PHP is an open-source, HTML-embedded scripting language that allows you to handle tasks such as processing form input and working with databases directly in your HTML pages, rather than through CGI scripts. The PHP Pocket Reference is both a handy introduction to PHP syntax and structure and a quick reference to the vast array of functions provided by PHP. This small book acts as a perfect tutorial for learning the basics of developing Web applications with PHP.

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PHP Pocket Reference Review,  August 29 2001
Submitted by Pete Nelson   [Respond | View]



I'm really not sure what happend with this book, and I won't make any assumptions other than it was not ready when it went to press.

So many functions are poorly described, have the wrong parameters, or are just missing that I felt this book was a waste of money. PHP has so much better information on their website, including an annotated manual, I've generally found opening up the Pocket Reference a waste of my time. It is so much easier (and more accurate) just to go to the online documentation.

It just amazes me that a colaboration between O'Reilly and Rasmus Lerdorf didn't work out better.


PHP Pocket Reference Review,  April 08 2001
Submitted by Clifford Oravec   [Respond | View]

Oh, yeah, and what's this about not having the isset() function in the book? How assinine is that! There's not even an example of it in the book! Stupid stupid stupid.


PHP Pocket Reference Review,  April 08 2001
Submitted by Clifford Oravec   [Respond | View]

It's very rare that I can say that an O'Reilly book wasn't "good". This one just plain sucked.

I felt that this book's function summaries were incomplete, and that they were pretty much useless, other than for syntax reference. Half of the functions which were something like:

int function_name(param1, param2, ...)

had a description like:

Does something.

Well, the function returns an int, right? What might that int be? Doesn't say.

Also, the examples used in the book were kinda pointless - we don't exactly need a lesson on handling a web form. I'd rather that they'd have included the include_once() function for one, since that's a heck of a great function which I didn't learn about up until recently, and could have saved a heck of a lot of headaches, plus there's never a reference to using $DOCUMENT_ROOT or anything like that to help make things easier.

The fact that the "big book" hasn't come out yet (and it was supposedly due out back in "Winter of 2000", to quote the O'Reilly open source catalog, makes me a little suspicious as to how good it's going to be. I've seen too many crappy ASP books out there, written in a hurry, or just to hop on the huge web scripting fad. I'm hesitant to pick up a PHP book because of this, and am holding out for the O'Reilly one (esp. if Rasmus wrote it), but I think I'm probably going to have to be strongly convinced to buy this book for about $40.00 if it's going to be as crappy as the little one.

I'm really disappointed in this, because I thought O'Reilly would be a strong proponent of the PHP movement, and they come out with a book like this? Someone needs to reassess what's quality and what's not or something.


PHP Pocket Reference Review,  June 28 2000
Submitted by Marc Burgauer   [Respond | View]

I am surprised to find this long list of positive reviews here and no negative one. I know quite a few PHP programmers and we all agree that this book is a rip off.
The book compromises a condensed version of the on-line manual. There's no index and there are hardly any of the exmples and explanations one can find in the on-line manual.
If you know the command you are looking for, you will hardly find anything about it you don't know already, so the only useful information is the spelling.
If you don't know the command, again you will hardly find enough information to be comfortable to use it.
The only time I find this reference useful is when I'm on a train and write a PHP script into my Palm. (Yes, I am that sad. ;-) But I hope some good soul will make the reference available in Palm format, so I can at least use a search facility!
My computer book shelf is packed with O'Reilly books and I have bought other reference booklets in the past that I find helpful, but this is simply not up to your standards and it does not make me hopefull about the "big book" that's still missing.


PHP Pocket Reference Review,  June 25 2000
Submitted by Lunatic E'sex   [Respond | View]

This is a fairly good little book, nice to take with me between home and the office while I keep the other two big (non-O'Reilly) PHP books in one place.

Aside from echoing the other comments (it needs a corresponding O'Reilly big book, more detailed function descriptions, etc.), it seriously needs an index. This became clear while looking for the missing descriptions of the list() and isset() functions. As the function descriptions are so minimal, I expect to use this book mainly to look up proper spelling (mainly whether or not a function has an inline underscore: e.g. isset, is_int, intval; file_exists, filesize, is_file), and parameter lists of functions I already know. An index would make this painless, which it is not right now. Expanding the function descriptions in the book would make an index even more useful.

The Tcl/Tk Pocket Reference has an index, and it's 32 pages shorter (not to mention $2 cheaper). The six blank pages at the back of the PHP Pocket Reference are surely enough room, if litle else is changed.

It would be nice to have the Function Reference split into two or more major sections. I would suggest Basic Functions (array, string, date/time, variable, misc, etc.) and Advanced Functions (database, IMAP, LDAP, MCAL, Mcrypt, networking, etc.). Alternately, the Advanced Functions could be further split into sections for Local (database and file manipulation, such as GZIP, graphics, PDF, FDF, etc.) and Remote (networking and remote server functions, such as IMAP, LDAP, MCAL, etc.) functions. Another option would be to separate out the functions that require an additional library (e.g. IMAP, MCAL, Mcrypt, mhash, PDF, spell-checking, etc.).

Still, I did learn a few tricks from the chapters prior to the function reference, and I would recommend this book to PHP coders on the go, since it's so small, relatively inexpensive, and currently unique in the marketplace.


PHP Pocket Reference Review,  June 15 2000
Submitted by Chuck   [Respond | View]

Overall, I find the Pocket Reference to be a useful desktop reference. Most useful are the first several chapters, which explain about variables, operators, control structures, etc. I like the alternative explanations of these concepts and the examples Rasmus provides. The function reference leaves much to be desired, however. After reading the half-sentence explanations, I found myself going to the official documentation for what the function really does and how to use it. This reduces the function reference to a reminder of what is available and the arguments they take. Moreover, I did find errors in the ereg_replace and eregi_replace functions, the replacement string is not documented and these functions do not take a regs argument. In short, the language reference is very useful, but the function reference should be expanded considerably. And yes, it needs a bigger companion book.



PHP Pocket Reference Review,  May 23 2000
Submitted by Jonathan Walther   [Respond | View]

The thing that wasn't good about this pocket reference is that it doesn't have the corresponding big book to go along with it! I am holding off on buying any PHP book until O'Reilly comes out with the


PHP Pocket Reference Review,  May 23 2000
Submitted by Joe Mailander   [Respond | View]

Good quick reference. I'd like to see ORA _always_ make any code appearing in a book available on the web, for cutting/pasting.


PHP Pocket Reference Review,  May 15 2000
Submitted by Marcus Eklund   [Respond | View]

I can really recommend this book if you know PHP and need a fast and simple way to look up a function or something else.. Easy to find very thing in the book and i would like to see the next version of this book for PHP 4 when that will be released!


PHP Pocket Reference Review,  April 05 2000
Submitted by Patrick Denny   [Respond | View]



Simple, to the point, and compact; exactly what you'd expect from an O'Reily Pocket Reference, with one exception...

It's missing the name of the function groups ("Array Functions", "MySQL Functions", "PDF Functions" etc.) in the top outermost corner of all the pages. Makes flipping through for a specific function just that much slower.

Note to Editors for Ver. 2; if your going to add the quick flip titles, please put the actual function name at the top of the page next to its grouping (i.e. "pdf_set_transaction - PDF Functions")


PHP Pocket Reference Review,  March 28 2000
Submitted by Luke Ross   [Respond | View]



A great thing to flick through to check the name/definition of php functions, and well worth it at the price. My only suggestions would be to have one line per function briefly explaining it.

As an aside, it seems slightly off that there's (currently) a quick reference but no big book to go with it.


PHP Pocket Reference Review,  February 15 2000
Submitted by K Vainstein   [Respond | View]



Fine little book. For $10US, 98% of the syntax information in the other text on the market (Atkinson, from Prentice-Hall) - which comes with 4x the price, and 5x the thickness!

This Pocket Reference (unlike Atkinson) covers the updated set of PHP functions which interface with Oracle8.0.x API - a big plus.

Snarf this book. Happy hacking!

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