Wanting to learn Php

[rpwolfe]

Okay, I have a simple question. What books/tutorial course can I get to teach me php? I can learn via reading but would like to get something that has some sort of video like instruction. I can write html very well and I have a very good understanding of css. I have never been taught any sort of coding language and I am dying to learn so that I can create my own custom hacks needed for my board.

Thanks in advance,
Roger

[Andreas]

I learned it (Do I know PHP? Not sure ...) by reading vBulletin source code and http://www.php.net :)

But I should add that I already knew other languages like C/C++, Perl, JAVA, etc.

[filburt1]

If, like Kirby, you know other languages (especially C++, Java, and Perl), then you'll pick up PHP very quickly. However, even if you do, I would suggest any PHP tutorial book by Sams Publishing.

I would not suggest learning PHP directly from reading vBulletin code for several reasons, including you'll make assumptions about coding that may only apply to a specific part of vB, not the entire language. It is, however, a great way to test your knowledge.

[rpwolfe]

I know NO languages at all and would love to learn. What is the best way I could go about this? I have a Barnes and Noble near by but I hate looking through all the books beacuse I don't really know what I am looking at. I need the programming for newbies guide but what would be the best thing to go for?

[N8]

Everything you will need to know about php is in the php.net manual:

http://www.php.net/manual/en/

[rpwolfe]

What would be the easiest language to learn for a newbie? A language that would allow me to easily learn other languages?

[amykhar]

What would be the easiest language to learn for a newbie? A language that would allow me to easily learn other languages?
Visual basic is cake to learn, but I am not sure learning the easiest first is best. Some of the easy ones teach you very bad programming habits.

If you are going to do it for more than a hobby at some point, I suggest learning java. (not javascript) The development tools are free, there's lots of documentation online and it's a stricter language that will help you develop better code.

Amy

[GottaBeKD]

Well PHP/C++/Java are pretty much identical in terms of syntax. PHP is used just for web applications, so if that's what you are interested in doing, you might as well start by just learning some PHP.

I can't recommended a tutorial...I think any should be good. The main thing with programming is playing around with it. It might be a good idea to set up a server on your local computer. For that, this is a good package : http://www.apachefriends.org/en/

Don't be intimitated, either. Programming is pretty easy, after a little practice. At first, you may be asking yourself "How would I go about doing this?". With a little experience, the question becomes "Okay, what's the best way to do this?".

[rpwolfe]

Visual basic is cake to learn, but I am not sure learning the easiest first is best. Some of the easy ones teach you very bad programming habits.

If you are going to do it for more than a hobby at some point, I suggest learning java. (not javascript) The development tools are free, there's lots of documentation online and it's a stricter language that will help you develop better code.

Amy


Okay Amy, I like your idea. When I first started learning HTML a couple of years ago I had no idea what I was doing. I wrote some very crude pages that were a disaster at best.

I very much so like leaving myself notes as to what I am doing comment tags and what not. Are there any java sites that you might frequent that would give me a good head start?

[ericgtr]

The internet is a great tool, there are tons of tutorials out there that will help you gain an understanding of basic, beginning php by doing a simple google search on it. Once you go through a couple of them you can have an understanding of the basics in no time :)

[amykhar]

Okay Amy, I like your idea. When I first started learning HTML a couple of years ago I had no idea what I was doing. I wrote some very crude pages that were a disaster at best.

I very much so like leaving myself notes as to what I am doing comment tags and what not. Are there any java sites that you might frequent that would give me a good head start?
This is a great place to start:

http://www.mindview.net/Books/TIJ/

It's a easy to read, comprehensive book available for free online.

Amy

[edwardcyh]

Visual basic is cake to learn, but I am not sure learning the easiest first is best. Some of the easy ones teach you very bad programming habits.


I think Visual basic is probably one of the most useful because unfortunately Micro$oft continues to dominate the PC Operating System and Office Productivity Suite market. Understanding VB would let you manipulate various aspects of Micro$oft products, like office for starters.

I totally agree with the bad habits part though.

I personally would suggest starting with C++. If you want to learn it right, like actually studying data structure and flow, go to a community college and take some classes on it. I have met so many "programmers" who write codes from "trial and error" without understanding basic loops.

Like:
draw line
draw line
draw line
draw line
draw line

Is equivalent to:
A "loop" with count =5 and action=draw line

"Gee... I don't need loops to produce the same results..."
::: SMACK ::: :devious:

[rpwolfe]

Thanks for the suggestions guys I am gonna check some of this out.

[filburt1]

Visual Basic is a piece of garbage and will teach you every wrong habit you can learn. C++ is overly complex and archaic, and is ridiculously overcomplicated for GUI work.

I would suggest Java. No pointers, very easy GUIs, runs on any platform, almost human-readable code, and a lot of IDEs.

You can also try C#, which is generally Windows-only and models Java, only with more complexity.

I would not suggest learning PHP as your first language, because it easily lets you pick up bad habits. It has seemingly cryptic syntax errors that often don't really help to solve the problem, and you also need to set up other dependencies such as a web server to use it.

[GottaBeKD]

Well, if you are serious about learning programming, especially Obejct Oriented Programming, I second the Java suggestion. Because after doing lots with Java over the last year or two, programming in PHP is...well, I wish it were Java.

[filburt1]

Well, if you are serious about learning programming, especially Obejct Oriented Programming, I second the Java suggestion. Because after doing lots with Java over the last year or two, programming in PHP is...well, I wish it were Java.
Mirrors my thoughts 100%.

[tamarian]

If you have no background in any programming languages, I would recommend not wasting your time with any specific language that you may never use.

Just start head first with a PHP book for beginners, like "PHP for Beginners". Studying Java first (or C++) can be an overkill, if you have no plans to use them.

Then you can setup a test seerver on your PC to test you PHP scripts and the book examples, or even a vBulletin test server. Next would be an introductory book into SQL, like "SQL Fundamentals", to learn about relational databases, including MySQL.

If you prefer to get some background first, I recommend getting a general book on "Programming Languages".These types of textbooks are ideal in introducing you to the basic concepts of programming languages and techniques, runs through the most popular languages and some historical ones, and explains the differences between them, without committing you to any specific language. These books are an easy read, and show you the differences between modular and object oriented languages, and how they handle/translate algorithms.

[zetetic]

Just start head first with a PHP book for beginners, like "PHP for Beginners". Studying Java first (or C++) can be an overkill, if you have no plans to use them.
Yeah I was gonna say... it seems odd to recommend learning Java to a new programmer who wants to write hacks for vBulletin, given that vBulletin is completely php and javascript...

I'm a total newb myself, and I'm about halfway through Larry Ullman's PHP and MySQL for Dynamic Websites Visual Quickpro Guide. Not only is it written for non-programmers but it's directly relevant to working with vBulletin. I've even managed to make a couple mini-mods here recently with the help of that book and these forums. Obviously I recommend it. :)

[amykhar]

Yeah I was gonna say... it seems odd to recommend learning Java to a new programmer who wants to write hacks for vBulletin, given that vBulletin is completely php and javascript...

I'm a total newb myself, and I'm about halfway through Larry Ullman's PHP and MySQL for Dynamic Websites Visual Quickpro Guide. Not only is it written for non-programmers but it's directly relevant to working with vBulletin. I've even managed to make a couple mini-mods here recently with the help of that book and these forums. Obviously I recommend it. :)
My recommendation was qualified by the statement If you are going to do it for more than a hobby at some point, I suggest learning java.

And, I stand by that statement. PHP and HTML are the way to go if all you are ever going to do is tinker with your site and the sites of others. But, if you are looking at becoming a "programmer" who can branch out and do other things, I think Java is the best way to start.

Amy

[zetetic]

And, I stand by that statement. PHP and HTML are the way to go if all you are ever going to do is tinker with your site and the sites of others. But, if you are looking at becoming a "programmer" who can branch out and do other things, I think Java is the best way to start.
And that makes sense, but he did say:

[...] I am dying to learn so that I can create my own custom hacks needed for my board.
So it just seems to me that what he needs to learn to that end is php/javascript. :shrug:

[amykhar]

And that makes sense, but he did say:


So it just seems to me that what he needs to learn to that end is php/javascript. :shrug:
Ah, but I was responding to post #6, in which he asked for two things: the easiest to learn and a language that would help him learn other languages. ;) Hence, my response that Visual Basic was cake to learn, but that Java would help him if he planned on moving forward.

It was an evolving conversation and not just the question in post 1 that I was speaking on.

Amy

[zetetic]

It was an evolving conversation and not just the question in post 1 that I was speaking on.
Aha! Yeah see, I didn't miss the evolution, I just didn't read it quite the same way as you. I thought he was just coming at his original request from another angle in post #6; basically saying, "I want to learn php to hack my own site, but if y'all think there's an even easier language I can learn that can get me started, I'm interested." In which case I thought "Learn Java" was an odd response, since Java is a bit more complex than php. :)

[JC]

What would be the easiest language to learn for a newbie? A language that would allow me to easily learn other languages?

I'd say HTML is the easiest web-based language. CSS is also quite easy.