How do you apply what you've learnt?

Help for newbie

[pigsinpink]

I'm new to PHP and I'm having a difficult time understanding how to apply it. I'm using the Visual Quickstart guide on how to use PHP and MySQL, by Larry Ullman. Even though it's for beginners - advance, I think the book is a bad idea for newbies.

Learning HTML was easy, after I learnt the basics I already had a specific idea how to apply it. But functions like variables, arrays etc... seem compartmentalized, and I can't afford to isolate and compartmentalize what I've learnt, it has to be applicable like html.

Any ideas how i can apply PHP and grow in my skills? Any good guides that you can recommend?

[dreamcatcher]

Hi pigsinpink,

There are a number of ways to learn, its finding the one that suits you best. I would recommend you start yourself a little project, something like a website guestbook system or something else so you can get hands on experience of how things work. And then take it from there.

Larry Ullmans books can be a little hard to understand if you are beginning. The dummies book on PHP/MySQL is far better imo. Another way to understand how PHP functions is to download some simple open source scripts and look at the source code. See how its applied.

Good luck,

dc

[henry0]

Dreamcatcher advises are indeed excellent
You could in addition look at online tutorials such as those from Zend

Then apply some easy script that produces immediate results that you can visualize by echoing the results
For example using to use if, else if etc… is fun
<<<<
Wallet A has $10
Wallet B contains $15
Sum A+B= $total

Widget C cost $16
If I have $total=16 echo ”I could get it”
Else if $total <$I6 echo” go back and generate more revenues!”

I did not write it … your turn!

Have fun

You need to write some scripts that allow you to visualize the results
Like in HTML adding a BG shows right away

[smells so good]

I don't think PHP is nearly as compartmentalized as you might believe. I tend to write fairly simple scripts, utilizing database resources and the built-in functions of PHP. At the advanced end of PHP scripting I've seen some hairy looking code, things I don't fully understand and so, I don't really use. Just as with html markup, there are advanced degrees of scripting that will really only apply once you need them.

PHP for Dummies helped this dummy gain some footing. This forum has helped when I didn't understand enough to write a good script.

[henry0]

pigsinpink,
Post whatever you are working on, we will (try :) )
to help with the WHYs

SSG is correct

I don't think PHP is nearly as compartmentalized as you might believe. I tend to write fairly simple scripts, utilizing database resources

although don't try right away connecting to your DB
get first some basic feeling for PHP
don't look (only) at a script but read it and translate the signs in words. You'll understand better what each segment or line does

[pigsinpink]

Thanks for the feedback guys I really appreciate it. I'll try a little bit of PHP here and a little there on my site, and I'll post the codes I can't make out here.