Tutorial #1 - the PHP baisics.

Ok, so i am going to introduce you to PHP today.

PHP is the most expandable, easiest to learn, easiest to operate, and easiest to use web side programming language that exists to date.

Lets get into it!

All PHP documents start with this:

*NOTE you can also use <? but for the sake of ease, we are going to use the primary*

Ok, so now we need to put our code in!

Variables:

PHP, like all other programming languages, uses variables, these are little "blocks" which can hold any apla/numerical value you want them too.

The way to declare a variable is:

$ - This tells the server that the following word is a variable

name_of_variable - Supprisingly enough this is the name of the variable

= - Means that $name_of_variable is eaqual too >

"Variable contents in here" - What its going to be equal too

; - Telling the script that your now finished the statement *** You need to remember this, as you will often forget it, when you start learning***

So all together its:

Ok, so now you will notice i used this : "?>"

This tells the server we have finished parsing that section of PHP.


Summing up the first part:

All scripts must start with <?php

All scripts must end with ?>

Displaying text and variables:


So from are part 1, we learnt how to declare a variable.

Now we are going to learn how too show the contents of that variable and other things:

The main command you use for showing text variables, or anything is

So lets say we wanted to put on our screen the following text

I am following a fantastic tutorial by Base, because he is just so ace?

We would put:

echo "I am following a fantastic tutorial by Base, because he is just so ace?";


So again with the end of this script we are using ";" to declare that we have finished parsing that perticular statement.

Now we are going to move onto somthing a little bit more complicated.


So!

That would put on your screen:

Dear Sir/Madam

It has come to my attention that you are looking for a PHP coder, i would be interested in taking up the position.
I started learning PHP following a set of simple tutorials from a site called Talk-Mania, and since then, i have improved my skills to the level at which i write programs for multi national organisations


Please send me a reply, if you would like to employ my bitching skills.

Yours most sincerely and respectfully

PHP Student

Which is rather cool.

Another thing you can do, is put variables in with other text so:

So that would output:

Base is in fact god? Base has helped me become the man i am today, a true leg-end. Thankyou Base.

So you get the idea, you can put variables inside other things.

Another thing you can do is add variables that contain numbers together.

E.g.

(The above is a VAT calculator)

That would echo:

6.12175

**Now for the people who doubt me, you may point out that i am not using variables set as integers, i will use them later on.**


Ok, so i will tell you now...

What we are going to do in this entire set of tutorials, we are going to build a content management system.

Hopefully it will have all the features you require here is a baisic outline of them.

User Log in/out
Post news
Change navigation bar
Edit users
Create users
Edit styles

All sorts of stuff baisicly.

Now in a normal content management system, users can log in and create a profile and things.

Howerver i have never found a practical use for it, so i am not including it, howerver if you would like me to include that in my tutorial, then ask!

Thanks very much and watch out for tutorial #2 coming in the next few days.


Cheers

Base

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Excellent!!!!!!!

nice tutorial for the basics looking forward to reading the rest

thanks i learn some thing from this

Great help! We need more like this.

For the vat calculator you could optimize the script by just multiplying it by 1.175. Also, you can use a $_REQUEST variable to make it slightly more dynamic.

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Nick - Coder/Designer

Man that is what i need

I can't wait to see the rest of the tutorials. Very well explained!

i learn some thing from this!! well done man
thx

I think he didnt use that becuase he is trying to show as many different commands as posible.