PHP
INTRODUCTION TO PHP
P
HP is a popular scripting language used to create
powerful and dynamic Web sites. PHP is currently in
use on over five million Web sites around the world.
PHP is open source software, which means it is available
Versions
PHP is constantly evolving and a new version of the
language is released every few years. Each new version
of PHP offers more features than previous versions
but is still compatible with the previous versions.
This means that scripts you write using the current
version of PHP will be compatible with future versions.
PHP 4 is the current version of PHP and is used in the
examples throughout this book.
HTML
HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is the markup
language used to create Web pages. PHP can be used
to dynamically generate the HTML code for a Web
page. PHP code can also be embedded into the HTML
code for a Web page. PHP is embedded into HTML
code with the use of special tags, called delimiters.
Using the delimiters, you can add as many sections
of PHP code to an HTML document as you need.
Embedding PHP code in HTML code makes it possible
to enhance existing Web pages on a Web site.
Dynamic Web Sites
Dynamic Web sites contain Web pages that display
constantly changing content. Using PHP, you can
determine the content a Web page displays, depending
on many different factors. For example, you can have
a page automatically present different content to users
depending on the current date or the user's location.
Dynamic Web pages are more useful to each individual
user than static Web pages.
2 3
free of charge. There are also no costs or restrictions
related to distributing the PHP scripts you create, whether
the scripts are for development or commercial use.
Interactive Web Sites
Interactive Web sites contain Web pages that
exchange information between the Web site and
the user. Using PHP allows Web developers to
easily create Web pages that process information
from a user and then generate content depending
on the information submitted by the user.
Interactive Web sites allow Web developers to
tailor the content of Web pages to better appeal
to the user.
Database Manipulation
One of the most important features of PHP is
the ability to work with a number of different
databases, including MySQL, Oracle and Sybase.
PHP pages can be used to access a database and
then make the information stored in the database
available to users who visit the Web site. Using
databases to store information and PHP code to
access the information is an efficient method of
displaying up-to-date information in a Web site.
PHP can also allow users to manipulate the data
in a database. For example, a PHP page can be
used to add, delete or edit records in a database
depending on a user's request.
Server-Side Processing
A Web server processes all the PHP code in a Web
page and translates the code into simple HTML code.
This means that Web developers do not have to take
into consideration the types of Web browsers used
by clients. Any browser that can view Web pages
can view pages containing PHP code processed by
a Web server.
Object-Oriented
Although PHP is not a true object-oriented language,
PHP does support object-oriented programming
concepts that allow Web developers to write code
in an object-oriented fashion. Object-oriented
programming is a type of programming that treats
packages of code as distinct modules, or objects.
Using objects can make a large Web application
easier to manage, especially if there are multiple
developers working on the same application.
Increased Security
Because PHP code is processed by a Web server,
a user cannot access the code used to create a
PHP page. This makes it safer to work with sensitive
data, such as login names and passwords. If a user
views the source code of a Web page created using
PHP within a Web browser, all the user will see is
the HTML code that was generated by the Web
server to create the page, not the PHP code itself.
GETTING STARTED WITH PHP 1
Cross Platform
PHP can be installed on computers using different
Windows and Unix operating systems. While some
specialized functions work only on specific platforms,
the vast majority of PHP code will work equally as
well on either platform. Many PHP developers write
their code on Windows-based computers and then
use the code on Web servers that run a Unix
operating system.
Web Servers
You do not require a dedicated Web server to publish
the Web pages you create using PHP. You can simply
install Web server software on your own computer.
A popular example of Web server software that
includes support for PHP is Apache. Microsoft's Web
server products, Internet Information Server (IIS) and
Personal Web Server (PWS), can also be used to
store and serve PHP pages. If you cannot install Web
server software on your computer, you can transfer
your PHP pages to a Web hosting service on the
Internet.
Development Tools
You do not require any special development tools
to create and view PHP pages. All you need is a text
editor and a Web browser. Although there are some
programming tools available that make creating PHP
pages easier, these tools are typically used only by
Webmasters who generate large amounts of PHP
code on a continuous basis.
 PHP
INSTALL APACHE WEB SERVER ON WINDOWS
efore you can publish PHP pages, you must install a
B Web server that can interpret and process PHP code.
Apache Web server is an extremely reliable and robust
Web server that can be used for serving a small intranet or a
large commercial Web site. Since Apache is the most popular
Web server used on the Internet, PHP has been developed to
work well with Apache to make PHP pages available on the
Web.
A recent release of Apache Web server is included on the
CD-ROM disc that accompanies this book, but you should
make sure you install the latest release of the server. The
latest version of Apache is available at the www.apache.org
Web site.
Before you can install Apache, you must install the TCP/IP
protocol on your computer. For information about installing
network protocols, refer to your operating system
documentation.
INSTALL APACHE WEB SERVER ON WINDOWS
⁄ Double-click the icon ■ This area displays
for the Apache Web server information about the
installation program to start Apache Web server program.
installing the program.
¤ Click Next to continue.
■ A welcome dialog box
appears.
4 5
Apache Web server is relatively easy to install and maintain.
Although the Windows version of Apache was designed
primarily for use on computers running the Windows NT
or Windows 2000 operating system, it can also be used
on computers using Windows 95, 98, Me or XP.
On the Windows platform, Apache is installed using
a standard Windows installation program. The Apache
files must be installed in a folder on the computer. The
default installation location is C:\Program Files\Apache
Group\Apache. You can specify another destination folder,
but it is recommended that you accept the default folder.
Apache includes several parts, such as documentation,
modules that increase Web server efficiency and the source
code of the application program itself. You may not need to
install all the available components in order to use Apache.
The setup program allows you to choose the type of
installation you want to perform.
■ This area displays the ■ An information
license agreement you dialog box may appear,
must read and accept providing information
before continuing. about this version of the
Web server software.
‹ Click Yes to accept the Click Next to continue.
agreement and continue.
When installing Apache Web server, you can choose
one of three installation options. The Typical option
installs the most commonly used files and is the
recommended option. The Compact option installs
only the files required to run Apache. This option is
useful when installing Apache on a computer with
limited hard drive space available. The Custom option
allows advanced Web site developers to choose the
Apache Web server files they want to install.
If you are installing a more recent version of Apache
Web server than the one included on the CD-ROM
disc that accompanies this book, you should carefully
read the Web server documentation, especially the
areas that relate to PHP. Later versions of Apache may
work differently with PHP than the version used in
this book.
C:\Program Files\Apache Group\Apache
■ This area displays the › Click Next to continue.
folder where Apache Web
server files will be installed.
■ You can click Browse to
specify a different folder in
which to install the files.
GETTING STARTED WITH PHP 1
Unlike commercial programs, which often
include a support department to handle any
problems with the application, there is no
official support included with the Apache
program, so you must troubleshoot any
problems yourself. There are, however, many
Web sites, user groups, newsgroups and books
available that can be a source of information
for Apache users. The Apache FAQ located at
http://httpd.apache.org/docs/misc/FAQ.html
is a good starting point when looking for help
information.
ˇ Click the type of Á Click Next to continue.
installation you want
to perform.
Note: If you choose Custom,
the following steps will be CONTINUED
different for your installation.
 PHP GETTING STARTED WITH PHP 1

INSTALL APACHE WEB SERVER ON WINDOWS After installing Apache Web server as a service, If you are removing Apache Web server from
you can stop or restart Apache manually using your computer, you may want to first uninstall

W
hen installing Apache Web server on a computer
running a Windows operating system, a folder
containing shortcut commands for Apache Web
server is added to the Programs folder on the Start menu.
This folder allows you to quickly access commands that let
you work with Apache from the Start menu.
The installation program allows you to choose whether
you want to view a README file that contains information
about the release of Apache you installed. If you choose
to display the file, it will open when the installation is
complete. You should carefully review the README file
for any new release of Apache you install.
Once Apache Web server is installed, you should install
the Web server as a service. A service is a term used
on Windows computers to describe a program that is
automatically executed and managed by the operating
system. When you install Apache as a service, the program
will start automatically and run in the background each time
the computer is started. Once the Web server has been
installed as a service, you should restart the computer.
To confirm that Apache Web server has been installed and
started properly, you can have the server display a page in
a Web browser. After starting the Web browser you want to
use, you enter the name or IP number of your computer as
the URL in the Web browser. The IP number indicates the
computer that is running the Web server software. If you
do not know the IP number of your computer, you can use
127.0.0.1, which is the IP number that computers running
TCP/IP use to refer to themselves. If the Apache installation
was successful, a default Web page will be displayed.
Start menu commands. To stop or restart Apache
on most Windows systems, click Start, select
Programs and choose Apache Web Server. Then
click Apache as a service and select Stop Service
or Restart Service.
You can also start and stop Apache Web server
from within a command prompt window. In the
command prompt window, change to the directory
that contains the Apache program files, usually
C:\Program Files\Apache Group\Apache, and type
apache at the prompt to start the Web server. You
can use the same method to stop Apache, except
type apache -k shutdown at the prompt.
Apache as a service to ensure that the program
is removed correctly. To uninstall Apache as a
service, click Start, select Programs and choose
Apache Web Server. Then click Apache as a
service and select Uninstall service.
The Apache Web server program is written by a
group of dedicated and talented volunteers who
do not receive any payment for their work with
Apache. Apache Web server is completely free
to download, install and use. Unlike many free
programs that require a fee to be paid if the
software is used for business purposes, there
are no restrictions on the use of Apache.

INSTALL APACHE WEB SERVER ON WINDOWS (CONTINUED)

My Documents Online
Services

My Computer Outlook
Express

Apache
Programs
Apache Web Server Apache as a service Install service
Accessories
Games
Online Services
StartUp

Jack Smith...

■ This area displays the ‡ Click Next to install ■ A dialog box appears,
folder where program Apache on your computer. indicating that the
icons for Apache will be installation is complete.
installed.
° If you do not want to
display the README file
after the dialog box closes,
click the box beside this
6 option ( changes to ).
· Click Finish to close INSTALL APACHE AS A SERVICE ˇ Click Install service. TEST APACHE ‹ Type the IP number of
the dialog box. ⁄ Click Start. ⁄ Start the Web browser your computer or 127.0.0.1
Á Restart the computer. and then press Enter.
Apache Web server will you want to use to test
¤ Click Programs.
start automatically each Apache Web server. ■ The Web browser
‹ Click Apache Web Server. time the computer is ¤ Click this area to displays a Web page
started. highlight the current Web generated by Apache
› Click Apache as a service. Web server.
page address and then
type http://. 7
 PHP GETTING STARTED WITH PHP 1
INSTALL APACHE WEB SERVER ON UNIX
pache Web server was originally developed and The configure command allows you to set up some

A configured to run optimally on computers using

the UNIX operating system, which makes Apache
an ideal server to use to interpret and process PHP code
on a Unix computer.
A recent release of Apache is available on the CD-ROM
disc that accompanies this book, but you can check the
www.apache.org Web site for the latest release of the
server. The steps for installing Apache will depend on
the UNIX operating system and the version of Apache
you are using. You should carefully read the installation
instructions included with the software.
The Apache program files are usually stored in a compressed
file with the .Z extension. To access the Apache files,
you must first uncompress the compressed file using the
gunzip command. The files are then archived into a single
file with the .tar extension. You must extract the files from
the archive using the tar xvf command. The extracted
files are automatically saved in a new directory, which you
can access using the cd command.
Apache installation settings to suit your needs. You may
need to precede the configure command with ./ to
indicate the location of the command on the computer.
To specify a directory where you want Apache program
files to be installed, you use the --prefix parameter
with the configure command, specifying the name
and location of the directory as the value of the --prefix
parameter.
After you run the configure command, you must execute
the make command to prepare Apache Web server for
installation. You then use the make install command
to install the Apache files on the computer.
Once the Apache software has been installed, you can
use the start command to start the Web server.
To confirm that Apache has been installed and started
properly, you can have the server display a page in a
Web browser. The Lynx Web browser is a text-based
browser available on most Unix computers. To display
a test page generated by Apache, type lynx http://
followed by the IP number or name of your computer
at the prompt. You can also use 127.0.0.1, which is
the IP number computers using TCP/IP commonly
use to refer to themselves.
You can restart or stop Apache using the same
method you use to start the server. To restart
Apache, type /user/local/apache/bin/apachectl restart
at the prompt. To stop Apache, type
/usr/local/apache/bin/apachectl stop.
On some Unix systems, such as Red Hat
Linux, you can use the Red Hat Package
Manager (RPM) to install Apache Web server.
RPM is an easy-to-use application that allows
you to quickly install, update and remove
applications from your computer. More
information about RPM is available at the
www.rpm.org Web site.
The tar command can be used to combine
multiple files into a single, more manageable
file. The letters xvf indicate settings you can
specify for the tar command. To display
information about the settings you can use
with the tar command, type man tar at the
prompt. When you finish reviewing the
settings, press q to quit.

INSTALL APACHE WEB SERVER ON UNIX

⁄ At the command
prompt, type gunzip
followed by the name
of the file you want to
unzip. Then press Enter.
8 archive.
¤ To retrieve the unzipped
files from the archive, type
tar xvf followed by the name
of the tar file that contains the
Apache files. Then press Enter.
Note: A directory with the same name
as the tar file is automatically created
to store the files retrieved from the
‹ To work in the directory
that contains the Apache
files, type cd followed by
the name of the directory.
Then press Enter.
› To specify a directory where
you want to install the Apache
files, type ./configure – –prefix=.
Then type the name and
location of the directory and
press Enter.
ˇ To prepare Apache for
installation, type make and
then press Enter.
Á To install the Apache ■ This message appears START APACHE
files on the computer, type when Apache has been ‡ To start Apache, type
make install and then press successfully installed. the name and location of the
Enter. directory you specified in
the --prefix parameter in
step 4, immediately followed
by /bin/apachectl start. Then
press Enter.
9
 PHP GETTING STARTED WITH PHP 1
CONFIGURE APACHE WEB
SERVER TO WORK WITH PHP
The name and location of the Apache configuration To set up PHP as an Apache module, you should

W
hen you configure Apache Web server to work
with PHP, you can set up PHP as a CGI binary
or as an Apache module. Setting up PHP as an
Apache module allows you to access additional capabilities
of the PHP program, but for most installations it is sufficient
to set up PHP as a CGI binary. To set up PHP as a CGI
binary, you need to specify certain settings, or directives,
in the Apache configuration file.
Initially, Apache Web server cannot access PHP program
files because the files are stored in a location outside the
server's directory structure. The ScriptAlias directive
allows you to create a virtual path Apache can use to access
the directory that stores PHP program files. For example,
on Windows computers, you can create the virtual path
/php/ to allow you to access files in the C:\PHP directory.
To ensure that Apache Web server processes PHP files
correctly, you use the AddType directive to specify the
Multimedia Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) type used
for PHP files. MIME types are a set of accepted file types
typically used by Internet applications. PHP files use
application/x-httpd-php as the MIME type. When using
the AddType directive, you also indicate the file extensions
you want to associate with PHP. PHP files commonly use
the .php extension, but may also use other extensions,
such as .phtml and .php3.
The Action directive allows you to specify that Apache
should pass PHP files to the PHP program for processing
before displaying the files in a Web browser. When using
the Action directive, you specify the MIME type of the
files you want to pass to PHP as well as the name and
location of the program that will process the files.
file depends on the operating system the computer
uses. The name of the configuration file is usually
httpd.conf. On Windows operating systems, the file
is typically located in the conf subdirectory of the
main Apache program directory. On Unix-based
computers, the file is usually found in the /etc
directory.
When you specify a file path in the Apache
configuration file, you should use slashes (/) instead
of backslashes (\) in the path name. For example,
the filename c:\php\php.exe should be typed as
c:/php/php.exe.
first move the php4ts.dll file, which is located in
the main PHP directory, to your system directory.
The name of the system directory depends on your
operating system. On computers running Windows
NT or 2000, you can move the file to the WINNT
directory. To indicate that you want to use PHP
as an Apache module, you must then add the
following code to the Apache configuration file:
LoadModule php4_module c:/php/sapi/php4apache.dll
AddType application/x-httpd-php .php .phtml

CONFIGURE APACHE WEB SERVER TO WORK WITH PHP

Save

⁄ Open the Apache
configuration file in a text
editor.
¤ To create a virtual path
that will allow Apache to
access PHP program files,
type ScriptAlias.
‹ Type the virtual path
you want to use.
› Type the actual location
of the PHP files, enclosed
in quotation marks.
ˇ To specify which file
extensions Apache should
process as PHP files, type
AddType.
Á Type application/x-httpd-php
to specify the MIME type used
for PHP files.
‡ Type the extensions ° To specify that Apache should
you want to use for pass files to the PHP program
PHP files. before displaying the files in a
Web browser, type Action.
· Type application/x-httpd-php
to specify the MIME type of the
files you want to pass to PHP.
‚ Type the name and
location of the PHP
program file that will
process the files, enclosed
in quotation marks.
— Save the Apache ■ You can now use
configuration file. Apache Web server
to process and display
PHP pages you create.

10 11
 PHP GETTING STARTED WITH PHP 1

INSTALL INTERNET INFORMATION SERVER
icrosoft Internet Information Server (IIS) 5.0
Before installing IIS, you should log on to the
computer using the administrator account,
Internet Information Services Snap-In, which provides an since a user account may not have permission
After IIS is installed, the Internet
Information Services window provides
tools that allow you to administer your

M is Web server software that allows you to

host multiple Web sites on the Internet or
on a network, such as a corporate intranet.
IIS 5.0 is designed for use with the Windows 2000
operating system and is available on the Windows 2000
Professional CD-ROM disc. IIS 5.0 offers many advanced
features that allow you to effectively host and manage
even the busiest Web sites. Although IIS 5.0 is powerful
server software, it can still be used to learn about Web
servers and PHP. IIS 5.0 can be used to perform all the
examples in this book.
To install IIS on a computer, you must add parts of the
Internet Information Services component to the computer.
The parts of the component that must be added are
Common Files, which are the files required to run IIS;
interface you can use to administer your Web sites; and
World Wide Web Server, which allows users to access
your Web sites.
to install all the components that IIS requires.
Logging on to the computer as administrator
will ensure that you have all the necessary
Web sites. Display the Control Panel and
double-click Administrative Tools. In the
Administrative Tools window, double-click
permissions to install IIS. Internet Services Manager to display the
IIS may affect the performance of an existing or new service Internet Information Services window.
pack you install on the computer. If you need to install a
service pack, you should check the support.microsoft.com The Internet Information Services component
Web site to determine whether the service pack should be includes several optional parts you can install. You can remove IIS from a computer.
installed before or after IIS is installed. Documentation provides help files regarding Perform steps 2 to 9 below, except select
the use of IIS and should be installed. File each part of the Internet Information
After IIS has been installed, you may have to restart the
computer. IIS starts automatically each time the computer Transfer Protocol (FTP) Server allows IIS to host Services component you want to remove
FTP sites. Personal Web Manager provides a in step 6 ( changes to ). Removing
is started.
graphical interface you can use to administer IIS from a computer does not remove the
PHP can be installed either before or after installing IIS. your Web sites. SMTP Service allows IIS to Inetpub\wwwroot directory and the files
You can have multiple installations of IIS on a computer, send e-mail messages. it stores from the computer.
but you can have only one installation of PHP.

INSTALL INTERNET INFORMATION SERVER

My Do My Do My Do My Do
Change or Change or Change or Change or
Remove Remove Remove Remove
Programs Programs Programs Programs

My C My C My C My C

Add New Add New Add New Add New

Programs Programs Programs Programs

My N My N My N My N
P P Internet Information Services (IIS) 18.3 MB P P
World Wide Web Server 1.9 MB
Add/Remove Add/Remov Add/Remov Add/Remov
Windows Windows Windows Windows
Components Component Component Component
Recy Recy Recy Recy
5.6

Int Int Int Int

Ex Ex Ex Ex

⁄ Insert the Windows 2000
Professional CD-ROM disc
into a drive.
Note: If the Microsoft Windows 2000
CD dialog box appears, click to
close the dialog box.
12
¤ In the Control Panel, › Click Internet Information ˇ Click Details to display Á Click the box ( ) beside each ‡ Click OK to confirm ■ When the installation is ■ You should restart the
double-click Add/Remove Services (IIS). the Internet Information part of the Internet Information your selections. complete, a message indicates computer before using
Programs to display the Services (IIS) dialog box. Services component you want to that you have successfully Internet Information
Add/Remove Programs ■ This area displays a install ( changes to ). ° Click Next to install completed the Windows Server.
window. description of the Internet the parts of the Internet Components Wizard.
Information Services ■ In this example, Common Files, Information Services
‹ Click Add/Remove component. Internet Information Services component you selected. · Click Finish to close the
Windows Components Snap-In and World Wide Web wizard.
to display the Windows Server are selected.
Components Wizard. 13
 PHP GETTING STARTED WITH PHP 1
ADD A VIRTUAL DIRECTORY TO
INTERNET INFORMATION SERVER
You can also use Windows Explorer to add a You can easily remove a virtual directory

W
hen Internet Information Server (IIS) is installed,
a number of directories are created that can
be used to store Web pages and PHP pages.
By default, these directories are stored in the document
root directory C:\Inetpub\wwwroot. Only pages stored
in the document root directory or its subdirectories can
be displayed by users. You can create a virtual directory
to make pages that are not stored in the document root
directory or its subdirectories available for viewing.
In order for PHP pages stored in a virtual directory to be
processed by the Web server, the virtual directory must be
properly configured. The Virtual Directory Creation Wizard
can help you add and configure a virtual directory.
You must give the virtual directory an alias, which is a
name users will use to access pages in the directory. An
alias is often used to shorten a long directory name. For virtual directory to IIS. Start Windows Explorer you no longer need from IIS. Perform
example, a directory named '2001_marketing_information' and then select the directory you want to add steps 1 and 2 below to display the Internet
could be assigned the alias 'marketing'. Short directory as a virtual directory. Click the File menu and Information Services window and then
names can help make a Web site easier for users to then choose Properties. In the Properties select the virtual directory you want to
navigate. dialog box, click the Web Sharing tab and then remove. Click the Delete button ( )
select the Share this folder option. In the Edit and then click Yes in the dialog box that
Virtual directories allow IIS to make a directory accessible Alias dialog box that appears, type an alias for appears. Removing a virtual directory
to users of a Web site regardless of the location of the the virtual directory and then select the access prevents users from accessing pages
directory. For example, the directory C:\datapages can be and application permissions you want to use stored in the directory but does not
added to the abccorp.com Web site as a virtual directory for the directory. Then click OK. Click OK in remove the directory and its contents
with the alias 'data'. Users can then use the address the Properties dialog box to add the virtual from the computer.
www.abccorp.com/data/ to access pages in the virtual directory to IIS.
directory. Users accessing a virtual directory you have
added to IIS will not be able to determine the actual
location of the directory on the computer.

ADD A VIRTUAL DIRECTORY TO INTERNET INFORMATION SERVER

Default Web Site Site

New Virtual Directory

⁄ In the Control Panel, ‹ Click to display ˇ Click Action. ‡ Click Virtual Directory. ■ The Virtual Directory ° Click Next to continue. · Type an alias for the ‚ Click Next to continue.
double-click Administrative a list of Web sites on the Creation Wizard appears. virtual directory.
Tools to display the Web server ( changes Á Click New.
Administrative Tools window. to ).
¤ Double-click Internet › Click the Web site
Services Manager to display you want to add a virtual
the Internet Information directory to. CONTINUED
Services window.

14 15
 PHP
ADD A VIRTUAL DIRECTORY TO
INTERNET INFORMATION SERVER
ou must specify the location of the directory you
Y want to add as a virtual directory to IIS. You must
also specify the access permissions for the directory.
Access permissions determine how the Web pages, PHP
pages and other files in the directory can be utilized.
The Read permission allows users to access Web or
PHP pages and must be turned on for a virtual directory
containing content you want to be displayed. The Read
permission is turned on by default.
The Run scripts permission allows scripts to run in the
directory and must be turned on for virtual directories
that contain PHP pages. The Run scripts permission is
turned on by default.
The Execute permission allows applications to run in
the virtual directory. For security reasons, the Execute
permission is rarely enabled.
The Write permission allows files to be created in the
directory and must be turned on for virtual directories
containing PHP pages that create files.
ADD A VIRTUAL DIRECTORY TO INTERNET INFORMATION SERVER (CONTINUED)
— Type the path of the ■ You can also click the
directory you want to Browse button to locate the
add as a virtual directory. directory on the computer.
± Click Next to continue.
16
The Browse permission allows users to view a list of all
the subdirectories and pages the virtual directory contains.
When a user specifies a directory but does not specify the
name of the page they want to display, the user can select
a page, including a PHP page, from the list.
After a virtual directory is created, all the pages and files in
the directory will be available to users accessing the Web
site. You should be careful to store only files and Web or
PHP pages you want users to be able to view in the virtual
directory.
A virtual directory you add to IIS may be affected by folder
permissions set by the Windows operating system. Folder
permissions restrict who can access the folder and how the
files in the folder can be used. For more information about
folder permissions, see page 132.
¡ Click an access ™ Click Next to continue.
permission in this area
to turn the permission
on ( ) or off ( ).
GETTING STARTED WITH PHP 1
You can later change the execute permissions
for a virtual directory you have added to IIS.
Display the Internet Information Services
window and then select the virtual directory
After adding a virtual directory to
Internet Information Server, you can
enable or disable the logging function
for the directory. Display the Internet
you want to change. Click the Properties Information Services window and then
button ( ) to display the Properties dialog select the virtual directory you want to
box and then click the Virtual Directory tab. change. Click the Properties button ( )
Click in the Execute Permissions area and to display the Properties dialog box
select the option you want to use. The Scripts and then click the Virtual Directory
and Executables option allows all file types to tab. Click the Log visits option to
be accessed or executed in the directory. The enable ( ) or disable ( ) the
Scripts only option allows only scripts, such as recording of visits to the directory
PHP files, to be run. The None option allows in a log file.
access to only static files, such as HTML or
image files.
sales
■ A message appears, £ Click Finish. ■ The virtual directory is ¢ Click to close
indicating that you have added to Internet Information the Internet Information
successfully completed Server and appears in this area. Services window.
the Virtual Directory
Creation Wizard.
17
 PHP GETTING STARTED WITH PHP 1

SET WINDOWS FILE AND Great care must be taken when setting file and If you no longer wish a user or group to
FOLDER PERMISSIONS folder permissions on a Web server. To gain a full
understanding of file and folder permissions and the
have permission to access a file or folder,
you can remove the user or group. Perform
consequences of changing these permissions, you steps 1 to 4 below to display the Security
ou can change permissions to grant users and groups as change permissions. Modify allows users to modify, add,

Y of users different types of access to a file or folder

on Internet Information Server (IIS). The types of
permissions that can be set for a file or folder depend on
the operating system and file system installed on the Web
server. The steps below are for use on a server running the
Windows 2000 operating system with the NTFS file system.
When IIS is installed, a user account is created called
IUSR_ followed by the name of the computer, such as
IUSR_WEBSRV. This user account is part of the Everyone
group. If you deny the Everyone group access to a file or
folder, you can use the IUSR account to allow users to
access information in the file or folder.
You can allow or deny permissions for a user or group
to specify how a file or folder can be accessed. Full Control
allows users to modify, add, move and delete files, as well
move and delete files. Read & Execute allows users to run
applications, such as PHP pages. List Folder Contents allows
users to display a list of files and folders stored in a folder.
should consult the operating system and Web server
documentation. Incorrectly setting file and folder
permissions on a Web server can leave the server
vulnerable to a range of problems, from accidental
tab of the Properties dialog box. Click the
user or group that you no longer want to
be able to access the file or folder and then
click Remove.
Read allows users to display files and Write allows users to data deletion to serious security breaches. Incorrect
change files. file and folder permissions can also prevent all users
from accessing the Web server.
Windows file and folder permissions work with the access
permissions set in IIS. Access permissions set for a folder in
IIS apply to all users who access the folder. Windows folder If you develop your PHP pages on a different Web
permissions apply only to the users and groups you specify. server than you publish the pages on, you must
When Windows file and folder permissions and IIS access ensure that the appropriate file and folder permissions
permissions are set differently, the Web server uses the are set on the Web server on which the pages are
most restrictive permissions. For more information about published. The permissions will not be transferred to
IIS access permissions, see page 14. the Web server when you transfer the files for the
PHP pages.

SET WINDOWS FILE AND FOLDER PERMISSIONS

My Documents My Documents My Documents My Documents

Administrator (PHP-WIN2000\Administrator)
My Computer My Computer My Computer IUSR_PHP-WIN2000 PHP-WIN2000 My Computer
Internet Guest Account (PHP-WIN2000\I...
phone_extensi
ons
My Network Properties My Network My Network My Network
Places Places Places Places

Recycle Bin Recycle Bin Recycle Bin Recycle Bin

Internet Internet Internet Internet

Explorer Explorer Explorer Explorer

⁄ Click the file or folder ¤ Click File. › Click the Security tab. ˇ Click Add to display the Á Click a user or group in ■ You can repeat steps 6 · Click a user or group ‚ Click an option to allow
you want to change the Select Users, Computers, this area you want to have and 7 for each user or in this area to view their or deny the permission.
permissions for. ‹ Click Properties to ■ This area lists the users or Groups dialog box. access to the file or folder. group you want to be able permissions.
display the Properties and groups that can access to access the file or folder. — Click OK to confirm
dialog box. the file or folder. ‡ Click Add. ■ This area displays the your changes.
° Click OK to confirm permissions granted to
■ The user or group you your selection. the user or group.
selected appears in this area.
18 19
 PHP
INSTALL PERSONAL WEB SERVER
M
icrosoft Personal Web Server (PWS) allows you to
host a single Web site on your own computer to
make Web and PHP pages available for viewing.
This allows you to test and troubleshoot any problems
before transferring the pages to a Web hosting service
on the Internet. Personal Web Server 4.0 is available on
the Windows 98 CD-ROM installation disc.
PWS is not suitable for making information available directly
to users on the Internet, but can be used to share documents
on small networks or intranets.
When installing PWS, you can choose the installation option
that best suits your needs. The Minimum option installs only
the files required to run PWS and is useful when installing
PWS on a computer with limited hard drive space available.
The Typical option installs the most commonly used PWS
files and is the recommended option. The Custom option
allows advanced Web site developers to choose the PWS
files they want to install.
GETTING STARTED WITH PHP 1
The C:\Inetpub\wwwroot directory is automatically set as the
home directory for PWS. The home directory is where you
In addition to Windows 98, PWS can be used on You can double-click the Personal Web
will store all the Web and PHP pages you want to be able to
a computer running the Windows 95 or Windows Server icon ( ) on the taskbar to display
display. If you do not want to use the C:\Inetpub\wwwroot
NT Workstation operating system. If you do not have the Personal Web Manager window. The
directory as the home directory, you can set another
your Windows 98 CD-ROM installation disc or you Personal Web Manager window allows you
directory as the home directory. This is useful if you already
are using Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation, to administer your Web site. For example,
have a directory that stores the pages you want users to be
you can obtain Personal Web Server 4.0 at the to stop PWS and make your Web site
able to display and you do not want to copy the pages to the
www.microsoft.com Web site. PWS is part of the unavailable to users, click the Stop button.
default home directory.
Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack. To restart PWS, click the Start button.
After PWS and PHP are installed, you can begin creating and
accessing Web and PHP pages. You can access pages using a You do not have to start PWS manually each time In addition to wwwroot, several other
Web browser installed on the same computer that is running
you want to use the software. Once you have directories are created when PWS is
PWS or a Web browser installed on another computer on the installed the Web server software, PWS will start installed. In the Personal Web Manager
same network. To install PHP on a Windows-based computer,
automatically each time you start your computer. window, you can click C:\Inetpub\wwwroot
see page 22. to display these directories.

INSTALL PERSONAL WEB SERVER

C:\Inetpub\wwwroot

⁄ Locate and double-click
the setup.exe file for the
Personal Web Server setup
program.
Note: On the Windows 98 CD-ROM
disc, the setup.exe file is located in
the add-ons directory in the pws
subdirectory.
■ The Microsoft Personal ‹ Click the type of Note: If you choose Custom, ■ This area displays the ■ If you want to use ■ When the installation is ˇ Click Finish to exit
Web Server Setup dialog installation you want the following steps will be location of the Personal a different directory as complete, a message appears the setup program.
box appears, displaying to perform. different for your installation. Web Server home directory. the home directory, click thanking you for choosing
information about Personal Browse to specify the Microsoft software. ■ A message will appear
Web Server. directory you want to use. asking you to restart your
■ The Personal Web Server computer. Click Yes to
¤ Click Next to continue. › Click Next to continue. icon appears on the taskbar. restart your computer.

20 21
 PHP
INSTALL PHP ON A
WINDOWS-BASED COMPUTER
n order to create and process PHP pages, you need to
I install PHP on your computer. Recent Windows versions
of PHP can be used with Microsoft Windows 95, 98, NT,
2000, ME and XP.
A recent release of PHP is included on the CD-ROM disc that
accompanies this book. You can install PHP directly from the
CD-ROM disc. The PHP program is available in a standard
package, which includes a Windows installation program that
allows you to easily install the software. PHP is also available
in an expanded package that includes additional capabilities,
such as database support for different operating systems. The
standard package consists of a single executable file, while
the expanded package is compressed into a Zip file. For
Windows installations, it is usually sufficient to install the
standard package using the Windows installation program.
The computer on which you install PHP does not need to
be connected to the Internet. You can use a stand-alone
INSTALL PHP ON A WINDOWS-BASED COMPUTER
My Documents
⁄ Double-click the icon for ■ This area displays
the PHP installation program information about the
to start installing the program. PHP program.
■ A welcome dialog box ¤ Click Next to continue.
appears.
22
computer that has Web server software and the PHP program
installed to develop PHP pages. The pages can then be
transferred to a Web server connected to the Internet or
an intranet. The Web server to which you transfer the PHP
pages can use any type of operating system, such as UNIX.
When you start installing PHP, you must first accept a license
agreement before the installation will continue. The setup
program then allows you to choose the type of installation
you want to perform. The Standard option is recommended
for most users. The Advanced option allows experienced
Web site developers to specify additional options for
installing PHP.
You must also choose the directory where you want the
main PHP files to be stored. The default installation location
is C:\PHP. You can specify another destination folder, but it
is recommended that you accept the default folder.
My Documents
■ This area displays a ‹ Click I Agree to accept
license agreement you the agreement and continue.
must read and accept
before continuing.
GETTING STARTED WITH PHP 1
The most recent release of PHP is available If you wish to install the expanded
at the www.php.net Web site. If you are
installing a more recent version of PHP than
the one included on the CD-ROM disc that
version of PHP, you will need a
program capable of unzipping files,
such as WinZip. WinZip is available
accompanies this book, you should carefully at www.winzip.com. You can find
review the documentation included with the
software. Newer releases of PHP may work
differently than the version used in this book.
complete installation instructions for
the expanded version in the install.txt
and README.txt files, which are
included with the PHP Zip file. You
should carefully review each of these
Older versions of PHP are still available following files before installing PHP.
the release of a new version. This is useful for
system administrators who have standardized a
particular version of PHP for use on their Web
servers. Many Web and network administrators
will not immediately upgrade to the latest
available version of PHP unless they wish to take
advantage of a specific feature of the new version.
Administrators often decide to wait until a recent
version of PHP has been widely used so they are
aware of any errors or compatibility problems
before installing the new version.
My Documents My Documents
› Click the type of installation ˇ Click Next to continue. ■ This area displays the Á Click Next to continue.
you want to perform. folder where PHP files
will be installed.
Note: If you choose Advanced, the
following steps will be different for ■ You can click Browse
to specify a different CONTINUED
your installation.
folder in which to install
the files. 23
 PHP GETTING STARTED WITH PHP 1
INSTALL PHP ON A
WINDOWS-BASED COMPUTER PHP should be installed only on the hard drive If the computer stops responding before the
of the Web server. You should not install PHP PHP installation is complete, there may be a

W
hen installing PHP, the setup program allows
you to specify the name of the mail server the
computer will use to send e-mail messages.
Specifying e-mail information is important if you intend to
create PHP scripts that will send e-mail messages. Mail
servers used to send e-mail messages use the Simple Mail
Transfer Protocol (SMTP) and are often referred to as SMTP
servers. The network administrator or ISP should be able to
tell you the name of the mail server used to send messages.
If you do not have access to an SMTP server, you can type
"localhost" as the mail server name.
You should also specify the e-mail address you want to
display on outgoing e-mail messages. You would usually
specify the address of the Web server administrator, usually
referred to as the Webmaster.
PHP can automatically perform many of the configuration
tasks necessary to allow the PHP program to be used
correctly with some types of Web servers, such as Internet
Information Server (IIS). The setup program allows you on a network drive or on removable media, problem with the installation program or with
to select the type of Web server you will use with PHP. such as a Zip drive. While it is technically the disk drive where PHP is being installed.
Depending on the Web server you select, PHP may possible to install PHP on these types of media, You should close all open programs and restart
automatically configure the server to work with PHP. the performance of the program will deteriorate the computer before attempting to re-install
as the Web site is accessed more often. the program. If the installation program stops
When you have specified all the installation options, you responding again, you can download another
can install PHP on your computer. The program should When specifying the e-mail address you want copy of the installation files from the main
take only a few minutes to install. to display on outgoing e-mail messages, you PHP Web site. You should also check the
may want to use an e-mail address set up computer's hard drive for possible errors.
After PHP has been installed, you can configure PHP to suit
your needs using the php.ini file included with the program. especially for the Webmaster, instead of the
For more information about configuring PHP, see page 26. personal e-mail account of the person who
holds the Webmaster position. This lets you
You may also need to configure the Web server you want
to use with PHP. To configure Apache Web server, see avoid having to reconfigure the PHP settings
if the Webmaster changes in the future.
page 10. For information about configuring another type
of Web server, refer to the server's documentation.

INSTALL PHP ON A WINDOWS-BASED COMPUTER (CONTINUED)

My Documents My Documents My Documents My Documents

My Computer

My Network
Places

Recycle Bin

Internet
Explorer

Connect to
the Internet

‡ Double-click this area
and type the name of the
outgoing mail server.
■ If you do not know the
name of the mail server,
you can type localhost.
24
° Double-click this area
and type the e-mail address
you want to display on
outgoing mail.
· Click Next to continue.
‚ Select the type of Web
server you want to be
configured for use with PHP.
■ If your Web server does
not appear in the list, you
can select None to configure
the server manually.
Note: PHP may not be able to
automatically configure the Web
server you select.
— Click Next to continue.
■ A dialog box appears, ± Click Next to install ■ A dialog box appears ¡ Click OK to close
indicating that you are PHP on the computer. when the installation is the dialog box and then
ready to install PHP. complete. restart the computer.
■ You can click Back to
return to a previous screen
and change the information
you entered.
25
 PHP
CONFIGURE PHP
ou can use the php.ini file to configure PHP to suit
Y
your needs. The php.ini file is a text file that controls
how PHP processes scripts and is read by the Web
server when PHP is started.
You can edit the php.ini file using a simple text editor,
such as Notepad on a Windows computer, or vi, a text
editor available on most Unix computers.
The format of the php.ini file is very simple. The file
contains new lines and whitespace, which make the file
easy to read. The new lines and whitespace are ignored
and so do not affect the speed at which PHP operates.
The php.ini file also contains comments, denoted by a
semicolon. All the information from a semicolon to the
end of the line is ignored.
The php.ini file is comprised of many directives that
control the behavior of PHP. A directive consists of a
CONFIGURE PHP
⁄ Locate and open the CHANGE RESOURCE LIMITS
php.ini file in a text editor. ¤ Locate the Resource
Limits comment.
26
directive name followed by an equal sign (=) and a value.
For example, the directive used to turn off error logging
is log_errors = Off. You can change the value of a
directive to change the way PHP operates. For example,
you can change how long a script can execute or how
much memory a script can use. Each directive appears
on its own line in the file.
A semicolon precedes some of the directives in the
php.ini file, such as the directives that implement
extensions. These directives are commonly used directives
that can be enabled simply by deleting the semicolon.
For example, you can remove the semicolon that precedes
the extension=php_gd.dll directive to allow PHP
to generate images on the fly. Enabling an extension
allows you to add extra functionality to PHP.
‹ To change the maximum › Delete the current
amount of time a script value and then type the
can execute, locate the value you want to use.
max_execution_time
directive.
On computers running the Windows
operating system, the php.ini file should be
stored in the main Windows directory, such
as C:\WINNT or C:\WINDOWS. On Unix
systems, the location of the php.ini file can
vary, but the file can often be found in the
/usr/local/lib/ directory.
PHP is comprised of many modules that are
used to perform different tasks, such as the
MySQL module, which is used to work with
MySQL databases. The php.ini file can be
used to change and specify module settings.
Typically, each module has its own section
heading, such as [MySQL] or [Sybase].
Any text enclosed in brackets [] is ignored.
You can view more detailed information
about configuring PHP at the
www.php.net/manual/en/configuration.php
Web site.
ˇ To change the maximum Á Delete the current
amount of memory a value and then type the
script can use, locate the value you want to use.
memory_limit directive.
GETTING STARTED WITH PHP 1
When you enable extensions in the php.ini
configuration file, you may have to specify
where the files for the extensions are stored.
All extension files are stored in a directory
called extensions. By default, the extensions
directory is a subdirectory of the main PHP
directory. If the extensions directory is
stored in another location, you can use the
extension_dir directive in the php.ini
file to specify the location of the directory.
The extension_dir directive can be found
under the Paths and Directories
comment. In the following example, the
extensions directory is a subdirectory of
the C:\webfiles directory.
Example:
extension_dir = c:\webfiles
ENABLE AN EXTENSION · Delete the semicolon
‡ To enable an extension, that precedes the
locate the Dynamic extension directive.
Extensions comment.
‚ Save the changes you
° Locate the extension made to the php.ini file.
directive you want to enable.
27
 PHP
VERIFY THAT PHP IS INSTALLED CORRECTLY
nce the Web server software and PHP have been
O installed and the server has been configured to
use PHP, you should verify that the Web server
and PHP are working together properly. To do so, you can
create a simple PHP test file and save the file on the Web
server. You can then display the file in a Web browser.
The test file contains the phpinfo function enclosed
between the <?php opening delimiter and the ?> closing
delimiter. The delimiters tell the Web server where the
PHP code begins and ends. A semicolon must follow the
phpinfo function.
The phpinfo function is used to display information
about the setup and configuration of the Web server and
PHP. Using this function allows you to verify that the Web
server and PHP are working together properly, as well as
confirm installation and configuration choices.
The test file should be saved in the main, or document
root, directory of the Web server.
VERIFY THAT PHP IS INSTALLED CORRECTLY
⁄ Start a text editor. ‹ To display information
about the Web server and
¤ Type the opening PHP, type phpinfo();.
delimiter <?php.
› Type the closing
delimiter ?>.
28
To display the test file in a Web browser, you must specify
the address of the file. The address must begin with http://
and include the name or IP number of the Web server.
If the Web browser you will use to view the file is running
on the same computer as the Web server, you can use the
computer name 'localhost' or the IP number 127.0.0.1. This
is the IP number that computers using the TCP/IP protocol
use to refer to themselves.
If the Web server and PHP are functioning properly, the
Web browser displays information about the Web server
and PHP when you display the test file. You can view
general information about PHP, such as the version
number, server information, such as the name of the
document root directory, and detailed information about
PHP extensions and variables.
ˇ Save the test file in the ■ The filename must end
document root directory with the .php extension.
of the Web server. You may have to enclose
the filename in quotation
marks.
If the Web server and PHP information
does not appear when you view the test file,
you should review the topics in this book
concerning the installation and configuration
of the Web server and PHP. You should also
review the documentation that came with
the Web server and your version of PHP.
You can use any text editor to create the PHP
test file. When saving the file, ensure that
the file is saved in a text-only format.
If you do not want the phpinfo function to
display all of the available information about
the Web server and PHP, you can specify
the type of information you want to display.
To display only specific information, you
can include one of the following arguments
in the phpinfo function: INFO_GENERAL,
INFO_CREDITS, INFO_CONFIGURATION,
INFO_MODULES, INFO_ENVIRONMENT,
INFO_VARIABLES or INFO_LICENSE.
Example:
phpinfo(INFO_VARIABLES)
Á Start a Web browser. · Type the name or
IP number of the Web
‡ Click this area to server followed by /.
highlight the current
Web page address. ‚ Type the name of
the test file and then
° Type http://. press Enter.
GETTING STARTED WITH PHP 1
The name and location of a Web server's
document root directory depends on the
operating system installed, the type of Web
server and the installation choices made
when the Web server software was installed.
On Windows-based computers running
Internet Information Server (IIS) or Personal
Web Server (PWS), the document root
directory is typically C:\Inetpub\wwwroot.
On Windows-based computers running
the Apache Web server, the document root
directory is typically C:\Program Files\Apache
Group\Apache\htdocs. On Unix computers
running the Apache Web server, the
document root directory is typically
/usr/local/apache/htdocs or /home/httpd/html.
■ If the Web server
and PHP are functioning
properly, the Web browser
displays information about
the Web server and the
current state of PHP.
29
 PHP GETTING STARTED WITH PHP 1
CHANGE UNIX FILE PERMISSIONS
ach file on a Unix computer includes a set of been assigned read, write and execute permissions and You can use this chart to determine and change You can change the owner of a file using

E permissions that determine who can access,

change or execute the file. The permissions for
a file can be changed to control access to the file.
Only the owner of a file or the system administrator
can change the permissions for a file.
To view the current permissions for a file, you can use
the ls -l command to display a list of all the files in
a directory. The permissions are usually displayed to the
left of each filename.
On Unix systems, files can be assigned read (r), write (w),
and execute (x) permissions. The permissions for a file
are typically represented by a dash followed by a series
of nine characters. The first three characters represent the
permissions for the file's owner. The next three characters
represent the permissions for the owner's group and the
last three characters represent the permissions for all other
users. For example, -rwxr--r-- indicates that the owner has
the group and other users have been assigned only read
permission.
New file permissions are usually set using the chmod
the permissions for a file on a Unix computer.
PERMISSIONS: OCTAL VALUE: DESCRIPTION:
the chown command. When using the
chown command, you must specify the
username of the new owner followed by
--- 0 None the name of the file you want to assign
command. The chmod command takes two arguments. to a new owner. For example, you can
The first argument specifies a value that represents the --x 1 Execute only
type chown sandyr index.html to give
file permissions, while the second argument specifies -w- 2 Write only ownership of the index.html file to the
the name of the file to which the permissions are to be
-wx 3 Write and execute user sandyr.
assigned.
r-- 4 Read only
The value that represents file permissions is usually You can use the chgrp command to
r-x 5 Read and execute
specified using octal notation. Octal notation uses a assign a file to a new group. To use the
rw- 6 Read and write chgrp command, specify the name of
base-8 numbering system. The octal value consists of
three digits, which represent the permissions for the rwx 7 Read, write and execute the group to which you want to assign the
owner, followed by the permissions for the owner's file followed by the name of the file. For
group and the permissions for other users. For example, example, you can type chgrp webadmins
the -rwxrw-r-- permissions will have an octal value of 764. index.html to assign the index.html file
You should precede the octal value with a zero (0). to the webadmins group.

CHANGE UNIX FILE PERMISSIONS

⁄ To view a list of files
in the current directory
and the permissions for
each file, type ls –l at the
prompt. Then press Enter.
30
■ The list of files appears.
This area displays the
permissions for each file.
¤ To change the permissions
for a file, type chmod.
‹ Type the octal value that
represents the permissions
you want to assign to the file.
The octal value should be
preceded by a 0.
› Type the name of the
file to which you want to
assign the permissions.
Then press Enter.
Note: To assign the same
permissions to more than one
file, you can type the name of
each file after the octal value.
ˇ Repeat steps 2 to 4
for each file for which
you want to change
permissions.
Á To view the new file ■ An updated list of files
permissions, type ls –l appears, displaying the
and then press Enter. new file permissions.
31
 PHP
TRANSFER PAGES TO A Web hosting services are companies that
WEB HOSTING SERVICE make Web pages available on the Web.
When choosing a Web hosting service,
you should consider several factors. For
GETTING STARTED WITH PHP 1
You can create a new directory to store and
organize your Web server connections. In
the Configured Sites area of the Connection
dialog box, click the directory you want

I
f you do not have a Web server that can make your
Web and PHP pages available on the Web, you must
transfer the pages to a Web hosting service's Web
server. You need a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) program
to transfer your Web and PHP pages to a Web server.
WS_FTP Pro for Windows is a popular FTP program.
In the example below, we use WS_FTP Pro version 6.7.
You can obtain the latest version of WS_FTP Pro at the
www.ipswitch.com Web site.
Before you can transfer Web and PHP pages to a Web
hosting service's Web server, you must set up a connection
to the server. FTP programs can connect and transfer files
to different types of Web servers using different types
of operating systems. For example, you can use an FTP
program to transfer PHP pages developed on a Windows
computer to a Unix computer.
To set up a connection to a Web server, you must know example, you may want to look for a Web to store the new subdirectory. If you want
the address of the server, your user ID and your password. hosting service with adequate technical to create a main directory, click the Sites
If you do not know this information, contact your Web support services to meet your needs. directory. Then click to create the
hosting service. Many FTP programs allow you to save You should also ensure that your hosting directory. In the New Folder dialog box,
your password, which saves you from having to retype service offers enough storage space for type the name of the new directory and
your password each time you transfer Web pages to the any multimedia files included in your then click Finish.
Web server. When you save your password, anyone who pages. A good Web hosting service will
uses your computer will be able to connect to the Web also be able to supply you with statistics FTP programs allow you to set up multiple
server, so you should not save your password if other about your pages, such as where users connections. This is useful if you want
people have access to your computer. are from and any error messages that
to use one connection to transfer your
may have been generated. Web and PHP pages to a Web server and
You need to set up a connection to a Web server only
once. After you set up a connection, you can connect another connection to download files from
to the server at any time. a different Web server. Perform steps 1 to 9
starting on page 32 for each connection
you want to set up.

SET UP A CONNECTION CONNECT TO A WEB SERVER

www.company.com

jsmith

Country Kitchen Web

⁄ Start the FTP program
you will use to transfer your
Web pages to a Web server.
■ The Connection dialog
box appears.
¤ Click to display the
New Site dialog box and set
up a new connection to the
Web server.
32
‹ Type a name for the
connection.
› Click this area and type
the address of the Web
server you want to transfer
your Web pages to.
ˇ Click Finish to continue.
■ The name of the
connection appears
in this area.
■ The address of the ‡ Click this area and type
Web server you specified your password. A symbol (x)
appears in this area. appears for each character
you type to prevent others
Á Click this area and from seeing your password.
type your user ID.
° To save your password so
you will not need to retype the
password again later, click this
option ( changes to ).
· Click Save to have
the program store the
information you entered
for the connection.
⁄ Click the connection for ¤ Click Connect to
the Web server you want to connect to the Web
transfer your Web pages to. server.
■ If the connection you set
up is not displayed, click
the plus sign ( ) beside
the Ipswitch directory
( changes to ).
CONTINUED
33
 PHP GETTING STARTED WITH PHP 1
TRANSFER PAGES TO A
WEB HOSTING SERVICE If you have accidentally transferred a You should check all references to files
nce you have connected to a Web hosting service's If your connection to the Web server is idle for an extended file to the Web server, you should delete on your Web and PHP pages before

O Web server, you can transfer information to the

server. You can transfer a single file, multiple files
or an entire directory to the Web server in one operation.
Before transferring your Web or PHP pages to a Web
server, you should make sure the filenames all have the
.html, .htm or .php extension and do not include spaces
or special characters, such as * or &. You should also
check with your Web hosting service to ensure that you
have used the correct name for your home page.
You must also locate the directory on the Web server you
want to transfer your files and directories to. This directory
is often named "public." If you do not know the name of
the directory, contact your Web hosting service. Your Web
hosting service may also stipulate where you can place
PHP files on the Web server.
period of time, the server may automatically disconnect
you. This helps ensure that the Web server's resources are
available for other people who need to access the server.
the file from the server. This helps save
storage space and prevents clutter on the
Web server. To delete a file from the Web
transferring the pages to a Web server. For
example, if an image on a page is stored
in the same directory as the page, make
server, select the file in the right pane of sure you specified only the name of the
If you later make changes to the Web or PHP pages stored the WS_FTP Pro window and then click image (example: banner.gif). If the image
on your computer, you must transfer the updated pages the Delete button. To confirm the deletion, is stored in a subdirectory, make sure you
to the Web server. The updated Web or PHP pages will click Yes in the dialog box that appears. specified the location and name of the
replace the old pages on the server. When you transfer image (example: images/banner.gif).
updated pages, a message may appear, indicating that the You can delete a connection you no
updated pages will replace the old pages. longer need. Click the connection in the If you use a Macintosh computer to create
Configured Sites area of the Connection your PHP pages, you can use the Fetch
Many Web and PHP pages work together and require other dialog box and then click to delete
pages in order to work correctly. When transferring files, FTP program to transfer your pages to a
the connection. To confirm the deletion, Web hosting service. Fetch is available at
you should ensure that you also transfer any needed click Yes in the dialog box that appears.
support files. the www.fetchsoftworks.com Web site.

TRANSFER PAGES TO A WEB HOSTING SERVICE

www.company.com www.company.com www.company.com www.company.com

public
My Webs

recipes . htm

■ The WS_FTP Pro
window appears.
■ This area displays the
directories and files stored
on the Web server.
34
⁄ Locate the directory you
want to transfer your Web
pages to. In many cases, the
directory is named "public."
¤ Double-click the
directory to display the
contents of the directory.
■ This area displays the
directories and files stored
on your computer.
‹ Locate the directory
that contains the Web or
PHP page(s) you want to
transfer to the Web server.
Note: You can double-click
to move up one level in the
directory structure.
› Double-click the
directory to display the
contents of the directory.
ˇ Click the file or directory Á Click to transfer ■ The file or directory ° Click Close to end
you want to transfer to the the file or directory to appears on the Web server. the connection to the
Web server. the Web server. Web server.
‡ Repeat steps 3 to 6 for
each file and directory you · Click Exit to exit
want to transfer. the program.
35
 PHP LANGUAGE BASICS 2

INSERT PHP CODE INTO A WEB PAGE In addition to the <?php and ?> delimiters,
there are other delimiters you can use to
Instead of the print function, you can use
the echo command to generate output.
insert PHP code into a Web page. If you have

A
dding PHP code to an HTML document allows you
to create dynamic, interactive Web pages. You can
add PHP code to an existing Web page or to a new
HTML document you create.
PHP code is inserted into HTML code using the <?php
opening delimiter and the ?> closing delimiter. The
delimiters tell the Web server where the PHP code begins
and ends. You can add multiple sections of PHP code to
an HTML document. You must use an opening and closing
delimiter for each section of code.
If the PHP code will generate output for display in a user's
Web browser, you can use HTML tags to format the output.
PHP code used to generate output must be inserted
between the <body> and </body> tags.
When a Web server receives a request for a Web page
containing PHP code, the Web server processes all the
code found between the <?php and ?> delimiters. The
information generated by the PHP code is inserted into the Example:
the short_open_tag setting enabled in
Web page before the page is sent to a user's Web browser. echo "Thank you. Please visit again.";
your PHP configuration file, you can use
Users who visit the page will not be able to see the PHP
the <? and ?> delimiters. You can also use
code, even if they display the source code for the page.
the ASP-style delimiters <% and %>. To use
When saving a PHP page you have created, you must add ASP-style delimiters, you need to enable the
You can use the <?= and ?> delimiters to
the .php extension to the filename of the page. Some text asp_tags setting in the PHP configuration
insert a single print statement into an HTML
editors do not recognize the .php extension, so you may file.
document. Using the <?= and ?> delimiters
have to enclose the filename in quotation marks, such as reduces the amount of code you have to type
"index.php". The PHP page must be saved in the appropriate You can use the <script> tag to insert PHP and can make your script easier to read.
location on your Web server before the page can be code into a Web page. Using the <script>
displayed. tag does not require any changes to the Example:
<?php
If you do not want to use the .php extension for your PHP settings in the PHP configuration file.
print $message;
pages, you can configure your Web server to use another Example: ?>
extension, such as .phtml, .htm or .html. For more <script language="php">
information, see page 10. print "Thank you. Please visit again."; Can be typed as:
</script> <?= $message ?>

INSERT PHP CODE INTO A WEB PAGE

Insert PHP Code - Microsoft Internet Explorer

⁄ Type <?php where
you want to insert PHP
code into a Web page.
36
¤ Type ?> where you
want to end the PHP code.
‹ Between the opening
and closing delimiters
(<?php and ?>), type the
PHP code you want to
insert into the Web page.
■ In this example, we SAVE AND DISPLAY ■ The filename must end Á Display the PHP ■ The Web browser
use the print function A PHP PAGE with the .php extension. page in a Web browser. displays the result of
to generate output. ˇ Save the page in the You may have to enclose inserting PHP code
appropriate location on the filename in quotation into a Web page.
› Repeat steps 1 to 3 marks.
for each section of PHP your Web server.
code you want to insert
into the Web page. 37
 PHP LANGUAGE BASICS 2
Instead of //, you can use the hash symbol (#) to indicate the start of a
single-line comment. Both styles of adding comments are acceptable, but
you should choose one style and use it consistently throughout your code.
Example:

ADD A COMMENT TO A PHP PAGE <?php

// Display a welcome message
print "Welcome to my Web page.<br>";
# Display my name

A
dding comments to your PHP code is a good
programming practice and can help explain
important or difficult sections of code. Web servers
ignore comments in PHP code, so adding comments to a
PHP page will not slow down the processing of the page.
Even relatively simple code may be difficult to understand
without comments. For example, you may use a variable
named $totalCost in your code. You could use a comment
to explain whether the variable stores the total cost of all
the products or only some of the products.
Besides describing the purpose of code, comments can
contain information such as the name of the author and
the author's contact information.
A single-line comment is preceded by // and can be
included at the end of a line of code. A single-line
comment can also have its own line in a PHP page.
All the information following // to the end of the line
will be ignored by the Web server.
To add a comment that spans multiple lines, use /* print "My name is Martine.";
before the first line and */ at the end of the last line. ?>
While comments can be any size, very lengthy comments
may make your code difficult to read. The most effective
When creating multi-line comments, you should be careful not to
comments are descriptive and concise.
place one comment inside another comment. Nested comments
In addition to creating multi-line comments, you can use will generate an error when the PHP page is processed.
/* and */ to help troubleshoot a PHP page. For example,
TYPE THIS:
if your PHP code is generating an error, you can use /*
and */ to comment out the suspect lines. If you confirm <?php
that the error lies somewhere else in the PHP code, you /* Name: comments.php
Purpose: To show how not to use delimiters
can simple remove /* and */ to restore the lines of code.
Commenting out the lines saves you from having to erase
Author: Martine Edwards <martine@abccorp.com>
the lines and type them again later. This technique is very
/* Display a welcome message */
effective for debugging large, complex sections of code. print "Welcome to my Web page.";
For more information about troubleshooting PHP code,
see pages 208 to 219. PHP will try to process these lines of comments
and generate an error */
?>
RESULT:
Parse error: parse error in c:\web_apps\apache\htdocs\comments.php on line 16

ADD A COMMENT TO A PHP PAGE

⁄ To add a single-line
comment, type //.
38
¤ Type the comment.
■ Repeat steps 1 and 2 for
each single-line comment
you want to add.
■ A single-line comment
can be on its own line or
at the end of a line of code.
‹ To add a multi-line ˇ Type */ to complete Á Display the PHP page ■ The comments do not
comment, type /*. the multi-line comment. in a Web browser. appear on the PHP page.
› Type the comment.
39
 PHP LANGUAGE BASICS 2
Unlike other languages, such as C++ and Java, When working with numbers, PHP assumes
CREATE A NUMERIC VARIABLE PHP is not a strongly typed language. In PHP,
you do not need to explicitly declare the type
you are working in base 10, or decimal
notation. PHP also supports base 8, or
of variable you want to create. For example, the octal notation, and base 16, or hexadecimal
variable is a name that represents a value. For A variable name can consist of multiple words. You can

A example, you could have the variable $myAge

represent the value 29. A numeric variable is often
used to store a value that may change, such as the result
of a calculation or data retrieved from a database.
To create a numeric variable, you use the assignment
operator (=) to assign an initial value to a variable name.
A numeric variable can store an integer, such as 1 or 3452,
or a floating-point number, such as 9.3 or 0.0054. A
numeric variable can also store a negative value or no
value at all. To specify a negative value, you simply place
a minus sign (-) directly in front of a number. A numeric
variable with no value has a null value, which is not the
same as a value of zero (0).
In PHP, a variable name must start with a dollar sign ($).
The next character must be a letter or the underscore
character (_) followed by any combination of letters
and numbers.
use a lowercase letter to begin the first word and then
capitalize the first letter of each of the following words
to make the name easy to read, such as $myDateOfBirth.
same variable can be used to represent first an
integer and then a floating-point number with
no data type declarations.
notation. To specify a value in octal notation,
you place a zero (0) before an octal number.
To specify a value in hexadecimal notation,
you place a zero (0) and the letter x before
The underscore character (_) can also be used to separate Example:
a hexadecimal number. When you display
the words in a name, such as $my_age. You should choose $a = 1;
an octal or hexadecimal number, the result
one format and use it consistently to make your script $a = $a + 1.5;
is shown in decimal notation.
easier for other people to understand.
Example:
Variable names are case sensitive. For example, the
You can use exponential notation to specify a $a = 020;
variable $myAge is different than the variable $MYAGE. print $a;
very large or very small number as the value
print "<br>";
Several sections of PHP code can be inserted into one of a variable. In this following example, $a is
$b = 0x10;
HTML document. The value of a variable created in one equal to 123000 and $b is equal to
print $b;
section of PHP code will be accessible in subsequent 0.0000123.
sections of the code. Example: Result:
$a = 1.23e5; 16
$b = 1.23e-5; 16

CREATE A NUMERIC VARIABLE

⁄ To create a numeric ■ The dollar sign ($) ¤ Type = followed by ■ The value can be an ‹ Type the code that ■ In this example, we › Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
variable, type $ followed must be followed by a the value you want to integer or a floating-point uses the numeric variable use the print function in a Web browser. displays the value of
by a name for the variable. letter or an underscore assign to the variable. number. you created. to display the value of the numeric variable.
character (_). the variable.

40 41
 PHP LANGUAGE BASICS 2
The following is a list of several common escape sequences
that can be enclosed in double-quoted strings.
ESCAPE SEQUENCE: DESCRIPTION:
\n Start a new line.

CREATE A STRING VARIABLE \r

\t
Insert a carriage return.
Insert a tab.
ou can create a variable that stores a string value. the string. For example, a variable in a double-quoted string \\ Insert a backslash.

Y A string is a collection of characters that are enclosed

in single or double quotation marks. The information
in a string is treated as a scalar value, or a single piece of
information. The quotation marks identify the beginning
and end of a string and allow PHP to work with the string
as one piece of information.
To create a string variable, you use the assignment
operator (=) to assign a string value to a variable name.
A variable name must begin with a dollar sign ($) followed
by a letter or the underscore character (_). Variable names
can consist of multiple words and are case sensitive.
Escape sequences allow you to include special characters,
such as tabs, newlines and carriage returns in a string and
are often used to format text that will be displayed on a
screen or stored in a file. When a string you assign to a
variable is enclosed in double quotation marks, PHP will
evaluate any escape sequences and variables included in
will be replaced with the value assigned to the variable
when the string is processed.
When including a character required by the PHP
\"
\$
\012
Insert a double quotation mark.
Insert a dollar sign.
Use an octal ASCII value (example: 12).
programming language in a double-quoted string, you \x0A Use a hexadecimal ASCII value (example: 0A).
must precede the character with a backslash if you do
not want the character to be evaluated. For example, when
Strings can be joined together using the concatenation operator (.).
a dollar sign ($) is placed in a string, PHP will evaluate the
The concatenation operator can be used to join two strings, such as
dollar sign as the beginning of a variable name unless you
"Tom" . "Smith", or a combination of strings and variables, such
use a backslash to escape the symbol.
as $myString = "I am " . $myAge . " years old".
When a string is enclosed in single quotation marks, PHP
does not evaluate variables or escape sequences in the PHP is often used to output HTML code. When assigning an HTML tag,
string, except for the \\ and \' escape sequences. You can such as <IMG SRC="my_image.gif" WIDTH="100" HEIGHT="100">
use the \\ escape sequence to display a backslash and to a string variable, you must use escape sequences to include any special
the \' escape sequence to display a single quotation mark characters, such as quotation marks, within the tag. The HTML code within
in a single-quoted string. the string will be processed by the Web server and applied to the output
for a client's Web browser.
Example:
$myImageTag = "<IMG SRC=\"my_image.gif\" WIDTH=\"100\" HEIGHT=\"100\">";

CREATE A STRING VARIABLE

My Web Site

⁄ To create a string variable ‹ Between the quotation › To create a string variable Á Between the quotation ‡ Type the code that ■ In this example, we ° Display the PHP ■ The Web browser
using double quotation marks, type the information using single quotation marks, type the information uses the string variables use the print function page in a Web browser. displays the values of
marks, type $ followed by you want the string to contain. marks, type $ followed by you want the string to you created. to display the values of string variables.
a name for the variable. a name for the variable. contain. variables.
■ PHP will evaluate any
¤ Type = "". variables and escape sequences ˇ Type = ''. ■ PHP will not evaluate
you include in the string. information you include
42 in the string. 43
 PHP LANGUAGE BASICS 2

It is good programming practice to define all You can use the defined function to verify

CREATE A CONSTANT your constants at the beginning of your PHP

constant is a name that represents a value you
script. Keeping all your constants in the same
location makes it easy to find and modify the
whether a constant exists in your script. If the
constant exists, the defined function will
return a value of 1. If the constant does not
Once a constant has been created, it can be used within

A
want to remain the same throughout a PHP script.
Regardless of where a constant is created in a PHP
script, the constant can be accessed anywhere in the script.
You use the define function to create a constant in your
script. You must first specify the name of the constant you
want to create. Constant names must start with a letter or
an underscore (_) character. To help distinguish constants
from variables, you should use all uppercase letters in a
constant name. The name of the constant must be enclosed
in quotation marks when specified in the define function.
After naming a constant, you must specify the value you
want to assign to the constant. A constant can store any
string, integer or floating point value.
constants. exist, the defined function will return a
calculations in the same way you use a variable. Attempting value of 0. Using the defined function is
to change the value of a constant when using the constant In addition to a string or number, you can use useful for quickly determining if a constant
will generate an error. an expression as the value for a constant. This exists in a long script that uses a large number
is useful when you want to display a different of constants.
Unlike variables, constants do not start with a dollar symbol,
so PHP cannot determine when a constant is being used in value for the constant depending on the value Example:
a string. For example, in the string "This page was created of a variable. For example, you can create a <?php
by AUTHOR", PHP will interpret the constant AUTHOR not constant that stores a personalized greeting if (defined("AUTHOR"))
as a value, but as the word AUTHOR. You must separate a based on the user name of the person visiting {
constant you are using from the rest of the string to allow your Web site. print "Page created by: ";
print AUTHOR;
the constant to be evaluated correctly. Example: }
PHP also allows you to access predefined constants from <?php else
$userName = Lindsay; {
within PHP code. For information about predefined print "Author unknown";
define("GREETING", "Hello " . $userName);
constants, see page 80. print GREETING; }
?> ?>

CREATE A CONSTANT

⁄ Type define() where ¤ Between the parentheses, ‹ Type a comma followed › Type the code that ■ If you are using the ˇ Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
you want to create a type the name of the constant by the value you want to uses the value of the constant with a string, in a Web browser. displays the result of
constant. you want to create, enclosed assign to the constant. constant. make sure the constant using a constant.
in quotation marks. is not enclosed within
■ If the value for the the quotation marks for
constant is a string, you the string.
must enclose the text in
44 quotation marks. 45
PHP LANGUAGE BASICS 2
TYPES OF OPERATORS
INTRODUCTION TO OPERATORS ARITHMETIC OPERATORS

You can use arithmetic operators to perform

P
HP provides numerous operators that can be used to or more arguments, called operands. A sequence of
assign values to variables, perform calculations, make operands separated by one or more operators that produces mathematical calculations.
comparisons and much more. An operator takes one a result in a PHP script is referred to as an expression.
+ (Addition) * (Multiplication) % (Modulus)
Finds the sum of two values. Multiplies two values. Divides one value by
print 3 + 3; print 2 * 3; another value and returns
Displays 6 Displays 6 only the remainder in the
Associativity Order of Precedence
result.
When an expression contains multiple operators that have When an expression contains several operators, print 7 % 5;
the same precedence, the associativity of the operators PHP processes the operators in a specific order, - (Subtraction) / (Division)
Displays 2
determines which part of the expression PHP evaluates known as the order of precedence. The order of Finds the difference between two Divides one value by another value.
first. Operators can have left associativity, right associativity precedence ranks operators from highest to lowest values. print 9 / 3;
or can be non-associative. precedence. Operators with higher precedence are print 6 - 3; Displays 3
evaluated before operators with lower precedence. Displays 3
If operators have left associativity, then the leftmost
operator is processed first. For example, the result of the
expression 5 - 3 + 2 is 4 rather than 0. The opposite holds
true for operators that have right associativity. Parentheses CONCATENATION OPERATOR
Regardless of the precedence and associativity of
Some operators have neither left nor right associativity operators, you can use parentheses to dictate the You can use the concatenation
and are known as non-associative. When a non-associative order in which PHP should process operators. In an operator (.) to combine values into a . (Concatenation)
operator is used beside others with the same precedence, expression, PHP processes operators and operands string. This is useful when you want
you must surround the operator and its operands with enclosed in parentheses first. to combine text with a variable that
$temp = "hot";
parentheses to ensure that it will return the desired result. has text value. $myString = "It is " . $temp . " today.";
print $myString;
Displays It is hot today.
The following table shows the associativity of operators
and the order of precedence from highest to lowest.
INCREMENT AND DECREMENT OPERATORS
Associativity Operators Associativity Operators
Increment and decrement
Non-associative new Left | operators are useful for ++value (Pre-increment) --value (Pre-decrement)
Right [ Left && creating counters in your Adds 1 to a value before the expression Subtracts 1 from a value before the
script. These operators that uses the value is processed. expression that uses the value is processed.
Right ! ~ ++ -- (int) (double) Left || increase or decrease the $a = 5; $a = 5;
(string) (array) (object) @ Left ? : value of an expression print ++$a; print --$a;
Left * / % by one. Displays 6 Displays 4
Left = += -= *= /= .= %= &= |=
Left + - . ^= ~= <<= >>=
value++ (Post-increment) value-- (Post-decrement)
Left << >> Right print
Adds 1 to a value after the expression Subtracts 1 from a value after the expression
Non-associative < <= > >= Left and that uses the value is processed. that uses the value is processed.
$a = 5; $a = 5;
Non-associative == != === !== Left xor
print $a++; print $a--;
Left & Left or print "<br>"; print "<br>";
print $a; print $a;
Left ^ Left , Displays 5 Displays 5
6 4

46 47
PHP LANGUAGE BASICS 2
INTRODUCTION TO OPERATORS
TYPES OF OPERATORS (CONTINUED) BITWISE OPERATORS

ASSIGNMENT OPERATORS Bitwise operators, such as &(AND) and |(OR), are used to compare
and manipulate values at the binary level. This can be very useful
The assignment operator (=) can be used to set one value can be written as $b += 12. Combining operators reduces when dealing with binary files such as image and sound files.
to another value. You can also combine the assignment the amount of code you need to type and can make your You can find more information about bitwise operators at the
operator with arithmetic operators to more easily perform scripts easier to read. www.php.net/manual/en/language.operators.bitwise.php Web site.
calculations. For example, the expression $b = $b + 12
COMPARISON OPERATORS
= (Assignment) += -= *= /= .=
Sets one value Adds one value Subtracts one Multiplies one Divides one Combines two values. You can use comparison operators
to another to another value from value by another value by another $a = "This is "; to compare values in your script.
value. value. another value. value. value. $a .= "a test.";
$a = 3; $a = 3; $a = 3; $a = 3; $a = 6; print $a; == (Equal to) < (Less than)
print $a; $a += 3; $a -= 1; $a *= 2; $a /= 2; Displays This is a test.
Displays 3 print $a; print $a; print $a; print $a; Checks if one value is equal to another value. Checks if one value is less than another value.
Displays 6 Displays 2 Displays 6 Displays 3 $x = 7; $x = 5;
$y = "7"; $y = 9;
if ($x == $y) print $x . " is equal to " . $y; if ($x < $y) print $x . " is less than " . $y;
Displays 7 is equal to 7 Displays 5 is less than 9
LOGICAL OPERATORS

You can use logical operators to check === (Identical to) > (Greater than)
if a statement in your script is true.
Checks if one value is equal to and of the same type as Checks if one value is greater than another value.
another value. $x = 9;
And ! $x = 7; $y = 5;
Checks if two or more statements are true. Checks if a statement is not true. $y = 7; if ($x > $y) print $x . " is greater than " . $y;
$x = 7; $y = 5; if ($x === $y) print $x . " is identical to " . $y; Displays 9 is greater than 5
$y = 5; if (! ($y == 10)) print "True"; Displays 7 is identical to 7
if (($x == 7) and ($y == 5)) print "True"; Displays True
Displays True <= (Less than or equal to)
!= (Not equal to) Checks if one value is less than or equal to another
&&
Or Checks if one value is not equal to another value. value.
Checks if two or more statements are both true. $x = 8; $x = 5;
Checks if at least one of two statements is true. $x = 7; $y = 4; $y = 5;
$x = 7; $y = 5; if ($x != $y) print $x . " is not equal to " . $y; if ($x <= $y) print $x;
$y = 5; if (($x == 7) && ($y == 5)) print "True"; Displays 8 is not equal to 4 Displays 5
if (($x == 7) or ($y == 8)) print "True"; Displays True
Displays True
!== (Not Identical to) >= (Greater than or equal to)
||
Xor Checks if two values are not equal or not of the same type. Checks if one value is greater than or equal to another
Checks if at least one of two statements is true.
$x = 8; value.
Checks if only one of two statements is true. $x = 7;
$y = 9; $x = 7;
$x = 7; $y = 5;
if ($x !== $y) print $x . " is not identical to " . $y; $y = 5;
$y = 5; if (($x == 7) || ($y == 5)) print "True";
Displays 8 is not identical to 9 if ($x >= $y) print $x;
if (($x == 7) xor ($y == 8)) print "True"; Displays True
Displays 7
Displays True

48 49
 PHP LANGUAGE BASICS 2
When a calculation contains several operators, such as 4 - 5 + 2 * 2,
PHP processes the operators in a specific order, which is determined
by operator precedence. For example, the * operator is processed
before the - or + operators, since * has a higher precedence. If you
want to override operator precedence, you can use parentheses to
PERFORM A NUMERIC CALCULATION dictate the order in which PHP should process operators. PHP will
process operators and operands enclosed in parentheses first.
ou can perform calculations to manipulate numeric You can use the assignment operator (=) to assign a

Y data in a PHP page. Calculations can be performed

using literal values, such as 3 or 56.23, as well as
variables, such as $quantity or $cost.
calculation to a variable. When PHP processes a variable
that contains a calculation, the calculation is performed
and the result is stored in the variable. The stored result
Example:
$fahrenheit = 100;
$celsius = ((($fahrenheit - 32) / 9) * 5);

will only be available within the PHP page. Once the

Calculations consist of operators and operands. Operators
determine the type of calculation that will be performed.
Operands are the values that are manipulated in a
calculation. For example, the calculation 4 + 5 contains
the operands 4 and 5 and the + (addition) operator.
The + operator is an example of an arithmetic operator.
Arithmetic operators are commonly used when performing
numeric calculations and also include the - (subtraction),
* (multiplication), / (division) and % (modulus) operators.
Other types of operators that can be used when
performing numeric calculations include comparison,
logical, incrementing and decrementing operators.
For more information about operators, see page 46.
processing of the PHP page is complete, the variable
ceases to exist.
When a calculation contains an operand that is a variable,
the calculation will use the value of the variable at the
time the calculation is performed. If the value of the
variable later changes, the change will not affect the
result of the calculation.
Dividing a number by zero is a mistake commonly made when
performing numeric calculations. If you divide a number by zero in
PHP, a Division by zero error will result. The most common
cause of this type of error is misspelling or mistyping a variable
name in a calculation. When you misspell or mistype a variable
name in a calculation, the variable will have a value of zero.
TYPE THIS:
$myNumber = 10;
print 1000 / $myNumbeR;
RESULT:

Warning: Division by zero in c:\web_apps\apache\htdocs\calculation.php on line 23

PERFORM A NUMERIC CALCULATION

Perform a Numberic Calculation - Microsoft Internet Explorer

⁄ Type an operand ¤ Type the operator for ‹ Type the second › To assign the calculation ˇ Type the code that ■ In this example, we use Á Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
you want to use in a the type of calculation operand you want to to a variable, type $ followed uses the result of the the print function to in a Web browser. displays the result of
calculation. you want to perform. use in the calculation. by a name for the variable. calculation. display the result of the performing a numeric
Then type =. calculation. calculation.

50 51
 PHP LANGUAGE BASICS 2
If you are going to execute only one line of code based
on a condition, you can place the code to be executed
on the same line as the if statement.
Example:
if ($currentTemp > $hot)
{

USING THE IF STATEMENT }

print "It's hot.";

Can be typed as:

sing an if statement allows you to test a condition A section of code you want to be executed must be if ($currentTemp > $hot) print "It's hot.";

U to determine whether the condition is true or false.

When the condition is true, the section of code
directly following the if statement is executed. For
example, you can create a PHP page that displays a
Good Morning message if a user views the page between
5:00 AM and 11:59 AM. If the condition is false, no code
from the if statement is executed. A condition will
be false if it evaluates to an empty string (" "), a string
zero ("0"), an integer zero (0) or a null value.
The condition you want to test must be enclosed in
parentheses (). Unlike most PHP statements, the if
statement does not end with a semicolon. Ending an if
statement with a semicolon is a common programming
mistake and will generate an error when the PHP page
is processed.
enclosed in braces {} and is referred to as a statement
block. To make your PHP code easier to read and
understand, you should always indent the code in
To test multiple conditions, you include elseif statements after
the if statement. An elseif statement contains a condition that
a statement block. can be tested. If the condition specified in the if statement is false,
PHP will test each elseif statement until a condition is true. PHP
If you want an if statement to execute a statement block
when the condition is false, you must include an else will then execute the block for the true elseif statement. If there
are no true elseif statements, the else statement will be executed.
statement. Using an if statement with an else statement
allows you to execute one of two sections of code,
TYPE THIS: RESULT:
depending on the outcome of testing the condition.
If the condition is true, the statement block directly $myAge = 32;
if ($myAge < 21) Adult: $5.00
following the if statement is executed. If the condition {
is false, the statement block directly following the else print "Child: \$2.00";
statement is executed. Using an else statement ensures }
that a section of code is executed regardless of the elseif ($myAge < 65)
{
outcome of testing the condition. print "Adult: \$5.00";
}
else
{
print "Senior: \$3.00";
}

USING THE IF STATEMENT

⁄ Type the code that
creates the variables and
assigns their values.
52
¤ Type if ().
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the condition you want
to test.
› Type the code you want ˇ To use the else Á Type the code you want ‡ Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
to execute if the condition statement, type else. to execute if the condition in a Web browser. displays the result of
you specified is true. Enclose you specified is false. using the if statement.
the code in braces. Enclose the code in braces.
53
 PHP
The decrement operator (--) can be used in
the re-initialization expression to decrease the
value of the iterator by one each time the loop
is processed. This allows you to create a for
USING THE FOR STATEMENT loop that counts backwards.
Example:
rogrammers often need to execute the same block beginning of each loop. If the condition is true, the loop for ($i = 5; $i >= 0; $i--)
LANGUAGE BASICS 2
One or more expressions can be omitted
from a for statement, though this may
adversely affect the processing of the loop.
For example, if a for statement does not
include a conditional expression, PHP
assumes the condition is always true and
an infinite loop may be created. You should

P of code several times. The for statement allows you

to create a loop that repeats the execution of code
a specific number of times. For example, you may want to
is executed and a block of code you specify is processed.
If the condition is false, the block of code is not executed
and the loop is ended. The block of code is placed between
{

create five line breaks on a Web page. Instead of typing the
code that creates a line break five times, you can create a
loop that executes the code to create a line break and then
repeats the loop until the value of a counter reaches 5.
A for statement consists of three expressions. The first
expression is called the initialization expression and is
used to specify the initial value of the variable that will
be used to control the processing of the loop. This variable
is referred to as the iterator and is often used as a counter
in a loop.
The second expression is known as the conditional
expression. This expression allows you to specify a
condition that evaluates the value of the iterator at the
}
print "$i<br>";
be careful not to create an infinite loop.
Example:
for ($i = 1; ; $i++)
braces {} and is known as the body of the loop. {
print "$i<br>";
When creating a re-initialization expression,
The third expression in a for statement is the }
you are not limited to using the increment and
re-initialization expression. This expression is used to
decrement operators to modify the value of
modify the value of the iterator. Typically, the increment
the iterator by 1. An iterator can be modified
operator (++) is used in the re-initialization expression
by any increment, including floating point
to increment the value of the iterator by one each time
numbers. For example, an iterator can be
the loop is executed. The re-initialization expression
initialized with a value of 0 and then increased
should modify the iterator in a way that will eventually
in increments of 0.5 until a value of 5 is
lead to the conditional expression being evaluated as false.
reached.
Otherwise, the loop will be processed indefinitely.
Example:
for ($i = 0; $i < 5; $i = $i + 0.5)
{
print "$i<br>";
}

USING THE FOR STATEMENT

⁄ Type for ().
¤ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the variable
you want to use as the iterator
followed by =.
‹ Type the initial value › Type the conditional
you want to assign to expression you want to
the iterator followed by use to evaluate the value
a semicolon. of the iterator followed
by a semicolon.
ˇ Type the re-initialization
expression you want to use
to modify the value of the
iterator each time the loop
is executed.
Á Type the code you ‡ Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
want to execute as long in a Web browser. displays the result of
as the specified condition executing the loop.
is true. Enclose the code
in braces.

54 55
 PHP LANGUAGE BASICS 2
A while loop may be used to count the number of You can place a loop within another
characters in a string or the number of lines in a file. loop to create a nested loop.
Example: TYPE THIS:
$word = "dynamic";
USING THE WHILE STATEMENT $x = 0;
while ($word[$x] != null)
{
$loopCounter = 0;
do
{
print "This is line number";

T
he while statement allows you to create a conditional code in the loop body is executed again. If the condition is $x++; for ($x = 0; $x < 8; $x++)
loop that will execute a section of code as long as a false, the statement block is not executed and the loop ends. } {
print "The word <b>$word</b> has $x characters.<br>"; print ".";
specified condition is true. Conditions often test the
value of a variable. For example, you may want to process a When creating a conditional loop, you must ensure that the }
pay statement for each of the 100 employees in a company. condition being tested will be evaluated as false at some A do..while statement can be used to test a print "$loopCounter<br>";
time. If the condition is always true, the code in the loop $loopCounter++;
Instead of typing the code that will process a pay statement condition after the body of a loop has been executed. } while ($loopCounter < 3);
100 times, you can create a loop that will repeat the pay body will be executed indefinitely, creating an infinite loop. This is useful if you have a section of code that you
statement for each employee. The condition would check You should also keep in mind that there is typically a want to execute at least once, regardless of how the
how many pay statements have been processed. After the 30-second time limit for the processing of PHP code. condition is evaluated.
You should thoroughly test your PHP code to prevent RESULT:
100th pay statement has been processed, the condition
a PHP page from possibly timing out during processing, TYPE THIS:
would be evaluated as false and the loop would end. This is line number........0
which could result in data loss. For information about $loopCounter = 0; This is line number........1
The body of a while loop is enclosed in braces {} and the timeout settings for a PHP page, see page 219. do This is line number........2
contains the section of code to be executed, called the {
statement block. If the condition tests the value of a variable, print "This is line number ";
the loop body will also contain code to alter the value of the print $loopCounter . "<br>";
$loopCounter++;
variable. When the condition is true, the statement block is } while ($loopCounter < 0);
executed. When PHP reaches the end of the loop body, the
condition is re-evaluated. If the condition is still true, the
RESULT:
This is line number 0
USING THE WHILE STATEMENT
Using The WHILE Statement - Microsoft Internet Explorer

⁄ Type the code that ¤ Type while (). ‹ Between the parentheses, › Type the code you ˇ Within the braces, Á Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
creates a variable and type the condition you want want to execute as long as type the code that will in a Web browser. displays the result of using
assigns it a value. to evaluate. the condition you specified alter the value of the the while statement.
is true. Enclose the code in variable each time the
braces. loop is executed.
56 57
 PHP LANGUAGE BASICS 2

USING THE SWITCH STATEMENT You do not need to include code for each
case statement in a switch statement. You
can execute the same code for several case
You can include a default statement in a
switch statement if you want to execute
specific code when none of the case

T
he switch statement allows you to execute a section The switch statement compares the value of the expression statements by grouping the case statements statements match the specified expression.
of code, depending on the value of an expression. to each case statement in order, from top to bottom. To together and including the code after the last The default statement is placed last in
When a switch statement is executed, the value of make your code more efficient, you should place the case statement in the group. This saves you from the switch statement structure.
the expression is compared to a number of possible choices, statements that are most likely to match the expression first. having to retype the same code for several
Example:
which are specified using case statements. If the value case statements.
of the expression matches a case statement, the section You can use the break statement to prevent the code for switch ($priority)
the remaining case statements from being executed after Example: {
of code following the case statement is executed. For case 1:
example, you can create a switch statement that displays a match has been made. The break statement should be switch ($item)
{ print "Urgent";
a specific message, depending on information entered by the last statement in the section of code that follows each break;
case statement. Although the last case statement does case "hat":
a user. case "shirt": case 2:
not require a break statement, some programmers include case "pants": print "High Priority";
To use the switch statement, you must first specify the it to be consistent. This can help you avoid accidentally print "Clothing Category"; break;
expression you want to use. For example, you can specify leaving out the break statement if you later add another break; default:
a variable whose value you want to check. After specifying case statement to the switch statement. case "fruit": print "Low Priority";
case "vegetables": break;
the expression, you must create the case statements that }
contain the values the expression will be compared to. A print "Food Category";
break;
case statement consists of the case keyword followed by }
a value and a colon (:). The value can be any scalar value,
such as an integer or string, or an expression that evaluates
to a scalar value.

USING THE SWITCH STATEMENT

Using the SWITCH Statement - Microsoft Internet Explorer

⁄ Type switch ().
¤ Between the
parentheses, type the
expression you want the
switch statement to use.
‹ Type a pair of
braces to hold the
case statements.
› Type case followed
by a value the expression
may contain.
ˇ Type : to complete
the case statement.
Á Type the code you
want to execute if the value
in the case statement
matches the expression
you specified in step 2.
‡ Type break to prevent
the code for the remaining
case statements from
being executed once a
match has been made.
° Repeat steps 4 to 7 · Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
for each value the in a Web browser. displays the result of using
expression may contain. the switch statement.

58 59
 PHP LANGUAGE BASICS 2
Creating a loop allows you to access all the elements in an

CREATE AN ARRAY array. You can use the count function to determine the total
number of elements in the array and use the loop's counter
variable as the index to access each element.
n array is a variable that stores a set of related values. the name of the array followed by the index number of the

A For example, an array could store the name of each

day of the week. Using an array allows you to work
with multiple values at the same time. Each value in an array
element you want to access enclosed in brackets, such as
$days[1].
You can use an array element in a script as you would use
TYPE THIS:
$vegetables = array ("broccoli", "carrot",
"zucchini", "eggplant");
RESULT:

broccoli
carrot
is referred to as an element. for ($x = 0; $x < count($vegetables); $x++)
a variable. The value of an element can be directly displayed { zucchini
The first step in creating an array is to create a variable to a Web browser using the print function or assigned to print $vegetables[$x] . "<br>\n"; eggplant
to store the array. You can then use the array keyword another variable that can then be processed further. }
to assign a set of values, or elements, to the variable. The
elements are enclosed in parentheses and separated by An element can be changed or a new element can be added
commas. String elements in an array must be enclosed to an array without affecting the other elements in the array.
You can use the foreach statement to create a loop that allows you
in quotation marks. For more information about changing or adding elements in
to work with each consecutive element in an array without having to
an array, see page 62.
specify each element's index. In the following example, each element
In PHP, it is possible to store values of different data types
in the $vegetables array is assigned to the $value variable.
in a single array. You may even store other arrays in an
array. PHP's array-handling capabilities make it more flexible TYPE THIS: RESULT:
and intuitive than most other programming languages.
$vegetables = array ("broccoli", "carrot",
The vegetable is: broccoli
Each element in an array is uniquely identified by an index "zucchini", "eggplant");
foreach ($vegetables as $value) The vegetable is: carrot
number, or key. PHP numbers the elements in array starting
{ The vegetable is: zucchini
at zero (0). To access a specific element in an array, you enter
print "The vegetable is: $value<br>\n"; The vegetable is: eggplant
}

CREATE AN ARRAY

⁄ Type a name for the ¤ Between the parentheses, ■ If the value for an ‹ To access an array ˇ Type the code that Á Display the PHP ■ The Web browser
array you want to create type each element you want element is a string, you element, type the name uses the element in page in a Web browser. displays an element
followed by = array (). to add to the array separated must enclose the string of the array followed by []. the array. in the array.
by a comma. in quotation marks.
› Between the brackets,
type the index of the element
you want to access.
60 61
 PHP
You can create an empty array and then later add
elements to the array. This is useful when you
WORK WITH ARRAYS want to filter array elements or dynamically add
elements to an array using data obtained from
a database or a file. To create an empty array,
nce you have created an array, you can work with need to specify an index number. PHP will assign the new
LANGUAGE BASICS 2
You can create an array with an index that starts
with a number other than 0. The => operator is
used to explicitly assign a starting index to the
first element in the array. The next elements in
the array will then be indexed accordingly in

O the elements in the array. For example, you can

change or add elements in an array.
To change an element in an array, you must first specify
element an index number one greater than the current
largest index number in the array.
You may also explicitly specify the index number of a new
use the array keyword without placing any
elements within the parentheses.
Example:
sequence.
TYPE THIS:
$startWithTen = array (10 => "ten", "eleven",
$unfiltered = array ("apple", "orange", "not fruit", "twelve", "thirteen");
the name of the array followed by a set of brackets. You element you add to an array. If you specify an index number "grape", "banana", "not fruit", foreach ($startWithTen as $key => $value)
must then specify the index number of the element you that is more than one greater than the current largest index "not fruit", "cherry"); {
want to change. Keep in mind that PHP usually numbers number, PHP will not create elements to fill the gap between $filtered = array (); print "key: $key, value: $value<br>\n";
the elements in an array starting at zero (0). the index numbers. Any new elements later added to the foreach ($unfiltered as $value) }
{
array will be placed after the new largest index number. if ($value != "not fruit")
PHP allows you to change the value of an element in an
array by assigning the element a new value. When changing If a new element is added to an array that does not yet {
$filtered[] = $value; RESULT:
the value of an element, make sure you do not make exist, a new array will automatically be created. It is better }
unintended changes to the data, such as inserting text programming practice, however, to first create an array } key: 10, value: ten
data into an array you want to contain only numbers. before adding new elements to the array. foreach ($filtered as $value) key: 11, value: eleven
{ key: 12, value: twelve
You use a similar method to add a new element to an print "$value<br>"; key: 13, value: thirteen
existing array. When adding a new element, you do not }

WORK WITH ARRAYS

CHANGE AN ELEMENT
⁄ To change an element in
an array, type the name of
the array followed by [].
¤ Between the brackets,
type the index number of the
element you want to change.
62
‹ Type = followed by ADD AN ELEMENT Á Type = followed by the ‡ To add an element with a · Type = followed by the — Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser displays
the value you want to ˇ To add an element to value you want to assign specific index number to an value you want to assign in a Web browser. the results of changing and
assign to the element. an array, type the name of to the new element. array, type the name of the to the element. adding elements in an array.
the array followed by []. array followed by [].
› Repeat steps 1 to 3 ‚ Type the code that
for each element you ° Between the brackets, generates the results of
want to change. type the index number you your changes.
want to assign to the new
element.
63
 PHP LANGUAGE BASICS 2
You can call a function from within another function. When calling other
functions from within a function, you should be careful not to generate
a loop that causes the functions to continuously call each other.
TYPE THIS: RESULT:

USING A FUNCTION function WelcomeMessage()

{
print "Welcome to my Web page!<br>";
Welcome to my Web page!
My name is Martine.
function, sometimes referred to as a subroutine, capitalize the first letter of each word to make the name }

A contains a block of code that performs a specific

task, such as displaying a message. Using functions
makes it easy to re-use sections of code in a PHP page. For
example, you may have a function that displays a warning
message when a client enters invalid data into a form.
Instead of retyping the section of code that displays the
message for each field in the form, you can simply re-use
the function.
Functions also allow you to group lines of code into smaller,
more manageable sections. This makes it easier to
understand and troubleshoot the code.
A function is created using the function keyword followed
by the name of the function and a set of parentheses. A
function name must start with a letter or an underscore (_)
character. The name should identify the purpose of the
function or describe the action the function performs.
It is common to have a function name begin with a capital
letter. If the name consists of multiple words, you can
easy to read, such as AddTotalCost. Function names are
case-insensitive, but you should be consistent in naming
functions to help make your scripts easier for other people
function DisplayIntroduction()
{
WelcomeMessage();
print "My name is Martine.<br>";
to understand. }
DisplayIntroduction();
The block of code used in a function is enclosed in
braces {}. The block of code will not be executed until the
function is called in the script. To call a function, you type When creating a function, you should keep in mind that any
the name of the function followed by a set of parentheses variables created within the function can be accessed only within
where you want to execute the code. that function. The function's variables will not be accessible to
other functions or other sections of code in the PHP page.
PHP has many useful built-in functions, such as the print
function. To avoid unnecessary work, you should check RESULT:
TYPE THIS:
whether there is an existing function that suits your needs
before defining your own function. function SetPageTitle()
{
Welcome to
$pageTitle = "Martine's Home Page";
}
function DisplayWelcome()
{
print "Welcome to $pageTitle<br>";
}
DisplayWelcome();

USING A FUNCTION

CREATE A FUNCTION ¤ Type a name for the ‹ Type the code you CALL A FUNCTION ˇ Display the PHP ■ The Web browser
⁄ To create a function, function followed by (). want to execute when the › To call a function, page in a Web browser. displays the result of
type function. function is called. Enclose type the function name the function.
the code in braces. followed by ().
64 65
 PHP
A function can have more than one return
statement. This is commonly found in functions
that use conditional statements. Although a
function can have more than one return
RETURN A VALUE FROM A FUNCTION statement, only one return statement will be
executed. When a return statement is processed,
the execution of the function is terminated.
LANGUAGE BASICS 2
In PHP, most built-in functions return a boolean
value. This is useful for helping to prevent your
PHP scripts from crashing or generating errors.
For example, the is_numeric function will
return a value of true if the argument passed
to the function is a number or a numeric string.
Otherwise, the function returns a value of false.

A
lthough a function may simply display a value using need to have a function return multiple values, you should
the print function, it may be more useful to have first place the values in an array and then return the array TYPE THIS: Example:
the function return a value to the code that calls using the return keyword. $x = 8;
the function. A value returned from a function may be the function CheckAge() $y = "Hello";
result of a calculation or procedure or may indicate whether When a function that returns a value is called, the value { if (is_numeric($y) == TRUE)
can be directly displayed to a Web browser using the $age = 19; {
a process was successfully completed. For a function to if ($age >= 18)
return a value, you must include a return statement. print function. It may be more useful, however, to print "Answer: " . $x / $y . ".<br>";
{ }
assign the value returned from a function to a variable return "You may vote.<br>";
A return statement consists of the return keyword that can then be processed further by the PHP script. else
} {
followed by the value you want the function to return and else print "Cannot perform division.<br>";
is usually placed at the end of a function, after the code The return keyword may also be used to simply denote {
the end of a function. This is useful for functions that will }
that performs an operation and generates or calculates return "You may not vote.<br>";
the value to be returned. The execution of a function will not return a value. In such cases, the return keyword is }
terminate once the return statement is processed. used alone and is not followed by any value or variable. }
print CheckAge();
A function can return a value of any single data type, such
as strings, integers, floating-point numbers and boolean
values. A function typically returns only one value. If you RESULT:

You may vote.

RETURN A VALUE FROM A FUNCTION

⁄ Create the function ¤ In the body of the
you want to return a function, type return
value from. followed by the
information you want
the function to return.
■ In this example, we ‹ Type the code that › Display the PHP ■ The Web browser
return a variable that calls the function and page in a Web browser. displays the result of
contains the result of uses the value returned returning a value from
a calculation. from the function. a function.

66 67
 PHP LANGUAGE BASICS 2
You can specify a default value for an argument that will be
passed to a function. When creating the variables that will
store arguments you pass, you can assign a value you want
to use as a default argument to a variable. A variable that
has a default value assigned must be last in the list of
PASS ARGUMENTS TO A FUNCTION variables in the function statement.
When you pass arguments to the function, you do not need
assing arguments to a function you have created can and then send the result back to the code used to call the

P make the function more powerful by allowing you

to use one function throughout a script to process
different data.
In the function statement, you define one or more
variables between the parentheses that follow the function
name. Each variable represents a value, or argument, you
will pass to the function. Each time you call the function
in the PHP page, you will specify the arguments you want
to pass to the function.
You can use the variables you create in the function
statement within the body of the function. The variables
will exist only within the function and will not be available
once the function has finished processing. This means that
you will not be able to retrieve the value of a variable in a
function from outside the function. The function can use
the values that are passed to it to perform a calculation
PASS ARGUMENTS TO A FUNCTION
function. The result can be used in many ways in a PHP
page. For example, you can assign the result to another
variable or display the result on the screen.
to specify an argument for the variable that has a default
value assigned. The variable will automatically use the
default argument. You will need to pass an argument to
the variable only if you want to use a different argument.
You can pass one or more arguments to a function, but the
number of arguments you pass must match the number of TYPE THIS:
variables you created to store the arguments. An argument function MyMessage ($message, $size = 3)
you pass can be a variable or any alphanumeric value, but {
the argument must be appropriate for the purpose of the print "<font size=\"$size\">$message</font><br>";
function. For example, you cannot pass a text value to }
a function if the value will be used in a mathematical
calculation. Text values passed to a function must be MyMessage ("Welcome to My Web Site");
MyMessage ("Welcome to My Web Site", 5);
enclosed in quotation marks.
RESULT:
Welcome to My Web Site
Welcome to My Web Site

⁄ Create and call the ¤ Between the parentheses ‹ Between the parentheses ■ The number of › Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
function you want to in the code that creates the in the code that calls the arguments you pass in a Web browser. displays the result of
pass arguments to. function, type the names of the function, type the arguments must match the number passing arguments to
variables you want to store the you want to pass to the of variables you created the function.
arguments that will be passed function. Separate each in step 2.
to the function. Separate each argument with a comma.
variable name with a comma.
68 69
 PHP LANGUAGE BASICS 2
PASS ARGUMENTS TO A If you want an argument passed to a function to always Unlike variables, whose scope does not
be passed by reference, you can type an ampersand (&) automatically extend to functions, constants
FUNCTION BY REFERENCE in front of the variable you create to store the argument
in the function statement. This saves you from having
you create in a PHP page are automatically
accessible to the functions you create. This
y default, when an argument you pass to a function To pass an argument to a function by reference, you preface to type an ampersand each time you pass an argument means that you do not need to pass a constant

B is a variable created outside the function, only the

value of the variable is passed to the function. Any
changes the function makes to the value do not affect the
variable in the PHP page. If you want to use a function to
change the value of a variable in the PHP page, you must
pass the variable to the function by reference. Passing an
argument by reference passes an entire variable to the
function, rather than simply passing the value of the
variable.
Before you can pass arguments to a function, you must
create one or more variables between the parentheses
that follow the function name in the function statement.
Each variable represents an argument you will pass to the
function. The variables can then be used in the body of the
function, allowing the function to work with the arguments
that are passed to it. The variables you create in the
function statement exist only within the function
and are not available outside the function.
the argument with an ampersand (&) in the code that calls
the function. An argument you pass by reference must be a
variable. You can pass one or more arguments to a function
to the function.
TYPE THIS:
function TimesThree(&$number)
to a function before the constant can be used
in the function. Constants are normally created
at the beginning of a script.
by reference, but the number of arguments you pass must
{
match the number of variables you created to store the $number *= 3; It is considered good programming practice to
arguments. } create all of your functions near the beginning
When the function is called, the arguments you pass by of a script. This can make your code easier to
$myNumber = 5;
reference are assigned to the variables you created in the understand and maintain. You can then call the
function statement. When the variables are modified print "The original number is: $myNumber<br>"; functions wherever you want to execute the
within the function, the values of the arguments they TimesThree($myNumber); code in the PHP page.
contain are also modified. The results of the function are print "The new number is: $myNumber<br>";
then sent back to the code used to call the function.
RESULT:
The original number is: 5
The new number is: 15

PASS ARGUMENTS TO A FUNCTION BY REFERENCE

⁄ Create and call the ¤ Between the parentheses
function you want to pass in the code that creates the
arguments to by reference. function, type the name of the
variable you want to store the
argument that will be passed
to the function.
70
■ If multiple arguments will
be passed to the function,
type the names of all the
variables you want to store
the arguments. Separate each
variable name with a comma.
‹ Between the parentheses
in the code that calls the
function, type an ampersand
followed by the name of a
variable you want to pass to
the function.
■ You can repeat step 3 for
each argument you want to
pass by reference, separating
each argument with a comma.
The number of arguments you
pass must match the number
of variables you created in
step 2.
› Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
in a Web browser. displays the result of
passing an argument
to the function by
reference.
71
 PHP LANGUAGE BASICS 2
You can have PHP retain the value of a local variable after
a function has finished executing and use the value the
next time the function is called. To retain the value of a
local variable, you use the static keyword when creating
the variable. The initial value you assign to the variable is
UNDERSTANDING VARIABLE SCOPE used the first time the function is called. The next time the
function is called, PHP will use the value assigned to the
variable the last time the function was executed.

T
he scope of a variable determines which parts
of a script can access the variable and use its
value.
If you create a variable in the body of a function, the
value of the variable will only be available in the function.
Variables created in a function are referred to as local
variables. By default, a function can access only local
variables. This is an important safety feature in PHP
because it prevents variables created outside a function
from interfering with variables of the same name created
within the function.
To allow a function to use a variable that was created
outside of the function, you must declare the variable as
global within the function. To declare a variable as global,
you use the keyword global followed by the name of
the variable. The global declaration must be made before
the variable can be used. Declaring a variable as global
The value of a static local variable is retained only for
within a function does not create a new variable, but
the duration of the script. Once the script is finished
simply allows the function to access and use the value
processing, the value ceases to exist.
of the variable. Any changes made to a global variable
inside a function also affect the value of the variable
TYPE THIS: RESULT:
outside of the function.
function Multiply($number)
Variables have a limited lifetime in PHP. The lifetime of {
1 times 2 is: 2
a variable refers to the length of time the value of the static $container = 1; ...times 4 is: 8
variable exists in memory. A variable created in a PHP $container *= $number; ...times 3 is: 24
return $container;
script exists only for the duration of the script. When }
the script is finished processing, the value of the variable $myNumber = Multiply(2);
ceases to exist. A variable created in a function exists only print "1 times 2 is: $myNumber<br>\n";
while the function is being executed. The value of a local
variable ceases to exist when the function terminates. $myNumber = Multiply(4);
print "...times 4 is: $myNumber<br>\n";
$myNumber = Multiply(3);
print "...times 3 is: $myNumber<br>\n";

UNDERSTANDING VARIABLE SCOPE

⁄ Type the code that
creates a variable and
assigns it a value.
72
¤ Type the code that
creates a function.
‹ To create a local
variable, type the code
that creates a variable
and assigns it a value in
the body of the function.
› To declare a variable ˇ Type the code that Á Type the code that ‡ Display the PHP ■ The Web browser
as global in the body of uses the local variable calls the function. page in a Web browser. displays the result of
the function, type global and the global variable. using a local variable
followed by the name and a global variable.
of the variable.
73
 PHP LANGUAGE BASICS 2
You can access functions dynamically, just as you would
access dynamic variables. To call a function dynamically,
you first assign the function name to a string variable. When
USING DYNAMIC VARIABLES you want to call the function, you can use the variable name
followed by parentheses instead of the function name.

P
HP allows you to use dynamic variables, which are You first create a string variable that has the same name as TYPE THIS: RESULT:
also referred to as variable variables, in your scripts. the dynamic variable you want to use. The string variable
A dynamic variable is a variable whose name is stored
function FontFour($message) Hello there! How are you?
should contain the name of the variable you want to access. {
in another variable. To create the dynamic variable, you type the variable print "<font size=\"4\">$message</font>";
}
operator ($), followed by the string variable you created. function FontFive($message)
A variable consists of two parts––the variable operator ($) The result is a variable that has two variable operators ($), {
and the name of the variable. A regular variable uses a literal such as $$varName. print "<font size=\"5\">$message</font>";
string as the name of the variable. However, you can create }
a dynamic variable by using the name of an existing string A dynamic variable acts as the equivalent of the original function FontSix($message)
{
variable as the name of the dynamic variable. variable that stores the name of the variable you want to print "<font size=\"6\">$message</font>";
access. You can work with the dynamic variable in the }
Dynamic variables are especially useful for accessing the same way you would work with a regular variable. $size = "Four";
values of a series of variables that you have previously if ($size != "")
created dynamically in your script, such as field names in {
$functionName = "Font" . $size;
a form. If you do not know the exact number of variables in }
the form, but you know that the names of the variables all else
begin with "Field_", you can create a dynamic variable that {
$functionName = "FontSix";
will access all the variables named "Field_" in the form. }
$functionName("Hello there! How are you?");

USING DYNAMIC VARIABLES

⁄ To create a string
variable that will contain
the name of the variable
you want to access, type $
followed by a name for the
variable. Then type =.
74
¤ Type the value or
expression the variable
will store, including the
name of the variable you
want to access.
■ String values must be
enclosed in quotation
marks.
‹ To create a dynamic › Type the code that ■ In this example, the ˇ Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
variable, type $ followed uses the dynamic variable. dynamic variable is used in a Web browser. displays the result of
by the string variable you in a loop that accesses a using a dynamic variable.
created in step 1. series of string variables
and displays their values.
75
 PHP LANGUAGE BASICS 2
Type casting is another way to explicitly set the create the variable you want to cast. You then
data type of a variable. You can cast a variable create a second variable to store the data type

WORK WITH DATA TYPES OF VARIABLES to the integer, double, string, boolean,
array or object data type. You must first
you want to use, enclosed in parentheses, and
the first variable.
TYPE THIS:

W
hen creating variables in PHP, you do not have
to explicitly declare the type of variable you
want to create. The data type of a variable is
determined by the value assigned to the variable. For
example, if you assign an integer value to the $number
variable, then $number will use the integer data type.
This distinguishes PHP from other languages, such as
C++ and Java, which require variables to have assigned
data types.
If you are working with different types of data, PHP will
automatically perform the required data type conversions.
For example, if you add the string "3" to the integer 2,
PHP will convert the string to an integer and return the
integer 5 as the result. When PHP automatically converts
a value to a new data type, it affects only how the value
is evaluated. The value of the variable is not changed.
The gettype function allows you to determine the
current data type of a variable. The gettype function
takes the name of the variable whose data type you
want to determine as its argument.
You can use the settype function to force PHP to always
evaluate a variable using a specific data type. The settype $uncasted = 1.2345;
function takes two arguments––the name of the variable $casted = (integer)$uncasted;
print "Data type of the uncasted variable is: " . gettype($uncasted);
whose data type you want to set and the data type you print "<br>";
want the variable to use. The data types you can specify print "Data type of the casted variable is: " . gettype($casted);
include integer, double, string, boolean, array
and object. The double data type refers to double-
precision floating-point numbers. RESULT:
When you use the settype function, PHP will attempt Data type of the uncasted variable is: double
to convert the value of the variable to the specified type. Data type of the casted variable is: integer
If the conversion is successful, the settype function will
return a value of true. A value of false will be returned
if the conversion was not successful. When a value is When you use a string in a numeric calculation, of the string. If the string begins with anything
converted to a new data type, data may be lost. For PHP examines the beginning of the string. If other than numeric data, the value of the
example, if you convert a floating-point number to an the string begins with valid numeric data, PHP string will be zero (0).
integer, the fractional part of the number will be lost. will use the numeric data and truncate the rest
TYPE THIS: RESULT:
$a = "100 US Dollars"; $a = 100
print "\$a = " . ($a + 0) . "<br>"; $b = 0
$b = "US Dollars: 100";
print "\$b = " . ($b + 0);

WORK WITH DATA TYPES OF VARIABLES

⁄ Type the code that creates a
variable and assigns it a value.
¤ To determine the data type
of a variable, type gettype().
76
‹ Between the
parentheses, type the name
of the variable whose data
type you want to determine.
› Type the code that uses
the gettype function.
ˇ To set the data type of
a variable, type settype().
Á Between the parentheses,
type the name of the variable
whose data type you want to
set followed by a comma.
‡ Type the data type ° Type the code that uses · Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
you want to set for the the settype function. in a Web browser. displays the results of
variable, enclosed in working with the data
quotation marks. types of variables.
77
 PHP
You may use the print_r function to view
information about a variable you specify in a form
GET INFORMATION ABOUT A VARIABLE that can be easily read. This function is especially
useful for viewing the contents of arrays and
objects. When using the print_r function, you
LANGUAGE BASICS 2
The var_dump function is used to display
information about a variable in an easy-to-read
format and shows the data types of all the
values being displayed. You may want to use
the <pre> tag to format the result of the

T
here are a number of functions you may use to test function is used to test whether a variable is an object. You may want to use the <pre> tag to format the result. var_dump function.
whether a variable stores data of a certain type. use the is_resource function to check if a variable is an
Testing the value of data stored in a variable is useful integer that represents a system resource, such as an open TYPE THIS: TYPE THIS:
before using a variable in a calculation. If you attempt a file or an open database connection. $info = array ("Tom", 24, 65.5); $info = array ("Tom", 24, 65.5);
calculation with the wrong type of variable, an error may print "<pre>"; print "<pre>";
occur. The functions that test the type of a variable return a value print_r($info); var_dump($info);
of true if the value stored in the variable is of the indicated print "</pre>"; print "</pre>";
The is_int, is_integer, and is_long functions are type, otherwise, the functions return a value of false.
used to verify if a variable stores an integer. You use the
is_float, is_real and is_double functions to check There are other useful functions you may use to get
RESULT: RESULT:
whether a variable stores a floating-point number. The information about a variable, such as whether a variable
has been assigned a value or whether a variable holds a Array array(3) {
is_numeric function is used to test if a variable stores ( [0]=>
a number or a numeric string. zero (0) value. The isset function returns a value of true
[0] => Tom string(3) "Tom"
if a value has been assigned to a variable. The empty [1] => 24 [1]=>
The is_bool function is used to determine if a variable function returns a value of false if a variable contains a [2] => 65.5 int(24)
is a boolean. To check if a variable stores a string, you use non-zero or non-empty value. ) [2]=>
the is_string function. The is_array function is used float(65.5)
to test if a variable stores an array, and the is_object }

GET INFORMATION ABOUT A VARIABLE

⁄ Type the code that
creates variables and
assigns their values.
¤ To check if a variable
stores a value of a specific
type, type the function you
want to use followed by ().
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the variable
you want to check.
› Type the code that uses
the function.
ˇ To check if a value has
been assigned to a variable,
type isset().
Á Between the parentheses,
type the name of the variable
you want to check.
‡ Type the code that ° To check if a variable ‚ Type the code that — Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
uses the isset function. stores an empty or 0 value, uses the empty function. in a Web browser. displays the results of
type empty(). retrieving information
about the variables.
· Between the parentheses,
type the name of the variable
you want to check.

78 79
 PHP LANGUAGE BASICS 2

ACCESS SYSTEM CONSTANTS Common PHP System Constants

CONSTANT: DESCRIPTION:
_ _FILE_ _ Returns the filename of the script being processed.

P
HP comes with several built-in system constants
that you can use in your scripts. A constant is a
name that represents a value that does not change.
Because PHP sets the value of a system constant, these
constants do not have to be declared and can be used
in every script you create.
You can also create your own constants. This allows you
to set the value of the constant. For information about
defining and using constants, see page 44.
System constants are usually used to store information
about the environment in which a PHP script is running.
For example, the PHP_VERSION constant stores the version
of PHP being used on the computer and the _ _FILE_ _
constant stores the filename of the script being processed.
To access the value of a system constant in a PHP page,
you specify the name of the constant in the PHP code.
Unlike variables, constants do not start with a dollar symbol,
so PHP cannot determine when a constant is being used
in a string. To ensure that a constant is evaluated correctly _ _LINE_ _ Returns the number of the line being processed in the script.
in a string, you must separate the constant from the rest PHP_VERSION Returns the version number of PHP being used.
of the string.
PHP_OS Returns the name of the operating system running PHP.
You should use all uppercase letters when specifying the TRUE Stores a value of true.
name of a system constant. The constants TRUE and FALSE,
however, are also commonly referenced using all lowercase FALSE Stores a value of false.
letters. TRUE and FALSE are the most frequently used E_ERROR Indicates a fatal error that is not related to parsing.
system constants. You can test the values of the TRUE E_WARNING Indicates that an error has occurred, but PHP will continue processing
or FALSE system constant by assigning the constant to the script.
a variable and using the variable in an if statement.
E_PARSE Indicates a fatal parsing error caused by invalid syntax in the script.
You cannot modify the value of a PHP system constant. E_NOTICE Indicates that an error may have occurred, but PHP will continue
You also cannot use the name of a system constant as the processing the script.
name or value of a constant you create. If you attempt
E_ALL Represents all the E_* constants. If used with the error_reporting
to do either of these tasks in your script, the script will
function, all problems noticed by PHP will be reported.
generate an error.
NULL Represents no value.

ACCESS SYSTEM CONSTANTS

⁄ To access the value of ¤ Type the code that ‹ Repeat steps 1 and 2 › To test the value of a ˇ Type the code that Á Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
a system constant, type uses the value of the for each system constant system constant, type the uses the value of the in a Web browser. displays the result of
the name of the constant. constant. you want to access. code that assigns the value constant. accessing the values
of the constant to a variable. of system constants.

80 81
 PHP
INCLUDE A FILE
T
he require and include statements allow you to
use one file in several different PHP pages. This can
save you time when you need to include the same
information in multiple pages. For example, if you have a
copyright notice you want to display on all your PHP pages,
you can create a file that contains the copyright notice and
then use a require or include statement to include the
information on all your pages. If you change the code in the
file, all the PHP pages that include the file will be updated.
You must first create the file you want to include. The
file can contain plain text or HTML code, such as a table,
header or footer. The file can also contain PHP code
enclosed within the PHP delimiters (<?php and ?>),
such as variables or functions. You can save the file with
the .inc extension on the Web server.
To include the file in a PHP page, you must add a require
or include statement in the PHP page. The filename
specified in the require or include statement must be
INCLUDE A FILE
CREATE A FILE TO INCLUDE ¤ Save the file on the
⁄ In a text editor, create Web server.
a file you want to include
in several PHP pages.
82
enclosed in quotation marks. The contents of the required
or included file can then be used in your script.
The require and include statements differ mainly in
the way PHP processes each statement.
When a script is processed, PHP replaces instances of
the require statement with the contents of the file to be
included, even if the line containing the require statement
is never executed. Unlike the require statement, the
include statement is processed only when the statement
is executed and returns a boolean value of true or false,
depending on whether the statement is executed correctly.
If you want to include a file based on a condition being
true, you should use an include statement instead of
a require statement.
INCLUDE A FILE ¤ Type include() or
⁄ Display the code for require() where you
the PHP page in which want to include a file.
you want to include a file.
Using the require and include
statements allows you to break code into
manageable sections and then include the
code in PHP pages as needed. For example,
you can organize constants and functions
you create into include files that you can
then insert into your PHP pages. You can
also nest include files within other include
files. This is especially useful for complex
PHP pages that contain long sections of
code.
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the file you
want to include, enclosed in
quotation marks.
LANGUAGE BASICS 2
Some files should be included only once when
a script is processed. For example, if a file with
a function declaration has been included multiple
times, an error will occur after the require or
include statement is processed the first time,
because a function can be declared only once
in a script. To ensure that a file is included only
once, you can use the require_once or
include_once statement when you include the
file in a PHP page. After the file has been included
once, PHP will ignore any new statements that
include the file.
Example:
<?php
require_once("hello.inc");
?>
› Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
in a Web browser. displays the result of
including a file.
83
 PHP
You can use the foreach statement to work
with each key-value pair in an associative
CREATE AN ASSOCIATIVE ARRAY array. You specify another variable to hold the
value of each key after the as keyword in the
ou can create an associative array, which allows meaningful keys. Arrays containing many elements with very foreach statement. This variable is followed
WORK WITH ARRAYS 3
To change the value of an element in an
associative array, you specify the name of
the array followed by the key of the element
you want to change. You can then use the
assignment operator (=) to assign a new

Y you to use string values instead of index numbers to

identify the elements in the array. These string values
are often referred to as keys.
long keys require more memory, which makes the script less
efficient.
To access an element in an associative array, you specify the
by the => operator and the variable that will
hold the value of each element.
TYPE THIS:
value.
Example:
$user = array ("name" => "Tom",
"age" => 24,
Creating an associative array is similar to creating a simple name of the array followed by the key enclosed in brackets, $user = array ("name" => "Tom", "gender" => "male");
array. You create a variable to store the array and then use such as $user[name]. If the key contains spaces, it must be "age" => 24, $user[age] = 29;
the array keyword to assign the elements. When assigning enclosed in quotation marks, such as $user["last name"]. "gender" => "male");
an element to an associative array, however, you must first foreach ($user as $key => $value)
type the key. The key is enclosed in quotation marks and You should not access an element with a key that is {
should describe its associated value in the array. The key is enclosed in quotation marks within another string, such as print "$key: $value<br>"; You can later add an element to an
print "Welcome $user["first name"]", since an error will be } associative array. To do so, you specify the
followed by the => operator and the value of the element.
Each key-value pair in an associative array is separated by generated. In such cases, it is better to access the element name of the array followed by the key of
a comma. outside the string and use the concatenation operator (.) to the new element. You can then assign the
combine the strings, such as print "Welcome " . $user["first RESULT: new value.
It is good programming practice to avoid using spaces and name"].
non-alphanumeric characters, such as ? and &, in the keys name: Tom Example:
of an associative array. You should also try to use short but age: 24 $user[status] = "single";
gender: male

CREATE AN ASSOCIATIVE ARRAY

⁄ Type a name for the ¤ To add an element to the
associative array you array, type a key followed by =>
want to create followed and the value you want to assign
by = array (). to the element.
■ The key and any string values
must be enclosed in quotation
84 marks.
‹ Repeat step 2 for each
element you want to add to the
associative array. Separate each
key-value pair with a comma.
› To access an element in the
associative array, type the name
of the array followed by [].
ˇ Between the brackets,
type the key of the element
you want to access.
Á Type the code that
uses the element in
the associative array.
‡ Repeat steps 4 to 6
for each element you
want to access.
° Display the PHP page
in a Web browser.
■ The Web browser
displays the result of
accessing elements in
an associative array.
85
 PHP WORK WITH ARRAYS 3
You can neatly display the elements of a multidimensional array in a table
created using HTML. To access all the elements in the multidimensional
CREATE A MULTIDIMENSIONAL ARRAY array, you may use nested foreach loops. The first foreach loop will
iterate through each array in the multidimensional array, while the other
foreach loop will iterate through the elements in each array.
multidimensional array is useful for organizing data the first set of brackets. The index of the element within

A in a grid or a table format. For example, you may use

a multidimensional array to store data about different
users. You create a multidimensional array by adding one
the array is specified in the second set of brackets, and
so on. Keep in mind that PHP begins numbering arrays
and elements at zero (0). For example, to access the third
TYPE THIS:
$users = array (
array ("name" => "Tom", "age" => 24, "gender" => "male"),
RESULT:

or more arrays as elements of another array. element in the second array of a two-dimensional array, array ("name" => "Martine", "age" => 19, "gender" => "female"),
you would type $values[1][2]. array ("name" => "Jason", "age" => 40, "gender" => "male")
When creating a multidimensional array, you should make );
the array symmetrical by ensuring that each array in the Accessing an element of a multidimensional array within a print "<table border=\"1\">\n";
multidimensional array has the same number of elements. string, such as print "Name: $values[2][0]", may not give the print "<tr>\n";
print "<th>#</th>\n";
You can use simple arrays, associative arrays or both types correct result. To avoid problems, you should use braces {} print "<th>Name</th>\n";
as elements of a multidimensional array. when accessing an element of a multidimensional array print "<th>Age</th>\n";
within a string, such as print "Name: {$values[2][0]}". You print "<th>Gender</th>\n";
To access an element in a multidimensional array, you need may want to access the element outside the string and use print "</tr>\n";
to specify the name of the array followed by a set of brackets the concatenation operator (.) to combine the strings foreach ($users as $number => $user)
for each dimension of the array. For example, accessing an {
instead, such as print "Name: " . $values[2][0]. print "<tr><td>$number</td>";
element in a two-dimensional array will require two sets of foreach ($user as $value)
brackets. {
print "<td>$value</td>";
You then specify the indexes of the element you want to }
access in the multidimensional array within the brackets. print "</tr>";
The index of the array you want to access is specified in }
print "</table>";

CREATE A MULTIDIMENSIONAL ARRAY

⁄ Type a name for the
multidimensional array
followed by = array ().
¤ To assign an array as an
element of a multidimensional
array, type array followed by the
values or key-value pairs for the
array enclosed in parentheses.
86
‹ Repeat step 2 for each › To access an element in the Á Between the second ‡ Type the code that ° Repeat steps 4 to 7 · Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
array you want to assign multidimensional array, type set of brackets, type uses the element in the for each element you in a Web browser. displays the results of
to the multidimensional the name of the array followed the index or key of the multidimensional array. want to access. accessing elements in a
array. Separate each array by a set of brackets for each element you want to multidimensional array.
with a comma. dimension in the array. access.
Note: In this example, a ˇ Between the first set of ■ If necessary, specify
two-dimensional array is brackets, type the index of additional indexes or
created. the array you want to access. keys within brackets.
87
 PHP WORK WITH ARRAYS 3
You can create a function that advances the array pointer a specified

MOVE THROUGH ARRAY ELEMENTS number of times. The array and the number of advancements are
passed to the function as arguments, with the array being passed
by reference. In the function, a loop is used with the next function
ou may access the elements in an array by navigating Once you have set the pointer to the element you want to to advance the pointer. You can also create a function that uses the

Y through the array using an internal array pointer,

which is used to indicate which element in the array
is currently selected. This is useful when accessing array
elements that have non-sequential indexes or keys. When
an array is created, the pointer is set to the first element
of the array. You can then move the pointer forward or
back to an element you want to access.
The internal array pointer is moved using the next,
prev, end and reset functions. The next function
is used to advance the pointer to the next element in
an array. The prev function sets the pointer back to the
previous element. The end function sets the pointer to
the last element in an array, while the reset function
sets the pointer back to the first element in the array.
The next, prev, end and reset functions take the
array you want to move through as an argument and
return the value of the element to which the pointer
is set.
work with, you can use the key and current functions
to access the element. These functions also take the name
of the array as an argument. The key function returns the
prev function to set the pointer back a specified number of times.
Example:
function AdvancePointer(&$array, $number)
key, or index, of the current element, while the current {
function returns the value of the current element. for ($counter = 0; $counter < $number; $counter++)
{
If the internal array pointer is advanced beyond the last next($array);
element in the array or is moved back beyond the first }
element, the position of the pointer will be lost. You will }
not be able to recover the pointer using the next or prev function MoveBackPointer(&$array, $number)
functions. To restore the pointer, you must use the reset {
or end function. for ($counter = 0; $counter < $number; $counter++)
{
prev($array);
}
}
$fruits = array ("apple", "avocado", "banana", "grapefruit", "melon");
AdvancePointer($fruits, 3);
print "Key: " . key($fruits) . ", Value: " . current($fruits) . "<br>";
MoveBackPointer($fruits, 2);
print "Key: " . key($fruits) . ", Value: " . current($fruits) . "<br>";

MOVE THROUGH ARRAY ELEMENTS

⁄ Type the code that
creates an array.
88
¤ To move through the
elements in the array, type
the name of the function
you want to use (next, prev,
end or reset) followed by the
name of the array enclosed
in parentheses.
‹ To access the index of
the current element, type key
followed by the name of the
array enclosed in parentheses.
› To access the value of the
current element, type current
followed by the name of the
array enclosed in parentheses.
ˇ Type the code that Á Repeat steps 2 to 5 ‡ Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser displays
uses the index and value for each element you in a Web browser. the result of moving through
of the current element. want to move to and the array elements.
access in the array.
89
 PHP
When working with arrays in PHP, it is important to
remember that the position of an element in an array
ADD AND REMOVE ELEMENTS IN AN ARRAY does not necessarily correspond to the index number
of the element. The positions of array elements are
determined by the order in which the elements are
WORK WITH ARRAYS 3
You can use the assignment operator (=) to
add elements to the end of an array instead
of using the array_push function. This is
useful when you want to add only a single
element to the end of an array.

P
HP provides several functions that allow you to To remove an element from the beginning of an array, assigned to the array, especially in cases where the
modify an array by adding and removing elements use the array_shift function. The array_pop function Example:
indexes of the elements are set explicitly. For example,
in the array. allows you to remove an element from the end of an array. using the array_pop function will remove the $fruits = array("apple", "grape", "melon");
You can remove only one element from an array at a time $fruits[] = "orange";
To add an element to the beginning of an array, use the element that was set last in the array, not the element foreach($fruits as $value)
using the array_shift or array_pop function. These with the highest index number.
array_unshift function. Use the array_push function functions will return the value of the removed element.
{
to add an element to the end of an array. When using the print "$value ";
Example: }
array_unshift and array_push functions, you must When you use the array_unshift or array_shift $fruits = array();
specify the name of the array you want to modify followed function to add or remove an element from the beginning $fruits[3] = "apple"; Result:
by the value for the element you want to add. In addition of an array, the other elements will shift to accommodate $fruits[2] = "grape";
to individual elements, the array_unshift and the new element. The keys of numerically indexed $fruits[1] = "melon"; apple grape melon orange
array_push functions also accept lists of values. This elements in the array will be re-indexed starting from $fruits[0] = "orange";
allows you to add multiple elements to the beginning or array_pop($fruits);
zero (0). Using the array_push or array_pop foreach($fruits as $value)
end of an array. To add more than one element, you type functions to add or remove an element from the end {
the value for each element, separating each value with of an array will not affect the indexing of the other print "$value ";
a comma. The array_unshift and array_push elements. }
functions will return the number of elements in the
modified array. Result:
apple grape melon

ADD AND REMOVE ELEMENTS IN AN ARRAY

ADD AN ELEMENT
⁄ Type the code that
creates an array.
90
¤ To add an element to
the beginning of the array,
type array_unshift().
■ To add an element to
the end of the array, type
array_push().
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the array
to which you want to add an
element followed by a comma.
› Type the value for the
element you want to add
to the array.
■ String values must be REMOVE AN ELEMENT
enclosed in quotation Á To remove the last
marks. element in the array,
ˇ Type the code that type array_pop().
uses the array. ■ To remove the first
element in the array,
type array_shift().
‡ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the array
from which you want to
remove an element.
° Type the code that uses
the array.
· Display the PHP page
in a Web browser.
■ The Web browser
displays the results of
adding and removing
elements in an array.
91
 PHP WORK WITH ARRAYS 3
You can use a negative offset number to specify the position of
the first element you want to replace. When a negative number
REPLACE ELEMENTS IN AN ARRAY is used, the array_splice function finds the position of the
elements from the end of the array, starting at 1.

T
he array_splice function allows you to
replace existing elements in an array with
new elements.
To use the array_splice function, you must specify
the name of the array you want to change and the
offset number of the first element you want to replace.
The offset number corresponds to the position of the
element in the array, but is not necessarily the index
number of the element. The offset number will be the
same as the index number of the element only if the
array is indexed in consecutive order starting from
zero (0).
You should also specify a length parameter to indicate
the number of elements you want to replace in the
array. You can replace one or more elements. If you
do not specify a length parameter, PHP will replace
the element represented by the offset number,
followed by each element to the end of the array.
You can then indicate the new elements you want TYPE THIS: RESULT:
to assign to the array. The array_splice function $fruits = array("apple", "avocado", "banana", "grapefruit", "melon");
allows you to replace elements in an array with an apple avocado banana peach
array_splice($fruits, -2, 2, "peach");
array of elements or a single element. If new elements foreach($fruits as $value)
are not specified, the elements selected for replacement {
in the array will simply be removed. print "$value ";
}
The array_splice function can also be used to add
new elements to the end of an array. To add elements
to the end of an array, specify an offset number that If you want to work with only some of the elements in an array,
is greater than the highest index number in the array you can extract the elements you want without modifying the
and use a length parameter of zero (0). array. To extract elements from an array, use the array_slice
function instead of the array_splice function.
When you use the array_splice function to replace
or add elements in an array, the keys of numerically TYPE THIS: RESULT:
indexed elements in the array will be re-indexed $fruits = array("apple", "avocado", "banana", "grapefruit", "melon"); avocados bananas grapefruits
starting from zero (0). $extracted = array_slice($fruits, 1, 3);
foreach($extracted as $value)
When the array_splice function is executed, {
an array containing the replaced array elements is print "$value"."s ";
returned. }

REPLACE ELEMENTS IN AN ARRAY

⁄ Type the code that creates
an array.
¤ To replace elements in
the array with more than one
new element, type the code
that creates an array that
contains the new elements.
‹ To replace elements in
an array, type array_splice().
› Between the parentheses,
type the name of the array that
contains elements you want to
replace followed by a comma.
ˇ Type the offset number of
the first element you want to
replace followed by a comma.
Á Type the number of ‡ To specify the
elements you want to elements you want to
replace followed by a assign to the array, type
comma. the name of the array
that contains the new
elements.
■ To replace the array elements · Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
with just one element, you in a Web browser. displays the result of
can type the value for the new replacing elements in
element. A string value must be an array.
enclosed in quotation marks.
° Type the code that uses
the array.

92 93
 PHP
When PHP sorts strings, values beginning
with uppercase characters are grouped
SORT A SIMPLE ARRAY together first, followed by values beginning
with lowercase characters. Using the same
case for all the array elements will ensure
WORK WITH ARRAYS 3
You can arrange the elements in an array in random
order. To arrange array elements in random order,
you use the shuffle function. Before using the
shuffle function, you must call the srand function
to initialize PHP's random number generator.

T
he sort function allows you to sort a simple array
and place the elements in order from lowest to
highest. For example, you could sort an array of
numbers into ascending order or sort an array of strings
into alphabetical order.
The sort function takes the name of the array you want to
sort as its argument. When you sort an array using the sort
function, the keys for numerically indexed elements will be
re-indexed starting from zero (0). This makes the sort
function unsuitable for sorting an associative array. For
information about sorting associative arrays, see page 96.
PHP allows you to use an optional second argument with
the sort function to specify how the data values should
be treated. The SORT_REGULAR value specifies that PHP
should evaluate the array elements based on their ASCII
values. By default, PHP will use the SORT_REGULAR value
when sorting an array, unless another sort type is specified.
To specify that you want the array elements to be evaluated
as numbers, you can use the SORT_NUMERIC value. that they are sorted in the correct order.
If you specify the SORT_STRING value, the elements You can use the strtolower function to TYPE THIS:
will be evaluated as strings. convert the values in an array to all lowercase srand((double) microtime() * 1000000);
characters before performing a sort. $numbers = array(0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10);
Specifying a sort type argument is useful when you want
shuffle($numbers);
to force PHP to evaluate array elements in a specific way. foreach($numbers as $value)
TYPE THIS:
For example, PHP would normally sort an array containing {
the numbers 1, 2 and 10 as 1 10 2. To ensure that the $fruits = array("Orange", "apple", "Banana", print "$value ";
numbers are sorted in correct ascending order, you should "mango", "Grape"); }
foreach($fruits as $key => $value)
use the SORT_NUMERIC value. {
$fruits[$key] = strtolower($value);
The sort function will return a value of true or false
} RESULT:
depending on whether the sort was executed successfully. sort($fruits);
foreach($fruits as $value) 1 2 3 7 0 4 5 6 8 10 9
To sort an array in reverse order, from the highest to the
{
lowest value, you use the rsort function. The rsort print "$value ";
function has the same properties and takes the same }
arguments as the sort function.
RESULT:
apple banana grape mango orange

SORT A SIMPLE ARRAY

⁄ Type the code that creates
an array.
¤ To sort the array, type sort().
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the array
you want to sort.
94
› To specify the way Á Display the PHP ■ The Web browser SORT AN ARRAY IN REVERSE ORDER › To specify the way you Á Display the PHP ■ The Web browser
you want PHP to evaluate page in a Web browser. displays the results ⁄ Type the code that creates an want PHP to evaluate the page in a Web browser. displays the results of
the elements, type a of sorting the values array. elements, type a comma sorting the values in an
comma followed by a in an array. followed by a sort value. array in reverse order.
sort value. ¤ To sort the array in reverse
order, type rsort(). ˇ Type the code that
ˇ Type the code that uses the array.
uses the array. ‹ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the array you
want to sort in reverse order. 95
 PHP
The natsort function sorts alphanumeric values
using a method called natural ordering, which is
based on how a person would naturally order items.
The natsort function is based on Martin Pool's
SORT AN ASSOCIATIVE ARRAY Natural Order String Comparison algorithm. You can
find more information about natural ordering at the
www.linuxcare.com.au/projects/natsort Web site. The
WORK WITH ARRAYS 3
The natcasesort function also uses the
natural ordering method to sort values, but
it sorts values in a case-insensitive manner.
Similar to the other functions used to sort
associative arrays, the natcasesort
function maintains the relationship between
the key and value of the array elements.

T
he asort function is used to sort an associative
array so that the relationship between the key and
value of the array elements are preserved during
the sorting process. When the asort function is used,
the values of an associative array are sorted from lowest
to highest. Using the asort function to sort the values in
an associative array ensures that the array elements will
not be re-indexed starting from 0, which would cause the
original keys to be lost.
You may also sort an associative array based on the keys
of the array elements rather than the values using the
ksort function. When the ksort function is used,
the keys will be sorted from lowest to highest while
maintaining the relationship between the key and value
of the array elements.
The asort and ksort functions take the associative array
you want to sort as an argument and will return a value of
true or false depending on whether the sort was executed
successfully.
PHP allows you to use an optional second argument with
the asort and ksort functions to specify how the data
values should be treated. The SORT_REGULAR value
specifies that PHP should evaluate the array elements
based on their ASCII values. By default, PHP will use
the SORT_REGULAR value when sorting an array, unless
another sort type is specified. To specify that you want
the array elements to be evaluated as numbers, you
can use the SORT_NUMERIC value. If you specify the
SORT_STRING value, the elements will be evaluated
as strings.
natsort function can be used to sort both simple
and associative arrays.
The arsort function is used to sort the values
TYPE THIS:
of an associative array from highest to lowest.
To sort an associative array based on keys
$images = array ("img100.gif", "img12.gif", from highest to lowest, the krsort function
"img10.gif", "img2.gif",
is used. The arsort and krsort functions
"img1.gif", "img20.gif");
natsort($images); take the associative array you want to sort as
foreach ($images as $value) an argument. You can also specify the sort type
{ you wish to use to evaluate the values or keys.
print "$value &nbsp";
}
RESULT:
img1.gif img2.gif img10.gif img12.gif img20.gif
img100.gif

SORT AN ASSOCIATIVE ARRAY

SORT BY VALUE
⁄ Type the code that
creates an associative array.
¤ To sort the array
according to the value of
each element, type asort().
96
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the array
you want to sort.
› To specify the way you
want PHP to evaluate the
values, type a comma
followed by a sort value.
ˇ Type the code that
uses the array.
Á Display the PHP
page in a Web browser.
■ The Web browser SORT BY KEY
displays the result of ⁄ Type the code that
sorting an associative creates an associative array.
array by the value of
each element. ¤ To sort the array
according to the value of
each element, type ksort().
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the array
you want to sort.
› To specify the way you
want PHP to evaluate the
keys, type a comma followed
by a sort value.
ˇ Type the code that uses
the array.
Á Display the PHP page
in a Web browser.
■ The Web browser
displays the result of
sorting an associative
array by the key of each
element.
97
 PHP WORK WITH ARRAYS 3
The code in the comparison function may contain more than
one conditional structure, depending on how the two values are
SORT AN ARRAY USING being compared. For example, in a comparison function used
to compare two numbers, the code may initially compare the

COMPARISON FUNCTIONS two values so that the odd number is first. If the two values are
both odd numbers or both even numbers, the code may then
compare the two values so that the smaller number is first.
ou can create a function that compares values in an using the usort function, the array you want to sort is

Y array to determine in which order the values should be

sorted. To avoid unnecessary work, you should check
whether there is an existing sorting function that suits your
passed as the first argument. The name of the comparison
function is passed as the second argument and must be
enclosed in quotation marks. The array will then be sorted
TYPE THIS:
function OddEven($firstValue, $secondValue)
{
$firstRem = $firstValue % 2;
RESULT:

needs before defining your own function.
A comparison function takes two arguments representing
two adjacent values in an array. The function compares the
two values and returns a value of -1, 1 or 0. A value of -1
indicates that the first value will appear first in the sorted
array. A value of 1 indicates that the second value will appear
first in the sorted array. If the function returns a value of 0,
the two values are treated equally in the sort order.
The code in the body of a comparison function typically
contains a conditional structure, which is used to compare
the two values and determine the value to be returned.
Once the comparison function has been defined, you can
use the usort function to sort the values in an array. When
3 5 9 69 93 101 14 18 28 58 80
based on the order determined by the comparison function.
When an array is sorted using the usort function, the array $secondRem = $secondValue % 2;
elements are re-indexed starting from zero (0).
if (($firstRem == 1) && ($secondRem == 0)) return -1;
else if (($firstRem == 0) && ($secondRem == 1)) return 1;
To maintain the association between the key and value of else
{
the array elements, such as when sorting an associative if ($firstValue < $secondValue) return -1;
array, you should use the uasort or uksort function else if ($firstValue > $secondValue) return 1;
instead of the usort function. The uasort function else return 0;
sorts an array based on the value of the array elements. }
The uksort function sorts an array based on the key of }
the array elements. The uasort and uksort functions $numbers = array(18, 5, 9, 3, 69, 101, 58, 93, 14, 80, 28);
take the same arguments as the usort function.
usort($numbers, "OddEven");
foreach ($numbers as $value)
{
print "$value ";
}

SORT AN ARRAY USING COMPARISON FUNCTIONS

⁄ To create a comparison
function, type function
followed by a name for
the comparison function
and ().
98
¤ Between the parentheses,
type the name of two
variables that represent two
adjacent values in an array,
separated by a comma.
‹ In the body of the
function, type the code that
compares the two values
and returns a value of -1,
1 or 0, depending on the
result of the comparison.
■ In this example, the ˇ Type the name of the Á Between the parentheses, ° Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
comparison function function you want to use type the name of the array in a Web browser. displays the result of using
compares the length of to sort the array (usort, followed by a comma. Then a user-defined comparison
two string values and uasort or uksort) followed type name of the comparison function to sort an array.
places the string with by (). function enclosed in quotation
the shorter length first. marks.
› Type the code that ‡ Type the code that uses
creates an array. the sorted array. 99
 PHP WORK WITH ARRAYS 3
GET INFORMATION ABOUT AN ARRAY You can use the array_rand function to retrieve random The array_unique function can be used

T
here are several functions available that
you can use to find information about an
array.
The array_count_values function is used to count
the number of times a value occurs in an array. This
function returns an array in which each key represents a
unique value in the initial array. The value associated with
a key indicates the number of times the value occurred in
the initial array. This is useful for calculating subtotals in
an array.
The array_sum function is used to calculate the sum of
all the values in an array and is typically used on an array
of numeric values. The array_sum function returns the
sum as an integer or a floating-point number.
You can use the array_keys function to obtain all the
keys in an array. The array_keys function returns an
array containing all the keys.
The array_reverse function is used to reverse the
order of the elements in an array. When using the
array_reverse function, the elements in the resulting entries from an array. Before using the array_rand to remove duplicate values from an array
array are re-indexed starting from 0. function, you need to use the srand function to initialize by returning an array containing only the
PHP's random number generator. When using the unique values. This function is useful for
The array_flip function is used to switch the keys and array_rand function, you must specify the array that removing redundant values that have been
values in an array. The array_flip function returns an contains the elements you want to select from. You may inadvertently added to an array.
array in which the keys are the values from the initial also specify the number of elements you want to choose.
array and the values are the corresponding keys from the TYPE THIS:
initial array. TYPE THIS: $fruits = array ("apple", "banana", "apple",
"banana", "orange");
These functions all take the array you want to work with srand((double)microtime() * 10000000);
$unique = array_unique($fruits);
as an argument. The result of each function is typically $numbers = array ("one", "two", "three", "four",
foreach ($unique as $value)
assigned to a variable that can then be displayed on a "five", "six", "seven", "eight", "nine");
$pickThree = array_rand($numbers, 3); {
Web browser or further processed. print "$value ";
foreach ($pickThree as $value)
{ }
The in_array function is also used to find information
about an array. This function allows you to find a specific print "$numbers[$value] ";
}
value in an array. The in_array function takes two
RESULT:
arguments––the value you are looking for and the array
to be searched. The in_array function will return a apple banana orange
RESULT:
value of true if the specified value is found.
four nine seven

GET INFORMATION ABOUT AN ARRAY

⁄ Type the code that
creates an array.
¤ Type the function
you want to use to find
information about the
array followed by ().
100
■ You can use the
array_count_values,
array_sum, array_keys,
array_reverse or
array_flip function.
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the array
you want to use.
› Type the code that USING THE in_array FUNCTION
uses the result of the ˇ To determine if a value
function. is found in an array, type
in_array().
Á Between the parentheses,
type the value you want to find,
enclosed in quotation marks.
‡ Type a comma followed
by the name of the array
you want to search.
° Type the code that uses
the result of in_array
function.
· Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
in a Web browser. displays the results of
obtaining information
about an array.
101
 PHP WORK WITH ARRAYS 3
The each function is commonly used with the list statement
to retrieve the key and value of an element in an array. The each
function returns an array that has an index of 0 for the key and an
index of 1 for the value of the element at which the internal array
pointer is currently positioned. The pointer is then advanced to the
next element. Code that creates a loop, such as a while statement,
USING THE LIST STATEMENT is required to access the key and value of each element in an array.

TYPE THIS: RESULT:

P
HP allows you to use the list statement to assign
the values in an array to a list of variables. Using the
list statement can make your arrays easier to work
with and is especially useful when working with functions
that return an array. Instead of referencing an array element
by its numeric key, you can assign the element to a variable
with a meaningful name. When you want to use the
element, you can use the variable name to access the
element. This can also make your code easier to read
and understand.
The list statement takes as its arguments the names of
the variables to which you want to assign the values in an
array, separated by commas. You can assign all, some or
just one of the values in an array to a variable. For example,
if you want to retrieve only the third element in an array,
you do not need to assign all the elements to variables.
Instead, you can leave the spaces for the first two elements $user = array("Name" => "Frank", "Age" => "33", "Gender" => "male"); Name: Frank
while (list($key, $value) = each($user)) Age: 33
empty and specify a variable name for only the third {
element, such as list(, , $day). print "$key: $value<br>\n";
Gender: male
}
When using the list statement, you should use only
arrays with numerically indexed elements starting from
zero (0). The order of the variables you specify in the
list statement should correspond to the index numbers You can use the next, prev, end and reset functions to move
through the elements in an array. This allows you to move the
of the values, not the positions of the values in the array.
internal array pointer to a specific element you want to access
The list statement cannot access values in an array in an array. You can then use the each function with the list
with an associative index. You also cannot use the list statement to assign the value of the element to a variable.
statement to assign a value that is not part of an array
to a variable. TYPE THIS: RESULT:
$user = array("Name" => "Frank", "Age" => "33", "Gender" => "male"); male
next($user);
next($user);
list(, $gender) = each($user);
print "$gender";

USING THE LIST STATEMENT

⁄ Type the code that
creates a function that
returns an array.
¤ To assign the values in the
array to a list of variables, type
list(). Then type = followed by
the name of the function that
returns the array.
‹ Between the parentheses for the
list function, type the name of
each variable to which you want to
assign a value in the array. Separate
each variable name with a comma.
■ If you do not want › Type the code that ˇ Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser displays
to assign a value to a uses the variables. in a Web browser. the result of using the list
variable, leave a blank statement to assign array
space for the value. elements to variables.

102 103
 PHP
CHANGE CASE OF A CHARACTER OR STRING
P A
HP provides functions that allow you to change the
case of text in a string. For example, you can use
the strtolower function to change all the text in
a string to lowercase. To change all the text in a string to
uppercase, use the strtoupper function. Changing all
the text in a string to the same case can make the text
easier to search and manage.
The ucfirst function allows you to change the first
character in a string to uppercase. PHP will apply the
ucfirst function to the first character in a string, even
if the first character is not a letter. For example, if the
first character in a string is a number, the string will not
display any changes.
Use the ucwords function to change the first character
of each word in a string to uppercase. PHP will consider
any character or group of characters that directly follows
a whitespace character, such as a space or carriage return,
to be a word. For more information about whitespace
characters, see page 112.
CHANGE CASE OF A CHARACTER OR STRING
⁄ Type the code that creates a ‹ Between the
variable containing the string you parentheses, type the
want to change. name of the variable
that stores the string.
¤ Type the name of the function
you want to use to change the › Type the code that
case of characters in the string uses the result of the
(strtolower, strtoupper, ucfirst or function.
ucwords) followed by ().
104
Each function takes the name of the variable that stores the
string you want to change as its argument. If the string has
not been assigned to a variable, you can use the string,
enclosed in quotation marks, as the argument.
The strtolower, strtoupper, ucfirst and ucwords
functions can be used together to apply the results of one
case function to another case function. This lets you change
the case of a string in more than one way. For example,
using the ucwords function will have no apparent effect if
the string contains all uppercase characters. To ensure that
only the first letter of every word is uppercase in the string,
you can first apply the strtolower function and then
apply the ucwords function to the string, such as
ucwords(strtolower($changeCase)).
ˇ Display the PHP ■ The Web browser
page in a Web browser. displays the result of
changing the case of
characters in a string.
USING ASCII VALUES
SCII (American Standard Code for Information
Interchange) is a numbering system that assigns
numerical values to letters, numbers and other
characters. Many programs save, read and exchange data
using the ASCII numbering system. Using the ord and chr
functions allows you to convert between ASCII values and
characters.
The ord function converts a specified character to an ASCII
value. If multiple characters are specified, the ord function
will return the ASCII value of only the first character. You
may find that you need to convert characters to their ASCII
values in order to format and manipulate data. For example,
if you use a PHP page to write data to a file, you may need
to convert formatting characters such as horizontal tabs to
their ASCII values before you can write the characters to
the file.
The chr function converts a specified ASCII value to a
character. PHP allows you to manipulate the results of the
chr function as you would manipulate strings. For example,
USING ASCII VALUES
⁄ To convert a character to ‹ To convert an ASCII value
an ASCII value, type ord(). to a character, type chr().
¤ Between the parentheses, › Between the parentheses,
type the character you want type the ASCII value you
to convert enclosed in want to convert.
quotation marks.
ˇ Type the code that uses
the ord and chr functions.
WORK WITH STRINGS 4
you can join characters returned by the chr function
together using the concatenation operator (.). Converting
ASCII values to characters in a PHP page is useful for
including characters in your PHP page that do not appear
on your keyboard, such as mathematical symbols.
The standard ASCII characters are numbered from 0 to
127. When using the extended ASCII character set, the
characters are numbered up to 255. You can visit the
www.asciitable.com Web site to view a complete chart
of the extended ASCII character set.
All characters on a computer, including non-displayable
characters and whitespace characters, such as the tab
and newline characters, have an ASCII value. To convert a
non-displayable or whitespace character to an ASCII value,
you must provide the escape sequence for the character.
For a list of commonly used escape sequences, see the
top of page 42.
Á Display the PHP ■ The Web browser
page in a Web browser. displays the results of
using the ord and chr
functions.
105
 PHP WORK WITH STRINGS 4
The sprintf function uses the same formatting rules as the
printf function. However, the sprintf function returns the
formatted string as a result that can be assigned to a variable
instead of automatically outputting the formatted string.
FORMAT A STRING TYPE THIS: RESULT:
$name = "David"; David's hourly rate is $10.24.

T
he printf function allows you to format strings The result of the printf function is normally right-justified, $rate = 10.2369;
for output. The printf function requires two but you can include the alignment specifier (-) to signify that $info = sprintf("%s's hourly rate is $%.2f.", $name, $rate);
arguments––a format string and a list of values you the result should be left-justified. print "$info<br>";
want to format. A format string contains the formatting rules
that will be applied to the values. Each formatting rule in the You can also include a width specifier to indicate a minimum
format string must have a corresponding value in the list. width. For example, the formatting rule %8s formats a string
so it will have a minimum width of eight characters. You can use the following type specifiers to indicate
Formatting rules are specified using a percentage symbol (%) the type of formatting you want to apply.
and a type specifier that indicates the type of formatting to A precision specifier indicates how many decimal digits
be applied. Before including the type specifier, you may also should be displayed. The precision specifier is represented TYPE SPECIFIER: MEANING:
indicate padding, alignment, width and precision specifiers, by a dot (.) followed by the number of decimal digits. For b Format as a binary number.
in that order, to further format the string. These specifiers example, the formatting rule %.2f formats a floating-point
number with a precision of two decimal places. c Format as a character specified by the ASCII value.
are useful for lining up text and numbers, improving the
appearance of data in text-based Web browsers. d Format as a decimal number.
A format string can also contain characters you do not
want to format. For example, to include text in a string with e Format as a floating-point number, using exponential notation.
The padding specifier indicates the character you want to
use to pad the result. The padding specifier consists of a formatted numbers, type the text in the format string. PHP f Format as a floating-point number.
single quotation mark (') followed by the character you will replace the formatting rules in the format string with the o Format as an octal number.
want to use. By default, spaces are used for padding. formatted numbers and then output the text and formatted
numbers. s Format as a string.
x Format as a hexadecimal number with lowercase letters.
X Format as a hexadecimal number with uppercase letters.

FORMAT A STRING

⁄ To format a string ¤ Between the parentheses, type
for output, type printf(). the formatting rules you want to
use enclosed in quotation marks.
Note: You may also include text you do
not want to format within the quotation
106 marks.
‹ Type a comma followed
by the name of the variable
you want to use for the
first formatting rule you
specified.
■ You may specify a value
instead of a variable. String
values must be enclosed in
quotation marks.
› Repeat step 3 for ˇ Type the code that Á Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
each formatting rule uses the printf function. in a Web browser. displays the result of
you specified. formatting a string.
107
 PHP WORK WITH STRINGS 4
The strspn function allows you to determine the length of a portion
of a string. To use the strspn function, you must specify the characters
you want to count in the string, called a mask. The strspn function
FIND THE LENGTH OF A STRING returns the length of the portion of the string that contains the characters
specified in the mask. The strspn function will stop executing when
it encounters the first character that is not specified in the mask.

P
HP's strlen function allows you to determine
the number of characters in a string. The strlen
function is often used to find the length of a string
stored in a variable. The strlen function is especially
useful for finding the length of a string before it is
processed. For example, you can use the strlen function
to check whether a password provided by a user has the
required minimum number of characters or whether the
data entered by a user is within a specific character limit
before allowing the user to continue using your Web site.
Determining the length of a string is also useful if you
want to iterate through each character in a string using
a loop. You would determine the length of the string and
use the length as the condition for ending the loop.
If the string for which you want to determine the length
contains spaces or punctuation marks, the strlen TYPE THIS: RESULT:
function will count the spaces and punctuation marks $amount = "\$259 dollars for hotel expenses."; 4
as characters. PHP evaluates any escape sequences in a $mask = "1234567890\$";
string, such as tabs (\t) or newlines (\n), before counting print strspn($amount, $mask);
the number of characters, so each escape sequence is
counted as one character. For example, the strlen
function would count six characters in the string "hello\n".
The strcspn function is similar to the strspn function, except
If you use the strlen function with a numeric value, the strcspn function works in reverse by returning the length
PHP will evaluate the number as if it were a string. of the portion of a string which does not contain the characters
If the number includes a decimal point, the decimal specified in a mask. When the strcspn function encounters a
point will also be counted as a character. For example, character specified in the mask, the function will stop executing.
the strlen function would count nine characters in the
number 123456.78. TYPE THIS: RESULT:
$filename = "\n\n \r \t\t ##my_webpage.html"; 10
$mask = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz_.";
print strcspn($filename, $mask);

FIND THE LENGTH OF A STRING

⁄ Type the code that
creates a string variable
and assigns it a value.
¤ To determine the
length of the string,
type strlen().
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the variable
that stores the string for
which you want to determine
the length.
■ You can also type a string › Type the code that uses ˇ Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
between the parentheses. the strlen function. in a Web browser. displays the result of
Strings must be enclosed in finding the length of
quotation marks. a string.

108 109
 PHP
When using a while loop to execute the strtok
function, if two tokens are adjacent in the string,
the function will return an empty string and the
while loop may end before the rest of the string
DIVIDE A STRING is processed. To avoid this type of problem, you
should use a strict comparison for FALSE.
ou can use the strtok function to divide a string The remaining string will then be processed and the
WORK WITH STRINGS 4
The implode function may be used to join the
elements in an array into one string. When calling
this function, you need to specify a string, which
will be used to join the array elements, and the
array containing the elements to be joined.
TYPE THIS:

Y
based on one or more characters, called tokens, you
specify. This process is also referred to as tokenizing
a string. When the strtok function is first called, it
requires two arguments––the string you want to divide
and the tokens you want to use to divide the string. The
strtok function then returns a segment of the string from
the beginning of the string to the position of the first token.
You may specify one or more characters to be used as
tokens. If you specify an empty string as a token, the
strtok function will simply return the entire string. The
strtok function will also return the entire string if the
string does not contain any of the tokens you specified.
After the first time the strtok function is called in a PHP
page, PHP will keep track of the remaining string that has
not yet been divided. When the strtok function is called
again in the page, you need to indicate only the tokens. You
do not need to specify the string you want to divide again.
Example:
strtok function will return a segment of the string from $fruitsArray = array ("apple", "orange", "peach",
while (($word = strtok(" .")) !== FALSE) "grape", "melon");
the last token found to the next token in the string. { $fruitsString = implode(" and ", $fruitsArray);
print $word . "<br>"; print $fruitsString;
If you want to access every segment of a string, you may }
want to call the strtok function once and then use a
while loop to execute subsequent calls to the strtok
function. The while loop should be set to terminate when The explode function may be used to divide a
string and return an array of strings. This function
the strtok function returns an empty string. RESULT:
typically requires two arguments––a string to be
The strtok function works well for processing strings used as a separator and the string to be divided. apple and orange and peach and grape and melon
with simple structures. For example, the strtok function You may also specify an optional third argument
is useful for counting the number of words in a sentence or that indicates the maximum number of elements
for processing a database file in which the data is separated you want returned.
by tab characters.
TYPE THIS: RESULT:
$fruitsString = "apple orange peach grape melon"; apple : orange : peach : grape : melon :
$fruitsArray = explode(" ", $fruitsString, 5);
foreach ($fruitsArray as $value)
{
print "$value : ";
}

DIVIDE A STRING

⁄ Create a variable that
contains a string you want
to divide.
¤ To divide the string,
type strtok().
110
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the variable
that contains the string,
followed by a comma.
› Type the characters you
want to use to divide the string,
enclosed in quotation marks.
ˇ Type the code that
assigns the result of the
strtok function to a
variable.
Á Type the code that
uses the result of the
strtok function.
■ The strtok function
returns a segment of the
string up to the first token.
‡ To access the
subsequent segments of
the string, type the code
that creates a while loop
and uses the results of
the strtok function.
■ After the first call to the
strtok function, you do
not need to specify the
variable that contains the
string you want to divide.
° Display the PHP page
in a Web browser.
■ The Web browser
displays the result of
using the strtok
function to divide a
sentence.
111
 PHP WORK WITH STRINGS 4
If you want to verify that the whitespace characters have
been removed from a string, you may use the strlen
TRIM A STRING function to count the number of characters in the original
string and the number of characters in the resulting string.

T
here are several functions used for trimming
whitespace characters from strings before the strings
are used or processed. Whitespace characters, which
include spaces, carriage returns (\r), newlines (\n),
tabs (\t), vertical tabs (\013) and null characters (\0),
are normally invisible when displayed on a Web page, but
may cause problems when included in data to be processed.
To remove whitespace characters from the end of a string,
you can use the rtrim function. The ltrim function is
used to remove whitespace characters from the beginning
of a string. To remove whitespace characters from the
beginning and the end of a string, you can use the trim
function.
The rtrim, ltrim and trim functions all take the string
to be trimmed as an argument and return the string with
the appropriate whitespace characters removed. The
returned string can be directly displayed to a Web browser
or assigned to a variable, which can then be further
processed in the script.
These functions are useful for cleaning up user input from a TYPE THIS: RESULT:
form, since the data received from forms can sometimes be $original = "Welcome to my Web page!\0\t \r\n"; Length of original string: 28
unpredictable. For example, when a user is asked to enter $trimmed = rtrim($original); Length of trimmed string: 23
data into a form, a user may inadvertently type extra spaces. print "Length of original string: " . strlen($original);
Trimming the extra spaces from the beginning and end of print "<br>Length of trimmed string: " . strlen($trimmed);
the string may help ensure that the data is processed
properly. PHP does not have a function that removes requires three arguments––a pattern containing
You may also use these functions to remove formatting whitespace characters from the middle of a the characters to be matched and replaced, a
from text that is read from a file or will be written to a file. string, but you can use the eregi_replace replacement character or string and a string
For example, text files that come from different operating function to replace adjacent whitespace that contains characters to be replaced. The
systems, such as UNIX or Windows, may be formatted characters in a string with a specified character eregi_replace function cannot be used
differently. Removing whitespace characters from a line or string. The eregi_replace function to replace null characters (\0) in a string.
of text before it is processed or written to a file can help
avoid potential errors. TYPE THIS: RESULT:
$original = " This \t is\n\n a string . . ."; Before:
$replaced = eregi_replace("[\n\t\013\r ]+", " ", $original);
print "<b>Before:</b><pre>$original</pre>"; This is
print "<b>After:</b><pre>$replaced</pre>"; a string . . .
After:
This is a string . . .

TRIM A STRING

⁄ Type the code that
creates variables that contain
strings you want to trim.
¤ To remove whitespace
characters from the end of
a string, type rtrim().
112
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the variable
that contains the string you
want to trim.
› Type the code that uses
the result of the rtrim
function.
ˇ To remove whitespace
characters from the beginning
of a string, type ltrim().
Á Between the parentheses,
type the name of the variable
that contains the string you
want to trim.
‡ Type the code that ° To remove whitespace ‚ Type the code that — Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
uses the result of the characters from the beginning uses the result of the in a Web browser. displays the results of
ltrim function. and end of a string, type trim(). trim function. trimming strings.
· Between the parentheses,
type the name of the variable
that contains the string you
want to trim.
113
 PHP WORK WITH STRINGS 4
The strncmp function can be used to compare a specific The strcasecmp and strncasecmp
number of characters at the beginning of two strings. This functions can be used to perform
function takes three arguments––the names of the two variables case-insensitive string comparisons.
COMPARE STRINGS storing the strings you want to compare and the number of
characters to be compared. The strncmp function, similar to
When these functions are used, the case
of characters in the strings being compared
the strcmp function, performs a case-sensitive comparison is ignored. To use the strncasecmp
ou can use the strcmp function to compare two function returns a value greater than zero, typically 1. If the

Y strings based on the ASCII (American Standard Code

for Information Interchange) values of the characters
in each string. For more information about ASCII values,
second string has a greater value than the first string, the
function returns a value less than zero, typically -1. If the
two strings have an equal value, the function returns zero.
and returns an integer indicating which of the strings has a
greater value or indicating that the strings have the same value.

see page 105.
Comparing the values of strings can be useful if you want
to sort the strings into a specific order. For example, you
can compare the strings "cap" and "cat" and then put the
strings in order. Based on a comparison of the ASCII values
of each character in the strings, the string "cap" would
come before the string "cat". It is important to remember
that uppercase characters have different ASCII values than
lowercase characters.
The strcmp function takes the strings you want to
compare or the names of the variables storing the strings
as its arguments. After performing a case-sensitive
comparison, the strcmp function returns an integer value
indicating which of the strings has a greater value. If the
first string has a greater value than the second string, the
TYPE THIS:
function, you must indicate the number
of characters you want to compare at the
beginning of the strings.
TYPE THIS:
If one entire string exactly matches the beginning of the $word1 = "banana";
other string, the strcmp function returns the number $word2 = "bandit"; $firstWord = "hello";
of additional characters found in the longer string. If you $secondWord = "HELLO";
compare an empty string to a non-empty string, the $result = strncmp($word1, $word2, 3); $result = strcasecmp($firstWord, $secondWord);
if ($result == 0)
number of characters in the non-empty string is returned. {
Whether the number is positive or negative depends on if ($result == 0)
print "The beginning of the word <b>$word1</b> is the same"; {
which of the two strings is longer. If the first string is print " as the beginning of the word <b>$word2</b>."; print "The words are the same.";
longer, a positive number is returned. If the second string } }
is longer, a negative number is returned. else else
{ {
The strcmp function is often used with an if statement print "The words are different."; print "The words are different.";
to test which string has the greater value and then perform } }
an action.
RESULT: RESULT:
The beginning of the word banana is the same as the The words are the same.
beginning of the word bandit.

COMPARE STRINGS

⁄ Type the code that
creates the first string
variable you want to use
in a comparison.
114
¤ Type the code that
creates the second string
variable you want to use
in a comparison.
‹ To compare the strings,
type strcmp().
› Between the parentheses,
type the name of the first
string variable followed by
a comma.
ˇ Type the name of the Á Type the code that ‡ Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
second string variable. uses the strcmp function. in a Web browser. displays the result of
comparing strings.
115
 PHP
If you do not want to extract a substring from the offset to the
end of the string, you can include an argument in the substr
function to specify the number of characters you want to
EXTRACT OR REPLACE A SUBSTRING extract. If a negative number is specified, PHP removes that
number of characters from the end of the substring.
WORK WITH STRINGS 4
The strrchr function can be used to extract
a substring from the last occurrence of a
specified character to the end of a string. To
use this function, you must specify the name
of the string variable from which you want
to extract a substring and the character to be

T
he substr function allows you to access
a specific part of a string, called a
substring.
You must specify the name of the variable containing
the string from which you want to extract a substring.
The offset, or position, of the substring within the
string must also be specified. If the offset value is a
positive number, PHP finds the starting position of
the substring by counting the number of characters
from the beginning of the string. Characters in a
string are numbered starting at zero (0). The substr
function will return a substring that begins at the
position you specified and ends at the end of the
string.
If the offset value you specify is a negative number,
PHP finds the starting position of the substring by
counting the number of characters from the end of
the string. When counting characters from the end TYPE THIS: matched.
of a string, PHP starts the count at 1, not zero (0).
$file = "my_webpage.htm";
TYPE THIS:
The substr_replace function allows you to print "Filename: " . substr($file, 0, 10);
specify replacement text for a substring and return $url = "http://www.abccorp.com/Sales2000";
the modified string. You must specify the name of $directory = strrchr($url, "/");
RESULT: print $directory;
the string variable in which you want to replace
text. The new text you want to use and a positive Filename: my_webpage
or negative offset of the substring must also be
specified. RESULT:
The strstr function can be used to extract a substring from /Sales2000
You can also specify the length of the substring the first occurrence of a specified character to the end of a
you want to replace. If a positive number is used string. To use this function, you must specify the name of the
to specify the length, PHP replaces that number of string variable from which you want to extract a substring
characters with the replacement text. If a negative and the character to be matched.
number is used, PHP stops replacing text that
number of characters from the end of the string. TYPE THIS: RESULT:
The replacement text does not have to be the $email = "martine@maran.com"; @maran.com
same length as the substring. $domain = strstr($email, "@");
print $domain;

EXTRACT OR REPLACE A SUBSTRING

⁄ Type the code that
creates a string variable
and assigns it a value.
¤ To extract a
substring, type substr().
116
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the string
variable from which you want
to extract a substring.
› Type a comma followed
by the offset of the substring
you want to extract.
ˇ Type the code that uses
the substr function.
REPLACE A SUBSTRING
Á To replace a substring in
a string, type substr_replace().
‡ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the string
variable in which you want
to replace text.
° Type a comma followed
by the replacement text
enclosed in quotation marks.
· Type a comma followed — Type the code that uses ± Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser displays
by the offset of the substring the substr_replace in a Web browser. the results of extracting and
you want to replace. function. replacing substrings.
‚ Type a comma followed
by the length of the substring
you want to replace.
117
 PHP
You may want to use the substr function to extract
a substring that is a specific number of characters
SEARCH FOR A SUBSTRING OR CHARACTER from a substring or character you find using the
strpos or strrpos function. In the example
below, the extension is extracted from a filename.
WORK WITH STRINGS 4
The strrpos function is used to find the last
occurrence of a dot (.) in the string. The return
value is then increased by 1 and the new value
is used as the offset where the substr function
will extract the extension.

T he strpos and strrpos functions allow you to

search a string to find a substring or character you
specify.
The strpos function allows you to search a string for
The strrpos function allows you to search a string for
the last occurrence of a character and return the offset of
the character. If the character cannot be found in the string,
a value of false is returned.
TYPE THIS:
$file = "my_webpage.php";
$offset = strrpos($file, ".") + 1;
print "The file type is: " . substr($file, $offset);
RESULT:
The file type is: php

the first occurrence of a substring and return the offset,
or position, of the substring. If the substring cannot be
found in the string, a value of false is returned.
To use the strpos function, you must specify the name
of the variable containing the string you want to search
and the substring you want to search for. The substring
must be enclosed in quotation marks.
Although not required, PHP allows you to specify a starting
offset when searching for a substring. When determining
the starting offset, keep in mind that the characters in a
string are numbered starting at zero (0). It is important to
note that even if you specify a starting offset, the position
of the substring returned by the function will still be relative
to the beginning of the string.
The strrpos function takes two arguments––the name
of the variable containing the string you want to search and
the character you want to search for, enclosed in quotation You can use the strpos function in a while statement
marks. If you specify more than one character, only the first to find all the instances of a substring in a string. In the
character will be used in the search. example below, the offset is advanced by one position
every time the while loop is iterated.
The strpos and strrpos functions are often used with
an if statement to test whether the specified substring or TYPE THIS: RESULT:
character was found and then perform an action. When
using an if statement, PHP could confuse the zero (0)
$users = "Barry Pruett, Mary Corder, Ted Cains, Mary Bednarek, Mary Hicks"; Mary found at position: 14
$offset = 0; Mary found at position: 38
position in a string with a value of false. To prevent this
type of problem in your code, you should use the Identical Mary found at position: 53
while ($position !== false)
to comparison operator (===) in the if statement. {
$position = strpos($users, "Mary", $offset);
if ($position === false) break;
print "Mary found at position: $position<br>";
$offset = $position + 1;
}

SEARCH FOR A SUBSTRING OR CHARACTER

⁄ Type the code that creates
a variable that stores the
string you want to search.
¤ To search for the first
occurrence of a substring
in a string, type strpos().
118
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the string
variable you want to search
followed by a comma.
› Type the substring you
want to search for, enclosed
in quotation marks.
ˇ To specify a starting
position for the search,
type a comma followed
by the offset in the string
where you want to start
the search.
Á Type the code that SEARCH FOR A CHARACTER · Type the character — Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
uses the strpos function. ‡ To search for the last occurrence you want to search for, in a Web browser. displays the results of
of a character in a string, type enclosed in quotation searching for a substring
strrpos(). marks. and a character in a string.
° Between the parentheses, type ‚ Type the code that
the name of the string variable you uses the strrpos
want to search followed by a comma. function.
119
 PHP WORK WITH STRINGS 4
The str_replace function is case-sensitive and will only
replace portions of the string that perfectly match the data
REPLACE DATA IN A STRING to be replaced. To perform a case-insensitive replacement
of data, you can use the eregi_replace function, which
takes the same arguments as the str_replace function.
ou can use the str_replace function to replace have the same number of characters. If the two parameters

Y all the occurrences of data in a string with another

string. The str_replace function requires three
arguments––the data to be replaced, the replacement string
and the string that contains the data to be replaced. The
result of the str_replace function can be directly
displayed to a Web browser or assigned to a variable
that can be further processed.
The str_replace function is useful for editing data that is
read from a text file or will be written to a file. For example,
you may want to correct the spelling of a name or update an
e-mail address before processing the information.
You may want to replace specific characters in a string with
another set of characters. This can be accomplished using
the strtr function. To use the strtr function, you must
first specify the string to be modified. You then specify
the set of characters that you want to replace and the
replacement characters. The last two parameters should
do not match in length, the longer parameter will be
truncated to match the number of characters in the shorter
parameter.
TYPE THIS:
$text = "Mary had a little Lamb, little lamB, little LaMb.";
print eregi_replace("lamb", "sheep", $text);
RESULT:
Mary had a little sheep, little sheep,
little sheep.
The strtr function is useful for correcting data received
from a form or a text file. For example, if a user enters
data containing accented letters into a form, you may want The strtr function may also be used to replace multiple
to replace the accented letters with regular letters before words in a string. Instead of specifying the sets of characters
processing the data. to be searched and replaced, you can specify an associative
array as the second argument of the strtr function. The
When the strtr function is used, each character in the
string is examined in sequence and replaced accordingly. instances of the array keys found in the string are replaced
by the corresponding array values.
After the string has been completely processed, no further
replacements are performed.
TYPE THIS: RESULT:
You may also use the substr_replace function to $oldList = "apple, banana, melon, grape"; Old list: apple, banana, melon, grape
replace data in a string. For information about the $replacement = array("apple" => "melon", "melon" => "mango"); New list: melon, banana, mango, grape
substr_replace function, see page 116. $newList = strtr($oldList, $replacement);
print "Old list: $oldList<br>";
print "New list: $newList<br>";

REPLACE DATA IN A STRING

USING THE str_replace
FUNCTION
⁄ Type the code that
creates variables that
contain strings in which
you want to replace data.
120
¤ To replace data in a
string, type str_replace().
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the data you want
to replace, enclosed in
quotation marks.
› Type a comma followed
by the replacement string,
enclosed in quotation marks.
ˇ Type a comma USING THE strtr FUNCTION · Type a comma followed by ± Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser displays
followed the name of the the characters you want to in a Web browser. the results of replacing data
‡ To replace characters in
string variable in which a string, type strtr(). replace, enclosed in quotation and characters in a string.
you want to replace data. marks.
° Between the parentheses,
Á Type the code that type the name of the string ‚ Type a comma followed by
uses the result of the the replacement characters,
variable in which you want
str_replace function. to replace characters. enclosed in quotation marks.
— Type the code that uses the
result of the strtr function. 121
 PHP WORK WITH STRINGS 4
You can use the strip_tags function to remove all HTML
WORK WITH HTML TEXT formatting from a file or to prevent code a user inputs from
being processed. The strip_tags function removes all the
HTML and PHP tags from a string and then returns the result

T
he htmlspecialchars and htmlentities
functions allow you to convert special characters in a
string to their character entity reference. The character
entity reference consists of an ampersand, the name of the
character and a semicolon. You can convert characters in
order to force a Web browser to display HTML code as plain
text on a PHP page instead of processing the code. This is
useful when you want to block HTML code a user enters in a
form that might interfere with the processing of a Web page.
The htmlspecialchars function converts only the most
common HTML characters to their character entity reference
values. The htmlentities function is similar to the
htmlspecialchars function, except the htmlentities
function converts all the characters that have an equivalent
character entity reference in HTML.
To use the htmlspecialchars and htmlentities
functions, you specify the string to be converted or a variable
that stores the string. Each function will return a string with
the corresponding character entity references for the HTML
characters.
You can use the get_html_translation_table
function to display a list of the characters that the
htmlspecialchars or htmlentities function
will convert. As an argument, you specify either
HTML_SPECIALCHARS or HTML_ENTITIES. The function
returns an associative array that has the actual character
to be converted as the key and the character entity
reference as the value for each element.
PHP allows you to use an optional second argument
with the htmlspecialchars, htmlentities and
get_html_translation_table functions to specify
how quotation marks should be handled. By default,
PHP will use the ENT_COMPAT value, which converts only
double quotation marks to their HTML entity reference.
To convert both double and single quotation marks, use
the ENT_QUOTES value. If you specify the ENT_NOQUOTES
value, neither double nor single quotation marks will be
converted.
as plain text that can be easily processed or manipulated.
TYPE THIS: RESULT:
$htmlSource = "<html><head><title>ABC Corporation</title></head><body> ABC Corporation Welcome to Our Web Site.
<h1>Welcome to Our Web Site.</h1></body></html>";
$rawText = strip_tags($htmlSource);
print $rawText;
The nl2br function allows you to convert newline characters (\n)
in a string to HTML <br> tags. For example, you can use the
nl2br function to convert a newline character a user types in a
text area on a form to a <br> tag that a Web browser can process
and display as a line break on a Web page. The nl2br function
takes as its argument the string that contains the newline character
to be converted or a variable that stores the string.
TYPE THIS: RESULT:
$userInput = "Hello!\nMy name is Tom!"; Hello!
$formattedText = nl2br($userInput); My name is Tom!
print $formattedText;

WORK WITH HTML TEXT

CONVERT HTML ¤ To convert HTML
CHARACTERS characters to their
⁄ Type the code that character entity reference,
creates a variable that type htmlspecialchars()
contains HTML code. or htmlentities().
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the variable
that contains HTML code.
122
› To specify how you
want the function to convert
quotes, type a comma
followed by the value you
want to use (ENT_NOQUOTES,
ENT_COMPAT or ENT_QUOTES).
ˇ Type the code that uses the translation table you want to
results of the conversions.
DISPLAY THE TRANSLATION TABLE
Á To view the characters
that will be converted, type
get_html_translation_table().
‡ Between the parentheses,
type the value for the
display (HTML_SPECIALCHARS
or HTML_ENTITIES).
° To display the character
entity reference values
in a translation table, type
a variable name followed
by = htmlspecialchars().
· Between the parentheses,
type the name of the variable
that stores the characters that
will be converted.
‚ Type the code
that formats the result
of the get_html_
translation_table
function in a table.
— Display the PHP page
in a Web browser.
■ The Web browser displays
the result of converting HTML
characters and displays a
translation table for the
function you specified.
123
 PHP WORK WITH FILES 5
WRITE TO A FILE There are several different access modes you can
use when opening a file. Each access mode places
the file position indicator in a specific location.

I
t is often necessary to access text files stored on
the Web server from within a PHP page. Writing
data to text files allows you to store data, such as
configuration settings and application information.
Before you can write to a file, you must establish a
connection to the file by using the fopen function to
open a file and create a file pointer. A file pointer indicates
the file you want to work with. The fopen function takes
two arguments––the name of the file to be opened and
the access mode you want to use.
To open a file for writing, the w access mode can be
specified. This access mode creates a new file if the file
does not already exist. Using the w access mode will also
overwrite any information already in an existing file.
When a file is opened for writing, the file position
indicator is placed at the start of a file. The file position
indicator indicates where the next operation will be
performed in the file.
You can use the fputs function to write a line of
information to the file. The fputs function usually takes
ACCESS MODE: DESCRIPTION:
two arguments––a file pointer and the information to be
written to the file. You may also specify the maximum r Open a file for reading only. Place the file position indicator
length of the line to be written, in bytes. After the at the start of the file.
maximum length has been reached, any extra information
r+ Open a file for reading and writing. Place the file position
at the end of a line will not be written to the file.
indicator at the start of the file.
Once all the information has been written to a file, the
w Open a file for writing only. Place the file position indicator
fclose function should be used to close the connection
at the start of the file. Create the file if it does not exist.
to the file.
w+ Open a file for reading and writing. Place the file position
As with other operations involving accessing a file, the
indicator at the start of the file. Create the file if it does
proper permissions that allow the file to be written to
not exist.
must be in place. For information about permissions, you
should consult your operating system's documentation. a Open a file for writing only. Place the file position indicator
at the end of the file. Create the file if it does not exist.
a+ Open a file for reading and writing. Place the file position
indicator at the end of the file. Create the file if it does
not exist.

WRITE TO A FILE
data - Notepad

⁄ To open a file and
create a file pointer,
type a variable name for
the file pointer followed
by = fopen().
124
¤ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the file you
want to open followed by a
comma.
‹ To specify the access
mode that allows you to
write to the file, type "w".
› To write a line of
information to the file,
type fputs().
ˇ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the file
pointer followed by a comma.
Á Type a line of ‡ Repeat steps 4 to 6 ° To close the file, ■ When the PHP page ‚ You can use your text
information you want until you have specified type fclose(). is displayed in a Web editor to open the file and
to write to the file. all the information you browser, the information view its contents or use a
want to write to the file. · Between the will be written to the file. PHP page to read the file.
■ You may also specify parentheses, type For information about
the maximum length of the name of the file reading a file using a PHP
the line of information, pointer. page, see page 126.
in bytes. 125
 PHP WORK WITH FILES 5

READ A FILE
Most computers that use Web server software The file function may be used to

A
fter creating a file pointer and opening a file for
reading, you can access the contents of the file.
This allows you to display the data in a Web browser
or compare the data in the file to other data. When opening
the file, you must specify an access mode that allows reading
from the file. The r access mode is typically used.
When a file is initially opened for reading, the file position
indicator is placed at the beginning of the file. The fgets
function is used to read the line of text indicated by the file
position indicator and must have two arguments––the file
pointer and the maximum length of the line to be read,
in bytes. After a line of text is read from the file, the file
position indicator automatically moves to the next line
of text in the file.
A while loop is often used to process each line in a file.
With each iteration of the loop, the information retrieved
from the file using the fgets function can be assigned to a
variable and displayed to the client using the print function.
The fgets function will read a line of text up to the
maximum length specified or until it reaches a newline and PHP have sophisticated username and
character. A line will be truncated if it is longer than the password-based security features. When using
maximum length specified. When the fgets function PHP to read a file, the correct permissions that
is used again, it will read the next line in the file and not allow the PHP script to read the file must be
the remainder of the previous line that was truncated. enabled on the Web server that stores the file.
Web servers are typically configured to use
The feof function can be used to determine if the end a special user account, such as web or http,
of a file has been reached. The feof function takes the to allow access to files. This user account
file pointer as an argument and is usually used with the must have read permissions for the files to
Not operator (!) as the condition tested in a while loop. be opened because when PHP attempts to
read a file, the operating system interprets it
Once all the lines from a file have been read, the fclose as an attempt to read the file by the username
function should be used to close the connection to the file.
assigned to the Web server. The special user
account on the Web server must be set up
before files can be accessed using PHP.
automatically open, read and close a file.
The file function takes the name of a
file as an argument and returns the entire
contents of the file as an array. Each
element in the array will correspond to
a line of information in the file. You do
not need to create a file pointer when
using the file function.
Example:
$lines = file("data.txt");
foreach ($lines as $value)
{
print $value . "<br>";
}

READ A FILE

⁄ Perform steps 1 and 2
on page 124 to enter the
code that opens a file and
creates a file pointer.
126
¤ To specify the access
mode that allows you to
read information from
the file, type "r".
‹ To read a line of
information from the
file, type fgets().
› Between the
parentheses, type the
name of the file pointer
followed by a comma.
ˇ Type the maximum Á Create a while loop ‡ To close the file, type · Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
length of the line of that will read and display fclose(). in a Web browser. displays the result of
information to be read, each line of information reading a file.
in bytes. from the file. ° Between the
parentheses, type the
name of the file pointer.
127
 PHP WORK WITH FILES 5

COPY OR DELETE A FILE In order to successfully copy and delete files, you
must have the appropriate file and operating system
permissions on the computer where the files are
You can use the filesize function
to determine the size of a file in bytes.
Determining the size of a file is useful

P
HP provides functions that allow you to manage files
from within a PHP page. For example, the copy
function creates a copy of a file, while the unlink
function deletes a file. Copying a file is useful for creating
a backup copy of a file. Deleting a file lets you remove a file
that is no longer needed by the PHP page.
It is good programming practice to verify whether a file exists
before attempting to copy or delete the file. You can use the
file_exists function to determine whether a file exists.
The file_exists function returns a value of true if a file
you specify exists and a value of false if the file does not
exist.
The copy function takes two arguments––the filename or
path of the file to be copied and the filename or path of the
copy you want to create. When the file is copied, the copy
function duplicates the file without removing the original file.
The unlink function derives its name from the command
used to delete files on Unix computers. The unlink function
takes the filename or path of the file you want to delete as its
argument.
When specifying arguments for the copy and unlink
functions, if the file you want to copy or delete is located in
the current directory, you can specify just the name of the
file. If the file is located in a different directory, you must
specify the full path to the file. You may want to store the
name or path of a file in a variable and then use the variable
with the copy or unlink function.
When the copy and unlink functions are successful, they
return an integer value other than 0. If the functions are not
successful, they return a value of 0.
stored. For example, you cannot delete a file that when you want to delete large files in
has read-only permissions set. For information order to free up storage space.
about the permissions for an operating system,
refer to the operating system's documentation. TYPE THIS:
print "The size of the file is: ";
The copy function is also useful for moving a file print filesize("formdata.txt") . " bytes";
from one directory to another. To move a file, you
use the copy function to create a copy of the file
in the directory you want to move the file to. You RESULT:
can then use the unlink function to remove the
original file from the directory you no longer want The size of the file is: 1867 bytes
to store the file.
Example:
copy("formdata.txt", "backup/webfile/formdata.txt");
unlink("formdata.txt");

COPY A FILE DELETE A FILE

⁄ To copy the file, type copy().
¤ Between the parentheses,
type the name or path of the
file you want to copy enclosed
in quotation marks.
‹ Type a comma and › Display the PHP page ■ The file has been ⁄ To delete a file, type ¤ Between the parentheses, ‹ Display the PHP page ■ The file has been
then type the name or in a Web browser. copied. unlink(). type the name or path of in a Web browser. deleted.
path of the copy you the file you want to remove
want to create enclosed enclosed in quotation marks.
in quotation marks.

128 129
 PHP WORK WITH FILES 5
DETERMINE THE STATUS OF A FILE Determining the status of a file can improve You can use the is_dir function to determine
the efficiency of a PHP script. For example, whether an item is a directory. The is_dir

W
hen working with files, it is often necessary
to determine information about a file before
performing an action. For example, you should
verify that a file can be written to by a PHP page before
opening the file for writing.
The is_file function allows you to determine if a file
you specify is a file. This is useful when you want to
ensure that an item is a file rather than a directory or a
link to another file. The is_file function is commonly
used to verify that an item is a file before attempting to
open the file. The function returns a value of true if the
item you specify is a file.
Before opening a file you want to read, it is common
practice to use the is_readable function to verify that
the file can be read from a PHP page. If a file exists and
is readable, the is_readable function returns a value
of true.
To determine whether a file can be written to by a PHP before performing a complex process, such function returns a value of true if the directory
page, you use the is_writable function. If the file as retrieving information from a database you specify exists and is a directory.
exists and can be written to, the function returns a value and appending the information to a file, a
of true. The is_writable function is commonly used to check can be made to ensure the data can TYPE THIS:
check the status of files that can be written to by multiple be written to the file.
users, since such files are frequently temporarily if (is_dir("c:\data\webinfo"))
unavailable for writing while in use by another user.
{
The is_file, is_readable and print "c:\data\webinfo is a directory.";
The is_file, is_readable and is_writable is_writable functions may be affected by }
the operating system you are running and the else
functions all take a single argument that indicates the {
file you want to check. The argument can be the file file system used by the computer that stores print "This is not a directory.";
name or path of the file, such as c:\webfiles\form.dat, the files. While the is_file, is_readable }
or a variable that stores the filename or path, such as and is_writable functions should perform
$filename. If the file you want to check is in the current as expected on Unix systems, there may
directory, you can specify just the name of the file. If the be incompatibilities that interfere with
RESULT:
file is located in a different directory, you must specify the operation of these functions on other
the full path of the file. systems. c:\data\webinfo is a directory.

DETERMINE THE STATUS OF A FILE

⁄ To store the path of a
file you want to check in
a variable, type the code
that assigns the path to
the variable.
¤ To determine whether
the file is a file, type
is_file().
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the variable
that stores the path of the file.
› Type the code that uses the
result of determining whether
the file is a file.
ˇ To determine whether the
file can be read from the PHP
page, type is_readable().
Á Between the parentheses,
type the name of the variable
that stores the path of the file.
‡ Type the code that ° To determine whether ‚ Type the code that uses — Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
uses the result of you can write to the file, the result of determining in a Web browser. displays the results of
determining whether type is_writable(). whether the file is writable. determining the status
the file is readable. of a file.
· Between the parentheses,
type the name of the variable
that stores the path of the file.

130 131
 PHP WORK WITH FILES 5
Only the owner of a file or the system The chown function can be used to change
administrator can change the group or the owner of a file. When using the chown

SET FILE GROUP AND PERMISSIONS ON UNIX
ou can use a PHP page to change the group a file
permissions for a file. When using the
chgrp function, the owner of a file can
assign the file only to a group to which the
function, you must specify the location and
name of the file and the user name of the
new owner. Only the system administrator
dash followed by a series of nine characters. The first three

Y
belongs to and set the permissions for the file.
Changing the group and permissions for a file
allows you to restrict access to the file.
The system function allows you to execute UNIX
commands from within a PHP page. To view the group
and permissions for each file in the current directory,
you can use the ls -l command.
The chgrp function is used to assign a file to a new group.
To use the chgrp function, you specify the location and
name of the file you want to assign to a new group followed
by the name of the group.
Unix systems allow you to assign any combination of
read (r), write (w), and execute (x) permissions to a file's
owner, the group the file belongs to and all other users.
The permissions for a file are typically represented by a
owner belongs. The system administrator can use the chown function.
characters represent the permissions for the file's owner. can assign a file to any group.
The next three characters represent the permissions for the Example:
owner's group and the last three characters represent the chown("/var/www/html/file1", "maryc")
permissions for all other users.
To change the permissions for a file, you use the chmod
The fileowner function allows you to determine the owner of a
function. The chmod function takes two arguments––the
file. You can use the filegroup function to determine the group
location and name of the file and the octal value representing
a file belongs to, which is usually the group to which the owner
the file permissions you want to use. The octal value consists
belongs. These functions retrieve an ID number that represents
of three digits, which represent the permissions for the
the user name of the owner or the name of the group. You can
owner, followed by the permissions for the owner's group
use the password file or group file available in Unix to match an
and the permissions for other users. For example, the
ID number with the corresponding user name or group name.
-rwxr-xr-x permissions will have an octal value of 755.
You should precede the octal value with a zero (0). TYPE THIS: RESULT:
The chgrp and chmod functions return a value of true
print ("The UID is: " . fileowner("/var/www/html/file1")) . "br"; The UID is: 48
when the functions are executed successfully. print ("The GID is: " . filegroup("/var/www/html/file1")); The GID is: 501

SET FILE GROUP AND PERMISSIONS ON UNIX

⁄ To execute a Unix
command from the PHP
page, type system().
132
¤ To display a list of files
in the current directory
and the permissions for
each file, type "ls –l"
between the parentheses.
CHANGE FILE GROUP
‹ To assign a file to a new
group, type chgrp().
› Between the parentheses,
type the location and name
of the file, enclosed in
quotation marks.
ˇ Type a comma, SET FILE PERMISSIONS
followed by the name Á To change the
of the group to which permissions for a file,
you want to assign type chmod().
the file, enclosed in
quotation marks. ‡ Between the
parentheses, type the
location and name of
the file, enclosed in
quotation marks.
° Type a comma, followed by ‚ Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
the octal value that represents in a Web browser. displays the results of
the permissions you want to changing the group and
assign to the file. The octal permissions for a file.
value should be preceded by 0.
· To display an updated
list of the files in the current
directory, repeat steps 1 and 2.
133
 PHP WORK WITH FILES 5
PHP allows you to specify permissions for a directory in In order to successfully create and remove
octal notation. When creating a directory on a computer directories, you must have the appropriate
CREATE AND DELETE DIRECTORIES You can make a variable name easier to read
running the UNIX operating system, you can convert
by using the underscore character ( _ ) to
UNIX permissions to octal notation using the following
separate the words in the name. When you
file and operating system permissions on
the computer where the directories are to
chart. The UNIX permissions include read (r), write (w) be created or removed. For information
separate the words in a variable name, you

P
HP provides functions that allow you to manage
directories from within a PHP page. The mkdir
function creates a new directory, while the rmdir
function removes an existing directory. You may want to
create a directory to store temporary files and then remove
the directory when the files are no longer needed by the
PHP page.
When working with directories in the current directory,
you specify the name of the directory you want to create
or remove. If you want to work with directories in a different
directory, you must specify the full path of the directory you
want to create or remove. You may want to store the name
or path of a directory in a variable and then use the variable
with the mkdir or rmdir function.
When creating a new directory on a computer running the
UNIX operating system, you must also specify permissions
for the directory. Permissions control access to the directory
and determine the operations, such as reading and writing,
that can be performed.
A directory you want to remove must not contain any files and execute (x). The octal value will consist of three about the permissions for an operating
or subdirectories. You must delete any existing files and should capitalize each word. system, refer to the operating system's
digits, representing the permissions for the owner,
subdirectories from a directory before you can delete the followed
Example: by the permissions for the owner's group documentation.
directory. For information about deleting files, see page 128. and the permissions for other users. For example,
Dim My_Date_Of_Birth
a directory with permissions -rwxrw-r-- will have the
When the mkdir and rmdir functions successfully create The chdir function allows you to change
octal value 764. When entering the permissions in a
or remove a directory, they return an integer value other which directory you are working in. This
PHP script, precede the octal value with a zero (0).
than 0. If the functions are not successful, they return a is useful when you want to work with files
value of 0. stored in another directory. To change the
UNIX PERMISSIONS: OCTAL VALUE:
current directory, specify the name of the
It is good programming practice to verify whether a --- 0 directory you want to work in, enclosed in
directory exists before attempting to create or remove quotation marks.
--x 1
the directory. You can use the file_exists function
to determine whether a file exists. -w- 2 Example:
-wx 3 chdir("temp");
r-- 4
r-x 5
rw- 6
rwx 7

CREATE A DIRECTORY DELETE A DIRECTORY

⁄ To store the name or
path of the directory you
want to create in a variable,
type the code that assigns the
information to the variable.
¤ To create a directory,
type mkdir().
134
‹ Between the ˇ Display the PHP page ■ The directory has ⁄ To store the name or path ¤ To remove a directory, › Display the PHP page ■ The directory has
parentheses, type the in a Web browser. been created. of the directory you want to type rmdir(). in a Web browser. been removed.
name of the variable remove in a variable, type
you created in step 1. the code that assigns the ‹ Between the parentheses,
information to the variable. type the name of the variable
› If necessary, type a you created in step 1.
comma and then type
the octal value for the
permissions you want
the directory to use. 135
 PHP CREATING AND PROCESSING FORMS 6

CREATE A FORM ADD ELEMENTS TO A FORM

A E
dding a form to a Web page allows you to gather
data from users who visit the page. A form can
be placed anywhere between the <body> and
</body> tags in an HTML document. The body of your
Web page can include as many forms as you need.
You use the <form> tag to create a form and the action
attribute to specify the location and name of the PHP page
that will process the data entered into the form. If the
PHP page is stored in the same directory as the Web page
containing the form, you have to specify only the name
of the PHP page. If the PHP page is not stored on the
same Web server as the Web page containing the form,
you must specify the full URL of the PHP page.
You must also specify which method the form will use
to pass data to the PHP page. There are two methods the
form can use––get and post. The method you should
use depends on the amount of data that will be passed.
The get method sends data to the PHP page by appending
the data to the URL of the page. The post method sends
the data and the URL separately. The get method is faster
than the post method and is suitable for small forms.
The post method is suitable for large forms that will
send more than 2000 characters to a PHP page.
Unlike many other technologies used to process form
information, PHP can automatically determine whether
a form is submitting data using the get or post method
and then retrieve the information accordingly.
For information about creating a PHP page that processes
data from a form, see page 140.
lements are areas in a form where users can enter
data and select options. The most commonly used
element is a text box, which allows users to enter a
single line of data into a form. Text boxes are often used
for entering names, addresses and other short responses.
Elements you add to a form must be placed between the
<form> and </form> tags. A form can contain as many
elements as you need.
There are many different types of elements you can add
to a form, such as text areas and check boxes. Text areas
allow users to enter several lines or paragraphs of text,
while check boxes let users select options on a form.
For information about commonly used elements, see
page 138.
Each form element has attributes, such as name, type
and size, which offer options for the element. The name
attribute allows you to provide a name for an element.
The name you specify is used by the PHP page that
processes the form to identify the element and access
the information in the element. A name can contain
letters and numbers, but should not contain spaces or
punctuation. If you want to include spaces in a name,
use an underscore character (_) instead.
You must add a submit button to every form you create.
The submit button allows users to send the data they
entered into the form to the Web server. When the Web
server receives data from a form, the server transfers
the data to the PHP page that will process the data.
The PHP page can then perform an action with the data,
such as storing the data in a database or displaying the
information in a Web browser.

CREATE A FORM ADD ELEMENTS TO A FORM

Add Elements To A Form - Microsoft Internet Explorer

⁄ Type <form action="" ¤ Between the quotation
where you want to add marks, type the location and
a form to a Web page. name of the PHP page that
will process the data entered
into the form.
136
‹ Type method="">.
› Between the quotation
marks, type the method
the form will use to pass
data to the PHP page.
ˇ Type </form> where ⁄ To add a text box to a
you want to end the form, type <input type="text"
form. name=""> between the
<form> and </form> tags.
■ You can now add
elements to the form. ¤ Between the quotation
marks, type a word that
describes the text box.
‹ To add a submit button ˇ Display the Web ■ The Web browser
to the form, type <input page in a Web browser. displays the text box
type="submit" name="">. and submit button.
› Between the quotation
marks, type a word that
describes the button.
137
 PHP CREATING AND PROCESSING FORMS 6
FORM ELEMENTS COMMONLY USED ELEMENTS (CONTINUED)
n element is an area in a form where users can You can find more information about form elements

A enter data or select options. There are several

different types of elements you can add to a form.
Most elements require you to specify attributes that
determine how the element will appear on a Web page.
COMMONLY USED ATTRIBUTES
Type
The type attribute allows
you to specify the kind of
element you want to use.
Maxlength
The maxlength attribute
allows you to restrict the
number of characters a user
can enter into an element.
and attributes at the
www.w3.org/TR/1999/REC-html401-19991224/interact/forms
Web site.
Name
The name attribute allows you to specify
a name for an element. The PHP page that will
process data from the element uses the name
attribute to identify the data. Element names
can contain more than one word, but should
not contain spaces or special characters.
Size
The size attribute allows you to
specify the width of an element.
Value
The value attribute allows you
to specify a value for an element.
If an element displays a button,
you can use the value attribute
to specify the text that will
appear on the button.
Checked
The checked attribute allows
an element to display a selected
option by default.
Text Box
A text box allows users to enter a single line of text, such
as a name or telephone number. You must set the type
Text Area
The textarea element displays a large text area that
allows users to enter several lines or paragraphs of text.
attribute to text and use the name attribute to create a A large text area is ideal for gathering comments or
text box. You may also want to use the maxlength and questions from users. You must use the name attribute
size attributes. to create a text area.
First Name <input type="text" name="firstName" maxlength="20"> Questions? <textarea name="userQuestions"></textarea>
First Name Questions?
Check Box
Check boxes allow users to select one or more options. For
example, check boxes can be used to allow users to specify
which states they have visited. You must set the type attribute
to checkbox and use the name and value attributes to create
a check box. You may also want to use the checked attribute.
Which states have you visited in the past year?<br> Which states have you visited in the past year?
New York <input type="checkbox" name="states" value="New York" checked> New York California Texas
California <input type="checkbox" name="states" value="California">
Texas <input type="checkbox" name="states" value="Texas">

COMMONLY USED ELEMENTS
Password Box
A password box allows users to enter private data. When
a user types data into a password box, an asterisk (*)
appears for each character, which prevents others from
viewing the data on the screen. A password box does not
protect the data from being accessed as it is transferred
over the Internet. You must set the type attribute to
password and use the name attribute to create a
password box. You may also want to use the value,
maxlength and size attributes.
Password Please <input type="password"
name="secretWord" value="password" maxlength="20">
Password Please ********
Drop-Down List
The select element displays a drop-down list that
allows users to select an option from a list of several
options. For example, a drop-down list can be used to
allow users to select one of three shipping methods.
You must use the name attribute to create a drop-down
list. You use the <option> tag with the value attribute
to add options to the list.
How would you like your products shipped?
<select name="shipMethod">
<option value="air">Air</option>
<option value="land">Land</option>
<option value="sea">Sea</option>
</select>
How would you like your products shipped? Air
Air
Land
Sea
Radio Button
Radio buttons allow users to select only one of several options.
For example, radio buttons can be used to allow users to specify
if they are male or female. You must set the type attribute to
radio and use the name and value attributes to create a radio
button. You may also want to use the checked attribute.
What is your gender?<br> What is your gender?
Female <input type="radio" name="gender" value="female" checked> Female Male
Male <input type="radio" name="gender" value="male">
Submit Button Reset Button
A submit button allows users to send data in the form to A reset button allows users to clear the data they
the PHP page that will process the data. You must add a entered into a form. A user cannot redisplay data that
submit button to each form you create. You must set the has been cleared. Reset buttons are commonly used
type attribute to submit to create a submit button. You in forms that have many text boxes. You must set
may also want to use the name and value attributes. the type attribute to reset to create a reset button.
You may also want to use the value attribute.
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Submit Now">
<input type="reset" value="Click to Reset">
Submit Now
Click to Reset

138 139
 PHP CREATING AND PROCESSING FORMS 6
In addition to using forms, data can also be passed to a PHP page As a security precaution, a PHP
by a query string. A query string is one or more name-value pairs page that processes form data

PROCESS DATA FROM A FORM appended to the URL of a PHP page. To create a query string, you
enter the URL of the PHP page in a Web browser, followed by a
question mark. You then enter a name followed by an equal sign
should not be used to display
secure information based on the
data submitted in the form. For
and a value for the name. To enter multiple name-value pairs, example, you should not display

A
fter creating a form on a Web page, you can create
a PHP page that will process data submitted in the
form. A PHP page can use information it accesses
from a form to perform tasks such as displaying the data
or storing the data in session variables or a database.
PHP makes it easy to process data from a form. When a
PHP page receives form information, the page automatically
converts the names of form elements to PHP variables and
assigns the data entered in the elements to the variables. To
process data entered in a form element, you simply access
the variable for the element by prefixing the name of the
element with a dollar sign ($). The name of a form element
is specified when the element is created on the Web page
containing the form. For information about creating
elements on a form, see page 137.
The PHP page that processes a form also automatically
identifies the method the form is using to transfer separate each pair with an ampersand (&). A query string should troubleshooting or administrative
information. This allows you to create a PHP page that not exceed 2000 characters. The PHP page that receives the data information when a user name such
processes form data without having to specify whether the will create variables using the names you specify and will assign as admin is entered in a text box.
form uses the get or post method. For more information the specified values to the variables. Form data can be easily manipulated,
about the methods a form can use to transfer information, allowing unauthorized users to
Example:
see page 136. access the secure information.
http://www.abccorp.com/processform.php?userName=Ernest&region=USA
After creating and saving a PHP page that processes data
submitted in a form, you should review the code for the The empty function can be used to verify whether a user
Web page that contains the form to verify that the action entered data in a form element. If a user leaves the form
attribute displays the correct filename and location for the element blank, the empty function will return a value of true.
PHP page. You should also verify that each form element
has a unique name to ensure that the PHP page will create TYPE THIS: RESULT:
a unique variable for each form element. As with all
if(empty($userName)) You did not enter a user name.
variable names in PHP, the names of variables that store {
form data are case sensitive. print "You did not enter a user name.";
}

PROCESS DATA FROM A FORM

SET UP THE PHP PAGE
⁄ Type $ followed by the
name of a form element
you want to access.
¤ Type the code that ‹ Repeat steps 1 and 2 PROCESS FORM DATA ¤ Enter data into the form. ■ The Web browser
uses the data from the for each form element ⁄ In a Web browser, displays the result of
form element. you want to access. ‹ Click the submit button processing data from
display the Web page to pass the data in the form
containing the form a form.
to the PHP page that will
you want to process. process the data.

140 141
 PHP CREATING AND PROCESSING FORMS 6
PROCESS MULTIPLE FORM SELECTIONS
ost elements in a form are used to submit a single In the PHP page that processes the form data, you can

M item of information, such as a name or telephone

number, to a page that processes the information.
Some form elements, however, allow users to choose more
than one option at once. For example, you can create a
form that allows a user to select one or more items from
a list.
The elements most often used to pass multiple selections
in a form are the drop-down list and the check box
element. For more information about form elements,
see page 138.
When creating a form that can pass multiple selections for
one element to a PHP page, you must indicate that the PHP
page should process the data as an array of values, rather
than as a single variable. To specify that the data should be
passed as an array, you include a pair of brackets [] after
the name of the element in the form, such as <select
name="products[]">.
access all the values selected for an element by using a
for loop. For information about creating a for loop, see
page 54. To access the values in the for loop, you prefix
When you use the check box element to pass
multiple selections in a form, you must include
a pair of brackets after the name of the element
for each option to ensure that PHP will store
the name of the element with a dollar sign ($), just as you the selected options in an array.
would access a single item of information from an element.
Using the count function to determine the number of Example:
values passed by the element allows you to specify when <form action="select.php">
the for loop should end. <input type="checkbox" name="services[]"
value="tune-up" checked>tune-up<br>
After creating and saving the PHP page, you should review <input type="checkbox" name="services[]"
the code for the Web page that contains the form to verify value="tire rotation">tire rotation<br>
<input type="checkbox" name="services[]"
that the action attribute displays the correct filename and value="oil change">oil change<br>
location for the PHP page.
<input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>
When processing data from a form, you should
include code in the PHP page that checks the
validity of data a user submits in the form. For
example, if you want users to select at least two
options from a list, you can add error-checking
code that ensures two selections were made.
Example:
if (count($services) > 1)
{
for ($x = 0; $x < count($services); $x++)
print "$services[$x]<br>";
}
else
{
print "Please select at least 2 items.";
}

PROCESS MULTIPLE FORM SELECTIONS

tire rotation
oil change
brake inspection

CREATE THE FORM
⁄ Type the code that
creates a form with an
element that allows users
to select multiple options.
142
¤ To indicate that the
information from the
element should be stored
in an array, type [] after
the name of the element.
SET UP THE PHP PAGE
⁄ In the PHP page, type $
followed by the name of the
form element that allows
users to select multiple
options.
¤ Type the code for the PROCESS MULTIPLE SELECTIONS
for loop that will access ⁄ In a Web browser, display
each piece of data from the Web page containing the
the form element. form you want to process.
¤ Select options in the form.
Note: To select multiple options ■ The Web browser displays
from a drop-down list, hold the result of processing
down Ctrl as you click each multiple form selections.
option.
‹ Click the submit
button to pass the data in
the form to the PHP page
that will process the data.
143
 PHP CREATING AND PROCESSING FORMS 6
You may incorporate other form elements into a form that allows The ability to upload files using forms
users to upload files. This is useful for transferring other information, is not strictly a PHP feature. It is an
such as the sender's name and a file description, which you may HTML specification and can be used
CREATE A FORM TO UPLOAD A FILE want to use when processing the file that has been sent.
Example:
to upload files to Web servers using
technologies other than PHP. For
form can be used to allow users to upload a file to a to select a file from their computer. The name attribute more detailed information about how

A Web server. Allowing users to upload files is useful

for collecting information that is best displayed in
a separate file, such as a résumé or an order form. Users
can send plain text files or binary files, such as images and
compressed files. The files users send are usually stored
on your Web server.
The action attribute of the <form> tag should specify the
PHP page where the file is to be sent and processed. In the
<form> tag, you should also use the enctype attribute
with the multipart/form-data value to ensure that the
files users send will transfer in the proper format. The form
should also use the post method when transferring a file.
To indicate that a form element will be used to upload a file,
the type attribute of the <input> tag should have a value
of file. This form element will allow users to type the
name of the file they wish to send or use a Browse button
of the <input> tag should indicate the name that will
be used to identify the file that a user sends.
As with others forms, a submit button must be added
to the form, which allows users to start the process of
transferring the file to the Web server.
You may also want to provide users with an alternate
method of transferring files, such as using an FTP server.
This is especially helpful in cases where a user's Web
browser is not able to upload files.
After the file has been sent to a Web browser, a PHP page
may be used to retrieve and process the uploaded file.
For information about using a PHP page to process a file
submitted using a form, see page 146.
<form action="savefile.php" enctype="multipart/form-data" method="post">
Enter File Name: <input type="file" name="uploadedFile"><br>
Your Name: <input type="text" name="username" size="30"><br>
File Description: <input name="fileDetails" type="text" size="50"><p>
<input type="submit" value="Upload File">
files are transferred using forms, you
may refer to the World Wide Web
Consortium (W3C) Web site at
www.w3.org/TR/device-upload.
</form>
You may add a hidden field to your form to specify the maximum
size of the file that may be sent to the Web server. The value
MAX_FILE_SIZE is assigned to the name attribute, and the
value attribute is used to specify the maximum size, in bytes.
This hidden field must be placed before the file input field.
Example:
<form action="savefile.php" enctype="multipart/form-data" method="post">
<input type="hidden" name="MAX_FILE_SIZE" value="1000000">
Enter File Name: <input type="file" name="uploadedFile"><p>
<input type="submit" value="Upload File">
</form>

CREATE A FORM TO UPLOAD A FILE

⁄ In the <form> tag, ¤ Between the quotation
type action="". marks, type the name of
the PHP page that will
process the file sent by
the form.
144
‹ Type enctype="multipart/form-
data" to ensure that the files
users send will transfer in the
proper format.
› Type method="post" to
specify the method used to
transfer the file.
ˇ Between the <form> Á To add the element that ° Between the · Save the page with ■ Users can click in the box
and </form> tags, type allows users to send a file, quotation marks, type the .html extension and and type the location and name
the text you want to type <input type="file">. the name that will be display the HTML page of the file they want to send.
appear beside the area used to identify the file. in a Web browser.
that will allow users to ‡ In the <input> tag, ■ Users can also click the
send files. type name="". ■ The Web browser Browse button to open a dialog
displays an area that box that will help them locate
allows users to send the file they want to send.
a file. 145
 PHP CREATING AND PROCESSING FORMS 6
The php.ini file contains configuration settings that allow you to change the
temporary directory used for storing uploaded files and the maximum size of
files that can be uploaded. You can also disable the ability to upload files. Open
PROCESS AN UPLOADED FILE the php.ini file on the Web server and look for the following section of code.
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
; File Uploads ;
PHP page can be used to retrieve and process uploaded file. When accessing information from the

A a file that was uploaded to a Web server by

a user.
When a file is uploaded to a Web server using a PHP page,
it is first temporarily stored using a filename assigned by
PHP. This temporary file will be deleted after the PHP page
has finished processing. You can use the copy function to
save a permanent copy of the uploaded file. You need to
pass two arguments to the copy function––the temporary
filename and the filename to be used to save the file,
which can be the original name of the file. After the file
has been permanently stored, you can access the file as
you would access any other file on the Web server.
To determine the temporary filename of the uploaded file,
you must access the $HTTP_POST_FILES array, which is
an associative array that stores information about the
$HTTP_POST_FILES array, you need to specify the name
used to identify the file. This is the same name that was
specified in the name attribute of the <input> tag in the
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
file_uploads
upload_tmp_dir
= On ; Whether to allow HTTP file uploads
= c:\temp ; temporary directory for HTTP uploaded files
upload_max_filesize = 2M ; Maximum allowed size for uploaded files
form used to send the file. You must also specify the index Before you can process uploaded files using a PHP page, you must make sure
name of the information you want to access. You use the
that file upload has been enabled and the temporary directory specified in the
tmp_name index name to access the temporary filename php.ini file exists on the Web server.
assigned to the uploaded file.
You can use other index names to access additional pieces When an uploaded file is permanently saved on a Web server, by default, the
of information about the file from the $HTTP_POST_FILES file is saved in the same directory where the PHP page is located. You may
array. For example, use the name index name to want to save the file in a different directory by appending the directory path to
determine the original filename of the uploaded file. the name of the file. To avoid errors, you should make sure that the specified
The size index name returns the file size, in bytes. directory exists on the Web server before attempting to save the uploaded file.
To determine the file type, you specify the type index
name. Some Web browsers may not allow you to Example:
determine the file type. $tempFile = $HTTP_POST_FILES['uploadedFile']['tmp_name'];
$destination = "c:\\uploads\files\\" .
$HTTP_POST_FILES['uploadedFile']['name'];
copy($tempFile, $destination);

PROCESS AN UPLOADED FILE

⁄ To access information
about a file uploaded
to the Web server, type
$HTTP_POST_FILES[][].
146
¤ Between the first set of
brackets, type the name used
to identify the uploaded file
enclosed in single quotation
marks.
‹ Between the second set of
brackets, type the index name
of the information you want
to access enclosed in single
quotation marks.
› To save a permanent
copy of the uploaded file,
type copy().
ˇ Between the parentheses,
repeat steps 1 to 3, except
type the tmp_name index
name, enclosed in single
quotation marks, in the
second set of brackets to
access the temporary name
of the file.
Á To use the original
filename to store the copy
of the uploaded file, type
a comma and then repeat
steps 1 to 3, except type the
name index name, enclosed
in single quotation marks, in
the second set of brackets.
‡ Type the code that uses
the accessed information
about the uploaded file.
° Save the page with the
.php extension.
■ After a user uploads a file ■ The file is also
to the Web server using a form, permanently saved
the PHP page will be able to on the Web server.
process the file and display the
result of accessing information
about the uploaded file.
147
 PHP MANAGING COOKIES AND SESSIONS 7
Instead of specifying the expiry time for a cookie in seconds, you
can specify an exact date when you want the cookie to expire. This is
useful for a cookie that you do not want to expire for a long period of time.
To create a cookie that uses an exact date for the expiry time, you can use
the header function to send the cookie to the client as an HTTP header.
CREATE AND READ A COOKIE Example:
header("Set-Cookie: accessedBefore=Yes; expires=Friday, 07-Mar-2003 00:00:00 GMT;");

P
HP pages can be used to create and read cookies.
When a user accesses a page that creates a cookie,
the cookie is typically stored as a small text file on
the user's computer. The cookie can later be read by a PHP
page to access the information stored in the cookie. For
example, a cookie can store a user's name. When the user
accesses the PHP page again later, the page can use the
value stored in the cookie to display the user's name.
To create a cookie, you use the setcookie function.
The function takes several arguments, including the name
you want to assign to the cookie, the value you want the
cookie to store and an expiry time for the cookie. The
setcookie function must be placed before any other
code on a PHP page.
By default, a cookie will be deleted when the user closes
their Web browser. Setting an expiry time for a cookie
allows the cookie to store information for longer periods
of time. The time function can be used to set the expiry
time, in seconds, for a cookie.
After creating a cookie, you can have a PHP page read
the cookie. When a user with a cookie stored on their
computer visits a PHP page that can read the cookie, PHP
automatically converts the name of the cookie to a variable
and assigns the value stored in the cookie to the variable.
This makes it easy to work with cookies using PHP. To read
a cookie stored on a user's computer, you simply access
the cookie variable by prefixing the name of the cookie
with a dollar sign ($).
When working with cookies, keep in mind that a client
may be configured to reject cookies or may be located
behind a security firewall that filters out cookie
information.
To prevent unauthorized pages from reading a cookie you placed
on a user's computer, you can specify a path and domain for the
cookie in the setcookie function. Only the pages stored in the
specified directory and domain will be able to read the cookie.
Example:
setcookie("accessedBefore", "Yes", time() + 3600, "/web/text", "www.test.com");
If a PHP page attempts to access a variable that does not exist, an
error will be generated. You may want to use the isset function
to verify that a cookie variable exists before attempting to access
the variable in a PHP page.
Example:
if (isset($cookieValue))
{
print "A cookie exists on your computer";
}

CREATE A COOKIE READ A COOKIE

⁄ To create a cookie, type setcookie(). ‹ To specify when ˇ Display the PHP page ■ The cookie is now stored ⁄ In the PHP page, type $ ¤ Type the code that ‹ Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
the cookie will in a Web browser. on the computer. followed by the name of the uses the value of the in a Web browser. displays the result of
¤ Between the parentheses, type expire, type a comma cookie you want to read. cookie. reading a cookie.
a name for the cookie enclosed in followed by time().
quotation marks. Then type a comma
followed by the value you want to › Type + followed
assign to the cookie enclosed in by the expiry time
quotation marks. for the cookie in
seconds.
148 149
 PHP MANAGING COOKIES AND SESSIONS 7
DELETE A COOKIE
If you want to make changes to a cookie you have previously

P
HP allows you to delete a cookie before it expires.
This is useful if you no longer need the information
in the cookie. For example, you may want to delete
a cookie that contains user registration information if the
user cancels their registration to your Web site.
It may also be necessary to remove cookies if you already
have the maximum number of cookies allowed, but want
to create more. PHP permits each domain to store up to
20 cookies. You can delete cookies you no longer need
to make room for new cookies.
To remove a cookie, you use the setcookie function to
create a new cookie that has the same name as the cookie
you want to remove, but has an expiry time set as a time
in the past. For example, you can use the time function
to set the expiry time as a negative number of seconds,
such as time() - 60. This will cause the cookie to expire
immediately. The setcookie function must be placed
before any other code on a PHP page.
When deleting a cookie, the value you assign to the
cookie can be an empty string. If you specified a path and
domain when you created the original cookie, you must
specify the same path and domain when deleting the
cookie. This ensures that the correct cookie is removed.
For information about specifying a path and domain for
a cookie, see the top of page 148.
Working with cookies is not always a simple task. Some
Web servers and Web browsers work with cookies in
different ways. For example, some Web servers will not
allow a cookie to be removed from a client computer until
the cookie reaches its original expiry time. When working
with cookies, you should thoroughly test your code on
all Web browsers you expect to access your PHP page.
created, you must delete the cookie and then recreate the
cookie using the new information. The process of deleting
and then recreating a cookie differs depending on the version
of PHP you are using.
PHP Version 4 PHP Version 3
When using PHP version 4, cookies you create When using PHP version 3, cookies you
and delete using the setcookie function are create and delete using the setcookie
processed in the order they appear in the PHP function are processed in reverse order. To
script. To delete and then recreate a cookie, delete and then recreate a cookie, you must
you must place the setcookie statement place the setcookie statement that recreates
that deletes the cookie before the setcookie the cookie before the setcookie statement
statement that recreates the cookie. that deletes the cookie.
Example: Example:
setcookie("status", "", time() - 60); setcookie("status", "approved", time() + 3600);
setcookie("status", "approved", time() + 3600); setcookie("status", "", time() - 60);

DELETE A COOKIE

⁄ To delete a cookie,
type setcookie().
¤ Between the
parentheses, type the
name of the cookie you
want to delete enclosed
in quotation marks.
‹ Type a comma and
then type "" to enter an
empty string for the value
of the cookie.
› To specify an expiry ˇ If you specified a path
time in the past, type a for the cookie when the
comma and then type cookie was created, type
time() - followed by a a comma and then type
number of seconds. the path enclosed in
quotation marks.
Á If you specified a domain ‡ Display the PHP page ■ The cookie has been
for the cookie when the in a Web browser. deleted from the computer.
cookie was created, type
a comma and then type
the domain enclosed in
quotation marks.

150 151
 PHP
START A SESSION
session is created for each user that requests a PHP
A page from your Web site. A session enables a Web
server to use cookies to collect and use information
entered by a user while the user accesses resources on the
Web server. For example, if a user specifies a user name on
the main page of a Web site, this user name can be used
by the Web server to personalize any other Web pages the
user requests during that session.
To start a session in a PHP page, you use the
session_start function. The session_start function
must be placed before any HTML code on your PHP page.
It is also good programming practice to start a session at the
beginning of your PHP page so that session information is
available throughout the page. Calling the session_start
function while an existing session is in progress will not
create a new session or affect the existing session.
START A SESSION
⁄ To start a session, ■ The session_start
type session_start(). function should be placed
before any HTML code on
your PHP page.
152
The Web server keeps track of each session by assigning
a session ID to identify each current user. When a session
is started, the Web server stores a session ID as a cookie
named PHPSESSID on the user's computer. When the user
requests another page from the site, the user's Web browser
sends the session ID to the Web server to identify the user.
To access the current session ID using a PHP page, you type
$PHPSESSID.
Session IDs are randomly generated by the Web server.
You should not use the session ID as a unique identifier,
such as the primary key in a database, as the session ID
may not always be unique. For example, if the Web server
is restarted, the server may assign a user a session ID that
was previously assigned to a different user.
¤ Display the PHP ■ The session is started.
page in a Web browser.
MANAGING COOKIES AND SESSIONS
PHP typically stores session information in
a directory on the Web server. The name
and location of this directory is specified
by the session.save_path value in the
php.ini configuration file. You should check
to make sure the directory exists before
starting a session. If the directory does not
exist, you can create it. For example, if the
php.ini configuration file specifies /tmp as
the session.save_path value, you can
create a directory named tmp in the main
directory on the Web server.
You can change the name of the cookie used
to store the session ID number by changing
PHPSESSID in the session.name value
in the php.ini configuration file on the Web
server. Using a unique session.name
value helps to increase the security of your
PHP pages.
ACCESS THE SESSION ID
⁄ Type $PHPSESSID ¤ Type the code that will
where you want to access display the session ID in a
a session ID. Web browser.
7
You can use the session_id function to specify
a different value for a session ID. This is useful
when you want to create unique session IDs that
you can use as identifiers in your code. The session
ID must be enclosed in quotation marks and placed
within the parentheses following the session_id
function. You should use only alphanumeric
characters when specifying a session ID.
Example:
session_id("User593204");
You can also use the session_id function
to access the session ID instead of using the
PHPSESSID cookie. Before using the session_id
function, you should call the session_start
function to indicate that you will use session
information.
Example:
print session_id();
Access a Session ID - Microsoft Internet Explorer
‹ Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
in a Web browser. displays the result of
accessing the session ID.
153
 PHP MANAGING COOKIES AND SESSIONS 7

CREATE AND READ A SESSION VARIABLE All session variables and the information stored in them You can use the session_unregister
will be discarded when the session ends or is terminated. function to remove a session variable you
s a user moves through the pages in your Web site, value assigned to a session variable in any PHP page.

A the user may be asked to enter information such

as a user name, password or preferences to display
each page. Creating session variables allows you to store
this information and make the information available to
all the pages viewed by the user in your Web site. This
saves the user from having to repeatedly enter the same
information to display each page during a session.
You use the session_register function to specify
the name of the variable you want to create. The name of
the session variable must be enclosed in quotation marks.
Once the session variable has been registered, you can
assign a value to the variable. The information stored in
a session variable can come from sources such as forms,
databases and cookies.
After creating a session variable, you can use the
session_register function to read the information
stored in the session variable. You can also change the
Changes made to a variable will affect all the PHP pages
that use the variable. You can use the session variable
in your PHP pages as you would use any variable.
The session_start function should be called at
the beginning of every PHP page that will use session
information. Calling the session_start function
will have no effect if a session is already in progress.
If the session_register function is used before
the session_start function is called, a session will
be started automatically.
The use of session variables is an effective way of
collecting and accessing information across multiple
pages on a Web site and is more secure and easier
to maintain than HTML hidden fields or cookies.
If necessary, you can use cookies or a database to save
the information stored in a session variable.
created in the current session.
Example:
session_unregister("userName");
The session_is_registered function can be used
to determine if a variable has been registered as a session
variable. The function will return a value of true if the
To remove all the session variables that
variable has been registered in the current session.
have been created for the current session,
Example: you can use the session_unset
if (session_is_registered("userName")) function. The session will remain open
{ after you use the session_unset
print "The user name has been registered."; function, but the variables created during
}
else the session will no longer be available.
{
Example:
print "The user name does not exist in this Web site.";
session_unset();
}

CREATE A SESSION VARIABLE READ A SESSION VARIABLE

⁄ To create a session variable,
type session_register().
¤ Between the parentheses,
type a name for the session
variable, enclosed in quotation
marks.
154
‹ Type $ followed by the
name of the session variable.
Then type = followed by the
value you want to assign to
the session variable.
■ String values must be
enclosed in quotation marks.
› Display the PHP page
in a Web browser.
■ The session variable ⁄ In the PHP page
is now stored on the where you want to read
computer. information stored in a
session variable, type
session_register().
¤ Between the parentheses, › Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
type the name of the session in a Web browser. displays the result of
variable you want to read, reading a session variable.
enclosed in quotation marks.
‹ Type the code that uses
the value of the session
variable.
155
 PHP
SAVE SESSION INFORMATION TO A FILE
ession information you store in session variables will
S be available for the duration of the current session.
If the session times out or is otherwise terminated by
the Web server or client, any session information that has
been created will be lost. If you want to be able to access
session information after a session has ended, you can
save the session information to a file. This is useful when
you want to be able to restore the information for a client
at a later time.
To save session information to a file, you use the
session_encode function to encode the information
for the session in a string. After encoding the session
information, you can write the string returned by the
function to a file. You must use the fopen function to
open the file and use the fputs function to write the
encoded session information to the file. For more
information about writing data to a file, see page 124.
SAVE SESSION INFORMATION TO A FILE
⁄ Type the code that ■ For information about
creates the session variables creating session variables,
you want to use to store see page 154.
session information.
156
The encoded session information saved in a file includes
session information you have stored in session variables,
but does not include the session ID of the current session.
This enables you to restore the session variables to a
new session that has a different session ID. For example,
saving session information makes it easy to transfer the
information between multiple Web servers used by the
same Web site. When a user accesses a different Web
server on the Web site, the session information saved in
a file can be passed to the new Web server with the client,
maintaining continuity even though a new session has
been started on the second server.
After saving session information to a file, you can have
a PHP page restore the session information from the file.
For information about restoring session information from
a file, see page 158.
¤ To be able to store the ‹ To encode the session
encoded session information information in a string,
in a file, type the code that type session_encode().
opens the file for writing.
MANAGING COOKIES AND SESSIONS 7
Saving session information to a file is an effective Saving session information to a file
way of storing relatively small amounts of session can be used in conjunction with, or as
information. If you plan to store large amounts
of session information, you should consider
storing the information in a database. A database
provides a more efficient and versatile means
an alternative to, storing information in
cookies. Saving session information to
a file can be more reliable than using
cookies to store information, since some
of storing session information. In order to store users may disable cookies in their Web
session information in a database, your Web browsers.
server must have database capabilities.
If you do not want the file that stores session
information to be overwritten each time a client
visits the PHP page, you can append data to the
file. This is useful when you want to store session
information for multiple users in a single file. To
access the information for a particular session
later, you can search the file for a unique identifier
for the information.
› Type the code that ˇ Type the code that Á Display the PHP page ■ The session information
writes the string returned closes the file. in a Web browser. has been written to the file.
by the session_encode
function to the file.
157
 PHP
RESTORE SESSION
INFORMATION FROM A FILE
ou can have a PHP page restore session information
Y you stored in a file. This allows you to make the
session information from a previous session available
to a new session. For example, if you saved session
variables containing a user's login information to a file,
you can restore the information when the user begins a
new session. This saves the user from having to re-enter
the information each time a new session is started.
Restoring session information from a previous session
does not alter the session ID for the current session.
To restore session information from a file, you first open
the file for reading using the fopen function. For more
information about opening a file for reading, see page 126.
The session_decode function can then be used to
decode and restore the session information from the file.
The session_decode function takes a string of text
containing encoded session information as its argument.
You can use the fgets function to retrieve the string that
RESTORE SESSION INFORMATION FROM A FILE
⁄ To open the file that ¤ To restore the session
contains the session information stored in the
information you want to file, type session_decode().
restore, type the code that
opens the file for reading.
158
contains the session information you want to restore from
the file. For more information about the fgets function,
see page 126.
When session information is restored from a file, the
session variables stored in the file are automatically
available to the PHP page. This means that you do not
need to recreate the variables in the page.
After storing session information in a file, a new
session must be started before the session information
can be restored from the file. You should use the
session_start function on a PHP page that restores
session information to start a new session. The
session_start function must be placed before any
HTML code on the PHP page. For more information
about the session_start function, see page 152.
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the code that uses the
fgets function to retrieve the
information stored in the file.
MANAGING COOKIES AND SESSIONS 7
If you use the session_decode function Session information stored in a file is encoded
within another function, the scope of the
session variables restored from a file will be
in a format that is easy to read and understand.
You can open the file that stores session
limited to that function. If you want to be information in a text editor or word processor
able to use the session variables outside the
function, you must use the global keyword
to view the session information before restoring
the information in a PHP page. Viewing session
to give the session variables returned by the information can be useful for troubleshooting
session_decode function global scope.
Example:
function getname()
session-related problems.
Example:
userName|s:4:"Paul";location|s:8:"New York";
{
$fp = fopen("sessionInfo.txt", "r");
global $userName, $location;
session_decode(fgets($fp, 4096));
fclose($fp);
}
As with any file you want to access from
within a PHP page, the file that stores
session information you want to restore
must have the appropriate file and operating
system permissions in order for you to
retrieve information from the file. For more
information about file and operating system
permissions, consult the documentation for
your Web server and operating system.
› Type the code that ˇ Type the code that uses Á Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser displays
closes the file. the session information in a Web browser. the result of restoring session
restored from the file. information from a file.
159
 PHP DEMYSTIFYING OBJECTS 8
USING OBJECTS IN PHP The key difference between traditional and object-oriented One of the benefits of object-oriented
nlike C++ and Java, PHP is not a true object-oriented variable to create a dir object. The dir class is a built-in programming is the way data and the functions that process programming is known as data hiding, or the

U language; however, PHP does support object-oriented

programming concepts that allow programmers to
write code in an object-oriented fashion.
Objects, which are packages of code composed of data and
functions that make use of the data, are the core features of
object-oriented programming. In PHP, an object's members,
or properties, are made up of the data for the object. An
object also has member functions, or methods, that are used
to manipulate the object.
A class is PHP code that serves as a template for creating an
object, which is also referred to as an instance of the class.
It is possible to create many objects using the same class.
Once created, each object can operate independently from
other objects.
To create a new object, you assign a new instance of a class
to a variable. For example, you can assign the dir class to a
PHP class used to access the contents of a directory and
is instantiated by specifying the path of the directory to be
searched. When creating an object from a class you defined,
you must include the new keyword. For more information
about defining and using classes, see page 162.
Once you create a new object, you can access the properties
and methods of the object. For example, the path property
of the dir object contains the path to the directory specified
when the object was instantiated. The read method returns
the names of the files in the directory one at a time. The
close method is used to close the directory once all the
files have been retrieved.
To access an object's properties and methods, you use the
variable that represents the object followed by the member
access operator (->). You then indicate the property or
method you want the object to access.
the data are organized. Using traditional programming
methods, an application is generally created as one large
program, with no division between the functions of the
application. For example, a shopping cart program may
be designed as a single program containing customer
information, item inventory and shipping functions. A slight
change made to one portion of the program may greatly
affect the rest of the program, which can make the program
difficult to manage. Using object-oriented programming,
however, allows you to structure and organize code in your
applications into distinct modules, or objects. The variables
and functions that deal with a specific feature, such as
shipping, can be maintained separately from the other
components. This can make the application easier to
manage, especially if there are multiple programmers
working on the same application.
black box concept. Data hiding makes classes
easier to use by hiding the fields and methods
of the classes from other parts of the program.
The program then has to know only how to
access the class, not the internal workings
of the class. Data hiding is often used in
programs to protect classes from tampering
and to ensure that the methods of the classes
are used are originally intended. A programmer
can modify and maintain the code within the
class without affecting the programs that use
the class. This also helps ensure that objects
developed by multiple people are compatible.

USING OBJECTS IN PHP

⁄ To create an object,
type a variable name for
the object followed by =.
¤ Type the name of the
class that you want use
to create the object,
followed by ().
160
‹ Between the parentheses,
type any arguments needed
to create the object.
Note: In this example, the path of
the directory is included as an
argument.
› To access a property of
the object, type the name
of the variable that contains
the object, followed by –>.
ˇ Type the name of Á To call a method of the object, ° Repeat steps 6 and 7 ‚ Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
the property you want type the name of the variable that for each method you in a Web browser. displays the result of
to access. contains the object followed by –>. want to call. using the properties
and methods of an
■ Repeat steps 4 and 5 ‡ Type the name of the method · Type the code that object.
for each property you you want to call followed by (). uses the accessed
want to access. properties and the called
■ Type any arguments for the methods of the object.
method between the parentheses.
161
 PHP DEMYSTIFYING OBJECTS 8

DEFINE A CLASS When assigning an initial value to a property of

an object, you must indicate a literal value. An
Although PHP allows you to set the property
of an object using the assignment operator (=),
ou may define a class that will serve as a template you assign to the property can be any data type, such as error will occur if you attempt to set the initial this practice is not recommended and should

Y for an object. Classes are defined using the keyword

class followed by the class name. The class name
must begin with a letter followed by any combination of
letters, numbers or underscore characters. Class names
are case-insensitive, but it is good programming practice
to use a consistent format for naming classes you define.
The name of the class is followed by a pair of braces {}.
The code between the braces is referred to as the body of
the class and may consist of properties, which are the data
for the object, and methods, which are the structures that
contain the code for specific actions. For information about
defining methods, see page 164.
You can define properties for a class you create by using
the keyword var followed by a name for the property
preceded by a dollar sign ($). You may then assign an initial
value to the property or leave the property unset. The value
integer, floating-point number, string, array or boolean.
You may define as many properties in a class as needed.
All properties should be declared at the beginning of the
value of a property using a value obtained from
a function, another variable or an expression
with operators. If a value needs to be obtained
from a function or an expression, you should
be avoided. In object-oriented programming,
only an object's methods should be used to
access and alter the object's properties. This
helps protect classes from tampering, which
class definition.
use a method to assign the value to the may cause an object to work improperly.
Once a class has been defined, you can create an object property. The following example shows
from the class. You create a variable to store the object property declarations that will cause errors.
and then use the new keyword followed by the name of
Example:
the class to create an object.
class Fruit
You can also access the properties of the class in the {
var $name = "Granny" . "Smith";
object. To access the properties, use the variable that
var $type = $name;
represents the object followed by the member access var $soldOn = time();
operator (->). You can then indicate the property you var $quantity = 1 + 1;
want to access. When accessing a property, the property }
name must be typed exactly as it was specified in the
class definition, without the dollar sign ($).

DEFINE A CLASS

⁄ Type class followed by
the name of the class you
want to create. Then type
the opening and closing
braces for the class.
162
¤ To define a property of
the class, type var followed
by $ and the name of the
property.
‹ To assign a value to the
property, type = followed
by the value you want to
assign.
› Repeat steps 2 and 3
for each property you
want to define.
CREATE AN OBJECT
USING A CLASS
ˇ Type the variable name
for the object followed by =.
Á Type new followed by
the name of the class you
want to use to create the
object.
ACCESS PROPERTIES · Type the code that — Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
OF AN OBJECT uses the accessed in a Web browser. displays the result of
‡ Type the name of the property. defining and using a
variable that contains the class.
object followed by –>.
‚ Repeat steps 7 to 9
for each property you
° Type the name of the want to access.
property you want to
access. 163
 PHP DEMYSTIFYING OBJECTS 8
You can set the values for an object's properties by using a constructor
method. A constructor method is a special type of method that is
always executed each time the class is accessed and an object is
created. This makes constructor methods useful for performing
initialization tasks for a new object. A constructor method must have
DEFINE A METHOD the same name as the class for which it is the constructor. You can
also call a constructor method after an object has been created.

A
fter defining a class, you can define the methods The body of a method is enclosed in braces {}. Within the
TYPE THIS: RESULT:
for the class. You can use methods to perform any body of a method, you can use the special variable $this
number of tasks that relate to an object. For example, to set or access the value of a property. The special variable class Fruit Fruit: apple
you may want to define a method that sets the properties $this is followed by the member access operator (->) { Fruit: mango
var $name;
of an object or displays the current values of the object's and the name of the property. To set a new value, you then var $color;
properties. include the assignment operator (=) followed by the new var $saleDate;
value for the property. function Fruit($name, $color)
A method is created using the function keyword followed {
by the name of the method and a set of parentheses. You Similar to functions, methods may return a value using a $this->name = $name;
can set up a method to accept arguments. In the function return statement. When accessing a property of an object, $this->color = $color;
statement, you define one or more variables between the you would ideally use a method that returns the value of the $this->saleDate = time();
parentheses that follow the method name. Each variable property rather than referring to the property directly. This }
represents an argument you will pass to the method. You practice of accessing the properties of an object through a function PrintName()
{
can use the variables you create in the function statement method does not have to be strictly adhered to, but it is a print "<b>Fruit:</b> " . $this->name . "<br>";
within the body of the method. When specifying the more proper way of writing object-oriented programs. }
arguments of a method, you may specify a default value }
for an argument of the method. You use the assignment $fruitObject = new Fruit("apple", "red");
operator (=) to assign a default value to the argument. $fruitObject->PrintName();
$fruitObject->Fruit("mango", "green");
$fruitObject->PrintName();

DEFINE A METHOD

⁄ Type the code that
defines a class.
¤ To define a method, type
function followed by the
name of the method you
want to define. Then type ().
164
‹ To allow the method to
accept arguments, type the
names of the variables you want
to store the arguments. Separate
each argument with a comma.
› To set a default value for an
argument, type = followed by the
default value after the argument.
ˇ Type the opening and
closing braces of the method
body. The code you want the
method to execute is placed
between the braces.
Á To have the method ‡ To define a method ° To have the method · Repeat steps 2 to 5 for ■ You can now call
set the value of a that accesses properties access the value of a any other methods you want a method in the PHP
property, type $this–> of the class, repeat property, type $this–> to create. script. See page 166
followed by the name of steps 2 to 5. followed by the name of to call a method.
the property. Then type = the property you want to ‚ To return a value from a
followed by the value or access. method, type return in the
variable you want to use. body of the method, followed
by the information you want
the function to return. 165
 PHP DEMYSTIFYING OBJECTS 8
You can define a method that returns the value of a property or calls
a method by specifying the name of the property or method as an
argument. The name of the property or method is stored in a variable,
CALL A METHOD which is used to access the value of the property or call a method in
the body of another method. The variable name is used in place of
a literal property or method name. This is useful when you want to

A
fter creating an object in your script, you can call The special variable $this must be used when calling
the object's methods. Calling a method tells PHP a private method within the body of another method. dynamically access an object's property or call an object's method.
to access and execute the code in the method. The special variable $this is followed by the member
TYPE THIS: RESULT:
access operator (->), the name of the method and a set
To call a method, you type the name of the object followed of parentheses. You may place any required arguments class Fruit Red Apple
by the member access operator (->) and the name of the between the parentheses. {
method where you want to execute the code. The method var $name;
name is followed by a set of parentheses. If the method was Unfortunately, PHP does not make any distinctions var $color;
set up to accept arguments, you specify the arguments you between the different methods that you define. There function Fruit($name, $color)
{
want to pass to the method between the parentheses. is no mechanism in PHP that will allow you to restrict the $this->name = $name;
access of certain methods to within the class itself. This $this->color = $color;
A method can be accessed from within the body of another makes it possible to misuse code. To help avoid misuse, }
method in the class definition. This is useful for defining a you should include clear, descriptive comments in your function GetProperty($propertyName)
method that is to be used only within the class itself, such code to label private methods so they are not used outside {
as a method used to perform internal calculations. This the class definition. return $this->$propertyName;
type of method is referred to as a private method. Private }
methods typically contain code that is repeatedly used in }
a class. Private methods are also useful for breaking up $fruitObject = new Fruit("Apple", "Red");
print $fruitObject->GetProperty("color") . " ";
methods containing a large amount of code, which improves
print $fruitObject->GetProperty("name");
the readability of the code.

CALL A METHOD

⁄ Type the code that ¤ Type the code that ‹ To call a method of the › Between the parentheses, Á To call a private method ° Type the code that ‚ Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser displays
creates a class and its creates an object. object, type the name of type the arguments you within another method of the uses the result of calling in a Web browser. the results of calling the
methods. the object followed by –>. want to pass to the method. class, type $this–> followed by the private method. methods of an object.
Then type the name of the Separate each argument with the name of the method. Then
method followed by (). a comma. type (). · Repeat steps 6 to 8
for each private method
ˇ Repeat steps 3 and 4 for ‡ Between the parentheses, you want to call.
each method you want to call. type the arguments you
want to pass. Separate each
166 argument with a comma. 167
 PHP
A class you defined as a child class can be used
as the parent class of another class. This allows
you to create a chain of child classes and parent
EXTEND A CLASS classes. Although there is no limit to the number
of child classes that can be created from other
child classes, you should try to limit the chain of
DEMYSTIFYING OBJECTS 8
It is good programming practice to design
classes so they perform only a general set
of tasks. Specialized methods can then be
added by extending the parent class. This
prevents the parent class from becoming
bloated and maximizes the re-usability of

I
f a class you are defining is related to a class you have
previously defined, you can make the new class an
extension of the original class. This allows you to re-use
properties and methods of the original class without having
to retype the code in the new class. When you extend a
class, the base class is usually referred to as the parent class,
while the new class is called the child class.
When defining a class you want to use as a child class, you
must use the extends keyword to specify the name of the
class that will act as the parent class. When the child class
is used to create an object, the resulting object inherits the
properties and methods of the parent class in addition to
any new properties and methods indicated in the child class.
If the parent class has a constructor method, the constructor
method is not automatically called when a new instance
of the child class is created. If you want the constructor
method to execute for each instance of the child class,
a constructor method must be defined for the child class. extensions to prevent your code from becoming code while maintaining the code's speed
In the constructor method of the child class, you must call too confusing. You should also place information and efficiency. When a class becomes too
the constructor method of the parent class using the special about the parent class in the child class definition large, more memory and resources are
variable $this and indicate the appropriate arguments. For to prevent potential conflicts from occurring. used by an object of the class. Extending
more information about the constructor methods, see the a class also maintains the integrity of the
top of page 165. Example:
parent class. This ensures that new
class Spread extends Fruit
When creating a child class, you can override a method in {
modifications will not have any adverse
the parent class that you do not want to be available when // Inherited from Fruit effects on the rest of the program.
the child class is accessed. To override a method in the // Properties: name, color
parent class, you must create a method in the child class // Methods: Fruit, PrintMessage
. . .
that has the same name as the method you want to override. }
When an object is created using the child class, the method
in the child class will be available instead of the method in class Sandwich extends Spread
the parent class. {
// Inherited from Fruit and Spread
// Properties: name, color, type
// Methods: Fruit, PrintMessage
. . .
}

EXTEND A CLASS

⁄ Type the code that defines
a class you want to be able to
extend to another class.
¤ Type the code that defines
a class you want to use as an
extension of another class.
168
‹ In the class definition,
type extends followed by
the name of the class you
want to use as the parent
class.
› To call the constructor
method of the parent class
within the constructor method
of the child class, type $this–>
followed by the name of the
constructor method from the
parent class.
ˇ Enclose any Á In the child class, you ‡ Type the code that · Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
arguments for the may define a method that creates an object using in a Web browser. displays the result of
method in parentheses. overrides one of the methods the child class. creating an object
in the parent class. of a child class and
° Type the code that accessing its methods.
Note: The method must have the calls a method of the
same name as the method in the object.
parent class that it overrides.
169
 PHP DEMYSTIFYING OBJECTS 8

WORK WITH EXTERNAL DATA IN CLASSES
class can access functions, constants and variables
You can place a class definition in an include
file to make the class accessible to multiple
As the complexity of your Web site increases, you
may find it more practical to use include files to
PHP pages. You can name the include file organize constants, functions and classes used
You can also access variables that are defined outside a

A that were created outside the class definition. This is

useful for re-using data in your PHP script.
A function that is located outside a class definition can be
called in a method by simply specifying the name of the
function and any arguments the function requires. This is
useful when you already have a library of useful functions
that you do not want to retype as private methods of a
class. Some functions also will not work properly if they
are within a class definition. For example, when using
the usort function in a method, you need to pass a
comparison function located outside of the class definition
as an argument for the comparison function to be used
properly.
class definition. The global keyword is used to make an
external variable accessible to a method of a class. This is
useful in cases where passing values to a class through a
using the same name as the class followed
by the .inc extension. When placing a class
definition in an include file, you must
remember to enclose the class definition
in your PHP pages. You must keep track of any
dependencies that your PHP pages have on those
constants, functions and classes. As a general rule,
in a PHP page, you should specify the include files
method is not practical, such as when you want to process
within the <?php and ?> delimiters. As for constants first, followed by the include files for
an undetermined number of values from a form.
with functions, classes can be declared only functions and then the include files for class
You should keep in mind that a class becomes less portable once in a script. To include a class file in a definitions.
when it is dependent on external data. You should use script, you can use the include_once
Example:
external data only when necessary. When using external statement.
// Constants
data, you may also want to place comments in the class Example: include_once("color_constants.inc");
definition to indicate how constants, global variables or include_once("font_constants.inc");
include_once("Fruit.inc");
functions are being accessed. Comments will help avoid include_once("Vegetable.inc");
confusion and make potential problems easier to track. // Functions
include_once("text_formatting_functions.inc");

To access a constant defined outside the class definition, // Classes

you need to specify only the name of the constant. The include_once("Fruit.inc");
include_once("Vegetable.inc");
constant definition must be placed before the class
definition in the PHP script.

WORK WITH EXTERNAL DATA IN CLASSES

⁄ Type the code that
creates any constants,
variables and functions
that will be used in a class.
¤ Type the code that
defines a class.
170
‹ To call a function created
outside the class definition,
type the name of the
function followed by ( ).
› Between the parentheses,
type any arguments for the
function.
ˇ Repeat steps 3 and 4 for
each function you want to
call in the class.
Á To use a constant defined
outside the class definition,
type name of the constant.
‡ Type the code that ° To access a variable
uses the constant. defined outside the class
definition, type global
followed by the name
of the variable.
· Type the code that
uses the variable.
‚ Type the code that
creates an object and
calls a method of the
object.
— Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
in a Web browser. displays the result of using
external data in a class.
171
 PHP DEMYSTIFYING OBJECTS 8

GET INFORMATION ABOUT AN OBJECT You can use the get_class_vars function to obtain the default
values of the properties of a specified class. The function returns
an associative array whose keys are the property names and

P
HP provides several functions that allow you to obtain
information about an object. You can use the functions
to examine the attributes of an object without having
to manually read through its class definition. This can save
you time and effort, especially if you are working with
include files. You can also use the functions to automate
some tasks, such as generating documentation for your
programs. This can help you avoid conflicts when naming
methods and properties.
You can use the get_class function to obtain the class
name of an object. The get_class function takes the
variable that contains the instance of the object you want
to check as its argument. The function returns the name
of the class the object belongs to.
You can obtain a list of the properties of an object by using
the get_object_vars function. To use this function, you
must specify the variable that contains the instance of the
object you want to check. The get_object_vars function
returns an associative array containing the object's properties, whose values are the default property values. Properties that do
including any properties inherited from parent classes. The not have a default value specified are not included in the array.
keys of the array contain the property names and the values
TYPE THIS: RESULT:
of the array contain the current values of the properties.
Properties that do not have an assigned value are not class Fruit Default property values of Fruit:
returned in the array. { name is apple
var $name = "apple";
var $color = "red";
color is red
To obtain the methods of an object, use the size is large
get_class_methods function. To use the var $size = "large";
var $onSale;
get_class_methods function, you need to specify the }
name of the class from which you want to get the list of $fruitObject = new Fruit;
methods. If you do not know the class name, you can use print "<b>Default property values of Fruit:</b><br>";
the get_class function to determine the class name of the foreach(get_class_vars("Fruit") as $propertyName => $defaultValue)
object and then use the result in the get_class_methods {
function. The get_class_methods function returns an print "$propertyName is $defaultValue<br>";
array of methods in the specified class, including any
}
methods inherited from parent classes.

GET INFORMATION ABOUT AN OBJECT

⁄ Type the code that
defines a class and creates
an instance of the class.
¤ To determine which
class an object belongs to,
type get_class().
172
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the object
you want to check.
› Type the code that uses
the get_class function.
ˇ To determine the
properties of an object,
type get_object_vars().
Á Between the parentheses,
type the name of the object
you want to check.
‡ Type the code that uses
the get_object_vars
function.
° To determine the
methods of an object,
type get_class_methods().
· Between the
parentheses, type the
name of the class from
which the object was
instantiated.
■ If you do not know the
name of the class, use the
get_class function as
the argument.
‚ Type the code that uses
the get_class_method
function.
— Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
in a Web browser. displays the results of
retrieving information
about the object.
173
 PHP
The is_subclass_of function is used
to determine if an object was created using
CHECK FOR CLASSES AND a child class of a specified parent class.
The is_subclass_of function takes
DEMYSTIFYING OBJECTS 8
created using a child class of the specified
parent class, the function will return a value
of true. The parent class being checked does
not have to be an immediate parent of the

METHODS IN A SCRIPT two arguments––the name of the variable

that stores the object and the name of the
parent class you want to check, enclosed
child class. If the parent class being checked
is a number of levels above the child class,
the function will still return a value of true.
in quotation marks. If the object was

T
here are several functions available that you can
use to check for the presence of classes and
methods in your script. These functions are useful
for troubleshooting large, complex PHP scripts. Using
functions to test for certain conditions can save you
from having to examine every line of code in a script.
The get_declared_classes function is used to
determine the classes that are currently being used
in the script. There are no arguments required when
calling the get_declared_classes function. The
get_declared_classes function returns an array
containing the names of the classes being used in the
script.
When viewing the array elements returned by the
get_declared_classes function, you may see
classes that you have not defined. These are built-in
classes in PHP. You may want to keep these built-in
classes in mind so you do not inadvertently define any
classes with the same name as the built-in classes.
TYPE THIS: RESULT:
You can use the class_exists function to check if class Spread extends Fruit Fruit is a parent of Spread.
a particular class has been defined in the script. When {
using the class_exists function, you must specify var $type;
the name of the class you want to check, enclosed in function Spread($name, $color, $type)
quotation marks, as an argument. The class_exists {
$this->Fruit($name, $color);
function will return a value of true if the specified class $this->type = $type;
has been defined in the script. }
}
The method_exists function is used to determine $spreadObject = new Spread("apple", "red", "jelly");
if a particular method belongs to an object. The if (is_subclass_of($spreadObject, "Fruit") == TRUE)
method_exists function takes two arguments––the {
name of the variable that contains the object and the print "Fruit is a parent of Spread.";
name of the method you want to check, enclosed in }
quotation marks. The method_exists function will return else
{
a value of true if the specified method is part print "Fruit is not a parent of Spread.";
of the class used to create the object. }

CHECK FOR CLASSES AND METHODS IN A SCRIPT

⁄ Type the code that
defines a class and creates
an instance of the class.
174
¤ To get a list of classes
used in the script, type
get_declared_classes().
‹ Type the code that uses the
get_declared_classes
function.
› To check if a class has been
defined, type class_exists( ).
ˇ Between the parentheses,
type the name of class you
want to check, enclosed in
quotation marks.
Á Type the code that ‡ To check if a specific
uses the class_exists method exists in an object,
function. type method_exists().
° Between the parentheses,
type name of the object
followed by a comma.
· Type the name of the
method you want to check,
enclosed in quotation marks.
‚ Type the code that uses
the method_exists
function.
— Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
in a Web browser. displays the results of
checking for classes and
methods in the script.
175
 PHP WORK WITH DATABASES 9

INTRODUCTION TO DATABASES TYPES OF DATABASES

ne of the most useful features of PHP is the ability PHP page, the information in the PHP page will be created

O to access a database. Databases store and manage

large collections of information. PHP pages can be
used to make this information available to the users who
visit your Web site.
Instead of storing information in text files or static Web
pages, a PHP page can be set up to retrieve, format and
display data from a database. When a user accesses the
from the current information in the database. A PHP page
can also allow users to manipulate the data in a database.
Using databases to store information and then using PHP
pages to access that information is an efficient method of
displaying up-to-date information in a Web site.
The type of database you are using determines the
structure of the database and the way data is organized
in the database. A database with a simple structure allows
resources. When selecting a database, you should
consider the amount of data that will be stored and
how the data is going to change over time. PHP
you to access data quickly, but manipulating the data may is commonly used with flat file, hierarchical and
be difficult. A database with a more complex structure relational databases.
allows you to easily manipulate data, but requires more

Flat File Databases

DATABASE STRUCTURE
Information in a database is made up of two
components––raw data and meta-data. The raw data
component of a database is the actual information
being stored, such as the phone number of a client.
The meta-data component of a database determines the
way the data is structured and organized. For example,
data in a database is usually organized into tables,
which consist of fields and records. A field is a specific
DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (DBMS)
To access and modify the data in a database, you
need a program or set of programs called a DataBase
Management System (DBMS). Depending on the type
of database you are using, the DBMS can be very
simple or very sophisticated. For example, you can
category of information in a table, such as the first
names of all your clients. A record is a collection of
information about one person, place or thing, such as
the name and address of a client. More sophisticated
databases would also contain meta-data such as data
types and the relationship between tables.
write your own DBMS in PHP for a flat file database.
You can also obtain a DBMS, such as MySQL or Oracle,
which is capable of handling more complex databases.
Flat file databases are the most basic database type. Flat
file databases have minimal structure and usually store
information in one large table, similar to a tab-delimited
text file. A flat file database is very easy to set up and is
ideal for creating simple Web applications that use small
amounts of data, such as an application that keeps track
of user preferences.
Hierarchical Databases
A hierarchical database organizes data into different
levels, similar to directories and sub-directories. This
organization makes data access fast and easy. You
would typically use a hierarchical database to store
large amounts of information that seldom need to
be changed, such as contact lists or user directories.
Some of the hierarchical databases supported by PHP
use the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP).
This protocol was designed specifically for reading
data quickly. You can use PHP's LDAP functions to
access these types of databases.
When working with larger applications, a flat file
database can be inefficient and difficult to maintain.
The simple structure of a flat file database makes it
inadequate for storing complex relationships, resulting
in the duplication of information. Also, if your data
storage requirements change, a flat file database can
be very difficult to modify.
Due to its rigid structure, manipulating data in
a hierarchical database can be very slow. Data
redundancy can also be problem. For example, if you
organized customers by method of payment in a
hierarchical database, a customer who pays by both
cash and credit card would have two accounts. Data
redundancy makes hierarchical databases inefficient
for certain applications.

ACCESSING A DATABASE
The way you access a database depends on the type of
database you are using. You can use PHP's Filesystem
functions to directly access a flat file database. For other
types of databases, you must create a connection to the
database before you can access the database. To create
a connection to a database, you use the set of PHP
functions specifically written to work with the database
you are using. For example, if you are using a MySQL
database, you would use PHP's MySQL functions. If
the database you are using does not have its own set
of functions, you can use PHP's Unified ODBC functions
to connect to the database. ODBC, or Open DataBase
Connectivity, is a standard supported by many
databases.
Relational Databases
Relational databases store information in separate information. A relational database is also faster and
tables. Each record in a table has a unique identifier, easier to maintain than other types of databases. You
or primary key, which can be used to form relationships would typically use a relational database when building
with entries in other tables. Using relationships to bring dynamic database-driven Web sites with PHP.
together information from different tables eliminates
data redundancy. Relational databases are powerful,
flexible and effectively store large amounts of

176 177
 PHP
PLAN A DATABASE
ou should take the time to properly design a database,
Y especially when working with a relational database
management system. A good database design ensures
that you will be able to perform tasks efficiently and
accurately. As you add information to a database, the
database becomes larger and more complex. A database
Determine the Purpose of the Database
Decide what you want the database to do and how
you plan to use the information. If other people will
be using the database, you should consult with
them and consider their needs. This can help you
determine what information you need to include
to make the database complete.
Security and Reliability
You should determine the level of security you
will need to protect the information the database
will store. If the database will store sensitive
information such as credit card numbers, you
need to select a database system that is secure
and reliable. To ensure maximum security, you
may even want to create a separate database to
store sensitive information.
Anticipate Future Needs
Decide on a naming convention for databases,
tables and fields. Make sure names are concise and
descriptive to prevent confusion in case changes
need to be made in the future. If many people will
work with the database, you should also decide
on a method for documenting changes made to the
database. For example, you can use a spreadsheet
program to keep track of the dates and times
changes were made and the name of the person
who made the changes.
178
that is designed properly will be easier to modify and work
with as it grows. Good planning can also make it easier for
other users to work with a database you create.
Determine the Tables You Need
Gather all the information you want to store in
the database and then divide the information into
separate tables. A table should contain related
information about one subject only. The same
information should not appear in more than one
table in a database. You can work more efficiently
and reduce errors if you need to update information
in only one table.
Consider the Fields You Need
Each field should relate directly to the subject
of the table. When adding fields, make sure you
break down information into its smallest parts. For
example, break down names into two fields called
firstName and lastName.
Try to keep the number of fields in a table to a
minimum. For example, do not include a field
containing data you can calculate from other fields.
Tables with many fields increase the time it takes
to process information in a database.
Determine the Relationship Between Tables
A relationship tells a relational database how
to bring together related information stored in
separate tables. You can use the primary key to
form a relationship between tables. A primary key
is one or more fields that uniquely identifies each
record in a table. For example, the primary key
for a table of employees could be the social
security number of each employee.
SELECT A DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
P
HP supports a wide variety of DataBase Management
Systems (DBMS) that you can use to store and
manage information you want to make available
in your PHP pages. When choosing a DBMS, you should
consider a number of factors, such as your budget and
the volume of information the database will be required
MySQL
MySQL is the database program most commonly
used to develop database-driven PHP Web sites.
MySQL is a fast, efficient program that is available
for use on Unix and Windows computers. MySQL
is suitable for small to medium-sized projects
and requires very few system resources to run.
MySQL is also an Open Source product, which
means you can use it free of charge. Although
MySQL is very powerful, it is relatively easy to
install and manage. This makes it a good program
for new developers to use when learning to work
with databases using PHP. More information
about MySQL is available at the www.mysql.com
Web site.
PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL is another popular DBMS used with
PHP. Like MySQL, PostgreSQL is an Open Source
product that is freely available for personal and
commercial use, but PostgreSQL is a more
advanced system that supports almost all SQL
features. PostgreSQL is available for use only
on Unix systems and is usually included with
the RedHat distribution of the Linux operating
system. For more information about PostgreSQL,
you can visit the www.postgresql.org Web site.
WORK WITH DATABASES 9
to handle. You should also consider the ease with which
you will be able to move data to a more robust system if
the database grows beyond the capabilities of the current
system. If the DBMS you use does not support accepted
standards, moving data to a new system might be difficult.
Oracle
Oracle is a powerful database program that is typically used
with high-end Web servers on large commercial Web sites,
such as sites that offer online shopping. Oracle is reliable,
provides advanced security, is highly scalable and includes
powerful tools that you can use to manage your database.
Oracle is available for both Unix and Windows computers.
For more information about the Oracle database program,
you can visit the www.oracle.com Web site.
Microsoft SQL Server
Microsoft SQL Server is an industrial-strength DBMS that
offers features that are comparable to Oracle. SQL Server
includes advanced features, such as OnLine Analytical
Processing (OLAP) and data mining, which allow you to
work more efficiently with information in a large database.
SQL Server is only available for use with Windows systems.
For more information about SQL Server, you can visit the
www.microsoft.com/sql Web site.
Microsoft Access
Microsoft Access is a database program that is useful for
small to medium-sized applications. Access is available as
a stand-alone product or as part of the Microsoft Office
package. There are currently no built-in PHP functions that
allow you to connect to an Access database from a PHP page,
so you must use PHP's Unified ODBC functions to connect.
For more information about PHP's Unified ODBC functions,
you can visit the www.php.net/manual/en/ref.odbc.php
Web site. Information about Access is available at the
www.microsoft.com/access Web site.
179
 PHP
INTRODUCTION TO
STRUCTURED QUERY LANGUAGE
elational database management systems, such as
R MySQL and Oracle, are usually used for building
dynamic, database-driven Web sites with PHP. In
order for a PHP script to work with data in a relational
database, the script must be able to communicate with the
database. Structured Query Language (SQL) is the language
used in a PHP script to communicate with a database.
Standardization
SQL is the industry standard language for managing and
manipulating data in a database. SQL can be used to
work with many types of databases, which makes it easy
to upgrade from one database management system to
another. For example, a small Web site might start out
using MySQL but then grow large enough to require a
database created using Oracle. You have to learn only
one language to have your PHP scripts communicate
with both types of databases.
Ease of Use
SQL uses many easy-to-understand commands, which
makes it a very simple language to work with. For
example, SQL uses the INSERT statement to add
information to a database and the DELETE statement
to remove information. These plain-language commands
make it easy for you to read and determine the purpose
of SQL code.
Power
Although SQL is easy to use, it is a very powerful
language. As well as being suitable for retrieving data
from a database and performing simple tasks such
as adding and deleting records, SQL can be used to
perform complicated procedures, such as compiling
different types of data from multiple data sources.
180
SQL STATEMENTS
SQL is made up of many statements and clauses.
In order to work with a database in your PHP
scripts, you will need to be familiar with some
common SQL statements and how they are used.
Originally developed by IBM as a database query language
for use with mainframe computers, SQL was soon adopted
by many vendors for use with their relational database
management systems. Most relational database management
systems that have a client/server structure now support SQL.
Flexibility
The ability to easily manipulate data into many
useful forms makes SQL a very effective tool. SQL
allows you to easily format data you retrieve from
a database in a variety of ways. You can sort data
in a specific order, create summaries and combine
information from different fields. This saves
you from having to expend additional time and
resources to format the retrieved data in PHP.
Vendor Specifications
Although many of the basic concepts of SQL,
such as selecting and inserting data, are common
to most database management systems, certain
features may vary depending on the vendor of the
system. For example, a database may include a
unique set of commands that allow users to access
information about a table. These commands may
not work for other databases since they are not
part of the standard set of SQL statements. The
types of information that a database can store
may also vary depending on the vendor.
CREATE TABLE
The CREATE TABLE statement is used to create a new
table in a database. You indicate the name of the table you
want to create after the CREATE TABLE statement and
then specify the fields you want to include in the table.
You also specify a description of each field that includes
the data type of the field and other attributes, such as the
maximum number of characters the field can hold. The
data types you specify will depend on the database you
are using. You should refer to the database documentation
for more information.
Example:
CREATE TABLE orders
(
invoiceNumber INT(8),
orderDetails CHAR(255),
totalCost FLOAT(9, 2)
) field forms the rows. For example, when you issue a
INSERT
The INSERT statement allows you to add records to a
database. The INSERT statement uses the INTO clause
to specify the name of the table to which you want to
add data and the names of the fields that store the data
in the table. The VALUES clause specifies the values you
are adding.
Example:
INSERT INTO orders (invoiceNumber, totalCost)
VALUES (12843, 34.56)
UPDATE
The UPDATE statement is used to modify data in a
database. You indicate the table that contains the data you
want to modify after the UPDATE statement. The UPDATE
statement uses the SET statement to indicate which field
needs to be changed and the new value. The WHERE clause
is then used to specify the data to be modified.
Example:
UPDATE orders SET totalCost = 55.66
WHERE invoiceNumber = 12843
WORK WITH DATABASES 9
SELECT
The SELECT statement allows you to retrieve data
from a database. You specify the names of the fields
from which you want to retrieve data after the SELECT
statement. The SELECT statement uses the FROM
clause to specify the name of the table that stores the
data you want to retrieve. The WHERE clause specifies
exactly which data you want to retrieve.
Example:
SELECT invoiceNumber, totalCost FROM orders
WHERE totalCost > 100.00
Result Set
The SELECT statement returns data in a table format
called a result set. The fields you specify make up the
columns of the table and the information from each
SELECT statement that retrieves the invoice numbers
for orders totaling less than $100 from a table in a
database, the result set will display a table with two
columns that show the invoice numbers and the
amounts.
The SELECT statement allows you to access different
groups of data from one or more tables and display the
data in a single result set. You can indicate parameters
with the SELECT statement, such as a specific sorting
order, to control the way the data is displayed in the
result set.
DELETE
The DELETE statement is used to remove data from
a database. The DELETE statement uses the FROM
clause to specify the name of the table that stores the
data you want to delete. The WHERE clause contains
information that uniquely identifies the data you want
to delete.
Example:
DELETE FROM orders WHERE year < 1996
181
 PHP
USING A DATABASE CLIENT To access a database server from a remote
computer, you must connect to the server through
a local area network or Internet connection. To do
so, you need to know the address of the server
WORK WITH DATABASES 9
In addition to text-based client software,
most relational database management
systems also include a client that utilizes
a Graphical User Interface (GUI). You can

T
he most popular relational DataBase Management
Systems (DBMS) have a client/server architecture.
A client/server architecture allows multiple users to
simultaneously connect to a single database. Compared to
other database management systems, this type of system
is extremely cost effective and offers a high level of
performance.
The server component of the DBMS contains the actual
database. The server software interprets commands from
users and then manages the data in the database accordingly.
The client component of the system provides the interface
needed to work with the server. You can issue Structured
Query Language (SQL) statements from a text-based client
to perform tasks such as displaying a list of the databases
on the server, finding a list of the tables in a database or
viewing the contents of a table.
You can also use the client software that came with your
DBMS to set up a database. While it is possible to perform
tasks such as creating the tables for a database by issuing
SQL statements from a PHP script, this process is often more
difficult and time consuming than using the client software. and login information, such as a user name and use GUI client software to modify and
Typically, client software can also be used to perform password. If you are using an Internet Service administer a database without having to
administrative duties, such as adding users to the system, Provider (ISP) to run your PHP scripts, you will type SQL statements. This type of client
provided the correct access privileges have been granted. typically have access to a database server, software is much easier to use than a
although there may be additional costs for the text-based client and can help you quickly
When a DBMS is installed on a server, both the server and server's use. You can consult your ISP to obtain set up a database.
client software are installed. To access the server from a more information about connecting to the
remote computer, only the client software is required on database server.
the computer. The operating system of some client
computers may have to be altered in order to work properly
with the client software. For more information, consult the You may want to type your SQL statements
documentation that came with your DBMS. Before using in a text editor and then copy and paste the
the client software to work with a database, you must make statements into the client software. Typing
sure that both the client and server software are running. long SQL statements directly into client
It is a common error to launch the client software without software can be a slow and tedious process.
launching the server software first. If you make a mistake that generates an error,
you will have to retype the entire statement
again. When working in a text editor, you can
easily edit your SQL statements and even
save the statements for later use.

USING A DATABASE CLIENT

Welcome to the MySQL monitor. Commands end with ; or \g. Welcome to the MySQL monitor. Commands end with ; or \g. Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the buffer | students |
Your MySQL connection id is 7 to server version: 3.23.33 Your MySQL connection id is 7 to server version: 3.23.33 +--------------------+
mysql> SHOW DATABASES; 2 rows in set (0.06 sec)
Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the buffer Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the buffer +--------------+
| Database | mysql> SELECT * FROM students;
mysql> SHOW DATABASES; mysql> SHOW DATABASES; +--------------+ +--------------+-------------+------------------+
+--------------+ | books | studentID | firstName | lastName |
| Database | school +--------------+-------------+------------------+
+--------------+ | shopping | 10293843 | Martine | Edwards |
| books | videos | 01298348 | Lindsay | Sandman |
| school +--------------+ | 10562940 | Sandy | Rodrigues |
| shopping 4 rows in set (0.00 sec) | 38290169 | Barry | Pruett |
| video +--------------+-------------+-----------------+
+--------------+ mysql> USE school; 4 rows in set (0.00 sec)
4 rows in set (0.00 sec) Database changed
mysql> CREATE TABLE teachers
mysql> SHOW TABLES;
-> (
mysql> USE school; +-------------------------+
-> teacherID CHAR(4),
Database changed | Tables_in_school |
-> firstName CHAR(20),
mysql> SHOW TABLES; +-------------------------+
-> lastName CHAR(25)
| courses |
-> );
| students | Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.05 sec)
+-------------------------+
2 rows in set (0.06 sec) mysql> INSERT INTO teachers (teacherID, firstName, lastName)
-> VALUES ("2323", "Maureen", "Spears");
mysql> SELECT * FROM students;

⁄ Locate and start the ■ The database server ■ A list of the databases › To display a list of ■ A list of the tables in ˇ To display the contents of ■ The contents of the table ‡ Type the code that
client software for your you want to connect on the server appears. the tables in the current the database appears. a table, type SELECT * FROM appear. creates fields and
database management to must be running. database, type SHOW followed by the name of the records for the table.
system. ‹ To select the database you TABLES; and then press table whose contents you Á To create a new table in the
¤ To display a list of the want to work with, type USE Enter. want to view. Then type a current database, type CREATE ■ The new table is
databases on the server, followed by the name of the semicolon and press Enter. TABLE followed by the name of created and added
type SHOW DATABASES; database and a semicolon. the table you want to create. to the database.
182 and then press Enter. Then press Enter. Then press Enter. 183
 PHP PHP AND MYSQL 10

CONNECT TO A MYSQL SERVER
o enable a PHP page to access a database stored on
Once a connection to a MySQL server has been The error control operator (@) is often used with
established, you can use the mysql_select_db
function to select the database you want to work with.
the mysql_connect function. This operator
prevents a PHP error message from appearing in
To use the mysql_select_db function, you must a user's Web browser when a connection to the
The link identifier can be used by other functions in the PHP

T a MySQL server, you must create a connection to the

server. The mysql_connect function allows you to
create a connection to a MySQL server.
The mysql_connect function takes three arguments––the
host name or IP address of the computer running the MySQL
server, a user name and a password. If the MySQL server is
running on the same computer as the Web server, you can
specify the host name localhost or the IP address 127.0.0.1
to connect to the MySQL server. If the MySQL server does
not require a user name and password, you can enter empty
strings ("") for these arguments.
When a connection to the MySQL server is made successfully,
the mysql_connect function returns a link identifier. A link
identifier is a positive integer that labels the connection to the
server. If a connection is not made successfully, the function
will return a value of false.
script, such as mysql_select_db and mysql_query,
to send commands to the MySQL server. Specifying a link
identifier in a function allows you to perform an operation
using a specific MySQL server connection. If no link identifier
is specified, the last successful connection made in the script
will be used.
If you include more than one mysql_connect function with
the same arguments in a script, new connections will not be
created when the subsequent functions are called. Instead,
the functions will use the link identifier for the first
connection.
When a PHP script that opens a MySQL server connection
terminates, the connection to the server is automatically
closed. You can use the mysql_close function to explicitly
close a connection.
specify the name of the database you want to access
and the link identifier for the connection. This function
returns a value of true if the specified database is
successfully selected or false if the selection is not
MySQL server cannot be established. Also, since
a script is unlikely to continue working properly
if a connection to the MySQL server fails, you may
want to use the die function to terminate the
successful. script and display a customized error message.
Example:
Example:
$linkID = mysql_connect("localhost", "", ""); $linkID = @mysql_connect("localhost", "", "") or
die("Connection to the database cannot be made.");
if (mysql_select_db("mysql", $linkID) != FALSE)
{
print "The database was successfully selected.";
}
else
{
print "The specified database cannot be selected.";
}

CONNECT TO A MYSQL SERVER

⁄ To connect to a
MySQL server, type
mysql_connect().
184
¤ Between the parentheses,
type the host name or IP
address of the computer
running the MySQL server
enclosed in quotation marks.
‹ Type a comma followed
by a user name enclosed in
quotation marks.
› Type a comma followed
by a password enclosed in
quotation marks.
Note: If a user name or password is
not required, enter an empty string.
ˇ Type the code that assigns
the link identifier returned
by the mysql_connect
function to a variable.
Á To test if a connection
to the MySQL server was
made successfully, type the
code that checks the value
of the link identifier.
‡ To close the connection
to the MySQL server, type
mysql_close().
° Between the parentheses, · Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
type the name of the variable in a Web browser. displays the results of
that stores the link identifier. connecting to a MySQL
server.
185
 PHP PHP AND MYSQL 10
CREATE A PERSISTENT When specifying the host argument for the mysql_pconnect function,
you may specify a port number by typing the host name or IP address

CONNECTION TO A MYSQL SERVER followed by a colon (:) and the port number you want to use. By default,
PHP uses port number 3306. You typically would not have to specify a port
number when connecting to a MySQL server, unless the MySQL server is
ou can use the mysql_pconnect function to create When a connection to the server is made successfully, the not set to the default port number. If multiple MySQL servers are running on

Y a persistent connection to a MySQL server. When a

persistent connection is established, the connection will
remain open even after the PHP script is finished processing.
When the mysql_pconnect function is called again in
another PHP script using the same arguments as the original
mysql_pconnect function call, the original connection will
be used instead of creating a new connection.
The mysql_pconnect function will work only if PHP is set
up as a module. For information about setting up PHP as an
Apache module, see the top of page 11. To set up PHP as a
module on a different type of Web server, refer to PHP's
documentation.
The mysql_pconnect function takes three arguments––
the host name or IP address of the computer running the
MySQL server, a user name and a password. If a user name
or password is not required, you can enter empty strings ("")
for these arguments.
mysql_pconnect function returns a link identifier, which
is a positive number that labels the connection to the server.
If a connection is not made successfully, the function will
the same machine, a port number needs to be specified in order to connect
to the appropriate MySQL server. You may also specify a port number when
calling the mysql_connect function.
return a value of false. Example:
$linkID = mysql_pconnect("localhost:3307", "martine", "secret");
A connection created using the mysql_pconnect function
cannot be closed using the mysql_close function. A
connection using the mysql_pconnect function will
eventually close after it has been idle for a specific amount When working in the Unix environment, you can specify the path of a socket
of time. being used by a MySQL server. A socket provides a means for the client to
communicate with the server and is similar to a network port number. The path
The mysql_pconnect function is useful in instances of a socket can be specified in the host argument for the mysql_pconnect
where many connections to the database have to be made function by typing the host name or IP address followed by a colon (:) and
in a short period of time using the same user name and the path to the socket file. The default socket is /tmp/mysql.sock. You may
password. Opening and closing database connections can also specify a path to a socket when calling the mysql_connect function.
use a substantial amount of system resources and thus slow
Example:
down a server. Using a persistent connection to a database
$linkID = mysql_pconnect("localhost:/tmp/mysql2.sock", "martine", "secret");
is more efficient and improves the performance of the
application.

CREATE A PERSISTENT CONNECTION TO A MYSQL SERVER

⁄ To create a persistent
connection to a MySQL
server, type mysql_pconnect().
186
¤ Between the parentheses,
type the host name or IP
address of the computer
running the MySQL server
enclosed in quotation marks.
‹ Type a comma followed
by a user name enclosed in
quotation marks.
› Type a comma followed
by a password enclosed in
quotation marks.
Note: If a user name or password
is not required, enter an empty
string.
ˇ Type the code that assigns
the link identifier returned
by the mysql_pconnect
function to a variable.
Á To test if the persistent
connection to the MySQL
server was made successfully,
type the code that checks the
value of the link identifier.
‡ Display the PHP page
in a Web browser.
■ The Web browser displays
the results of creating a
persistent connection to
a MySQL server.
187
 PHP
ISSUE AN SQL STATEMENT
TO A MYSQL SERVER The mysql_create_db function can be used in a
PHP script to create a database. To use this function,
you need to specify the name of the database you
want to create followed by the link identifier for the
PHP AND MYSQL 10
The mysql_drop_db function allows you to
delete a database from a MySQL server. If the
database is deleted successfully, a value of true is
returned. Otherwise, a value of false is returned.

A
fter creating a connection to a MySQL server in a
PHP page and selecting the database you want to
work with, you can use the mysql_query function
to issue an SQL statement to the server. Issuing an SQL
statement to a MySQL server allows you to manipulate
a database and perform tasks such as creating a table,
retrieving data or adding records.
To use the mysql_query function, you need to specify a
valid SQL statement. You can also specify the link identifier
for the MySQL server connection you want to use.
If the SQL statement is successfully executed, the
mysql_query function will return a value of true or
a result identifier. If the statement is not successfully
executed, the function will return a value of false. SQL
statements that perform an operation but do not retrieve
data from a database, such as CREATE TABLE and
UPDATE, return a value of true if successfully executed.
SQL statements used to retrieve data from a database,
such as SELECT and SHOW TABLES, return a result
identifier if successfully executed. The result identifier is
a positive integer that points to the data retrieved from
the database, which is temporarily stored in a result set.
To access the data from the result set, you specify the
result identifier as an argument for the function you want
to use, such as the mysql_fetch_row function.
You should keep in mind that the database program you
are using determines the SQL statements you can issue.
Certain SQL features are not available in MySQL in order
to improve the database program's performance and speed.
There are also special SQL statements that can be used only
on a MySQL database. You can consult the www.mysql.com
Web site to find more information about the specific
features of MySQL.
MySQL server connection. The mysql_create_db
Example:
function returns a value of true if the database was
$resultID = mysql_drop_db("customers", $linkID);
successfully created or false if the operation fails. In
order to create a database, the user name used to
make the MySQL server connection must have the
appropriate permissions. You can use the mysql_db_query function
to send an SQL statement directly to a database
Example:
after creating a connection to the server.
if (mysql_create_db("accounting", $linkID) == TRUE) The mysql_db_query function takes three
{ arguments––the name of the database you want
print "The database was created successfully.";
} to query, an SQL statement and the link identifier
for the MySQL server connection.
else
{ Example:
print "The database could not be created.";
} $resultID = mysql_db_query("accounting",
"CREATE TABLE employee(id INT(4), name CHAR(15),
extension INT(4))", $linkID);

ISSUE AN SQL STATEMENT TO A MYSQL SERVER

⁄ Type the code that
connects the PHP page
to the MySQL server and
selects the database you
want to work with.
¤ To issue an SQL
statement to the
MySQL server, type
mysql_query().
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the SQL statement you
want to issue, enclosed in
quotation marks.
› Type a comma followed
by the name of the variable
that stores the link identifier.
ˇ Type the code that
assigns the value returned
by the mysql_query
function to a variable.
Á To test if the SQL
statement was issued
successfully, type the code
that checks the value of
the variable storing the
mysql_query function.
‡ Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
in a Web browser. displays the result of
issuing an SQL statement
to a MySQL server.

188 189
 PHP PHP AND MYSQL 10
You can use the list statement with the mysql_fetch_row function
to assign an array value to a variable with a meaningful name. When you
want to use the array value, you can use the variable name to access the
value instead of referencing the value by its numeric key. This can help
RETRIEVE INFORMATION FROM A DATABASE simplify your code and make your arrays easier to work with.
Example:

T
he SQL SELECT statement allows you to retrieve
information from a database. This is useful when
you want to display the contents of a table. The
mysql_query function is used to issue a SELECT
statement to the database.
The SELECT statement allows you to specify the data you
want to retrieve from a table. You can specify the data you
want to retrieve by name or use an asterisk (*) to retrieve
all the data in a table. The SELECT statement uses the
FROM clause to specify the name of the table that stores
the information you want to retrieve.
When the SELECT statement has been executed successfully,
the data retrieved from the database is temporarily stored in
a result set, which has the same format as a table. The fields
specified in the SELECT statement make up the columns of
the result set and the values from each field form the rows.
The mysql_query function returns a result identifier, which
points to the result set. If the SELECT statement is not
executed successfully, the function returns a value of false.
Once the SELECT statement has been successfully issued to
the database, you can use the mysql_fetch_row function
to access the data in the result set. You must specify the
variable that stores the result identifier as the argument for
the mysql_fetch_row function. The mysql_fetch_row
function returns an array containing the values from one row
of the result set. To retrieve subsequent rows in the result
set, you can use the mysql_fetch_row function in a loop.
Information retrieved from a database is commonly placed
in an HTML table. This allows you to neatly display the
information on a Web page.
$resultID = mysql_query("SELECT firstName, extension FROM employees", $linkID);
print "<table>";
print "<tr><th>First Name</th><th>Extension</th></tr>";
while (list($firstName, $extension) = mysql_fetch_row($resultID))
{
print "<tr><td>$firstName</td><td>$extension</td></tr>";
}
print "</table>";
You can use the WHERE clause with a SELECT statement to specify
a condition for retrieving data. To specify multiple conditions, you
can also use the OR and AND operators. For more information about
using the WHERE clause, consult the MySQL documentation at the
www.mysql.com Web site.
Example:
SELECT invoiceNumber, totalCost FROM orders WHERE totalCost = 50
OR (totalCost >= 100 AND totalCost <= 300)

RETRIEVE INFORMATION FROM A DATABASE

⁄ Type the code that
connects the PHP page
to the MySQL server
and selects the database
you want to work with.
190
¤ To issue an SQL
statement to the MySQL
server, type mysql_query( ).
‹ Between the parentheses,
type SELECT * FROM followed
by the name of the table that
stores the information you
want to retrieve. Enclose
the SELECT statement in
quotation marks.
› Type a comma Á To access the data ° Type the code that · Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
followed by the name of retrieved from the database, processes the result of in a Web browser. displays the result of
the variable that stores type mysql_fetch_row( ). the mysql_fetch_row retrieving information
the link identifier. function and formats the from a database.
‡ Between the parentheses, information for display.
ˇ Type the code that type the name of the variable
assigns the value returned that stores the result
by the mysql_query identifier.
function to a variable. 191
 PHP PHP AND MYSQL 10
When adding a string value that contains quotation marks, You can make changes to the php.ini
ADD A RECORD you must escape the quotation marks by placing the backslash
character (\) before each quotation mark. If the quotation
file so that quotation marks, backslash
characters and NULL characters in strings
marks in a string are not escaped, an error may occur when are automatically escaped when the
nce you establish a connection with a database, If you do not specify the names of the fields you want to

O you can add records to the database using the

INSERT statement.
When adding a record to a database, you use the
mysql_query function to issue an INSERT statement
to the MySQL server. The mysql_query function returns
a value of true if the new records are added successfully.
Otherwise, the function returns a value of false.
The INSERT statement uses the INTO clause to specify
the name of the table into which you want to insert
records. After the table name, you indicate the fields
into which you want to insert data.
The VALUES clause is used to specify the values for each
record you want to add to the table. You must specify a
value that corresponds to each field name indicated in the
INTO clause. You must place the values in the same order
the fields were specified in the INTO clause. String values
should be enclosed in single quotation marks (' ').
affect in the INTO clause, MySQL assumes that you want
to insert data into all the fields in the table. The values
must be specified in the same order the fields appear in
the INSERT statement is executed.
Example:
mysql_query("INSERT INTO customer (customerID, firstName,
lastName) VALUES (111, 'Tim', 'O\'Brien')", $linkID);
strings are used in a script. When the
magic_quotes_gpc directive in the
php.ini file is enabled, string values that
are retrieved from a form or a cookie
the table. are escaped automatically. When the
You may insert multiple records using the same INSERT magic_quotes_runtime directive
statement. After the values for the first record are specified, You can insert a string value stored in a variable into a is enabled, functions that retrieve
values for subsequent records are included, enclosed in record in your database. You should use the addslashes information from external sources,
parentheses. Each record you add must be separated by function to escape the quotation marks in a string stored in such as databases and text files, return
a comma. a variable before it is used with an INSERT statement. The strings that are escaped automatically.
addslashes function takes the variable that contains a
The MySQL server requires that appropriate permissions string value as an argument. When a variable is used in an
be granted before a script can add information to a SQL statement, the variable name is enclosed in single
database. For information about setting permissions in quotation marks.
a MySQL server, consult the MySQL documentation at
the www.mysql.com Web site. Example:
$text = "O'Brien";
$escaped = addslashes($text);
mysql_query("INSERT INTO customer (customerID, firstName,
lastName) VALUES (111, 'Tim', '$escaped')", $linkID);

ADD A RECORD

⁄ Type the code that
connects the PHP page
to the MySQL server
and selects the database
you want to work with.
192
¤ To add a record in the
database, type mysql_query("").
‹ Between the quotation
marks, type INSERT INTO
followed by the name of the
table to which you want to
add records. Then type ().
› Between the parentheses,
type the names of the fields
in the table, separating each
field name with a comma.
ˇ To specify the values for
a record you want to add,
type VALUES.
Á Type the values you
want to assign to each field
in the record, enclosed in
parentheses. A comma
separates each value.
‡ Outside the quotation
marks, type a comma
followed by the link
identifier.
° Type the code that assigns ‚ Type the code that — Display the PHP ■ The Web browser
the value returned by the displays information page in a Web browser. displays the result of
mysql_query function to from the database in adding a record to a
a variable. the PHP page. database.
· To test if the records were
added successfully, type the
code that checks the value
of the variable storing the
mysql_query function. 193
 PHP PHP AND MYSQL 10
The mysql_affected_rows function may be used to determine
the number of records that were affected by an UPDATE statement.

UPDATE A RECORD The link identifier to the MySQL connection is passed as an argument
to the mysql_affected_rows function. The code that calls the
mysql_affected_rows function is placed immediately after the
nce you establish a connection with a database, unique ID for the record in the WHERE clause. If a WHERE line that updates the database. The mysql_affected_rows

O you can edit the information contained in the

database. Editing the information in a database
allows you to keep the information up-to-date.
To update records in a database, you use the mysql_query
function to issue an UPDATE statement to the MySQL server.
The mysql_query function returns a value of true
if the update is made successfully.
After the UPDATE statement, you indicate the name of the
table that contains the records you want to modify. The SET
clause specifies which field in a record needs to be changed
and the new value. You can specify more than one field to
be changed. The UPDATE statement uses the WHERE clause
to specify the data that identifies the record to be modified.
Depending on the data specified in the WHERE clause, you
may update the value of one or more records in a table.
To update a single record, you would typically indicate the
clause is not specified when using an UPDATE statement,
MySQL will update all the records in the table.
When specifying the value of a field, a string value must
be enclosed in single quotation marks (''). If the value
contains quotation marks, you must escape the quotation
marks by placing the backslash character (\) before each
quotation mark, such as \' and \".
The MySQL server requires that appropriate permissions be
granted before a script can update information in a database.
For information about setting update permissions in a
MySQL server, consult the MySQL documentation at the
www.mysql.com Web site.
function may also be used to determine the number of records
affected by an INSERT or DELETE statement.
Example:
$result = mysql_query("UPDATE customer SET lastName = 'Edwards'
WHERE firstName = 'Martine'", $linkID);
print mysql_affected_rows($linkID) . " record(s) were updated.";
You may want to store SQL statements in variables and then pass a variable
as an argument to the mysql_query function. Using variables to store SQL
statements is a common programming practice and can make your code
easier to read and update. Storing SQL statements in variables also provides a
convenient way to switch between statements when troubleshooting a script.
You simply place two slashes (//) in front of each statement you temporarily
do not want to use.
Example:
// $query = "UPDATE customer SET lastName = 'Smith' WHERE customerID = 109";
// $query = "UPDATE customer SET firstName = 'Joe' WHERE customerID = 107";
$query = "UPDATE customer SET customerID = 103 WHERE firstName > 'Sandy'";
$result = mysql_query($query, $linkID);

UPDATE A RECORD

⁄ Type the code that
connects the PHP page
to the MySQL server and
selects the database you
want to work with.
194
¤ To update a record
in the database, type
mysql_query("").
‹ Between the quotation
marks, type UPDATE
followed by the name
of the table you want to
update. Then type SET.
› Type the name of the field
you want to change followed
by =. Then type the new value
you want to assign.
ˇ Repeat step 4 for each field
you want to change, separating
each field with a comma.
Á To specify which records
to update, type WHERE.
‡ Type the name of the
field followed by =. Then
type the value that identifies
the records to be modified.
° Outside the quotation
marks, type a comma
followed by the link
identifier.
· Type the code that
assigns the result of the
mysql_query function
to a variable.
‚ To test if the update was
made successfully, type the
code that checks the value
of the variable storing the
mysql_query function.
— Type the code that
displays the information
in the database.
± Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
in a Web browser. displays the result of
updating a record in
a database.
195
 PHP PHP AND MYSQL 10
DELETE A RECORD Multiple records can be removed from a table at one
time by specifying a range of values in the WHERE clause
You can remove a field from a table by
using the ALTER TABLE statement with

A
fter creating a connection to a MySQL server in a
PHP page and selecting the database you want to
work with, you can use the DELETE statement to
remove a record from the database.
When deleting a record from a database, you use the
mysql_query function to issue a DELETE statement
to MySQL server. The mysql_query function returns
a value of true if the record is deleted successfully.
Otherwise, the function returns a value of false.
The DELETE statement uses the FROM clause to specify
the name of the table that stores the record you want
to delete. The WHERE clause indicates information that
uniquely identifies the record you want to delete. You
should be careful when identifying the record you want
to delete, as information accidentally deleted from a
database often cannot be recovered.
When identifying the information in the record you
want to delete, a string value must be enclosed in single
quotation marks (''). If the value contains quotation
marks, you must escape the quotation marks by placing
the backslash character (\) before each quotation mark,
such as \' and \".
After the DELETE statement, you can specify the link
identifier for the MySQL server connection you want to
use. If you simply want to use the last connection that
was made to the server, you can omit the link identifier
from the mysql_query function.
If you want to remove all the records from a table at one
time, you can use the DELETE statement without including
the WHERE clause. This will delete all the data in the table
but will not delete the table from the database.
The MySQL server requires that appropriate permissions
be granted before a script can delete information from a
database. For information about setting permissions in a
MySQL server, consult the MySQL documentation at the
www.mysql.com Web site.
of the DELETE statement. For example, if you have a field the mysql_query function. After specifying
that stores the last date on which a customer made a the table you want to affect, the DROP
purchase, you can use an expression with the WHERE clause is used to specify the field you want
clause to delete all the records of customers who made to remove. When a field is removed, all
their last purchase before a specific date. the data in the field is also deleted.
Example: Example:
$result = mysql_query("DELETE FROM customer $result = mysql_query("ALTER TABLE customer
WHERE lastPurchase < '2000-04-23'", $linkID); DROP middleName", $linkID);
To delete an entire table and all the data stored in the table
from a database, you can use the DROP TABLE statement
with the mysql_query function. After the DROP TABLE
statement, you must specify the name of the table you
want to delete. You should be careful not to delete a table
that you might need at a later time.
Example:
$result = mysql_query("DROP TABLE oldCustomers", $linkID);

DELETE A RECORD

⁄ Type the code that
connects the PHP page
to the MySQL server and
selects the database you
want to work with.
196
¤ To delete a record › To specify the record Á Outside the quotation ‡ Type the code that assigns · Type the code that ‚ Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
from the database, type to delete, type WHERE. marks, type a comma the value returned by the displays information in a Web browser. displays the result of
mysql_query(""). followed by the link mysql_query function to from the database in deleting a record from
ˇ Type the name of the identifier. a variable. the PHP page. a database.
‹ Between the quotation field followed by =. Then
marks, type DELETE FROM type the value in the field ° To test if the record was
followed by the name of that identifies the record deleted successfully, type the
the table from which you to be deleted. code that checks the value
want to delete a record. of the variable storing the
mysql_query function. 197
 PHP PHP AND MYSQL 10
RETRIEVE INFORMATION
AS AN ASSOCIATIVE ARRAY The mysql_fetch_object function allows
you to retrieve information from a result set
The mysql_fetch_array function is used to
retrieve information from a database as an array
as an object. This function returns an object that contains both numeric and associative keys.

A
fter using the SELECT statement with the
mysql_query function to retrieve information from
a database and place it in a result set, you can use
the mysql_fetch_assoc function to retrieve information
from the result set as an associative array.
The mysql_fetch_assoc function returns an associative
array in which the keys are the same as the names of the
fields in the result set and the array values correspond to the
values in the fields. Many programmers assign the result of
the mysql_fetch_assoc function to a variable to make
the associative array easier to work with.
Accessing data as an associative array can make your PHP
code more readable because it identifies exactly which
fields are being used instead of identifying the fields only by
number. Using associative arrays also means that you do not
need to consider the order in which the fields appear in the
result set. This may help prevent problems that may arise
if the structure of the table were to change in the future.
To call the mysql_fetch_assoc function, you must pass with property names that are the same as the The mysql_fetch_array function returns
the result identifier that points to the data stored in the field names in the table. To access the value an array in which each field value appears
result set as an argument. If the function is successful, the of a field, specify the name of the variable that twice––once with a numeric key and once with an
associative array is returned. If there is no information in stores the object followed by the member associative key. This duplication of values makes
the result set, the mysql_fetch_assoc function returns access operator (->) and the field name. the mysql_fetch_array function inefficient for
a value of false. retrieving large amounts of information from a
Example:
result set. You should use this function only when
To access a value from the associative array, you specify while ($row = mysql_fetch_object($resultID))
both the numeric order and the field names to
the name of the variable that stores the result of the {
print "<tr>"; which the values belong are needed.
mysql_fetch_assoc function followed by brackets []. print "<td>" . $row->customerID . "</td>"; Example:
Between the brackets, specify the name of the field that print "<td>" . $row->firstName . "</td>";
stores the value you want. print "<td>" . $row->lastName . "</td>"; while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($resultID))
print "</tr>"; {
The mysql_fetch_assoc function is often used with } print "<tr>";
a loop to allow access to all the information from the print "<td>" . $row[0] . "</td>";
result set. You can use the mysql_num_rows function print "<td>" . $row[firstName] . "</td>";
print "<td>" . $row[2] . "</td>";
in the loop code to indicate when the loop should end. print "</tr>";
The mysql_num_rows function determines the number }
of rows returned by the SELECT statement issued by the
mysql_query function.

RETRIEVE INFORMATION AS AN ASSOCIATIVE ARRAY

⁄ Type the code that
connects the PHP page
to the MySQL server
and selects the database
you want to work with.
198
¤ Type the code that uses
a mysql_query function
to retrieve information from
the database and assigns the
result identifier returned by
the mysql_query function
to a variable.
‹ To retrieve information
from the result set as an
associative array, type
mysql_fetch_assoc().
› Between the parentheses,
type the name of the variable
that stores the result identifier.
ˇ Type the code that Á To access a value from the
assigns the result of the result set, type the name of
mysql_fetch_assoc the variable that stores the
function to a variable. associative array. Then type
the name of the field that
stores the value you want to
access, enclosed in brackets [].
‡ Repeat step 6 for each
value you want to retrieve.
° Type the code that
uses the information
retrieved as an associative
array and formats the
information for display.
· Display the PHP page
in a Web browser.
■ The Web browser
displays the result of
retrieving information
from a database as an
associative array.
199
 PHP
You can use the MySQL AS construct to specify a
different name for a field you are retrieving. Specifying
a different name for a field can be particularly useful
RETRIEVE INFORMATION when using the mysql_fetch_assoc function. The
associative array returned by this function is indexed
using only field names. This can cause problems if you
FROM MULTIPLE TABLES retrieve fields that have the same name from different
tables.
ne of the most useful features of a relational tables, you specify the name of the first table and the name Example:
PHP AND MYSQL 10
When you want to display all the records
from one of the tables in a join, you can use
the LEFT JOIN clause. This clause allows
you to retrieve all the records from a table,
regardless of whether the records have
corresponding entries in the second table.
To use the LEFT JOIN clause, specify the
name of the table from which you want to
retrieve all the records directly following

O database is the ability to retrieve data from

multiple tables and then combine the data
into a single result set.
You use the SELECT statement to combine related data
from multiple tables. This operation is referred to as a join.
To select a field for a join, you specify the name of the table
containing the field and the name of the field, separated by
a dot(.). You can select as many fields as you need for a
join. You use the FROM clause to specify the names of the
two tables from which you want to retrieve information.
The WHERE clause allows you to specify the relationship
between the tables being joined. Each table has a field that
stores a unique identifier for each record, referred to as a
primary key. To specify the relationship between the two
of the primary key for that table. You then enter the name
of the second table and the name of the field that stores
the same values as those stored in the primary key of the
SELECT orders.totalCost AS orderTotal,
shipping.totalCost AS shippingTotal FROM orders,
shipping WHERE orders.customerID = shipping.customerID
the FROM clause. Type LEFT JOIN followed
by the name of the second table. Then type
ON followed by the relationship between
the two tables.
first table. If the unique identifier for a record in the first
table matches information in the second table, then the Example:
You can use the MySQL CONCAT function to combine
record will be retrieved from both tables. For example, data from different fields into a single field. To use SELECT customer.firstName, customer.lastName,
you may want to join data from two tables called customer orders.itemDescription, orders.quantity,
the CONCAT function, you must specify the names of orders.purchaseDate FROM orders LEFT JOIN
and orders. The customer table has a primary key field the fields you want to retrieve, separated by commas.
that stores a unique customer id for each customer, as customer ON customer.customerID =
You can also include a string, such as a space (' '), to orders.customerID
well as fields containing information such as first and last separate the fields. You can then use the AS construct
names. The orders table contains the orders made by each to specify a name for the new field.
customer and includes each customer's id. You can join
data from the two tables to create a report that includes Example:
specific information for each customer who has placed SELECT CONCAT(firstName, ' ', lastName) AS fullName,
an order. customerID FROM customer

RETRIEVE INFORMATION FROM MULTIPLE TABLES

⁄ To issue an SQL
statement to the MySQL
server, type mysql_query("").
¤ Between the quotation
marks, type SELECT.
200
‹ To specify a field for the
join, type the name of the
table followed by a dot and
the name of the field.
› Repeat step 3 until you
have specified all the fields
for the join, separating
each table and field name
pair with a comma.
ˇ Type FROM followed
by the names of the tables
containing information
you want to retrieve,
separated by commas.
Á To specify the ° Type = followed by the name
relationship between of the second table and a dot.
the tables, type WHERE. Then type the name of the field
that stores the same values as
‡ Type the name of the those stored in the primary key
first table followed by a of the first table.
dot and the name of the
primary key field for the · Type the code that assigns
table. the result of the mysql_query
function to a variable.
‚ Type the code that uses
the mysql_fetch_row
function to access and
retrieve data and formats
the data for display.
— Display the PHP page
in a Web browser.
■ The Web browser
displays the result of
retrieving information
from multiple tables.
201
 PHP PHP AND MYSQL 10
You can use the mysql_result function to retrieve a single value
from a result set. To use the mysql_result function, you specify the
result identifier for the result set and the offset position of the row that
contains the value you want to retrieve. The mysql_result function
ACCESS A PORTION OF A RESULT SET will return the value of the first field in the specified row.
TYPE THIS: RESULT:

A
fter information has been retrieved from a database
and placed in a result set, you can use the
mysql_data_seek function to access a portion
of the result set. The mysql_data_seek function advances
the row pointer of the result set to a row you specify. This
allows you to work with a small portion of a large result
set without having to iterate through the entire result set.
The mysql_data_seek function is typically used to
separate a large number of records to be displayed on a
Web page. For example, if a user's query retrieves a large
number of records from a database, you may want to display
the records on the Web page in small segments at a time
instead of displaying all the records at once. Handling a
large result set in this manner is very efficient, since you
retrieve only the data you need.
To use the mysql_data_seek function, you must specify
the result identifier that points to the data stored in the result
set. You also specify the offset position of the row you want
to access in the result set. The offset positions of the rows
in a result set are numbered starting from zero (0). If you
specify an offset position that is equal to or greater than the
number of rows in the result set, an error will be generated.
The mysql_data_seek function will return a value of true
or false depending on whether the function was executed
successfully.
Once the pointer is positioned at the first row you want to
access in the result set, you can call the mysql_fetch_row
function to retrieve the information in the row. The pointer is
then advanced to the next row. To retrieve subsequent rows,
you can call the mysql_fetch_row function repeatedly
using code that creates a loop, such as a for statement.
$resultID = mysql_query("SELECT customer.firstName, customer.lastName, Martine
orders.itemDescription, orders.quantity, orders.purchaseDate
FROM customer, orders WHERE customer.customerID = orders.customerID",
$linkID);
print mysql_result($resultID, 3);
When using the mysql_result function, you can specify the value you
want to retrieve from a row. To retrieve a value from a specific field in the
row, you can include a third argument to specify the offset position of the
field. You can also specify the name of the field instead of the offset position
of the field. Another option allows you to prefix the field name with the
name of the table from which you want to retrieve the data. This is useful
when working with a result set created from multiple tables.
Example:
mysql_result($resultID, 3, 4);
Can be typed as:
mysql_result($resultID, 3, "purchaseDate");
Or
mysql_result($resultID, 3, "orders.purchaseDate");

ACCESS A PORTION OF A RESULT SET

Portion of a Result Set - Microsoft Internet Explorer

⁄ Type the code that
connects the PHP page
to the MySQL server
and selects the database
you want to work with.
202
¤ Type the code that uses
a mysql_query function
to retrieve information from
the database and assigns the
result identifier returned by
the mysql_query function
to a variable.
‹ To move the row pointer
to a specific row in the result
set, type mysql_data_seek().
› Between the parentheses,
type the name of the variable
that stores the result identifier.
ˇ Type a comma, followed
by the number that specifies
the offset position of the row
where you want to place the
pointer.
Á To retrieve the row at which ° Type the code that · Display the PHP page ■ The Web browser
the pointer is positioned, type processes the result of in a Web browser. displays the result of
mysql_fetch_row( ). the mysql_fetch_row accessing a portion
function and formats the of a result set.
‡ Between the parentheses, information for display.
type the name of the variable
that stores the result identifier.
203
 PHP
You can use functions to obtain information about
the tables in a database. To obtain a list of tables in
GET INFORMATION ABOUT FIELDS a database, you can use the mysql_list_tables
function. The function takes two arguments––the
name of the database and the link identifier of
PHP AND MYSQL 10
identifier obtained from the mysql_list_tables
function as an argument. You can also determine the
name of a table by using the mysql_tablename
function. You must specify the result identifier
obtained from the mysql_list_tables function

T
he mysql_list_fields function returns a result
identifier that can be used to obtain information about
the fields in a table. You may find it useful to retrieve
information such as the names or data types of fields before
making an SQL query. The mysql_list_fields function
takes three arguments––the name of a database, the name of
the table containing the fields you want to work with and the
link identifier of the MySQL server connection. If you do not
specify a link identifier, the last successful connection to the
MySQL server will be used. The mysql_list_fields
function will return a result identifier if successful, otherwise
it will return a value of false.
You can obtain the number of fields in a table by using
the mysql_num_fields function. When calling the
mysql_num_fields function, you must pass the result
identifier obtained from the mysql_list_fields function
as an argument. The mysql_num_fields function is often
used as a counter in a loop that cycles through each field
in a table. This type of loop allows you to access information
about each field.
There are a number of functions that use the result identifier
obtained from the mysql_list_fields function to
retrieve information about a field. The mysql_field_name
function is used to retrieve the name of a field. You can
use the mysql_field_type function to retrieve the data
type of a field. The mysql_field_len function is used
to retrieve the maximum length of a field. You can use the
mysql_field_flags function to retrieve other information
about a field. These functions all take two arguments––the
result identifier obtained from the mysql_list_fields
function and the offset position of the field in the table.
The offset positions of the fields are numbered starting
from zero (0) and are determined by where the fields
appear in the table. An error will occur if an offset position
that is equal to or greater than the number of fields in
a table is specified.
the MySQL server connection. To determine the and the offset position of the table in the database
number of tables in a database, you can use the as arguments for the mysql_tablename function.
mysql_num_rows function, which takes the result
Example:
$resultID = mysql_list_tables("shopping", $linkID);
for ($tablePos = 0; $tablePos < mysql_num_rows($resultID); $tablePos++)
{
print mysql_tablename($resultID, $tablePos) . "<br>";
}
You can obtain a list of databases on a MySQL argument. You can then use the mysql_num_rows
server by using the mysql_list_dbs function. function to determine the number of databases
The mysql_list_dbs function takes the link in the list. You can also determine the name of a
identifier of the MySQL server connection as an database by using the mysql_tablename function.
Example:
$resultID = mysql_list_dbs($linkID);
for ($dbPos = 0; $dbPos < mysql_num_rows($resultID); $dbPos++)
{
print mysql_tablename($resultID, $dbPos) . "<br>";
}

GET INFORMATION ABOUT FIELDS

⁄ Type the code that
connects the PHP page
to the MySQL server.
¤ To retrieve information
about a table, type
mysql_list_fields().
204
‹ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the database,
enclosed in quotation marks.
› Type a comma followed
by the name of the table,
enclosed in quotation marks.
Then type a comma followed
by the link identifier.
ˇ Type the code that assigns
the result identifier returned
by the mysql_list_fields
function to a variable.
Á To obtain the number
of fields in a table, type
mysql_num_fields( ).
‡ Between the parentheses,
type the result identifier.
° Type the code that uses
the mysql_num_fields
function.
· To obtain information
about a specific field, type
the name of the function you
want to call followed by ().
‚ Between the parentheses,
type the result identifier. Then
type a comma followed the
offset position of the field.
— Repeat steps 9 and 10
for each function you want
to call.
± Type the code the uses
the results of the functions
you called.
¡ Display the PHP page
in a Web browser.
■ The Web browser
displays the result of
obtaining information
about the fields in a table.
205
 PHP PHP AND MYSQL 10
When a user submits an SQL statement that generates an error,
you can have the PHP page display information about the error
that the user may find helpful. You can use the mysql_errno

USE A FORM TO WORK WITH A DATABASE function to retrieve the error number from the MySQL server
and the mysql_error function to retrieve the error message.
Example:
orms provide an easy-to-use interface for manipulating If the result of the mysql_query function is of the boolean

F data in a database and can be used to issue SQL

statements to a MySQL database. The form passes an
SQL statement to a PHP page that connects to the database,
processes the statement and displays the result.
When creating the code for a form that will be used to
issue SQL statements to a database, you must specify the
name of the PHP page that connects to the database in
the action attribute of the <form> tag. You can use the
<textarea> tag to create a text area element on the form
that users can enter SQL statements into. The PHP page will
use the value of the name attribute for the <textarea> tag
to access the SQL statement passed by the form.
The PHP page used to process the form must have a
connection to the MySQL server and select the database
you want to work with. The PHP page must also contain
the mysql_query function, which will process the SQL
statement passed by the form.
data type and has a value of false, the SQL statement passed
by the form contains an error. You should create an error
message that will be displayed in this situation.
if ((gettype($resultID) == "boolean") && ($resultID == FALSE))
{
print "There was an error in the SQL statement.<br>";
print "Error #" . mysql_errno($linkID) . ": " . mysql_error($linkID);
}
If the returned result is of the boolean data type and has a
value of true, the SQL statement was successfully executed.
You may want to use the mysql_affected_rows When creating a table that displays retrieved records, you can use
function to display the number of records that were affected the mysql_num_fields function to retrieve the number of fields
by the query. in the result set. You can use the result of this function to create a
for loop that uses the mysql_field_name function to retrieve
When the returned result is not of the boolean data type,
all the field names.
the SQL statement returned a result set. You can use the
mysql_num_rows function to display the number of Example:
rows in the result set. You can also retrieve the records print "<table border=\"1\">";
in the result set using the mysql_fetch_row function.
print "<tr>";
for ($i = 0; $i < mysql_num_fields($resultID); $i++)
{
print "<th>" . mysql_field_name($resultID, $i) . "</th>";
}
print "</tr>";

USE A FORM TO WORK WITH A DATABASE

⁄ Type the code that
connects the PHP page
to the MySQL server
and selects the database
you want to work with.
206
¤ To have the PHP page
accept and process an SQL
statement passed by a form,
type mysql_query().
‹ Between the parentheses,
type $ followed by the value
assigned to the name attribute
of the <textarea> tag in
the form.
› Type a comma
followed by the name of
the variable that stores
the link identifier.
ˇ Type the code that
assigns the result of the
mysql_query function
to a variable.
Á Type the code that
determines if the result
of the mysql_query
function is of the boolean
data type and is false. Then
type the code you want to
process in this situation.
‡ Type the code that
determines if the result of
the mysql_query function
is of the boolean data type
and is true. Then type the
code you want to process
in this situation.
° Type the code you want
to process when the result
of the mysql_query
function is of a data type
other than boolean.
· In a Web browser,
display the form you
created to issue SQL
statements to the database.
‚ Enter an SQL statement
into the form.
— Click the submit button
to pass the SQL statement
to the PHP page.
■ The PHP page that
processes the SQL statement
will appear and the database
will be modified.
207
 PHP
When specifying the information you want to
LOG ERRORS TO A FILE display in the error log, you may want to append
a newline character (\n) to the end of the error
message you specify in the error_log function.
TROUBLESHOOTING PHP SCRIPTS 11
To view the error information saved to the
operating system's log with Windows NT,
2000 or XP, open the Control Panel and
double-click Administrative Tools. Then

W
hen an error is generated in a PHP script, you
may want to save information about the error
in a file for later review. Saving error information
to a file is useful for keeping track of non-critical errors
that do not require immediate attention, such as an error
generated when a user forgets to enter a user name.
Before you can log errors to a file, you must make changes
to the php.ini configuration file. To specify that you want to
log errors, change the value of the log_errors directive
in the php.ini file to "On." To specify a file to which you
want to log errors, you enter the location and name of the
file as the value for the error_log directive. If the file
you specify does not exist, PHP will create the file when
the first error occurs. For more information about the
php.ini file, see page 26.
To pass error information from a PHP page to an error log,
you include the error_log function in the PHP code for
the page. The error_log function takes two arguments.
LOG ERRORS TO A FILE
The first argument specifies the message you want to The newline character will help ensure that each double-click Event Viewer and click
display in the error log when an error occurs. The second entry in the error log is placed on its own line, Application Log. For more information
argument indicates the message type, which determines making the error log easier to read when viewed about logging errors and the location
how the message will be stored. To specify that you want in a text editor. of system logs, consult your operating
a message to be stored in an error log, you use a message system's documentation.
type of 0.
If you are using Windows NT, 2000 or XP, you
When a PHP script encounters an error, PHP will use a can add error information to the operating
built-in error-handling function to save the date and time system's log instead of logging errors to a file.
of the error and the message you specified to the error In the php.ini configuration file, remove the
log. You can create a custom error-handling function to semicolon preceding the error_log directive
keep track of additional details about errors. For more that specifies the syslog value. If you previously
information about creating a custom error-handling specified a file to which error information was
function, see page 214. to be saved, place a semicolon in front of that
error_log line to have the php.ini file ignore
The error log is a simple text file that can be viewed the command.
at any time using a text editor or word processor.
log_errors = On
;error_log = c:\php\error.log
error_log = syslog

CHANGE THE PHP.INI SETTINGS
⁄ In the php.ini file, select
the value of the log_errors
directive and type On.
¤ To specify a file in which to
log errors, select the value of
the error_log directive and
type the location and name of
the file you want to use.
‹ To activate the SET UP THE PHP PAGE
error_log directive, ⁄ In the PHP page for
delete the semicolon which you want to save error
preceding the directive. information, type error_log().
› Save the file. ¤ Between the parentheses,
type the message you want
to display in the error log,
enclosed in quotation marks.
‹ To specify that the ˇ Display the PHP page ■ When an error is DISPLAY THE ERROR LOG ■ The error log displays
message should be stored in a Web browser. generated, the message ⁄ Locate and open the the date and time an
in an error log, type a you specified will be error log in a text editor. error was generated and
comma followed by 0. written to the error log. the error message you
specified.
› Type the code that
uses the error_log
function.

208 209
 PHP
SEND AN ERROR MESSAGE
TO AN E-MAIL ADDRESS
T
he error_log function allows you to send a message
to an e-mail address when an error occurs in a PHP
page. This is useful when a critical error occurs that
requires the immediate attention of support personnel, such
as an error generated by a database that is not responding
or a failed attempt to log on as the administrator.
With the advent of telecommunication devices that can
receive e-mail messages, such as pagers and mobile
telephones, sending error messages to an e-mail address
is an efficient way for Webmasters to stay informed about
the status of their Web servers.
To use the error_log function to send an error message
to an e-mail address, you must specify the error message
you want to send. You must also specify the message type,
which determines where the error message will be sent.
SEND AN ERROR MESSAGE TO AN E-MAIL ADDRESS
⁄ To send a message ¤ Between the parentheses,
to an e-mail address type the message you want to
when an error occurs, send, enclosed in quotation
type error_log(). marks.
210
To send an error message to an e-mail address, you use
a message type of 1. You must also specify the e-mail
address to which you want to send the message.
Although not required, you can also specify new header
information for the e-mail message. E-mail message headers
contain information such as the name of the person who
sent the message, the subject of the message and the date
the message was sent. You can alter an existing header
or you can add a new header to the e-mail message. For
example, you may want to change the 'From:' header to
reflect the name of the computer that generated the error.
If you specify a header that does not exist, the new header
will be created and sent with the e-mail message. Creating
a new header is useful for support departments that
organize error messages according to the value of a
customized header.
‹ To specify that the › To specify the e-mail
message should be sent address you want to send
to an e-mail address, the message to, type a
type a comma followed comma followed by the
by 1. e-mail address enclosed
in quotation marks.
Before you can use the error_log function
to send an error message to an e-mail address,
you must configure PHP to work with the
mail system available to the Web server. On
Windows computers, you must ensure that the
php.ini file specifies the name of the mail server
used to send mail, often referred to as the SMTP
server. You must also specify an e-mail address
that is authorized to send mail using the mail
server. In the php.ini file, locate the [mail
function] section heading and then change
the value of the SMTP directive to reflect the
name of the outgoing mail server. Then change
the value of the sendmail_from directive to
reflect a valid e-mail address.
Example:
[mail function]
SMTP = mail.c1.us
sendmail_from = ted@abccorp.com
ˇ To specify new header Á Type the code that
information for the e-mail uses the error_log
message, type a comma function.
followed by the header
information enclosed in
quotation marks.
TROUBLESHOOTING PHP SCRIPTS 11
On Unix-based systems, such as computers
running the Linux operating system,
Sendmail is the universally accepted program
used to process e-mail messages. You must
use the php.ini file to specify the location of
the Sendmail program on the Web server.
The e-mail account on the Web server used
to send messages will be used when the
error_log function is processed. Locate
the [mail function] section heading in
the php.ini file and then change the value of
the sendmail_path directive to reflect the
location of the Sendmail program.
Example:
[mail function]
sendmail_path = usr/bin/sendmail
‡ Display the PHP page ■ When an error occurs,
in a Web browser. the message you created
is sent to the specified
e-mail address.
211
 PHP
Besides E_NOTICE, E_WARNING and E_ERROR,
two other commonly used error reporting
level constants are E_CORE_ERROR and
CHANGE THE ERROR REPORTING LEVEL E_CORE_WARNING. These two constants are
similar to E_ERROR and E_WARNING, except
that E_CORE_ERROR and E_CORE_WARNING
TROUBLESHOOTING PHP SCRIPTS 11
If you do not want to report any
errors in a PHP script, you can turn
off error reporting. To turn off error
reporting, set the argument for the
error_reporting function to
zero (0).

W
hen PHP encounters an error in a section of
code, the program generates an error message
that is displayed in the user's Web browser.
You can change the error reporting level of PHP to specify
which errors PHP should generate an error message for.
PHP can detect several different types of errors. Simple
errors, such as dividing a number by zero, are the most
common type of error. PHP can also identify and report
more serious errors, such as calling a function without
passing the correct number or type of arguments. Some
errors, called fatal errors, force PHP to terminate the
processing of a script. Fatal errors are caused by critical
problems, such as memory allocation problems.
The error_reporting function allows you to specify
which errors PHP should report. The error reporting level
is specified using predefined constants. Commonly used
constants include E_NOTICE, E_WARNING and E_ERROR.
detect errors generated by the PHP program
You can use the E_NOTICE constant as the argument for Example:
itself and not by a script. Other error reporting
the error_reporting function when you want PHP to error_reporting(0);
levels include E_PARSE, E_COMPILE_ERROR,
detect inconsistencies that could be errors, but you do not
E_COMPILE_WARNING, E_USER_ERROR,
want PHP to print error messages for the inconsistencies.
E_USER_WARNING and E_USER_NOTICE.
You can use the E_WARNING constant to detect more
serious types of errors that may require attention and print
error messages for the errors. The E_ERROR constant When using the error_reporting function to
reports only fatal errors in a script. If a fatal error occurs, change the error reporting level, you can assign
the script is terminated after the error_reporting the function to a variable. You can then use the
function is called. value of the variable later in your script to return
to the original error reporting level.
You can specify more than one constant in the
error_reporting function. This allows you to specify Type this:
more than one error reporting level. To use more than $oldLevel = error_reporting(E_NOTICE | E_ERROR);
one constant, use the OR operator (|) to separate each
constant in the error_reporting function. To return to the original level, type:
error_reporting($oldLevel);

CHANGE THE ERROR REPORTING LEVEL

⁄ Type the code that
will generate an error.
212
¤ To change the error ‹ Between the parentheses,
reporting level, type type the constant that
error_reporting(). represents the error reporting
level you want to use.
› To specify another ˇ Type the constant that
error reporting level, represents another error
type |. reporting level you want
to use.
■ You can repeat steps 4
and 5 for each error
reporting level you want
to specify.
Á Type the code that will
generate another error.
‡ Display the PHP page in ■ In this example,
a Web browser. an error message is
displayed only for
■ When an error occurs, PHP the first error.
uses the specified reporting
level to determine if an error
message should be displayed.
213
 PHP TROUBLESHOOTING PHP SCRIPTS 11

After an error occurs, PHP will try to continue processing

CREATE AN ERROR-HANDLING FUNCTION the remainder of the PHP script from the point at which the
error occurred. Since a script may not continue working
n error occurs when a PHP script that contains a To set up the error-handling function to access the values, properly when a command fails, you may want to have the

A mistake is processed. Common mistakes include

trying to divide a number by 0 or attempting to
access an array that does not exist. When an error occurs,
you can have PHP use a custom error-handling function
you created to display information about the error.
Using a custom error-handling function allows you to
enhance the functionality of a PHP script when an error
occurs. For example, you can use a custom error-handling
function to access detailed information about an error and
display the information in a format that is easy to read
and understand.
When an error occurs, PHP passes several values to
the error-handling function. The values include the code
number for the error, a brief description of the error,
the name of the PHP script that generated the error
and the number of the line in the script where the
error was detected. The values are always passed to
the error-handling function in this order.
you specify a variable to store each value. Since PHP passes
all the values at once and in a fixed order, you cannot
access a value without also accessing the preceding values.
script stop executing when an error is found. To stop the
script from executing when an error is found, include the
die function as part of the error-handling function.
For example, in order to access the name of the script that
generated an error, you will need to also specify variables TYPE THIS: RESULT:
for the error code number and description. set_error_handler("CustomErrorHandler");
The result of the calculation is:
print "The result of the calculation is: ";
After creating a custom error-handling function, you include $x = 1/0;
the set_error_handler function in the PHP code for print "$x<br>"; An error has occurred.
the page. The set_error_handler function takes as its print "The script has been processed."; Error number: 2
argument the name of the custom function you want to use. function CustomErrorHandler($errNumber,
Description: Division by zero
You should use the set_error_handler function at the $errDescript, $errFile, $errLine)
{ Script name: c:\web_apps\apache\htdocs\errorhandler.php
beginning of your PHP code to ensure that the custom Line number: 12
error-handling function you specify will be accessible
print "<h2>An error has occurred.</h2>";
print "Error number: $errNumber<br>";
throughout your code. print "Description: $errDescript<br>";
print "Script name: $errFile<br>";
print "Line number: $errLine<br>";
die();
}

CREATE AN ERROR-HANDLING FUNCTION

⁄ To create an error-handling
function, type function
followed by the name of
the function. Then type ().
214
¤ Between the parentheses,
type a variable name for each
value PHP will pass to the
function when an error
occurs. Separate each
variable name with a comma.
‹ Type the code that uses › To specify that you
the variables that store the want to use the custom
error information. Enclose error-handling function
the code in braces. you created, type
set_error_handler().
ˇ Between the parentheses,
type the name of the
error-handling function,
enclosed in quotation marks.
Á Display the PHP page ■ When an error occurs,
in a Web browser. the Web browser displays
the result of using a
custom error-handling
function.
215
 PHP TROUBLESHOOTING PHP SCRIPTS 11
You can use the show_source function to display a

EMBED DEBUGGING MESSAGES syntax-highlighted version of the source code for a PHP
page in the same Web browser window that displays the
PHP page. Viewing the output and source code on the same
mbedding debugging information into the HTML code You include debugging information within HTML code by

E of a PHP page is often the fastest and most efficient

way of tracking errors in your PHP code. Debugging
information is usually used to indicate the status of each
enclosing the information between the <!-- and -->
delimiters. Any text enclosed in these delimiters will be sent
to the Web browser, but will not be displayed on the Web
page makes it easy to compare the information when
troubleshooting your code. The show_source function
takes the name of the current PHP page as its argument.
major task that is executed in a PHP script. page. Any code enclosed in the delimiters will be processed TYPE THIS: RESULT:
by the Web server and the results will be sent to the Web
When specifying debugging information to be embedded, browser. <html>
you can include information such as the values of variables, <head>
Hello
the functions that are being called from within the PHP script After the PHP page is viewed in a Web browser, you can <title>Test Page</title>
and the number of iterations performed by loops. Debugging view the debugging information within the HTML code by </head> <html>
information can be a simple text message or can contain PHP displaying the source code of the page. Users who display <body> <head>
<?php <title>Test Page</title>
or HTML code. The message can also contain scripting code the HTML source code will also be able to view the print "Hello"; </head>
such as JavaScript or VBScript and can be one or more lines information. To ensure the security of your Web pages, print "<hr>"; <body>
long. you should include debugging messages in HTML code show_source("test.php"); <?php
only when developing and testing your Web pages. ?> print "Hello";
Debugging information is often inserted into HTML code </body> print "<hr>";
using a custom function. This enables you to standardize the </html> show_source("test.php");
message that is inserted into the HTML code each time the ?>
function is called. For example, you can include formatting </body>
code in the function to make the information easy to identify </html>
in the HTML code.

EMBED DEBUGGING MESSAGES

⁄ To create a function that
generates an HTML comment,
type function followed by a name
for the function. Then type ().
¤ Between the parentheses, type
the name of a variable that will
store the debugging message.
216
‹ Type the braces {} ˇ Between the opening and
that will hold the body closing delimiters, type the
of the function. message you want the function
to embed in the HTML code.
› In the body of the The message can include text,
function, type <!– – HTML or PHP code, as well
and – –>. as the variable that stores the
information passed to the
function.
Á Type the code ‡ Type the code that ° Repeat step 7 at each · Display the PHP page ■ The HTML source code
that will display the calls the function and location in the PHP code in a Web browser. displays the debugging
debugging message in passes the information where you want to generate messages generated
the HTML source code. you want to display in a debugging message. ‚ Display the source when the PHP page was
the debugging message code of the PHP page. processed.
to the function.
217
 PHP TROUBLESHOOTING PHP SCRIPTS 11
USING TELNET TO
CONNECT TO A WEB SERVER Using troubleshooting features may increase the processing time of a PHP
script. As a result, the processing time may exceed the maximum execution
time allowed by PHP. You can change the maximum execution time allowed
nce a PHP page is stored on a Web server, you may commands you can issue to a Web server are part of the

O want to access more information than what is shown

when viewing the PHP page in a Web browser. For
example, you may need to access HTTP headers, which are
not typically accessible through a Web browser, in order to
troubleshoot a PHP page.
You can view information for a PHP page, such as the HTTP
headers, by connecting to the Web server using a telnet
program. A telnet program uses a text-based interface and
allows you to view the content of a page in text form.
When using a telnet program to connect to a Web server,
you must specify the URL or IP address of the Web server
and the port number used by the Web server. A Web server
typically uses port 80.
Once a telnet program has established a connection to a
Web server, you can issue an HTTP command that will
display information about a PHP page on the server. The
HTTP specification that is also used by Web browsers
to retrieve information. For more information about the
HTTP specification, you may refer to the World Wide Web
Consortium (W3C) Web site at www.w3.org.
Two common HTTP commands are GET and HEAD. The
GET command allows you to retrieve a PHP page from a
Web server. The HEAD command is used to retrieve the
HTTP header information from a PHP page.
Some telnet programs require you to enable local echo
before you can view the commands you are typing. You
can consult your telnet program's documentation for
more information about local echo.
by PHP to better accommodate PHP scripts that require more time to process
completely. The php.ini file contains the max_execution_time directive,
which allows you to set the maximum execution time allowed by PHP, in
seconds. The max_execution_time directive will apply to all PHP scripts
processed by the Web server. To change the maximum execution time, open
the php.ini file on the Web server and look for the following section of code.
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
; Resource Limits ;
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
max_execution_time = 120 ; Maximum execution time of each script, in seconds
Most Unix and Windows computers include a telnet program as part of
the operating system files. If you do not have a telnet program installed
on your computer, you can download a telnet program from the Tucows
Web site at www.tucows.com.

USING TELNET TO CONNECT TO A WEB SERVER

www.abccorp.com www.abccorp.com

RETRIEVE A PHP PAGE
⁄ At the command
prompt, type telnet.
218
¤ Type the URL or IP
address of the Web server
you want to connect to.
Then type the port number
used by the Web server.
‹ Press Enter to start the
telnet program and connect
to the Web server.
› Type GET /.
ˇ Type the name of the
PHP page you want to
retrieve and then press
Enter.
■ The HTML code for the
PHP page is displayed in
the telnet window.
Note: The HTML code may be
formatted differently, depending
on the Web server and telnet
program you are using.
VIEW HTTP HEADERS ¤ Type the URL or IP
⁄ At the command address of the Web server
you want to connect to.
prompt, type telnet.
Then type the port number
used by the Web server.
‹ Press Enter to start the
telnet program and connect
to the Web server.
› Type HEAD /.
ˇ Type the name of the
PHP page for which you
want to view the HTTP
header information.
Á Type http/1.0 and then
press Enter twice.
■ The HTTP header
information for the PHP
page is displayed.
Note: The information may be
formatted differently, depending
on the Web server and telnet
program you are using.
219
 PHP PHP FUNCTIONS QUICK REFERENCE 12
ARRAY FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)

PHP FUNCTIONS QUICK REFERENCE Function

array_slice(array, offset
Description
Returns a slice from an array.
Returns
Array
Legend [, length])
plain courier text = required array_splice(array, offset Replaces elements in an array and returns the removed Array
italics = user-defined [, length [, replacement]]) elements.
[] = optional array_sum(array) Calculates the sum of values in an array. Mixed
... = list of items array_unique(array) Removes duplicate values. Array
| = or
array_unshift(array, Pushes elements onto the beginning of an array. Integer
variables)
APACHE-SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS
array_values(array) Returns all the values in an array. Array
Function Description Returns array_walk(array, function Applies a function to array elements. Integer
[, parameter])
apache_lookup_uri(filename) Returns information about a URI. Class
arsort(array) Sorts an array in descending order and retains index Void
apache_note(note_name Gets or, if the second parameter is used, sets values String association.
[, note_value]) in a notes table.
asort(array) Sorts an array in ascending order and retains index association. Void
ascii2ebcdic(ascii_string) Translates a string from ASCII to EBCDIC. Integer
compact(varnames) Creates an array using variables. Array
ebcdic2ascii(ebcdic_string) Translates a string from EBCDIC to ASCII. Integer
count(array) Counts array elements. Integer
getallheaders() Returns HTTP request headers. Array
current(array) Returns the current array element. Mixed
virtual(filename) Performs an Apache sub-request. Integer
each(array) Returns the current array element. Array
end(array) Makes the last element the current element. Mixed
ARRAY FUNCTIONS
extract(array [, extract_type Imports variables into the symbol table from an array. Integer
[, prefix]])
Function Description Returns in_array(value, array, strict) Indicates if a value exists in an array. Boolean
array([...]) Creates an array from provided parameters. Array key(array) Returns the key for the current element. Mixed
array_count_values(array) Counts the values in an array. Array krsort(array) Sorts an array by key in reverse order. Integer
array_diff(arrays) Returns values in the first array that do not occur Array ksort(array) Sorts an array by key. Integer
in the other arrays.
array_flip(array) Flips the values and keys in an array. Array list(variables) Assigns variables as if they were an array. Void
array_intersect(arrays) Returns values in the first array that occur in the other arrays. Array natcasesort(array) Sorts an array in a case-insensitive "natural order." Void
array_keys(array Returns all keys or only specified keys. Array natsort(array) Sorts an array in a "natural order." Void
[, search_value]) next(array) Advances the pointer one element in an array. Mixed
array_merge(arrays) Merges arrays. Array pos(array) Returns the current array element. Mixed
array_merge_recursive(arrays) Merges arrays recursively. Array prev(array) Moves the pointer back one element in an array. Mixed
array_multisort(array Sorts several arrays or a multi-dimensional array. Boolean range(low, high) Creates an array containing the integers in the specified range. Array
[, mixed])
reset(array) Moves the pointer to the first array element. Mixed
array_pad(array, size, value) Pads an array to the specified size with a value. Array
rsort(array) Sorts an array in descending order. Void
array_pop(array) Removes and returns the last array element. Mixed
shuffle(array) Shuffles an array. Void
array_push(array, variables) Pushes elements onto the end of an array. Integer
sizeof(array) Returns the number of array elements. Integer
array_rand(array [, num_req]) Returns one or more random entries from an array. Mixed
sort(array) Sorts an array in ascending order. Void
array_reverse(array) Returns array elements in reverse order. Array
uasort(array, function) Sorts an array using a function and retains index association. Void
array_search(value, array, Searches an array for a specified value and returns the Mixed
strict) corresponding key. uksort(array, function) Sorts an array by key using a function. Void
array_shift(array) Removes and returns the first array element. Mixed usort(array, function) Sorts an array by value using a function. Void

220 221
PHP
PHP FUNCTIONS QUICK REFERENCE
ASPELL FUNCTIONS
Function
aspell_check(link, word)
aspell_check_raw(link, word)
aspell_new(master, personal)
aspell_suggest(link, word)
CALENDAR FUNCTIONS
Function
easter_date([year])
easter_days([year])
frenchtojd(french)
gregoriantojd(gregorian)
jddayofweek(julianday, mode)
jdmonthname(julianday, mode)
jdtofrench(julianday)
jdtogregorian(julianday)
jdtojewish(julianday)
jdtojulian(julianday)
jdtounix(julianday)
jewishtojd(jewish)
juliantojd(julian)
unixtojd(timestamp)
222
PHP FUNCTIONS QUICK REFERENCE 12
CLASS/OBJECT FUNCTIONS
Function Description Returns
call_user_method(method_name, Calls a user method from an object. Mixed
object [, parameters])
call_user_method_array Calls a user method from an object using an array Mixed
(method_name, object of parameters.
[, parameters_array])
class_exists(class_name) Checks if a class has been defined. Boolean
get_class(object) Returns the class name of an object. String
get_class_methods(class_name) Returns the methods for a class. Array
get_class_vars(class_name) Returns the default properties for a class. Array
Description Returns get_declared_classes() Returns defined classes for the current script. Array
Checks the spelling of a word. Boolean get_object_vars(object) Returns the properties of an object. Array
Checks the spelling of a word without changing case Boolean get_parent_class(object) Returns the parent class name of an object. String
or trimming.
is_subclass_of(object, Determines if an object belongs to a subclass of a specified Boolean
Loads a new directory. Integer superclass) superclass.
Suggests spellings for a word. Array method_exists(object, Checks if a method exists. Boolean
method_name)
CLIENT URL LIBRARY (CURL) FUNCTIONS
Description Returns
Returns a UNIX timestamp for midnight on Easter Integer Function Description Returns
in a specified year. curl_close(handle) Closes a CURL session. Void
Returns the number of days after March 21 that Easter Integer curl_exec(handle) Executes a CURL session. Boolean
falls in a specified year.
curl_init([url]) Initializes a CURL session. Integer
Converts a French Republican Calendar date to Integer
Julian Day Count. curl_setopt(handle, option, Sets an option for a CURL session. Boolean
value)
Converts a Gregorian Calendar date to Julian Day Count. Integer
curl_version() Returns the current CURL version. String
Returns the day of the week. Mixed
Returns the month of the year. String
DATABASE FUNCTIONS
Converts a Julian Day Count to a French Republican String
Calendar date.
Converts a Julian Day Count to a Gregorian Calendar date. String Database Abstraction Layer Functions
Converts a Julian Day Count to a Jewish Calendar date. String Function Description Returns
Converts a Julian Day Count to a Julian Calendar date. String dba_close(handle) Closes a database. Void
Converts a Julian Day Count to a UNIX timestamp. Integer dba_delete(key, handle) Deletes an entry in a database. String
Converts a Jewish Calendar date to Julian Day Count. Integer dba_exists(key, handle) Checks if a key exists in a database. Boolean
Converts a Julian Calendar date to Julian Day Count. Integer dba_fetch(key, handle) Returns the requested data. String
Converts a UNIX timestamp to Julian Day Count. Integer dba_firstkey(handle) Returns the first key in a database. String
223
PHP
PHP FUNCTIONS QUICK REFERENCE
DATABASE FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
Database Abstraction Layer Functions (Continued)
Function
dba_insert(key, value, handle) Inserts an entry into a database.
dba_nextkey(handle)
dba_open(path, mode, handler)
dba_optimize(handle)
dba_popen(path, mode, handler
[, ...])
dba_replace(key, value,
handle)
dba_sync(handle)
dBase Functions
Function
dbase_add_record(dbase_id,
record)
dbase_close(dbase_id)
dbase_create(filename, fields) Creates a dBase database.
dbase_delete_record
(dbase_id, record)
dbase_get_record(dbase_id,
record)
dbase_get_record_with_names
(dbase_id, record)
dbase_numfields(dbase_id)
dbase_numrecords(dbase_id)
dbase_open(filename, flags)
dbase_pack(dbase_id)
dbase_replace_record
(dbase_id, record, record_num)
224
PHP FUNCTIONS QUICK REFERENCE 12
DATABASE FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
DBM Functions
Function Description Returns
dblist() Describes the DBM-compatible library being used. String
dbmclose(dbm_id) Closes a DBM database. Boolean
dbmdelete(dbm_id, key) Deletes a value from a DBM database. Boolean
dbmexists(dbm_id, key) Checks if a value exists for a key in a DBM database. Boolean
Description Returns dbmfetch(dbm_id, key) Returns a value for a key from a DBM database. String
Boolean dbmfirstkey(dbm_id) Returns the first key in a DBM database. String
Returns the next key in a database. String dbminsert(dbm_id, key, value) Inserts a key-value pair into a DBM database. Integer
Opens a database. Integer dbmnextkey(dbm_id, key) Returns the next key in a DBM database. String
Optimizes a database. Boolean dbmopen(filename, flags) Opens a DBM database. Integer
Opens a persistent connection to a database. Integer dbmreplace(dbm_id, key, value) Replaces a value in a DBM database. Boolean
Replaces or inserts an entry in a database. Boolean
Synchronizes a database. Boolean Informix Functions
Function Description Returns
ifx_affected_rows(result_id) Returns the number of rows affected by a query. Integer
ifx_blobinfile_mode(mode) Sets the default BLOB mode. Void
Description Returns ifx_byteasvarchar(mode) Sets the default byte mode. Void
Adds a record to a dBase database. Boolean ifx_close([link_identifier]) Closes the connection to an Informix database. Integer
ifx_connect([database Opens a connection to an Informix database. Integer
Closes a dBase database. Boolean [, userid [, password]]])
Integer ifx_copy_blob(bid) Copies a BLOB object. Integer
Deletes a record from a dBase database. Boolean ifx_create_blob(type, mode, Creates a BLOB object. Integer
param)
Returns a record from a dBase database. Array ifx_create_char(param) Creates a char object. Integer
ifx_do(result_id) Executes a prepared SQL statement. Integer
Returns a record from a dBase database as an associative array. Array
ifx_error() Returns the last error. String
Returns the number of fields in a dBase database. Integer ifx_errormsg([error_code]) Returns the error message for the last error or a specified String
error code.
Returns the number of records in a dBase database. Integer
ifx_fetch_row(result_id Fetches a row as an enumerated array. Array
Opens a dBase database. Integer [, position])
Removes deleted records from a dBase database. Boolean ifx_fieldproperties Returns the field names and SQL field properties. Array
(result_id)
Replaces a record in a dBase database. Boolean
ifx_fieldtypes(result_id) Returns the field names and SQL field types. Array
225
PHP
PHP FUNCTIONS QUICK REFERENCE
DATABASE FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
Informix Functions (Continued)
Function
ifx_free_blob(bid)
ifx_free_char(bid)
ifx_free_result(result_id)
ifx_get_blob(bid)
ifx_get_char(bid)
ifx_getsqlca(result_id)
ifx_htmltbl_result(result_id
[, html_table_options])
ifx_nullformat(mode)
ifx_num_fields(result_id)
ifx_num_rows(result_id)
ifx_pconnect([database
[, userid [, password]]])
ifx_prepare(query
[, link_identifier
[, cursor_type
[, blobidarray]]])
ifx_query(query
[, link_identifier
[, cursor_type
[, blobidarray]]])
ifx_textasvarchar(mode)
ifx_update_blob(bid, content)
ifx_update_char(bid, content)
ifxus_close_slob(bid)
ifxus_create_slob(mode)
ifxus_free_slob(bid)
ifxus_open_slob(bid, mode)
ifxus_read_slob(bid, bytes)
ifxus_seek_slob(bid, mode,
offset)
ifxus_tell_slob(bid)
ifxus_write_slob(bid, content) Writes content to a SLOB object.
226
PHP FUNCTIONS QUICK REFERENCE 12
DATABASE FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
InterBase Functions
Function Description Returns
ibase_close([connection_id]) Closes the connection to an InterBase database. Integer
ibase_commit([link_identifier, Commits a transaction. Integer
trans_number])
ibase_connect(database Opens a connection to an InterBase database. Integer
[, username [, password
[, charset [, buffers
[, dialect [, role]]]]]])
Description Returns ibase_errmsg() Returns an error message. String
Deletes a BLOB object. Integer ibase_execute(query Executes a prepared query. Integer
[, bind_args])
Deletes a char object. Integer
ibase_fetch_object Returns a row as an object. Object
Frees resources used by a query. Integer (result_id)
Returns the contents of a BLOB object. Integer ibase_fetch_row(result_id) Returns the next row in a result set. Array
Returns the contents of a char object. Integer ibase_field_info(result_id, Returns information about a field in a result set. Array
field_number)
Returns the contents of sqlca.sqlerrd[0..5]after a query. Array
ibase_free_query(query) Frees a prepared query. Integer
Formats rows of a query in an HTML table. Integer
ibase_free_result(result_id) Frees a result set. Integer
Sets the default value for NULL values in a fetched row. Void ibase_num_fields(result_id) Returns the number of fields in a result set. Integer
Returns the number of fields in a query. Integer ibase_pconnect(database Opens a persistent connection to an InterBase database. Integer
[, username [, password
Returns the number of rows fetched for a query. Integer [, charset [, buffers
Opens a persistent connection to an Informix database. Integer [, dialect [, role]]]]]])
ibase_prepare Prepares a query for execution. Integer
Prepares an SQL statement for execution. Integer ([link_identifier, query])
ibase_query([link_identifier, Executes a query. Integer
query [, bind_args]])
ibase_rollback Rolls back a transaction. Integer
Executes a query. Integer ([link_identifier,
trans_number])
ibase_timefmt(format, Sets the format of timestamp, date and time columns Integer
[columntype]) returned from queries.
Sets the default text mode. Void
ibase_trans([trans_args Begins a transaction. Integer
Updates a BLOB object. Integer [, link_identifier]])
Updates a char object. Integer
Deletes a SLOB object. Integer
Creates and opens a SLOB object. Integer Microsoft SQL Server Functions
Deletes a SLOB object. Integer
Function Description Returns
Opens a SLOB object. Integer
mssql_close(link_id) Closes the connection to an MS SQL database. Integer
Reads bytes from a SLOB object. Integer
mssql_connect([server_name Opens a connection to an MS SQL database. Integer
Sets the current seek position of a SLOB object. Integer [, username [, password]]])
mssql_data_seek(result_id, Moves to a specified row in a result set. Integer
Returns the current seek position of a SLOB object. Integer row_number)
Integer mssql_fetch_array(result_id) Returns the next row as an array. Integer
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PHP FUNCTIONS QUICK REFERENCE
DATABASE FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
Microsoft SQL Server Functions (Continued)
Function
mssql_fetch_field(result_id
[, field_offset])
mssql_fetch_object
(result_id)
mssql_fetch_row(result_id)
mssql_field_length(result_id
[, offset])
mssql_field_name(result_id
[, offset])
mssql_field_seek(result_id,
field_offset)
mssql_field_type(result_id
[, offset])
mssql_free_result(result_id)
mssql_get_last_message()
mssql_min_error_severity
(severity)
mssql_min_message_severity
(severity)
mssql_num_fields(result_id)
mssql_num_rows(result_id)
mssql_pconnect([servername
[, username [, password]]])
mssql_query(query [, link_id]) Executes a query.
mssql_result(result_id, row,
field)
mssql_select_db(database,
link_id)
mSQL Functions
Function
msql(database, query, link_id) Executes a query.
msql_affected_rows(query_id)
msql_close(link_id)
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PHP FUNCTIONS QUICK REFERENCE 12
DATABASE FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
mSQL Functions (Continued)
Function Description Returns
msql_connect([hostname]) Opens a connection to an mSQL database. Integer
msql_create_db(name Creates an mSQL database. Integer
[, link_id])
msql_createdb(name Creates an mSQL database. Integer
[, link_id])
Description Returns msql_data_seek(query_id, Moves to a specified row in a result set. Integer
Returns field information. Object row_number)
msql_dbname(query_id, index) Returns the name of an mSQL database. String
Returns the next row as an object. Integer msql_drop_db(name, link_id) Deletes an mSQL database. Integer
msql_dropdb(name, link_id) Deletes an mSQL database. Integer
Returns the next row as an enumerated array. Array
msql_error() Returns an error message from the last SQL operation. String
Returns the length of a field in a result set. Integer
msql_fetch_array(query_id Returns the next row as an array. Integer
[, result_type])
Returns the name of a field in a result set. Integer
msql_fetch_field(query_id, Returns field information. Object
field_offset)
Moves to a specified field in a result set. Integer
msql_fetch_object(query_id Returns the next row as an object. Integer
[, result_type])
Returns the type of a field in a result set. String
msql_fetch_row(query_id) Returns the next row as an enumerated array. Array
Frees memory used by a result set. Integer msql_field_seek(query_id, Moves to a specified field in a result set. Integer
field_offset)
Returns the last server message. String
msql_fieldflags(query_id, Returns flags for a field in a result set. String
Sets the lower error severity. Void field)
msql_fieldlen(query_id, field) Returns the length of a field in a result set. Integer
Sets the lower message severity. Void
msql_fieldname(query_id, Returns the name of a field in a result set. String
field)
Returns the number of fields in a result set. Integer
msql_fieldtable(query_id, Returns the name of the table a field belongs to. Integer
Returns the number of rows in a result set. Integer field)
Opens a persistent connection to an MS SQL database. Integer msql_fieldtype(query_id, Returns the type of a field in a result set. String
field)
Integer msql_free_result(query_id) Frees the memory used by a result set. Integer
Returns the contents of a cell in a result set. Integer msql_freeresult(query_id) Frees the memory used by a result set. Integer
msql_list_dbs() Lists the mSQL databases on a server. Integer
Makes an MS SQL database the current database. Integer
msql_list_fields(database, Lists the fields in a table. Integer
table)
msql_list_tables(database) Lists the tables in an mSQL database. Integer
msql_listdbs() Lists the mSQL databases on a server. Integer
msql_listfields(database, Lists the fields in a table. Integer
Description Returns table)
Integer msql_listtables(database) Lists the tables in an mSQL database. Integer
Returns the number of rows a query affects. Integer msql_num_fields(query_id) Returns the number of fields in a result set. Integer
Closes the connection to an mSQL database. Integer msql_num_rows(query_id) Returns the number of rows in a result set. Integer
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DATABASE FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
mSQL Functions (Continued)
Function
msql_numfields(query_id)
msql_numrows(query_id)
msql_pconnect([hostname])
msql_query(query, link_id)
msql_regcase(string)
msql_result(query_id, row,
field)
msql_select_db(database,
link_id)
msql_selectdb(database,
link_id)
msql_tablename(query_id,
field)
MySQL Functions
Function
mysql_affected_rows(link_id)
mysql_change_user(user,
password [, database
[, link_id]])
mysql_close([link_id])
mysql_connect([hostname
[:port] [:/path/to/socket]
[,username [,password]]])
mysql_create_db(database
[, link_id])
mysql_data_seek(result_id,
row_number)
mysql_db_name(result_id, row
[, field])
mysql_db_query(database,
query [, link_id])
mysql_drop_db(database_name
[, link_id])
mysql_errno([link_id])
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DATABASE FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
MySQL Functions (Continued)
Function Description Returns
mysql_error([link_id]) Returns the error message from the last MySQL operation. String
mysql_fetch_array(result_id Returns the next row as an array. Array
[, result_type])
Description Returns
mysql_fetch_assoc(result_id) Returns a row as an associative array. Array
Returns the number of fields in a result set. Integer
Returns the number of rows in a result set. Integer mysql_fetch_field(result_id Returns field information. Object
[, field_offset])
Opens a persistent connection to an mSQL database. Integer
mysql_fetch_lengths(result_id) Returns the length of each field in a result set. Array
Executes a query. Integer
mysql_fetch_object(result_id Returns the next row as an object. Object
Makes a regular expression for a case-insensitive match. String [, result_type])
Returns the contents of a cell in a result set. Integer mysql_fetch_row(result_id) Returns the next row as an enumerated array. Array
mysql_field_flags(result_id, Returns the flags for a field in a result set. String
Makes an mSQL database the current database. Integer field)
mysql_field_len(result_id, Returns the length of a field in a result set. Integer
Makes an mSQL database the current database. Integer field)
mysql_field_name(result_id, Returns the name of a field in a result set. String
Returns the name of the table for a field. String field)
mysql_field_seek(result_id, Moves to a specified field offset. Integer
field_offset)
mysql_field_table(result_id, Returns the name of the table a field belongs to. String
field)
mysql_field_type(result_id, Returns the type of a field in a result set. String
Description Returns field)
Returns the number of rows affected by the last query. Integer mysql_free_result(result_id) Frees the memory used by a result set. Integer
Changes the logged in user of the connection. Integer mysql_insert_id([link_id]) Returns the ID generated from the last INSERT operation. Integer
mysql_list_dbs([link_id]) Lists the databases on a MySQL server. Integer
mysql_list_fields(database, Lists the fields in a table. Integer
Closes the connection to a MySQL database. Integer table [, link_id])
Opens a connection to a MySQL database. Integer mysql_list_tables(database) Lists the tables in a MySQL database. Integer
mysql_num_fields(result_id) Returns the number of fields in a result set. Integer
Creates a MySQL database. Integer mysql_num_rows(result_id) Returns the number of rows in a result set. Integer
mysql_pconnect([hostname Opens a persistent connection to a MySQL database. Integer
Moves to a specified row in a result set. Integer [:port] [:/path/to/socket]
[, username [, password]]])
Returns result data. Integer mysql_query(query [, link_id]) Executes a query. Integer
mysql_result(result_id, row Returns the contents of a cell in a result set. Mixed
Executes a query. Integer [, field])
mysql_select_db(database Makes a MySQL database the current database. Integer
Deletes a MySQL database. Integer [, link_id])
mysql_tablename(result_id, Returns the name of the table for a field. String
Returns the error number from the last MySQL operation. Integer index)
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DATABASE FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
Oracle 8 Functions
Function
OCIBindByName(statement,
ph_name, &variable, length
[, type])
OCIColumnIsNULL(statement,
column)
OCIColumnName(statement,
column_number)
OCIColumnSize(statement,
column)
OCIColumnType(statement,
column_number)
OCICommit(connection)
OCIDefineByName(statement,
column_name, &variable
[, type])
OCIError([statement |
connection | global])
OCIExecute(statement [, mode]) Executes an SQL statement.
OCIFetch(statement)
OCIFetchInto(statement,
result [, mode])
OCIFetchStatement(statement,
variable)
OCIFreeCursor(statement)
OCIFreeDesc(lob)
OCIFreeStatement(statement)
OCIInternalDebug(OnOff)
OCILogOff(connection)
OCILogon(username, password
[, database])
OCINewCursor(connection)
OCINewDescriptor(connection
[, type])
OCINLogon(username, password
[, database])
OCINumCols(statement)
OCIParse(connection, query)
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DATABASE FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
Oracle 8 Functions (Continued)
Function Description Returns
OCIPLogon(username, password Creates a persistent connection to an Oracle database. Integer
[, database])
OCIResult(statement, column) Returns column data for a fetched row. Mixed
OCIRollback(connection) Aborts all pending transactions on a connection. Integer
OCIRowCount(statement) Returns the number of affected rows in a result set. Integer
Description Returns
OCIServerVersion(connection) Returns server version information. String
Binds a PHP variable to an Oracle Placeholder. Integer
OCIStatementType(statement) Returns the type of an OCI statement. String
Tests whether a column contains a NULL value. Integer
Returns the name of a column in a result set. String Oracle Functions
Function Description Returns
Returns the size of a column in a result set. Integer
ora_bind(cursor, &variable, Binds a PHP variable to an Oracle parameter. Integer
SQLparameter, length [, type])
Returns the type of a column in a result set. Mixed
ora_close(cursor) Closes an Oracle cursor. Integer
Commits pending transactions on a connection. Integer ora_columnname(cursor, column) Returns the name of a column. String
Fetches a column into a PHP variable. Integer ora_columnsize(cursor, column) Returns the size of a column. Integer
ora_columntype(cursor, column) Returns the type of a column. String
Returns the code for the last error. Array ora_commit(connection) Commits a transaction. Integer
ora_commitoff(connection) Disables automatic committing of transactions. Integer
Integer ora_commiton(connection) Enables automatic committing of transactions. Integer
Fetches the next row from a result set. Integer ora_do(connection, query) Parses and executes a statement. Then fetches the first row. Integer
Fetches the next row from a result set into an array. Integer ora_error(cursor | connection) Returns the message for the last error. String
ora_errorcode(cursor | Returns the code for the last error. Integer
Fetches all rows from a result set into an array. Integer connection)
ora_exec(cursor) Executes a parsed statement on a cursor. Integer
Frees the resources used by the cursor for a statement. Integer
ora_fetch(cursor) Fetches a row from a cursor. Integer
Deletes a large object descriptor. Integer
ora_fetch_into(cursor, result Fetches a row into a result array. Integer
Frees the resources used by a statement. Integer [, flags])
Enables or disables internal debugging. Void ora_getcolumn(cursor, column) Returns data from a column. Mixed
Closes the connection to an Oracle Database. Integer ora_logoff(connection) Closes an Oracle connection. Integer
Creates a connection to an Oracle database. Integer ora_logon(user, password) Opens an Oracle connection. Integer
ora_numcols(cursor_ind) Returns the number of columns in a result set. Integer
Returns a new cursor for a connection. Integer
ora_numrows(cursor_ind) Returns the number of rows in a result set. Integer
Initializes a new empty LOB or FILE descriptor. String
ora_open(connection) Opens an Oracle cursor. Integer
Creates a new connection to an Oracle database. Integer ora_parse(cursor, Parses an SQL statement. Integer
SQL_statement, defer)
Returns the number of columns in a result set. Integer ora_plogon(user, password) Opens a persistent connection to an Oracle database. Integer
Parses a query. Integer ora_rollback(connection) Aborts a transaction. Integer
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DATABASE FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
PostgreSQL Functions
Function
pg_client_encoding
([connection])
pg_close(connection)
pg_cmdtuples(result_id)
pg_connect(conn_string)
pg_dbname(connection)
pg_end_copy([connection])
pg_errormessage(connection)
pg_exec(connection, query)
pg_fetch_array(result, row
[, result_type])
pg_fetch_object(result, row
[, result_type])
pg_fetch_row(result, row)
pg_fieldisnull(result_id,
row, field)
pg_fieldname(result_id,
field_number)
pg_fieldnum(result_id,
field_name)
pg_fieldprtlen(result_id,
row_number, field_name)
pg_fieldsize(result_id,
field_number)
pg_fieldtype(result_id,
field_number)
pg_freeresult(result_id)
pg_getlastoid(result_id)
pg_host(connection)
pg_loclose(file_descriptor)
pg_locreate(connection)
pg_loexport(object_id, file
[, connection_id])
pg_loimport(file
[, connection_id])
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DATABASE FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
PostgreSQL Functions (Continued)
Function
pg_loopen(connection,
object_id, mode)
Description
Opens a large object.
Returns
Integer
pg_loread(file_descriptor, Reads a specified number of bytes from a large object. String
len)
pg_loreadall(file_descriptor) Reads an entire large object and sends it to a browser. Void
pg_lounlink(connection, Deletes a large object. Void
object_id)
Description Returns pg_lowrite(file_descriptor, Writes to a large object. Integer
Returns the client encoding. String buf)
pg_numfields(result_id) Returns the number of fields in a result set. Integer
Closes a PostgreSQL connection. Boolean pg_numrows(result_id) Returns the number of rows in a result set. Integer
Returns the number of tuples affected by queries. Integer pg_options(connection) Returns connection options. String
Opens a connection to a PostgreSQL database. Integer pg_pconnect(conn_string) Opens a persistent connection to a PostgreSQL database. Integer
Returns the name of a database. String pg_port(connection) Returns the port number for a connection. Integer
Synchronizes PostgreSQL frontend with backend after a copy. Boolean pg_put_line([connection, Sends a NULL-terminated string to the PostgreSQL Boolean
Returns an error message. String data]) backend server.
Executes a query. Integer pg_result(result_id, Returns values from a result set. Mixed
row_number, field_name)
Fetches a row as an array. Array
pg_set_client_encoding Sets the client encoding. Integer
([connection, encoding])
Fetches a row as an object. Object
pg_trace(filename [, mode Enables tracing of a PostgreSQL connection. Boolean
[, connection]])
Fetches a row as an enumerated array. Array
pg_tty(connection) Returns the connection's associated tty name. String
Indicates whether a field contains a NULL value. Integer
pg_untrace([connection]) Disables tracing of a PostgreSQL connection. Boolean
Returns the name of a field in a result set. String
Returns the number of a field in a result set. Integer Sybase Functions
Function Description Returns
Returns the printed length of a field in a result set. Integer
sybase_affected_rows Returns the number of rows affected by the last query. Integer
([link_id])
Returns the internal storage size of a field in a result set. Integer
sybase_close(link_id) Closes the Sybase connection. Boolean
Returns the type of a field in a result set. String sybase_connect(server_name, Opens a connection to a Sybase server. Integer
username, password
[, charset])
Frees the memory used by a result set. Integer
sybase_data_seek(result_id, Moves to a specified row in a result set. Boolean
Returns the last object identifier. Integer row_number)
Returns the connection's associated host name. String sybase_fetch_array(result_id) Fetches the next row as an array. Array
Closes a large object. Void sybase_fetch_field(result_id Returns field information. Object
[, field_offset])
Creates a large object. Integer
Exports a large object to a file. Boolean sybase_fetch_object(result_id) Fetches the next row as an object. Integer
sybase_fetch_row(result_id) Fetches the next row as an enumerated array. Array
Imports a large object from a file. Integer sybase_field_seek(result_id, Moves to a specified field offset. Integer
field_offset)
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DATABASE FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
Sybase Functions (Continued)
Function
sybase_free_result(result_id)
sybase_get_last_message()
sybase_min_client_severity
(severity)
sybase_min_error_severity
(severity)
sybase_min_message_severity
(severity)
sybase_min_server_severity
(severity)
sybase_num_fields(result_id)
sybase_num_rows(result_id)
sybase_pconnect(server_name,
username, password
[, charset])
sybase_query(query, link_id)
sybase_result(result_id, row,
field)
sybase_select_db(database,
link_id)
Unified ODBC Functions
Function
odbc_autocommit
(connection_id, [OnOff])
odbc_binmode(result_id, mode)
odbc_close(connection_id)
odbc_close_all()
odbc_columnprivileges
(connection_id [, qualifier
[, owner [, table_name
[, column_name]]]])
odbc_columns(connection_id
[, qualifier [, owner
[, table_name
[, column_name]]]])
odbc_commit(connection_id)
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DATABASE FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
Unified ODBC Functions (Continued)
Function Description Returns
odbc_connect(DSN, userid, Connects to an ODBC data source. Integer
password [, cursor_type])
odbc_cursor(result_id) Returns the cursorname for a result set. String
odbc_do(connection_id, query) Prepares and executes a query. Integer
Description Returns odbc_error([connection_id]) Returns the last error code. Integer
Frees the memory used by a result set. Boolean odbc_errormsg([connection_id]) Returns the last error message. Integer
Returns the last message from the server. String odbc_exec(connection_id, Prepares and executes a query. Integer
query)
Sets the minimum client severity level. Void
odbc_execute(result_id, Executes a prepared SQL statement. Integer
[parameters])
Sets the minimum error severity level. Void
odbc_fetch_into(result_id Fetches a row from a result set. Integer
[, row_number, result])
Sets the minimum message severity level. Void
odbc_fetch_row(result_id Fetches a row from a result set. Integer
[, row_number])
Sets the minimum server severity level. Void
odbc_field_len(result_id, Returns the length of a field in a result set. Integer
field_number)
Returns the number of fields in a result set. Integer
odbc_field_name(result_id, Returns the name of a field in a result set. String
Returns the number of rows in a result set. Integer field_number)
Opens a persistent connection to a Sybase server. Integer odbc_field_num(result_id, Returns the column number for a field in a result set. Integer
field_name)
odbc_field_precision Returns the length of a field in a result set. String
Executes a Sybase query. Integer (result_id, field_number)
Fetches the contents of a cell in a result set. String odbc_field_scale(result_id, Returns the scale of a field in a result set. String
field_number)
Makes a Sybase database the current database. Boolean odbc_field_type(result_id, Returns the type of a field in a result set. String
field_number)
odbc_foreignkeys Returns information about foreign keys in a table. Integer
(connection_id, pk_qualifier,
pk_owner, pk_table,
fk_qualifier, fk_owner,
fk_table)
Description Returns odbc_free_result(result_id) Frees the memory used by a result set. Integer
Sets or gets autocommit behavior for a database. Integer odbc_gettypeinfo Returns information about the data types supported by Integer
(connection_id [, data_type]) a data source.
Sets the mode for converting binary data. Integer odbc_longreadlen(result_id, Determines the number of bytes returned by fields of Integer
Closes an ODBC connection. Void length) the LONG data type.
Closes all ODBC connections. Void odbc_num_fields(result_id) Returns the number of fields in a result set. Integer
Lists columns and privileges for a table. Integer odbc_num_rows(result_id) Returns the number of rows in a result set. Integer
odbc_pconnect(DSN, userid, Opens a persistent connection to an ODBC data source. Integer
password [, cursor_type])
Lists all column names in a specified range. Integer odbc_prepare(connection_id, Prepares an SQL statement for execution. Integer
query)
odbc_primarykeys Gets the column names that make up the primary key Integer
(connection_id, qualifier, for a table.
Commits the ODBC transactions on a connection. Integer owner, table)
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DATE AND TIME FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)

PHP FUNCTIONS QUICK REFERENCE Function Description Returns

DATABASE FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
Unified ODBC Functions (Continued)
Function
odbc_procedurecolumns
(connection_id, [, qualifier
[, owner [ ,proc
[, column]]]])
odbc_procedures(connection_id, Gets a list of procedures in a data source.
[, qualifier [, owner
[, name]]])
odbc_result(result_id, field)
gmstrftime(format Formats a time/date using locale settings and returns String
[, timestamp]) a GMT time/date.
localtime([timestamp Returns the local time. Array
[, is_associative]])
microtime() Returns the current UNIX timestamp with microseconds. String
mktime(hour, minute, second, Returns the UNIX timestamp for a date. Integer
Description Returns month, day, year [, is_dst])
Retrieves information about the parameters for procedures. Integer strftime(format [, timestamp]) Formats a local time/date using locale settings. String
strtotime(time [, now]) Parses an English datetime description into a UNIX timestamp. Integer
Integer time() Returns the current UNIX time in seconds. Integer
Returns the contents of a field in a result set. String DIRECTORY FUNCTIONS

odbc_result_all(result_id Prints a result set in an HTML table. Integer

[, format]) Function Description Returns
odbc_rollback(connection_id) Aborts all transactions on a connection. Integer chdir(directory) Sets a directory as the current directory. Integer
odbc_setoption(ID, function, Sets an ODBC option. Integer chroot(directory) Sets a directory as the current root directory. Integer
option, parameter) closedir(dir_handle) Closes a directory handle. Void
odbc_specialcolumns Returns the optimal set of columns that uniquely identifies Integer dir(directory) Returns a directory class. New
(connection_id, type, a row or columns that are automatically updated.
qualifier, owner, table, getcwd() Returns the current working directory. String
scope, nullable)
opendir(path) Opens a directory handle. Integer
odbc_statistics(connection_id, Returns statistics about a table. Integer
qualifier, owner, table_name, readdir(dir_handle) Reads the next entry from a directory. String
unique, accuracy)
rewinddir(dir_handle) Resets a directory handle to the beginning of the directory. Void
odbc_tableprivileges Lists the tables and their privileges. Integer
(connection_id [, qualifier
[, owner [, name]]]) DOM XML FUNCTIONS
odbc_tables(connection_id Lists the tables in a data source. Integer
[, qualifier [, owner
[, name [, types]]]]) Function Description Returns
domxml_add_root(doc, name) Adds a root element node to a DOM document. Resource
domxml_attributes(node) Returns all attributes of a node. Array
DATE AND TIME FUNCTIONS
domxml_children(doc | node) Returns all children of a node. Array

Function Description Returns domxml_dumpmem(doc) Creates an XML document from the DOM representation. String
checkdate(month, day, year) Validates a date. Integer domxml_get_attribute(node, Returns an attribute of a node. Object
name)
date(format [, timestamp]) Formats a local time/date. String
domxml_new_child(name, Adds a new child to a node. Resource
getdate([timestamp]) Returns date/time information. Array content)
gettimeofday() Returns the current time. Array domxml_new_xmldoc(version) Creates a DOM document from scratch. Object
gmdate(format [, timestamp]) Formats a local date/time and returns a GMT date/time. String domxml_root(doc) Returns the root element node of a DOM document. Object
gmmktime(hour, minute, second, Returns the UNIX timestamp for a GMT time/date. Integer domxml_set_attribute(node, Sets an attribute of a node. Object
month, day, year [, is_dst]) name, value)

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PHP FUNCTIONS QUICK REFERENCE
DOM XML FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
Function
xmldoc(str)
xmldocfile(filename)
xmltree(str)
xpath_eval(xpath_context)
xpath_new_context(doc)
ERROR HANDLING AND LOGGING FUNCTIONS
Function
error_log(message,
message_type [, destination
[, extra_headers]])
error_reporting([level])
restore_error_handler()
set_error_handler
(error_handler)
trigger_error(error_msg
[, error_type])
user_error(error_msg
[, error_type])
FILESYSTEM FUNCTIONS
Function
basename(path)
chgrp(filename, group)
chmod(filename, mode)
chown(filename, user)
clearstatcache()
copy(source, destination)
dirname(path)
diskfreespace(directory)
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FILESYSTEM FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
Function Description Returns
fclose(file_pointer)
feof(file_pointer)
Closes a file.
Tests for end-of-file on a file.
Integer
Integer
fflush(file_pointer) Flushes the buffered output to a file. Integer
fgetc(file_pointer) Reads the next character from a file. String
fgetcsv(file_pointer, length Returns the next line of a file. Array
Description Returns [, delimiter])
Creates a DOM object from an XML document. Object fgets(file_pointer, length) Reads a line of a specific length from a file. String
Creates a DOM object from an XML file. Object fgetss(file_pointer, length Reads a line of a specific length from a file and strips String
[, allowable_tags]) PHP and HTML tags.
Creates a tree of PHP objects from an XML document. Object
file(filename Reads an entire file. Array
Evaluates an xpath expression. Array [, use_include_path])
Creates a new xpath context. Object file_exists(filename) Checks whether a file exists. Boolean
fileatime(filename) Returns the time a file was last accessed. Integer
filectime(filename) Returns the time the inode data of a file was last changed. Integer
filegroup(filename) Returns a file owner's group ID. Integer
Description Returns
fileinode(filename) Returns a file's inode number. Integer
Sends an error message. Integer
filemtime(filename) Returns the time a file was last modified. Integer
fileowner(filename) Returns a file owner's user ID. Integer
Sets which PHP errors are reported. Integer fileperms(filename) Returns a file's permissions. Integer
Restores the previous error handler function. Void filesize(filename) Returns the size of a file. Integer
Sets a user-defined error handler function. String filetype(filename) Returns the type of a file. String
Generates a user-level error message. Void flock(file_pointer, operation Sets or releases a lock on a file. Boolean
[, wouldblock])
Generates a user-level error message. Void fopen(filename, mode Opens a file. Integer
[, use_include_path])
fpassthru(file_pointer) Outputs all remaining data from a file. Integer
fputs(file_pointer, string Writes a string of a specific length to a file. Integer
[, length])
fread(file_pointer, length) Reads a specific number of characters from a file. String
Description Returns fscanf(handle, format Parses input from a file according to a specified format. Mixed
Returns the filename from a path. String [, var1...])
Assigns a file to a group. Integer fseek(file_pointer, offset Moves the pointer in a file. Integer
[, whence])
Changes the mode of a file. Integer
fstat(file_pointer) Returns information about a file. Array
Changes the owner of a file. Integer
ftell(file_pointer) Returns the position of the pointer in a file. Integer
Clears the file stat cache. Void
ftruncate(file_pointer, size) Truncates a file to a specific length. Integer
Copies a file. Integer
fwrite(file_pointer, string Writes a string of a specific length to a file. Integer
Returns the directory from a path. String [, length])
Returns the available space in a directory. Float is_dir(filename) Indicates whether a file is a directory. Boolean
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FILESYSTEM FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
Function
is_executable(filename)
is_file(filename)
is_link(filename)
is_readable(filename)
is_uploaded_file(filename)
is_writable(filename)
is_writeable(filename)
link(target, link)
linkinfo(path)
lstat(filename)
mkdir(pathname, mode)
move_uploaded_file(filename,
destination)
pclose(file_pointer)
popen(command, mode)
readfile(filename
[, use_include_path])
readlink(path)
realpath(path)
rename(oldname, newname)
rewind(file_pointer)
rmdir(directory)
set_file_buffer
(file_pointer, buffer)
stat(filename)
symlink(target, link)
tempnam(directory, prefix)
tmpfile()
touch(filename [, time])
umask(mask)
unlink(filename)
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FORMS DATA FORMAT FUNCTIONS
Function Description Returns
fdf_close(fdf_document) Closes an FDF document. Boolean
fdf_create() Creates an FDF document. Integer
fdf_get_file(fdf_document) Returns the value of the /F key in an FDF document. String
fdf_get_status(fdf_document) Returns the value of the /STATUS key in an FDF document. String
Description Returns fdf_get_value(fdf_document, Returns the value of a field in an FDF document. String
fieldname)
Indicates whether a file is executable. Boolean
fdf_next_field_name Returns the name of the next field in an FDF document. String
Indicates whether a file is a regular file. Boolean (fdf_document, fieldname)
Indicates whether a file is a symbolic link. Boolean fdf_open(filename) Opens an FDF document. Integer
Indicates whether a file is readable. Boolean fdf_save(filename) Saves an FDF document. Integer
Indicates whether a file was uploaded via HTTP POST. Boolean fdf_set_ap(fdf_document, Sets the appearance of a field in an FDF document. Boolean
Indicates whether a file can be written to. Boolean fieldname, face, filename,
pagenumber)
Indicates whether a file can be written to. Boolean
fdf_set_file(fdf_document, Sets the value of the /F key in an FDF document. Boolean
Creates a hard link. Integer filename)
Returns information about a link. Integer fdf_set_flags(fdf_document, Sets flags of a field in an FDF document. Boolean
fieldname, whichFlags,
Returns information about a file or a symbolic link. Array newFlags)
Creates a directory. Integer fdf_set_javascript_action Sets a JavaScript action for a field in an FDF document. Boolean
(fdf_document, fieldname,
Moves an uploaded file to a new location. Boolean trigger, script)
fdf_set_opt(fdf_document, Sets an option of a field in an FDF document. Boolean
Closes a process file pointer. Integer fieldname, element, string1,
Opens a process file pointer. Integer string2)
Reads and outputs a file. Integer fdf_set_status(fdf_document, Sets the value of the /STATUS key in an FDF document. Boolean
status)
Returns the target of a symbolic link. String fdf_set_submit_form_action Sets a submit form action for a field in an FDF document. Boolean
(fdf_document, fieldname,
Returns the canonicalized absolute pathname. String trigger, script, flags)
Renames a file. Integer fdf_set_value(fdf_document, Sets the value of a field in an FDF document. Boolean
fieldname, value, isname)
Rewinds the pointer to the beginning of a file. Integer
Removes a directory. Integer
Sets the size of the buffer for a file. Integer FTP FUNCTIONS
Returns information about a file. Array Function Description Returns
Creates a symbolic link. Integer ftp_cdup(ftp_stream) Changes to the parent directory on an FTP server. Integer
Creates a unique temporary file name. String ftp_chdir(ftp_stream, Changes to another directory on an FTP server. Integer
directory)
Creates a temporary file. Integer
ftp_connect(host [, port]) Opens a connection to an FTP server. Integer
Sets the modification time of a file. Integer
ftp_delete(ftp_stream, path) Deletes a file on an FTP server. Integer
Changes the current umask. Integer
ftp_fget(ftp_stream, fp, Downloads a file from an FTP server and saves it to a file. Integer
Deletes a file. Integer remote_file, mode)
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FUNCTION HANDLING FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)

PHP FUNCTIONS QUICK REFERENCE Function Description Returns

func_get_arg(arg_num) Returns an item from the argument list. Mixed
func_get_args() Returns a function's argument list. Array
FTP FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
func_num_args() Returns the number of arguments passed to a function. Integer
Function Description Returns function_exists(function_name) Checks if a function has been defined. Boolean
ftp_fput(ftp_stream, Uploads data from a file to an FTP server. Integer get_defined_functions() Returns all defined functions. Array
remote_file, fp, mode)
register_shutdown_function Registers a function to be executed when the script Integer
ftp_get(ftp_stream, Downloads a file from an FTP server. Integer (function) finishes processing.
local_file, remote_file, mode)
ftp_login(ftp_stream, Logs in an FTP connection. Integer
username, password) HTTP FUNCTIONS
ftp_mdtm(ftp_stream, Returns the time a file was last modified on an FTP server. Integer
remote_file) Function Description Returns
ftp_mkdir(ftp_stream, Creates a directory on an FTP server. String header(string) Sends an HTTP header. Integer
directory)
headers_sent() Checks if headers have been sent. Boolean
ftp_nlist(ftp_stream, Returns a list of files in a directory on an FTP server. Array
directory) setcookie(name [, value Sends a cookie. Integer
[, expire [, path [, domain
ftp_pasv(ftp_stream, pasv) Turns passive mode on or off for an FTP server. Integer [, secure]]]]])
ftp_put(ftp_stream, Uploads a file to an FTP server. Integer
remote_file, local_file, mode)
IMAGE FUNCTIONS
ftp_pwd(ftp_stream) Returns the name of the current directory on an FTP server. String
ftp_quit(ftp_stream) Closes a connection to an FTP server. Integer
Function Description Returns
ftp_rawlist(ftp_stream, Returns a detailed list of files in a directory on an FTP server. Array getimagesize(filename Returns the size of an image. Array
directory) [, image_info])
ftp_rename(ftp_stream, Renames a file on an FTP server. Integer imagearc(im, cx, cy, width, Draws a partial ellipse. Integer
from, to) height, start, end, col)
ftp_rmdir(ftp_stream, Removes a directory on an FTP server. Integer imagechar(im, font, x, y, Draws a character horizontally. Integer
directory) c, col)
ftp_site(ftp_stream, cmd) Sends a SITE command to an FTP server. Integer imagecharup(im, font, x, y, Draws a character vertically. Integer
ftp_size(ftp_stream, Returns the size of a file on an FTP server. Integer c, col)
remote_file) imagecolorallocate(im, red, Allocates a color for an image. Integer
ftp_systype(ftp_stream) Returns the system type identifier of a remote FTP server. String green, blue)
imagecolorat(im, x, y) Returns the index of the color of a pixel. Integer
imagecolorclosest(im, red, Returns the index of the closest color to the specified color. Integer
FUNCTION HANDLING FUNCTIONS green, blue)
imagecolordeallocate De-allocates a color for an image. Integer
Function Description Returns (im,index)
call_user_func(function_name Calls a user function. Mixed imagecolorexact(im, red, Returns the index of a color. Integer
[, parameter [, ...]]) green, blue)
call_user_func_array Calls a user function using an array of parameters. Mixed imagecolorresolve(im, red, Returns the index of a color or its closest possible alternative. Integer
(function_name green, blue)
[, parameters_array])
imagecolorset(im, index, Sets the color for a palette index. Boolean
create_function(args, code) Creates an anonymous function. String red, green, blue)

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IMAGE FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
Function
imagecolorsforindex(im, index) Returns the color values for an index.
imagecolorstotal(im)
imagecolortransparent(im
[, col])
imagecopy(dst_im, src_im,
dstX, dstY, srcX, srcY,
srcW, srcH)
imagecopyresized(dst_im,
src_im, dstX, dstY, srcX,
srcY, dstW, dstH, srcW, srcH)
imagecreate(width, height)
imagecreatefromgif(filename)
imagecreatefromjpeg(filename)
imagecreatefrompng(filename)
imagecreatefromstring(image)
imagecreatefromwbmp(filename)
imagedashedline(im, x1, y1,
x2, y2, col)
imagedestroy(im)
imagefill(im, x, y, col)
imagefilledpolygon(im,
points, num_points, col)
imagefilledrectangle(im, x1,
y1, x2, y2, col)
imagefilltoborder(im, x, y,
border, col)
imagefontheight(font)
imagefontwidth(font)
imagegammacorrect(im,
inputgamma, outputgamma)
imagegif(im [, filename])
imageinterlace(im
[, interlace])
imagejpeg(im [, filename
[, quality]])
imageline(im, x1, y1, x2,
y2, col)
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IMAGE FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
Function Description Returns
imageloadfont(filename) Loads a new bitmap font. Integer
imagepng(im [, filename]) Outputs a PNG image to a browser or file. Integer
imagepolygon(im, points, Draws a polygon. Integer
num_points, col)
imagepsbbox(text, font, Returns the bounding box of text using a PostScript Array
size [, space [, tightness Type1 font.
[, angle]]])
Description Returns
imagepsencodefont Changes the character-encoding vector of a PostScript Integer
Array (font_index, encodingfile) Type1 font.
Returns the number of colors in an image's palette. Integer imagepsextendfont Extends or condenses a font. Boolean
Defines a color as transparent. Integer (font_index, extend)
imagepsfreefont(fontindex) Frees memory used by a PostScript Type1 font. Void
Copies part of an image. Integer imagepsloadfont(filename) Loads a PostScript Type1 font from a file. Integer
imagepsslantfont(font_index, Slants a PostScript Type1 font. Boolean
Copies and resizes part of an image. Integer slant)
imagepstext(im, text, Draws a text string on an image using a PostScript Type1 font. Array
font, size, foreground,
Creates an image. Integer background, x, y [, space
[, tightness [, angle
Creates an image from a GIF file. Integer [,antialias_steps]]]])
Creates an image from a JPEG file. Integer imagerectangle(im, x1, y1, Draws a rectangle. Integer
x2, y2, col)
Creates an image from a PNG file. Integer
imagesetpixel(im, x, y, col) Draws a pixel. Integer
Creates an image from the image stream in a string. Integer
imagestring(im, font, x, y, Draws a string horizontally. Integer
Creates an image from a WBMP file. Integer s, col)
Draws a dashed line. Integer imagestringup(im, font, x, y, Draws a string vertically. Integer
s, col)
Destroys an image. Integer imagesx(im) Returns the width of an image. Integer
Flood fills an image. Integer imagesy(im) Returns the height of an image. Integer
Draws a filled polygon. Integer imagettfbbox(size, angle, Returns the bounding box of text using a TrueType font. Array
fontfile, text)
Draws a filled rectangle. Integer imagettftext(im, size, angle, Writes text to an image using a TrueType font. Array
x, y, col, fontfile, text)
Flood fills an image with a specified border color. Integer imagetypes() Returns the image types supported by this PHP build. Integer
imagewbmp(im [, filename]) Outputs a WBMP image to a browser or file. Integer
Returns the height of a font. Integer
read_exif_data(filename) Returns the EXIF headers from a JPEG image. Array
Returns the width of a font. Integer
Applies a gamma correction to a GD image. Integer
IMAP, POP3 AND NNTP FUNCTIONS
Outputs a GIF image to a browser or file. Integer
Turns interlacing on or off for an image. Integer Function Description Returns
imap_8bit(string) Converts an 8-bit string to a quoted-printable string. String
Outputs a JPEG image to a browser or file. Integer
imap_alerts() Returns all IMAP alert messages for this page request. Array
Draws a line. Integer imap_append(imap_stream, Appends a string message to a mailbox. Integer
mbox, message [, flags])
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IMAP, POP3 AND NNTP FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
Function
imap_base64(text)
imap_binary(string)
imap_body(imap_stream,
msg_number [, flags])
imap_check(imap_stream)
imap_clearflag_full(stream,
sequence, flag, options)
imap_close(imap_stream
[, flags])
imap_createmailbox
(imap_stream, mbox)
imap_delete(imap_stream,
msg_number [, flags])
imap_deletemailbox
(imap_stream, mbox)
imap_errors()
imap_expunge(imap_stream)
imap_fetch_overview
(imap_stream, sequence
[, flags])
imap_fetchbody(imap_stream,
msg_number, part_number
[, flags])
imap_fetchheader(imap_stream,
msg_number, flags)
imap_fetchstructure
(imap_stream, msg_number
[, flags])
imap_get_quota(imap_stream,
quota_root)
imap_getmailboxes
(imap_stream, ref, pattern)
imap_getsubscribed
(imap_stream, ref, pattern)
imap_header(imap_stream,
msg_number [, fromlength
[, subjectlength
[, defaulthost]]])
imap_headerinfo(imap_stream,
msg_number [, fromlength
[, subjectlength
[, defaulthost]]])
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IMAP, POP3 AND NNTP FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
Function Description Returns
imap_headers(imap_stream) Returns the headers for all messages in a mailbox. Array
imap_last_error() Returns the last IMAP error for this page request. String
imap_listmailbox Returns a list of mailboxes. Array
Description Returns (imap_stream, ref, pattern)
Decodes base64 encoded text. String imap_listsubscribed Returns a list of all the subscribed mailboxes. Array
Converts an 8-bit string to a base64 string. String (imap_stream, ref, pattern)
Returns a message body. String imap_mail(to, subject, Sends an e-mail message. String
message [,additional_headers
[, cc [, bcc [, rpath]]]])
Checks the current mailbox. Object
imap_mail_compose(envelope, Creates a MIME message using the provided envelope String
Clears message flags. String body) and body.
imap_mail_copy(imap_stream, Copies messages to a mailbox. Integer
Closes an IMAP stream. Integer msglist, mbox [, flags])
imap_mail_move(imap_stream, Moves messages to a mailbox. Integer
Creates a new mailbox. Integer msglist, mbox [, flags])
imap_mailboxmsginfo Returns information about the current mailbox. Object
Marks a message for deletion from the current mailbox. Integer (imap_stream)
imap_mime_header_decode(text) Decodes MIME header elements. Array
Deletes a mailbox. Integer
imap_msgno(imap_stream, uid) Returns the message sequence number for a UID. Integer
Returns all IMAP errors for this page request. Array imap_num_msg(imap_stream) Returns the number of messages in the current mailbox. Integer
Deletes all messages marked for deletion. Integer imap_num_recent(imap_stream) Returns the number of recent messages in the current mailbox. Integer
Returns an overview of header information for a message. Array imap_open(mbox, username, Opens an IMAP stream to a mailbox. Integer
password [, flags])
imap_ping(imap_stream) Checks if an IMAP stream is still active. Integer
Fetches a section of the body of a message. String imap_qprint(string) Converts a quoted-printable string to an 8-bit string. String
imap_renamemailbox Renames a mailbox. Integer
(imap_stream, old_mbox,
Returns the header for a message. String new_mbox)
Returns the structure of a message. Object imap_reopen(imap_stream, Re-opens an IMAP stream to a new mailbox. Integer
mbox [, flags])
imap_rfc822_parse_adrlist Parses an address string. Array
(address, default_host)
Returns the quota level settings and usage statistics Array
for a mailbox. imap_rfc822_parse_headers Parses mail headers from a string. Object
(headers [, defaulthost])
Returns detailed information about each mailbox. Array
imap_rfc822_write_address Returns a formatted e-mail address from the provided String
Returns a list of all the subscribed mailboxes. Array (mbox, host, personal) mailbox, host and personal information.
imap_scanmailbox(imap_stream, Searches the names of mailboxes for a specified string. Array
ref, pattern, content)
Returns the header of a message. Object
imap_search(imap_stream, Returns messages matching the provided criteria. Array
criteria, flags)
imap_set_quota(imap_stream, Sets a quota for a mailbox. Integer
Returns the header of a message. Object quota_root, quota_limit)
imap_setflag_full(stream, Sets flags on messages. String
sequence, flag, options)
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PHP FUNCTIONS QUICK REFERENCE
IMAP, POP3 AND NNTP FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED) MATHEMATICAL FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)

Function Description Returns Function Description Returns

imap_sort(stream, criteria, Sorts message headers. Array bindec(binary_string) Converts a binary value to decimal. Integer
reverse, options)
ceil(number) Rounds fractions up to the next highest integer. Integer
imap_status(imap_stream, Returns status information on a mailbox other than the Object
mbox, options) current mailbox. cos(arg) Returns the cosine of an argument in radians. Float
imap_subscribe(imap_stream, Subscribes to a mailbox. Integer decbin(number) Converts a decimal number to binary. String
mbox) dechex(number) Converts a decimal number to hexadecimal. String
imap_uid(imap_stream, Returns the UID for a message sequence number. Integer decoct(number) Converts a decimal number to octal. String
msg_number)
deg2rad(number) Converts the number in degrees to the radian equivalent. Double
imap_undelete(imap_stream, Unmarks a message for deletion. Integer
msg_number) exp(arg) Returns e to the power of an argument. Float
imap_unsubscribe Unsubscribes from a mailbox. Integer floor(number) Rounds fractions down to the next lowest integer. Integer
(imap_stream, mbox)
getrandmax() Returns the largest possible random value. Integer
imap_utf7_decode(text) Decodes a modified UTF-7 encoded string. String
hexdec(hex_string) Converts a hexadecimal value to decimal. Integer
imap_utf7_encode(data) Converts 8-bit data to modified UTF-7 text. String
lcg_value() Returns a pseudo random number between 0 and 1. Double
imap_utf8(text) Converts text to UTF8. String
log(arg) Returns the natural logarithm of an argument. Float
log10(arg) Returns the base-10 logarithm of an argument. Float
max(arg1, arg2, ...) Finds the highest value of the specified arguments. Mixed
MAIL FUNCTIONS
min(arg1, arg2, ...) Finds the lowest value of the specified arguments. Mixed
mt_getrandmax() Returns the largest possible random value that can be Integer
Function Description Returns returned by mt_rand().
ezmlm_hash(addr) Calculates the hash value required by EZMLM mailing lists. Integer
mt_rand([min [, max]]) Returns a Mersenne Twister random value. Integer
mail(to, subject, message Sends mail. Boolean
[, additional_headers mt_srand(seed) Seeds the Mersenne Twister random number generator. Void
[, additional_parameters]]) number_format(number, Formats a number to a specified number of decimal places String
decimals, dec_point, using the provided decimal point and thousands separator.
thousands_sep)
octdec(octal_string) Converts an octal value to decimal. Integer
MATHEMATICAL FUNCTIONS pi() Returns the value of pi. Double
pow(base, exp) Returns a base to the power of an exponent. Float
Function Description Returns
rad2deg(number) Converts a radian number to degrees. Double
abs(number) Returns the absolute value of a number. Mixed
rand([min [, max]]) Generates a random value. Integer
acos(arg) Returns the arc cosine of an argument in radians. Float
round(number [, precision]) Rounds a float number to the nearest integer. Double
asin(arg) Returns the arc sine of an argument in radians. Float
sin(arg) Returns the sine of an argument in radians. Float
atan(arg) Returns the arc tangent of an argument in radians. Float
sqrt(arg) Returns the square root of an argument. Float
atan2(y, x) Returns the arc tangent of two variables. Float
srand(seed) Seeds the random number generator. Void
base_convert(number, Converts a number between bases. String
frombase, tobase) tan(arg) Returns the tangent of an argument in radians. Float

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MISCELLANEOUS FUNCTIONS
Function
connection_aborted()
connection_status()
connection_timeout()
constant(name)
define(name, value
[, case_insensitive])
defined(name)
die(message)
eval(string)
exit()
get_browser([user_agent])
highlight_file(filename)
highlight_string(string)
ignore_user_abort([setting])
iptcparse(iptcblock)
leak(bytes)
pack(format [, args...])
show_source(filename)
sleep(seconds)
uniqid(prefix [, lcg])
unpack(format, data)
usleep(microseconds)
NETWORK FUNCTIONS
Function
checkdnsrr(host [, type])
closelog()
debugger_off()
debugger_on(address)
define_syslog_variables()
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NETWORK FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
Function Description Returns
fsockopen([udp://]hostname, Opens a socket connection. Integer
port [, errno [, errstr
[, timeout]]])
Description Returns gethostbyaddr(ip_address) Finds the host name corresponding to an IP address. String
Indicates whether a client has disconnected. Integer gethostbyname(hostname) Finds the IP address corresponding to a host name. String
Returns the status of a connection. Integer gethostbynamel(hostname) Returns a list of IP addresses corresponding to a host name. Array
Indicates whether a script has timed out. Integer getmxrr(hostname, mxhosts Finds the MX records corresponding to a host name. Integer
[, weight])
Returns the value of a constant. Mixed
getprotobyname(name) Finds the protocol number associated with a protocol name. Integer
Defines a named constant. Integer
getprotobynumber(number) Finds the protocol name associated with a protocol number. String
Checks whether a named constant exists. Integer getservbyname(service, Finds the port number associated with a service and protocol. Integer
protocol)
Outputs a message and terminates the current script. Void
getservbyport(port, protocol) Finds the Internet service associated with a port and protocol. String
Evaluates a string as PHP code. Mixed
ip2long(ip_address) Converts an IP address into the name of a computer. Integer
Terminates the current script. Void
long2ip(proper_address) Converts the name of a computer into an IP address. String
Determines the capabilities of a user's browser. Object
openlog(ident, option, Opens a connection to the system logger. Integer
Prints a syntax highlighted version of a file. Boolean facility)
Prints a syntax highlighted version of a string. Boolean pfsockopen(hostname, port Opens a persistent socket connection. Integer
[, errno [, errstr
Sets whether a client disconnecting will terminate the Integer [, timeout]]])
execution of a script.
socket_get_status Returns information about a socket resource. Array
Parses an IPTC block into its single tags. Array (socket_get_status)
Leaks a specified amount of memory. Void socket_set_blocking Sets the blocking mode for a socket. Integer
(socket_descriptor, mode)
Packs arguments into a binary string using a specified format. String
socket_set_timeout Sets the timeout period on a socket. Boolean
Prints a syntax highlighted version of a file. Boolean (socket_descriptor, seconds,
Delays execution of a script for a specified number of seconds. Void microseconds)
Generates a prefixed unique ID based on the current time Integer syslog(priority, message) Writes a message to the system log. Integer
in microseconds.
Unpacks data from a binary string using a specified format. Array OUTPUT CONTROL FUNCTIONS
Delays execution of a script for a specified number of Void
microseconds.
Function Description Returns
flush() Flushes an output buffer. Void
ob_end_clean() Erases the contents of an output buffer and turns off output Void
buffering.
Description Returns
ob_end_flush() Sends the contents of an output buffer and turns off output Void
Searches the DNS for records of a specified type Integer buffering.
corresponding to a host.
ob_get_contents() Returns the contents of an output buffer. String
Closes a connection to the system logger. Integer
ob_get_length() Returns the length of the contents of an output buffer. String
Disables the internal PHP debugger. Integer
ob_gzhandler(buffer) Facilitates sending gz-encoded data to Web browsers. String
Enables the internal PHP debugger and connects it to Integer
an address. ob_implicit_flush([flag]) Turns implicit flushing on or off. Void
Initializes all syslog related constants. Void ob_start([output_callback]) Turns on output buffering. Void
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PHP OPTIONS AND INFORMATION (CONTINUED)

PHP FUNCTIONS QUICK REFERENCE Function Description Returns

set_magic_quotes_runtime Sets the current configuration setting of Long
(new_setting) magic_quotes_runtime.
PHP OPTIONS AND INFORMATION
set_time_limit(seconds) Sets the number of seconds a script can take to execute. Void
zend_logo_guid() Returns the Zend GUID. String
Function Description Returns
assert(assertion) Checks if an assertion is false. Integer zend_version() Returns the version of the current Zend engine. String
assert_options(what [, value]) Gets or sets assert control options. Mixed
dl(library) Loads a PHP extension library at runtime. Integer POSIX FUNCTIONS
extension_loaded(name) Indicates whether an extension is loaded. Boolean
Function Description Returns
get_cfg_var(varname) Returns the value of a PHP configuration option. String
posix_ctermid() Returns the path name of the controlling terminal. String
get_current_user() Returns the name of the owner of the current PHP script. String
posix_getcwd() Returns the pathname of the current directory. String
get_extension_funcs Returns the names of the functions of a module. Array
(module_name) posix_getegid() Returns the effective group ID of the current process. Integer
get_included_files() Returns the names of all the files that have been loaded Array posix_geteuid() Returns the effective user ID of the current process. Integer
into a script using include_once().
posix_getgid() Returns the real group ID of the current process. Integer
get_loaded_extensions() Returns the names of all compiled and loaded modules. Array
posix_getgrgid(gid) Returns information about a group by group ID. Array
get_magic_quotes_gpc() Returns the current setting for magic_quotes_gpc. Long
posix_getgrnam(name) Returns information about a group by name. Array
get_magic_quotes_runtime() Returns the current setting for magic_quotes_runtime. Long
posix_getgroups() Returns the group set of the current process. Array
get_required_files() Returns the names of all the files that have been loaded Array
into a script using require_once(). posix_getlogin() Returns the login name of the user owning the current process. String
getenv(varname) Returns the value of an environment variable. String posix_getpgid(pid) Returns the process group identifier for a process. Integer
getlastmod() Returns the time the current page was last modified. Integer posix_getpgrp() Returns the current process group identifier. Integer
getmyinode() Returns the inode of the current script. Integer posix_getpid() Returns the process identifier of the current process. Integer
getmypid() Returns the current PHP process ID. Integer posix_getppid() Returns the parent process identifier of the current process. Integer
getmyuid() Returns the user ID for the current script's owner. Integer posix_getpwnam(username) Returns information about a user by username. Array
getrusage([who]) Returns the current resource usages. Array posix_getpwuid(uid) Returns information about a user by user ID. Array
ini_alter(varname, newvalue) Changes the value of a configuration option. String posix_getrlimit() Returns information about system resource limits. Array
ini_get(varname) Returns the value of a configuration option. String posix_getsid(pid) Returns the sid of a process. Integer
ini_restore(varname) Restores the value of a configuration option. String posix_getuid() Returns the real user ID of the current process. Integer
ini_set(varname, newvalue) Sets the value of a configuration option. String posix_isatty(fd) Indicates whether a file descriptor is an interactive terminal. Boolean
php_logo_guid() Returns the logo GUID. String posix_kill(pid, sig) Sends a signal to a process. Boolean
php_sapi_name() Returns the type of interface between a Web server and PHP. String posix_mkfifo(pathname, mode) Creates a fifo special file. Boolean
php_uname() Returns information about the operating system PHP is String posix_setgid(gid) Sets the effective group ID of the current process. Boolean
built on. posix_setpgid(pid, pgid) Lets a process join a process group. Integer
phpcredits(flag) Prints the credits for PHP. Void posix_setsid() Makes the current process a session leader. Integer
phpinfo([what]) Outputs information about the current state and configuration Integer posix_setuid(uid) Sets the effective user ID of the current process. Boolean
of PHP.
posix_times() Returns process times. Array
phpversion() Returns the current version of PHP. String
posix_ttyname(fd) Returns the terminal device name. String
putenv(setting) Sets the value of an environment variable by adding a setting Void
to the server environment. posix_uname() Returns system information. Array

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PHP FUNCTIONS QUICK REFERENCE PSPELL FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)

Function Description Returns

PROGRAM EXECUTION FUNCTIONS
pspell_save_wordlist Saves a personal wordlist to a file. Integer
(dictionary_link)
Function Description Returns
pspell_store_replacement Stores a replacement pair for a word. Integer
escapeshellarg(arg) Escapes a string to be used as a shell argument. String (dictionary_link, misspelled,
correct)
escapeshellcmd(command) Escapes shell metacharacters in a command. String
pspell_suggest Suggests spellings for a word. Array
exec(command [, array Executes a command and returns the last line from the result. String (dictionary_link, word)
[, return_var]])
passthru(command Executes a command and displays the raw output. Void
[, return_var])
REGULAR EXPRESSION FUNCTIONS
system(command [, return_var]) Executes a command and displays any output. String
Perl-Compatible

PSPELL FUNCTIONS Function Description Returns

preg_grep(pattern, input) Returns the entries from an input array that match Array
Function Description Returns a regular expression.
pspell_add_to_personal Adds a word to a personal wordlist. Integer preg_match(pattern, subject Searches for a match to a regular expression. Integer
(dictionary_link, word) [, matches])

pspell_add_to_session
(dictionary_link, word)
pspell_check(dictionary_link,
word)
pspell_clear_session
(dictionary_link)
pspell_config_create(language
[, spelling [, jargon
[, encoding]]])
Adds a word to a wordlist in the current session. Integer preg_match_all(pattern, Searches for all matches to a regular expression, putting Integer
subject, matches [, order]) the results in matches.
Checks the spelling of a word. Boolean preg_quote(string Puts a backslash in front of every regular expression character String
[, delimiter]) in a string.
Clears the current session and makes the current wordlist Integer preg_replace(pattern, Replaces matches to a regular expression. Mixed
blank. replacement, subject
[, limit])
Creates a config used to open a dictionary. Integer
preg_replace_callback(pattern, Replaces matches to a regular expression using a callback. Mixed
callback, subject [, limit])

pspell_config_ignore Ignores words shorter than a specified length. Integer preg_split(pattern, subject Splits a string using a regular expression. Array
(dictionary_link, n) [, limit [, flags]])

pspell_config_mode Changes the mode number of suggestions returned. Integer

(dictionary_link, mode)
POSIX Extended
pspell_config_personal Sets a file that contains a personal wordlist. Integer
(dictionary_link, file) Function Description Returns
pspell_config_repl Sets a file that contains replacement pairs. Integer ereg(pattern, string [, regs]) Searches for matches to a regular expression. Integer
(dictionary_link, file)
ereg_replace(pattern, Replaces matches to a regular expression. String
pspell_config_runtogether Considers run-together words as valid compounds. Integer replacement, string)
(dictionary_link, flag)
eregi(pattern, string Performs a case-insensitive search for matches to a regular Integer
pspell_config_save_repl Determines whether to save a replacement pairs list with Integer [, regs]) expression.
(dictionary_link, flag) a wordlist.
eregi_replace(pattern, Performs a case-insensitive search and replaces matches String
pspell_new(language Loads a new dictionary. Integer replacement, string) to a regular expression.
[, spelling [, jargon
[, encoding [, mode]]]]) split(pattern, string Splits a string into an array using a regular expression. Array
[, limit])
pspell_new_config(config) Loads a new dictionary with settings based on a specified config. Integer
spliti(pattern, string Splits a string into an array using a regular expression and Array
pspell_new_personal(personal, Loads a new dictionary with a personal wordlist. Integer [, limit]) is case-insensitive.
language [, spelling [, jargon
[, encoding [, mode]]]]) sql_regcase(string) Returns a regular expression for a case-insensitive match. String

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PHP FUNCTIONS QUICK REFERENCE
SESSION HANDLING FUNCTIONS
Function
session_cache_limiter
([cache_limiter])
session_decode(string)
session_destroy()
session_encode()
session_get_cookie_params()
session_id([id])
session_is_registered(name)
session_module_name([module])
session_name([name])
session_register(name [, ...]) Registers one or more variables with the current session.
session_save_path([path])
session_set_cookie_params
(lifetime [, path [, domain]])
session_set_save_handler
(open, close, read, write,
destroy, gc)
session_start()
session_unregister(name)
session_unset()
STRING FUNCTIONS
Function
addcslashes(string, charlist)
addslashes(string)
bin2hex(string)
chop(string)
chr(ascii)
chunk_split(string
[, chunklen [, end]])
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STRING FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
Function Description Returns
convert_cyr_string Converts a string from one Cyrillic character set to another. String
(string, from, to)
count_chars(string [, mode]) Returns information about characters used in a string. Mixed
crc32(string) Calculates the crc32 polynomial of 32-bit lengths of a string. Integer
Description Returns
crypt(string [, salt]) Encrypts a string using the DES encryption method. String
Returns or sets the current cache limiter. String
explode(separator, string Splits a string into smaller strings. Array
[, limit])
Decodes session data. Boolean
get_html_translation_ Returns the translation table used by htmlspecialchars() String
Destroys all registered session data. Boolean table(table [, quote_style]) and htmlentities().
Encodes the data for the current session as a string. String get_meta_tags(filename Returns all the <meta> tag content attributes from a file. Array
Returns the current session cookie information. Array [, use_include_path])
Returns or sets the current session ID. String hebrev(hebrew_text Converts logical Hebrew text to visual text. String
[, max_chars_per_line])
Indicates whether a session variable is registered with the Boolean hebrevc(hebrew_text Converts logical Hebrew text to visual text with newline String
current session. [, max_chars_per_line]) conversion.
Returns or sets the name of the current session module. String htmlentities(string Converts all applicable characters in a string to HTML entities. String
Returns or sets the name of the current session. String [, quote_style])
Boolean htmlspecialchars(string Converts any special characters in a string to HTML entities. String
[, quote_style])
Returns or sets the path where data for the current session String
is saved. implode(glue, pieces) Joins array elements into a single string. String
Sets the session cookie parameters. Void join(glue, pieces) Joins array elements into a single string. String
levenshtein(string1, string2) Calculates the Levenshtein distance between two strings. Integer
Sets user-level session storage functions. Void localeconv() Returns numeric formatting information based on the Array
current locale.
Initializes a session. Boolean ltrim(string) Removes whitespace from the beginning of a string. String
Unregisters a session variable. Boolean md5(string) Calculates the MD5 hash of a string. String
Frees all registered session variables. Void metaphone(string) Calculates the metaphone key of a string. String
nl2br(string) Inserts <br> before all line breaks in a string. String
ord(string) Returns the ASCII value of the first character of a string. Integer
parse_str(string [, arr]) Parses a string into variables as if it were a query string. Void
print(string) Outputs a string. Boolean
Description Returns printf(format [, args...]) Outputs a formatted string. Integer
Adds C style backslashes before characters in a string. String quoted_printable_decode Converts a quoted-printable string to an 8-bit string. String
(string)
Adds backslashes before characters in a string that need String
to be quoted in database queries. quotemeta(string) Escapes metacharacters in a string. String
Converts binary data into hexadecimal representation. String rtrim(string) Removes trailing whitespace from a string. String
Removes trailing whitespace from a string. String setlocale(category, locale) Sets locale information for functions of a category. String
Returns the character for an ASCII value. String similar_text(string1, string2 Calculates the similarity between two strings. Integer
[, percent])
Splits a string into smaller pieces. String
soundex(string) Calculates the soundex key of a string. String
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STRING FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
Function
sprintf(format [, args...])
sscanf(string, format
[, var1...])
str_pad(input, pad_length
[, pad_string [, pad_type]])
str_repeat(input, multiplier)
str_replace(string,
replacement, subject)
strcasecmp(string1, string2)
strchr(string, character)
strcmp(string1, string2)
strcoll(string1, string2)
strcspn(string1, string2)
strip_tags(string
[, allowable_tags])
stripcslashes(string)
stripslashes(string)
stristr(string, character)
strlen(string)
strnatcasecmp(string1,
string2)
strnatcmp(string1, string2)
strncasecmp(string1, string2,
length)
strncmp(string1, string2,
length)
strpos(string, character
[, offset])
strrchr(string, character)
strrev(string)
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STRING FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)
Function Description Returns
strrpos(string, character) Finds the numeric position of the last occurrence of a Integer
specified character in a string.
Description Returns strspn(string1, string2) Finds the number of characters at the beginning of one string Integer
Formats a string. String that match another string.
Parses input from a string using a specified format. Mixed strstr(string, character) Returns a string from the first occurrence of a specified String
character to the end.
Pads a string to a specified length with another string. String strtok(string1, string2) Breaks down a string into segments separated by another String
string.
Repeats a string. String strtolower(string) Converts a string to lowercase. String
Replaces all occurrences of a string in a subject. String strtoupper(string) Converts a string to uppercase. String
strtr(string, from, to) Changes all occurrences of a character to another character. String
Performs a binary safe case-insensitive string comparison. Integer
substr(string, start Extracts a substring from a string. String
Returns a string from the first occurrence of a specified String [, length])
character to the end.
substr_count(string, substr) Returns the number of times a substring occurs in a string. Integer
Performs a binary safe case-sensitive string comparison. Integer
substr_replace(string, Replaces text within a specific portion of a string. String
Performs a locale-based comparison of two strings. Integer replacement, start [, length])
Finds the number of characters at the beginning of one string Integer trim(string) Strips whitespace from the beginning and end of a string. String
that do not match another string.
ucfirst(string) Converts the first character of a string to uppercase. String
Removes HTML and PHP tags from a string. String
ucwords(string) Converts the first character of each word in a string to String
uppercase.
Removes C style backslashes from a string. String
wordwrap(string [, width Wraps a string to a specified number of characters using String
Removes backslashes from a string. String [, break [, cut]]]) a string break character.
Returns a string from the first occurrence of a specified String
character to the end, in a case-insensitive manner.
URL FUNCTIONS
Finds the length of a string. Integer
Performs a case-insensitive string comparison using a Integer Function Description Returns
"natural order."
base64_decode(string) Decodes a MIME base64 encoded string. String
Performs a case-sensitive string comparison using a Integer
"natural order." base64_encode(string) Encodes a string with MIME base64. String
Performs a binary safe case-insensitive comparison of a Integer parse_url(url) Parses a URL into its components. Array
specified number of characters.
rawurldecode(string) Decodes a URL-encoded string. String
Performs a binary safe case-sensitive comparison of a Integer
specified number of characters. rawurlencode(string) URL-encodes a string, replacing all alphanumeric characters String
except - _ and . with a % symbol and the hex code for the
Returns the numeric position of the first occurrence of a Integer character.
specified character in a string.
urldecode(string) Decodes a URL-encoded string. String
Returns a string from the last occurrence of a specified String
character to the end. urlencode(string) URL-encodes a string, replacing all alphanumeric characters String
except - _ and . with a % symbol and the hex code for the
Returns a string in reverse order. String character and replacing all spaces with a + symbol.
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PHP FUNCTIONS QUICK REFERENCE

VARIABLE FUNCTIONS WDDX FUNCTIONS

Function Description Returns Function Description Returns

doubleval(variable) Returns the double value of a variable. Double wddx_add_vars(packet_id, Adds a variable to a WDDX packet. Void
empty(variable) Indicates whether a variable has been set and has a Integer variable [, ...])
non-zero value. wddx_deserialize(packet) Deserializes a WDDX packet. Mixed
get_defined_vars() Returns all defined variables. Array wddx_packet_end(packet_id) Ends a WDDX packet. String
get_resource_type($handle) Finds the type of a resource. String wddx_packet_start([comment]) Starts a new WDDX packet. Integer
gettype(variable) Finds the data type of a variable. String wddx_serialize_value(var Serializes a single value into a WDDX packet. String
intval(variable [, base]) Returns the integer value of a variable using a specified base. Integer [, comment])
is_array(variable) Indicates whether a variable is an array. Boolean wddx_serialize_vars(var_name Serializes multiple variables into a WDDX packet. String
[, ...])
is_bool(variable) Indicates whether a variable is a boolean. Boolean
is_double(variable) Indicates whether a variable is a double. Boolean
is_float(variable) Indicates whether a variable is a floating-point number. Boolean
XML PARSER FUNCTIONS
is_int(variable) Indicates whether a variable is an integer. Boolean
is_integer(variable) Indicates whether a variable is an integer. Boolean Function Description Returns
is_long(variable) Indicates whether a variable is an integer. Boolean utf8_decode(string) Converts a UTF-8 encoded string to ISO-8859-1. String
is_null(variable) Indicates whether a variable is null. Boolean utf8_encode(string) Encodes an ISO-8859-1 string to UTF-8. String
is_numeric(variable) Indicates whether a variable is a number or a numeric string. Boolean xml_error_string(code) Returns the error message associated with an error code. String
is_object(variable) Indicates whether a variable is an object. Boolean xml_get_current_byte_index Returns the current byte index for an XML parser. Integer
is_real(variable) Indicates whether a variable is a real number. Boolean (parser)

is_resource(variable) Indicates whether a variable is a resource. Boolean xml_get_current_column_number Returns the current column number for an XML parser. Integer
(parser)
is_scalar(variable) Indicates whether a variable is a scalar. Boolean
xml_get_current_line_number Returns the current line number for an XML parser. Integer
is_string(variable) Indicates whether a variable is a string. Boolean (parser)
isset(variable) Indicates whether a value has already been assigned to Integer xml_get_error_code(parser) Returns the error code for the last occurring XML parser error. Integer
a variable.
xml_parse(parser, data Parses specified XML data. Integer
print_r(expression) Prints human-readable information about a variable. Void [, is_final])
serialize(value) Generates a storable representation of a value. String xml_parse_into_struct(parser, Parses XML data into two arrays. Integer
data, values, index)
settype(variable, type) Converts a variable to a specified data type. Integer
xml_parser_create([encoding]) Creates an XML parser. Integer
strval(variable) Returns the string value of a variable. String
xml_parser_free(parser) Frees an XML parser. String
unserialize(string) Creates a PHP value from a stored representation. Mixed
xml_parser_get_option(parser, Returns the value of an option for an XML parser. Mixed
unset(variable Destroys a variable. Integer option)
[, variable [, ...]])
xml_parser_set_option(parser, Sets an option for an XML parser to a specified value. Integer
var_dump(expression) Dumps information about an expression. Void option, value)

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PHP FUNCTIONS QUICK REFERENCE

XML PARSER FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED) ZLIB FUNCTIONS (CONTINUED)

Function Description Returns Function Description Returns

xml_set_character_data_handler
(parser, handler)
xml_set_default_handler
(parser, handler)
xml_set_element_handler
(parser, startElementHandler,
endElementHandler)
xml_set_external_entity_ref_
handler(parser, handler)
xml_set_notation_decl_handler
(parser, handler)
xml_set_object(parser, object) Allows the use of an XML parser inside an object.
xml_set_processing_
instruction_handler(parser,
handler)
xml_set_unparsed_entity_decl_
handler(parser, handler)
ZLIB FUNCTIONS
Sets a character data handler function for an XML parser. Integer gzgetss(zp, length Returns a line of a specified length from a gz-file pointer String
[, allowable_tags]) and strips any HTML and PHP tags.
Sets a default handler function for an XML parser. Integer gzinflate(data [, length]) Uncompresses data compressed using the DEFLATE data String
format.
Sets the start and end element handler functions for an Integer gzopen(filename, mode Opens a gz-file pointer. Integer
XML parser. [, use_include_path])
gzpassthru(zp) Outputs all remaining data on a gz-file pointer. Integer
Sets an external entity reference handler function for an Integer
XML parser. gzputs(zp, string [, length]) Writes a string to a gz-file pointer. Integer
Sets a notation declaration handler function for an XML parser. Integer gzread(zp, length) Reads a specified number of bytes from a gz-file pointer. String
gzrewind(zp) Rewinds the position of a gz-file pointer to the beginning Integer
Void of a file stream.
Sets a processing instruction handler function for an Integer gzseek(zp, offset) Seeks on a gz-file pointer. Integer
XML parser.
gztell(zp) Determines the position of a gz-file pointer. Integer
Sets an unparsed entity declaration handler function for an Integer gzuncompress(data [, length]) Uncompresses gz-compressed data. String
XML parser. gzwrite(zp, string Writes a string to a gz-file pointer. Integer
[, length])
readgzfile(filename Outputs a gz-file. Integer
[, use_include_path])

Function Description Returns

gzclose(zp) Closes a gz-file pointer. Integer
gzcompress(data [, level]) Returns a gzip-compressed version of data. String
gzdeflate(data [, level]) Returns a compressed version of data using the DEFLATE String
data format.
gzencode(data [, level]) Creates a gzip-compressed string. String
gzeof(zp) Tests for end-of-file on a gz-file pointer. Integer
gzfile(filename Reads a gz-file into an array. Array
[, use_include_path])
gzgetc(zp) Returns a character from a gz-file pointer. String
gzgets(zp, length) Returns a line of a specified length from a gz-file pointer. String

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