Easy PHP Programming

Now, to make you a better programmer we all know the value of comments. This allows you to understand the code that you have written defining and given meaning to operations as you build them up. You start with the terminators used by PHP and end with them as well. Single line comments look like this �// comment� and Multi-line ones use the syntax /* comment comment*/. A better example would be the one below:

//comment
/* comment
Comment*/
?>

In the next post we take on the best parts of PHP which would be variables which is essential in all programming languages.

As you might have seen, all of the PHP statement ends with �;� which would be somewhat similar to Perl. The valid HTML code that was handed back to the server was :



Who are You?

My name is MacGyver.

More in the coming posts when we dig deeper as we widen our understanding of PHP.

This function combines two arrays where the first array is treated as the key and the second array as the contents of the said table. The syntax goes like this : array_combine(array1,array2), wherein the array1 is the table which contains the keys values, and the array2 is the contents. It should be noted that these two tables or array�s should have equal amounts of contents for it would become problematic if there was an error in the combination process. An example of the process is shown below:

$a1=array('a','b','c','d')
$a2=array2("Mouse","Rat","Rodent","Mice")
print_r(array_combine($a1,$a2))
?>

The output of which would give us a single table :

Array ( [a] => Mouse [b] => Rat [c] => Rodent [d] => Mice )

The function combined the two tables giving a single table that combines the keys and the contents. More in-depth discussion on the different array functions which in future posts would be the backbone of applications we will be building.

Image source: www.basicphpprogramming.com

A programmer’s job requires him to keep his eyes focused on the glowing computer screen and keying in data by constantly pounding the keys of the keyboard. Programmers love what they do that it even makes them glued on their seats in front of their PCs which even they admit to be obsessive. But the consequence of their love affair with the computer is the painful overuse injuries that can keep them from doing their fist love—programming— and even simple tasks such as opening a mineral water bottle and turning the doorknob.
Repetitive Strain Injuries are acquired by the overuse of muscles and/or holding them in an unnatural position for a long time.
There are two common repetitive strain injury or RSIs are carpal tunnel syndrome and forearm tendonitis. If untreated, carpal tunnel syndrome can sometimes cause permanent nerve damage, and forearm tendonitis can harm muscles, tendons and ligaments that are essential for repetitive motion.
Standard keyboards require programmers to hold their hand in a fixed and unnatural position that can strain the forearms. Some computer tables may also be too high for them that when they key in data, their wrists are flexed which puts too much pressure on the median nerve. Constant pounding on the keys can cause tiny tears in the muscles and ligaments. In case no adjustments are made, this minor strain and discomfort can eventually lead into disabling injuries that can take months to heal. In some cases, even turning a doorknob produces extreme pain that is cause by hypersensinized nerves on the wrists.
Good news: RSIs are preventable and treatable. Regular breaks from typing, exercises concentrating on the hands, wrists and fingers, maintaining good posture in sitting and proper arm placement at the keyboard and a healthy workplace will go a long way towards preventing them.

Arrays are what tables are to C-based programming languages and what databases are for SQL-based languages. Arrays or tables as they are sometimes called can be used to store the contents of several variables and to create one, you use the following syntax:

Array(key=>value)

The array in the syntax refers to the name of the array being created, the key is the index which is set automatically to a numeric character or string if none is specified. Value is the assigned value or content of the said array which can be seen easily in the following array creation example:

$b=array('z'=>‘Comedy”,’y'=>”Horror”,’x;’=>”Action”);
print_r($b);
?>

This piece of code would produce an output of :

Array ([0] => Comedy [1] => Horror [2] => Action)

More on array functions in the next posts.

This form of array declaration allows one to change the case from uppercase to lowercase and vice versa. The syntax goes as follows:

array_change_key_case(array,case)

The array part, specifies which table or array to use and is a required field which is not the case with the key which is automatically assigned a value. An example of it’s use can be seen below:

$a=array('a'=>“Mouse”,’b'=>”Rat”,’c'=>”Rodent”,’d'=>”Cat”);
print_r(array_change_key_case($a,CASE_UPPER));
?>

The output of the said commands will be:
Array ( [A] => Mouse [B] => Rat [C] => Rodent [D] => Cat)

Another example of it’s use would be:

$a=array('a'=>“Mouse”,’B'=>”Rat”,’c'=>”Rodent”,’b'=>”Cat”);
print_r(array_change_key_case($a,CASE_UPPER));
?>

That returns the following values respectively:
Array ( [A] => Mouse [B] => Rat [C] => Rodent [D] => Cat)

In the next post, we would discuss an array function that divides a large array into several chunks of separate arrays.

Now that you have installed the necessary web server software and tested that it works (which is included in the manual) we can now get to know the basics of PHP. For our guide we will be using HTTP combined with PHP, this allows PHP code to be embedded into regular html pages and thus simplifying the execution by simply requesting the page. PHP uses start and stop tags in the form of “?php” and “?” and below is a sample:

".. PHP Code".
?>

The following sample has PHP code embedded within HTTP:



Fan: Who are You?

//print output
Echo "My name is MacGyver";?>

Upon execution or opening the page this would give you text in the browser stating the following words. “Who are You?” “My name is MacGyver“. This would be the equivalent hello world program many books use in teaching the basics of programming.