Re: Book Required

janet@valade.com wrote:

Programming PHP by O`Reilly :)

Write-up says it STILL uses MySQL as it's database material ;(

I don't know what Write-up you are refering to. The book is not tied to MySQL. It mentions it only as one of the many databases that PHP supports. The examples that I see, unless I missed something, on accessing a database from PHP use PEAR DB. So, I think this Write-up is misleading.

http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/progphp/desc.html

Programming PHP an excellent book.

Probably, but given the stuff listed on the Full Description, I don't think it is worth my money ;)

It's not clear to me what you mean by NON MYSQL books, so I don't know what to recommend. There are other books that teach PHP without focusing on MySQL. For instance, Core PHP programming has chapters for several different databases. PHP Developer's Cookbook shows how to make your programs database independent. PHP cookbook mainly shows database access using PEAR DB. PHP Bible focuses on MySQL and Oracle when showing how to write scripts for database use. There are others.

This - I think - highlights the problem. *I* have been programing for 25+ years, but only switched to PHP last year. I decided not to worry too much about PHP4, and have only run with the Beta PHP5. PEAR DB was kicked in touch early on - ADOdb does everything I want, and is used by every third party package I use. MySQL has never had the facilities I have grown used to with Interbase/Firebird for the last several years, and it will be another year (or more) before they add the power that Firebird has in the engine with stored procedures, triggers and events - removing the need for a lot of in-line coding, and helping to load share. Bottom line, the on-line articles and examples are always going to be more use than a book, and the PHP manual is probably one of the best pieces of on-line material available :) -- Lester Caine ----------------------------- L.S.Caine Electronic Services