ISBN 1-56592-709-5   Price £5 approximately
Robert Eckstein
34 Chapters
 

Chapter List

     1    Introduction
     2    Installation and Configuration
     3    Embedding PHP in HTML
     4    Language Syntax
     5    Variables
     6    Data Types
     7    Expressions
     8    Operators
     9    Control Structures
     10  Functions
     11  Web-Related Variables
     12  Examples
     13  Function Reference
     14  Array Functions
     15  Configuration and Logging Functions
     16  Database Functions
     17  Date/Time Functions
     18  Directory Functions
     19  File Functions
     20  Graphics Functions
     21  HTTP Functions
     22  IMAP Functions
     23  LDAP Functions
     24  Math Functions
     25  MCAL Functions
     26  Mcrypt Functions
     27  Mhash Functions
     28  Networking Functions
     29  PDF Functions
     30  POSIX Functions
     31  String Functions
     32  Variable Manipulation Functions
     33  XML Functions
     34  Miscellaneous Functions
 
 

Synopsis

      The pocket reference series is well known for the large amount of information that is packed into a very small space.  The PHP pocket reference gives most of the things that may be needed to either use PHP or to begin to use it to learn more.

Review

Everyone knows how good the O'Reilly books can be but it's not until you break into the pocket reference series that you begin to realise the usefulness of having one of their books around in case of emergencies or forgetfulness.  The O'Reilly "bat book" is used by many system admins to get useful info about sendmail that isn't available anywhere else.

The book starts with how to install and configure PHP 3 and then goes on to explain some simple methods for embedding PHP in HTML pages.  Next comes the usual explanation for control structures, data types, passing arguments etc.  The rest of the book gives a longish list (in a few pages) of functions and what to do with them.

As you can see from the long list of chapters above this diminutive 110 page booklet is packed with all sorts of stuff that you just can't get hold of from usenet or anywhere else.  Most of the examples work and provide useful pointers to the next bit that might be worrying whilst you are trying to construct a PHP script.  Then of course there's the price.  I've seen many books at £50 that weren't as good as this one is.  The functions that are listed in the book are particularly useful.

Well worth buying for that short train journey to your next job interview :-)
 

Review by Richard Ibbotson