Dreamweaver vs PHP

Report · Mar 12, 2007

Hey everyone, i went looking for a book that would better suit my needs for creating my database application, "which i didn't find" and i have a question that has been making me wonder.
I am going to build a database application with php coding so i am looking for php tutorials, but i wonder if i could do same thing by using Dreamweaver 8 and flash tutorial instead.
Can someone help me out clearing this for me, please?
Thank you so much,

LMartins

Report · Mar 12, 2007

You can create php applications with DW.

Report · Mar 12, 2007

yes, i see that. Dreamweaver is what i use to write my php scripts , i was just wondering is instead of buying php tutorial books to help me , would it be easier to by dreaweaver books to help me create my database application ?
Thank for the reply

Report · Mar 12, 2007

Get David Powers' Foundation PHP for DW 8, and get both....

--
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Adobe Community Expert
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
http://www.dreamweavermx-templates.com - Template Triage!
http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/ - Macromedia (MM) Technotes
==================

"LuisDesigns" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:et57no$l2l$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> yes, i see that. Dreamweaver is what i use to write my php scripts , i was
> just
> wondering is instead of buying php tutorial books to help me , would it be
> easier to by dreaweaver books to help me create my database application ?
> Thank for the reply
>

Report · Mar 12, 2007

Thanks Murray, what do you mean by ' and get both..' ?
And it will help me creating a user's profile database right?

Let me know so i go get it a.s.a.p
thanks again

Report · Mar 13, 2007

David Powers' PHP books are hands down the best IMO. Murray probably meant get both of his PHP books: "Foundation PHP for Dreamweaver 8" and "PHP Solutions: Dynamic Web Design Made Easy"—both are excellent. I own no less than 10 PHP books, but his were the first (and only) ones to get me over the hump in terms of understanding the syntax and the logic behind PHP. He has this way of explaining things that is so clear & simple... I don't know why more authors can't write as lucidly as he does.

Anyway, the differences:

Foundation PHP for Dreamweaver 8 - This is geared specifically towards building PHP applications with DW8 using server behaviors, bindings, etc. Mr. Powers asssumes no prior programming experience. He does a thorough job of explaining how to set up a local WAMP/MAMP testing server, then takes you step-by-step through the basics of PHP

PHP Solutions: Dynamic Web Design Made Easy - this is similar to the above, but without the emphasis on DW. There is some degree of overlap in content (I, for one, don't mind the repetitive reinforcement), but there is more than enough new stuff to warrant the expense of buying this second book IMO.

He is also very active in the friends of ED support forums at http://friendsofed.infopop.net/2/OpenTopic/

Report · Mar 13, 2007

LuisDesigns wrote:
> Thanks Murray, what do you mean by ' and get both..' ?
> And it will help me creating a user's profile database right?

Murray is away at a conference this week, so he may not be able to reply
soon. What I suspect he meant was that you would get help both in
writing PHP scripts and creating a database application.

"Foundation PHP for Dreamweaver 8" guides you through the process of
building an online content management system using PHP and the
Dreamweaver server behaviors. It also has a lot of advice on how to
design a database. You can find more details on my site here:

http://foundationphp.com/dreamweaver8/

Take a look at the case study page, and use the link at the bottom to
launch the case study. The book shows you how to create all that, plus
the back-end management system.

If you decide to buy the book, please make sure you read the updates and
corrections, which can be found here:

http://www.friendsofed.com/errata.html?isbn=1590595696

--
David Powers, Adobe Community Expert
Author, "Foundation PHP for Dreamweaver 8" (friends of ED)
Author, "PHP Solutions" (friends of ED)
http://foundationphp.com/

Report · Mar 13, 2007

Actually, David's interpretation was the one I intended, but yours is not a
bad suggestion, either!

--
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Adobe Community Expert
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
http://www.dreamweavermx-templates.com - Template Triage!
http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/ - Macromedia (MM) Technotes
==================

"bsoliman" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:et5lhp$69e$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> David Powers' PHP books are hands down the best IMO. Murray probably meant
> get
> both of his PHP books: "Foundation PHP for Dreamweaver 8" and "PHP
> Solutions:
> Dynamic Web Design Made Easy"?both are excellent. I own no less than 10
> PHP
> books, but his were the first (and only) ones to get me over the hump in
> terms
> of understanding the syntax and the logic behind PHP. He has this way of
> explaining things that is so clear & simple... I don't know why more
> authors
> can't write as lucidly as he does.
>
> Anyway, the differences:
>
> Foundation PHP for Dreamweaver 8 - This is geared specifically towards
> building PHP applications with DW8 using server behaviors, bindings, etc.
> Mr.
> Powers asssumes no prior programming experience. He does a thorough job of
> explaining how to set up a local WAMP/MAMP testing server, then takes you
> step-by-step through the basics of PHP
>
> PHP Solutions: Dynamic Web Design Made Easy - this is similar to the
> above,
> but without the emphasis on DW. There is some degree of overlap in content
> (I,
> for one, don't mind the repetitive reinforcement), but there is more than
> enough new stuff to warrant the expense of buying this second book IMO.
>
> He is also very active in the friends of ED support forums at
> http://friendsofed.infopop.net/2/OpenTopic/
>

Report · Mar 13, 2007

Sorry, Murray! I can see what you meant now--somehow things always look different at 3:30 am... 😉

Report · Mar 13, 2007

bsoliman wrote:
> Sorry, Murray! I can see what you meant now--somehow things always look different at 3:30 am... ;-)

Actually, I liked your interpretation very much. :-)

All I need to do now is to persuade everybody not only to buy both
books, but to buy both the dead-tree and eBook versions.

--
David Powers, Adobe Community Expert
Author, "Foundation PHP for Dreamweaver 8" (friends of ED)
Author, "PHP Solutions" (friends of ED)
http://foundationphp.com/

Report · Mar 13, 2007

David wrote:

Actually, I liked your interpretation very much. 🙂

All I need to do now is to persuade everybody not only to buy both
books, but to buy both the dead-tree and eBook versions.

That would be a good thing indeed—LOL

Seriously though, I really do think both books are necessary. Because DW is the de facto standard for professional webdev these days, I can't imagine not needing to know how to use it effectively with PHP. I know there are purists out there who only believe in hand coding, but I'm all for anything that makes my life easier and allows me to work faster. I've been coding for 10 years, but I'm a decidedly abysmal typist (i.e. hand coding is not something I relish).

That being said, I also can't imagine being totally dependent on DW and not knowing how to hand code. Sometimes DW doesn't do things in the most efficient manner, and other times you find yourself confronted with an application that someone else has built. In fact, that very thing came up for me this month—I've taken on a project that is not only half-finished but is also full of bugs. DW was not used to create it. Not only does it have gaping security holes (due to poor server configuration), but it also uses 3rd party classes and custom functions. If I hadn't read both of your books it would be fair to say that I wouldn't have dared to take on the project. I'm not trying to be a sycophant, but if something is very well done then it deserves praise. Your books are very well done and are helping me increase my income by increasing my skills.

Moving right along... I apologize to the forum members for just jumping in without introducing myself. My name is Bev and I am an HTML coder turned graphic designer (print & web). Being a geek at heart and not content to limit myself to only the visual aspects of web design, I began trying to learn PHP about 2 years ago. I didn't really begin to understand it well until 6 months ago, so I'm still a newbie. Due to the project I mentioned above, I'll likely be coming here here for assistance when I get stuck.

Best regards to all.

Report · Mar 13, 2007

bsoliman wrote:
> That being said, I also can't imagine being totally dependent on DW and not
> knowing how to hand code.

That's why I start "Foundation PHP for Dreamweaver 8" with a couple of
chapters on hand coding. Once you've got the basic hand-coding skills
under your belt, you can dive into the Dreamweaver code to get it to do
so much more than the basic functions it offers.

At one level, writing "PHP Solutions" was frustrating because I kept on
wanting to say "use this server behavior". I also needed to go over a
lot of the same ground because I knew that not all of the target
readership would be using Dreamweaver. However, since it's not tied to a
particular version of either Dreamweaver or PHP, I hope it will have a
longer shelf life.

> but if something is very well done then it deserves praise. Your books are very
> well done and are helping me increase my income by increasing my skills.

Thanks very much.

--
David Powers, Adobe Community Expert
Author, "Foundation PHP for Dreamweaver 8" (friends of ED)
Author, "PHP Solutions" (friends of ED)
http://foundationphp.com/

Report · Mar 13, 2007

On Tue, 13 Mar 2007 14:45:57 +0000, David Powers <david@example.com>
wrote:

>All I need to do now is to persuade everybody not only to buy both
>books, but to buy both the dead-tree and eBook versions.

Don't they need a copy of each book at home, at the office, and in the
car? That would be three copies of each! ;-)

Gary

Report · Mar 13, 2007

Gary White wrote:
> Don't they need a copy of each book at home, at the office, and in the
> car? That would be three copies of each! ;-)

You forgot one for the smallest room in the house, too. ;-)

--
David Powers, Adobe Community Expert
Author, "Foundation PHP for Dreamweaver 8" (friends of ED)
Author, "PHP Solutions" (friends of ED)
http://foundationphp.com/

Report · Mar 13, 2007

On Tue, 13 Mar 2007 17:57:00 +0000, David Powers <david@example.com>
wrote:

>You forgot one for the smallest room in the house, too. ;-)

The closet? Naw, don't need one there. ;-)

Gary

Report · Mar 13, 2007

Gary White wrote:
> The closet? Naw, don't need one there. ;-)

What if you run out of paper?

--
David Powers, Adobe Community Expert
Author, "Foundation PHP for Dreamweaver 8" (friends of ED)
Author, "PHP Solutions" (friends of ED)
http://foundationphp.com/

Report · Mar 14, 2007

On Tue, 13 Mar 2007 23:26:43 +0000, David Powers <david@example.com>
wrote:

>> The closet? Naw, don't need one there. ;-)
>
>What if you run out of paper?

Paper? In the closet? I don't need paper there, just hangars. ;-)

Gary

Report · Mar 13, 2007

Thank you guys for all the advices. I will definitely get BOTH books, hopefully it will help me/show me how to create this database that i need with the user's profiles.

i have larry ullman's books ( PHP for the world wide web 2nd edition and PHP and Mysql for dynamic web sites 2nd edition.

Another question is, will i be able to use flash ? Or design my website layout and background the way i want ?

Thank you guys,

LMartins

Report · Mar 13, 2007

Hi LuisDesigns,

It made me wonder about your constantly repeated question about Dreamweaver and PHP. I had recommended you to get those two books, mentioned as above, few weeks ago. I thought that you did bought those two books and assume that you gotten both of your hands dirty under the hood of PHP around DW8?

Oh well. Hope this time around works out nicely for you, Luis.

Cheers, Brian (DWD)

quote:

Originally posted by: LuisDesigns
Thank you guys for all the advices. I will definitely get BOTH books, hopefully it will help me/show me how to create this database that i need with the user's profiles.

i have larry ullman's books ( PHP for the world wide web 2nd edition and PHP and Mysql for dynamic web sites 2nd edition.

Another question is, will i be able to use flash ? Or design my website layout and background the way i want ?

Thank you guys,

LMartins

Report · Mar 13, 2007

Thanks Deaf..., are u talking about the larry books ?
I got the larry's books, i feel it doesn't fill my needs. I remember u recommending me other books, which i didnt get it since i wanted to get the right one this time.
I am sure you and everyone here knows what's like to be reading a book and practicing, i do it 5 nights a week for 6 to 7 hours. I normaly go to bed at 4am , and i want for the next book to really help me on my application.

So, hopefully the David Powers books will help me on how to create this database application i need.
Thanks guys for all the advices.

Report · Mar 13, 2007

Hi Luis,

Please re-read my posting in one of your posts few weeks ago. I have recommended David Power's two books few weeks ago. I know that I have recommend those two books at that time. I am not sure what is going on your end with Larry's book. I haven't read Larry's book, but highly recommended, like few others, David Power's books per se. David Power's books are in my home library as my reference and tool.

Thanks and have a great evening, Brian (DWD)

quote:

Originally posted by: LuisDesigns
Thanks Deaf..., are u talking about the larry books ?
I got the larry's books, i feel it doesn't fill my needs. I remember u recommending me other books, which i didnt get it since i wanted to get the right one this time.
I am sure you and everyone here knows what's like to be reading a book and practicing, i do it 5 nights a week for 6 to 7 hours. I normaly go to bed at 4am , and i want for the next book to really help me on my application.

So, hopefully the David Powers books will help me on how to create this database application i need.
Thanks guys for all the advices.

Report · Mar 13, 2007

LuisDesigns wrote:
> Another question is, will i be able to use flash ? Or design my website layout
> and background the way i want ?

Luis, it sounds as though you're trying to run before you can walk. It's
understandable; we all want to do it. The problem with web design is
that it's easy to get started, but the more you learn, the more you
realize how little you actually know.

PHP isn't difficult, but it's a massive subject. Even though I write
books about it, I still learn new things every day. The web is changing
at an incredible rate. Try to be an expert in everything, and you'll
know next to nothing. Concentrate on one area at a time, and you'll
build valuable skills.

--
David Powers, Adobe Community Expert
Author, "Foundation PHP for Dreamweaver 8" (friends of ED)
Author, "PHP Solutions" (friends of ED)
http://foundationphp.com/

Report · Mar 13, 2007

yes, i have seen the posting, somewhat i got confused . U are very right, u did recommend me those books. Apparently, everyone recommends those books also, so that is problably what i should have purchased to start with. Thank you again