstart series by Larry Ullman, cause that is the book that taught me.
However, the fundamental question here is, how comfortable are you with programming in general. Before I learned PHP, I learned BASIC (just to get a concept of how to program).
The basics of PHP are very similar, and most of PHP's power comes from it's built in functions, which are all available in documentation at php.net... (need to know a function that replaces one string with another? Go to php.net, and search for it. The site would lead you right to str_replace().)
Also, MySQL is heavily documented, so once you understand the basics of how SQL works, it's easy to delve into (it's all there at MySQL.com).

I guess the point is, the best way to start is to by a visual quickstart book, because they have tons of examples (even available to download from the web). You'll also want to make sure your Hosting comes with PHPMyAdmin (an essential tool to creating and managing databases to check your code against... no matter how broken YOUR PHP code is, PHPMyAdmin will always show exactly what's in your database).
Last of all, GOOD LUCK and don't get discouraged... I love to help new programmers.... PM me if you need anything.

[Banned: domaintalk]

Some brief background.
Php is an programming language as you know.If you will get an book you wont understand that much.
Suggest you to try w3cschools and other tutorial sites on the net.
You will find that very useful.

Just my 2 cents.

[KING]

Thanks alot guy.,.. I use to go to college from C.Programing I used C++ I know the basic and I saw in the book that i have there are some similaritys..

The hardest part for me is to start.. I read the whole book that I have but if there was a person that would show me ok you start here this is how you create this and that.. I would be on the way in minutes..

Altho thanks for all your help guys...

[Darren06]

Hi Bizzy,
This question is a tough one. Usually my advice his been to buy a PHP & MySQL book from the visual quickstart series by Larry Ullman, cause that is the book that taught me.
However, the fundamental question here is, how comfortable are you with programming in general. Before I learned PHP, I learned BASIC (just to get a concept of how to program).
The basics of PHP are very similar, and most of PHP's power comes from it's built in functions, which are all available in documentation at php.net... (need to know a function that replaces one string with another? Go to php.net, and search for it. The site would lead you right to str_replace().)
Also, MySQL is heavily documented, so once you understand the basics of how SQL works, it's easy to delve into (it's all there at MySQL.com).

I guess the point is, the best way to start is to by a visual quickstart book, because they have tons of examples (even available to download from the web). You'll also want to make sure your Hosting comes with PHPMyAdmin (an essential tool to creating and managing databases to check your code against... no matter how broken YOUR PHP code is, PHPMyAdmin will always show exactly what's in your database).
Last of all, GOOD LUCK and don't get discouraged... I love to help new programmers.... PM me if you need anything.

Like Mike, I suggest this. A book is best because it also gives good organization on programming.

[Mark Bolyard]

Like Mike, I suggest this. A book is best because it also gives good organization on programming.

This may sound stupid, but I started learning PHP with c u b e c a r t . A shopping cart package written in PHP. I had a few sites I was designing and spent so much time going back and forth between the files I started to understand the workings behind it. I figure you might do the same with other PHP scripts. I've alway learned the hard way compaired to taking a course or reading books, but it seems to be working for me

[Darren06]

This may sound stupid, but I started learning PHP with c u b e c a r t . A shopping cart package written in PHP. I had a few sites I was designing and spent so much time going back and forth between the files I started to understand the workings behind it. I figure you might do the same with other PHP scripts. I've alway learned the hard way compaired to taking a course or reading books, but it seems to be working for me

Thats how I learned at first, thing is the code was very poorly written, and the format was wrong.

[Mark Bolyard]

Thats how I learned at first, thing is the code was very poorly written, and the format was wrong.

I think what helped me was being active in the forums (of that particular site). There were alot of knowledgable people there willing to take time to explain things to me. I think that is also true of many other forums, kinda like this one. I'm no domain whiz by far, however the people here at dnforum offer quite a bit of help

[KING]

Thanks ppl!

[cyphix]

The way I learnt was by starting off reading tutorials on the web & hanging around coding forums & always reading up & researching functions @ www.php.net

Tutorials that started me off..

http://webmonkey.wired.com/webmonkey...tw=programming
http://www.freewebmasterhelp.com/tutorials/phpmysql/1

Some good pages to read about security & PHP:
http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/php/2003..._security.html
http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/php/2003..._security.html

Helpful site: http://www.php-help.net/

I also have the book, which seems pretty good so far & came highly recommened is: Build Your Own Database Driven Website Using PHP & MySQL by Kevin Yank.

Note tho that this book is more MySQL than PHP.

Lastly... good luck in your coding venture!! :-D

[KING]

Thanks alot for help guys I would love to learn PHP and SQL... I will do my best to learn..

Thanks for help once again!