PHP Solutions: Dynamic Web Design Made Easy (Solutions)

Book Description

In this book you'll learn how to:

Create dynamic websites with design and usability in mind, as well as functionality
Understand how PHP scripts work, giving you confidence to adapt them to your own needs
Bring online forms to life, check required fields, and ensure user input is safe to process
Upload files and automatically create thumbnails from larger images
Manage website content with a searchable database

You want to make your websites more dynamic by adding a feedback form, creating a private area where members can upload images that are automatically resized, or perhaps storing all your content in a database. The problem is, you're not a programmer and the thought of writing code sends a chill up your spine. Or maybe you've dabbled a bit in PHP and MySQL, but you can't get past baby steps. If this describes you, then you've just found the right book. PHP and the MySQL database are deservedly the most popular combination for creating dynamic websites. They're free, easy to use, and provided by many web hosting companies in their standard packages. Unfortunately, most PHP books either expect you to be an expert already or force you to go through endless exercises of little practical value. In contrast, this book gives you real value right away through a series of practical examples that you can incorporate directly into your sites, optimizing performance and adding functionality such as file uploading, email feedback forms, image galleries, content management systems, and much more. Each solution is created with not only functionality in mind, but also visual design. But this book doesn't just provide a collection of ready-made scripts: each PHP Solution builds on what's gone before, teaching you the basics of PHP and database design quickly and painlessly. By the end of the book, you'll have the confidence to start writing your own scripts or&8212;if you prefer to leave that task to othersto adapt existing scripts to your own requirements. Right from the start, you're shown how easy it is to protect your sites by adopting secure coding practices. The book has been written with an eye on forward and backward compatibilityrecommending the latest PHP 5 techniques, but providing alternative solutions for servers still running PHP 4.3. All database examples demonstrate how to use the original MySQL extension, MySQL Improved, or the PHP Data Objects (PDO) introduced in PHP 5.1, letting you choose the most suitable option for your setup. Summary of Contents:

Chapter 1: What Is PHPAnd Why Should I Care?
Chapter 2: Getting Ready to Work with PHP
Chapter 3: How to Write PHP Scripts
Chapter 4: Lightening Your Workload with Includes
Chapter 5: Bringing Forms to Life
Chapter 6: Uploading Files
Chapter 7: Using PHP to Manage Files
Chapter 8: Generating Thumbnail Images
Chapter 9: Pages That Remember: Simple Login and Multipage Forms
Chapter 10: Setting Up MySQL and phpMyAdmin
Chapter 11: Getting Started with a Database
Chapter 12: Creating a Dynamic Online Gallery
Chapter 13: Managing Content
Chapter 14: Solutions to Common PHP/MySQL Problems
Chapter 15: Keeping Intruders at Bay

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely the best PHP book I've used.......2007-10-03

Thanks David!!

This is by far the best PHP book I've purchased. PHP and MySQL are much easier to understand then ASP and SQL Server. This is coming form someone that learned ASP and MSSQL first.

Regards!
Rich

Not for beginners.......2007-09-24

If you're looking for a book to learn php, this one's not the one. The author is relying heavily on the reader's mind-reading abilities figuring out what to do. This book requires lots of head scratching, note taking, and is very frustrating to follow. It contains far too many mistakes and typos to have been released. It seems the buyer is the proof reader. Several times I have thought I had made a mistake only to find that it was yet another mistyped line/word/phrase in the book. The download files given to compare the work to are not the same as the ones created if you're following the chapters. Maybe it's good for experienced programmers, but if I were experienced with php, would I need the book? I guess software/programming books are much like software itself: authors and developers release it and rely on the buyers to find the mistakes and fix them after it has been sold. Only with a book you're stuck wit hit. The corrections mentioned on the publisher's website for this book contain errors, too. So don't rely on them to be correct!

Looks Good!.......2007-08-07

After skimming the book, and reading several chapters, I cannot wait to sit down with Dreamweaver 8 and really put the clearly written book to use. I believe it and Foundation PHP for Dreamweaver 8 by David Powers will compliment each other.

Brilliant... definately worth buying.......2007-07-10

I am pretty new to PHP, with not a great deal of coding experience. Over the last year I have bought 4 books, each which have been hailed as 'The best book for learning PHP.' Sadly, these books have been too dry or detailed for me to follow as a beginner, so most of my learning has come from online tutorials.

This book however is quite different... David Powers gives good practical applications, and goes through the steps of coding them, explaining why and how along the way.. so it becomes a much more interesting and interactive learning experience. This is a great book, a big thumbs up to David Powers.

Not exactly "easy" but easier than anything else I've tried so far........2007-06-16

I was probably about two books shy of giving up on ever learning anything useful about PHP so I'm thrilled to have discovered this book when I did!

I'm not a programmer by any stretch of the imagination but I know HTML, a fair amount of CSS, and I have a cursory understanding of how programming works. I've also successfully (but not often painlessly) installed and customized several ready-made PHP scripts so I've long been aware of how much more PHP could help me accomplish if I only had a better understanding of it.

I purchased several books on the subject over the years but could never get much past the first few chapters with any of them -- usually not even that much. Among my biggest problems was that it seemed I wasn't getting enough doses of practical information to stay motivated. This also made it difficult to be aware of any progress I might be making -- or if I even was. Sometimes the information didn't build up logically enough for me so it was harder to retain anything I might have learned. Often, even when a book claimed to be for beginners, in some areas it used jargon or presumed I knew things I didn't know at all while becoming excruciatingly basic in other areas. It was a constant struggle with little or no reward.

But none of this was the case with PHP SOLUTIONS.

I've been methodically reading just a few pages (rarely more) every night so as not to overload my circuits which were already weakened from so much frustration. The information is authoritative but the writing style is approachable, both of which made it so much easier for me to persevere. I also didn't allow myself to get too bogged down or frustrated: if there was something I wasn't getting, even after a few passes, I moved on with the hopes it would make more sense later, and it usually did. But I feel as though I'm at least grasping the majority of what's been presented. Although I have not been following along and performing the exercises as recommended (just reading and studying), I still sense definite progress and comprehension that I never felt with any of the other books. Once I decide on something I want to incorporate into a web site, I will revisit those chapters more thoroughly. This probably wouldn't work for most people, but it usually works best for me.

At any rate, I'm nearly half way through the book now and still eager to continue. That's enough to convince me. I can't say I expect to ever be able to write my own scripts from scratch (unless they're very simple), but if I'm at least able to find my way around many existing scripts (surely the ones covered in this book) and customize them for my own needs, it will be HUGE. And I CAN say I feel confident I'll be able to achieve at least that much, which I know will serve my needs and is much more than I expected after all the false starts and frustrations I've been through and how close I came to quitting.

Average customer rating:

Dreamweaver Manual
Good Book
Very good manual
Fantastic
The Dreamweaver Missing Manual Rocks!

Dreamweaver MX 2004: The Missing Manual
David Sawyer McFarland
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0596006314

Amazon.com

Macromedia's Dreamweaver MX 2004 is the leading software tool for the creation of Web sites and other HTML interfaces. It's remarkably capable, able to deal intelligently with everything from fonts and images to JavaScript for client-side data validation and embedded Java applets. In most cases, Dreamweaver will save you time over hand-coding--and yield better-looking pages to boot. The program's learning curve, though, isn't trivial. That's why Dreamweaver MX 2004: The Missing Manual is worth having on hand as you learn to use Dreamweaver, and worth keeping within reach as you tackle increasingly difficult Web development work.

David McFarland wrote this book, but the influence of esteemed series editor David Pogue is obvious in the careful coverage of features and frequent touches of humor (books about applications can be whangingly dull; the books in Pogue's Missing Manual series consistently manage to avoid this problem while maintaining comprehensiveness). The two men treat Dreamweaver's numerous features (and the even more numerous ways of putting them to use) cleverly, with a combination of procedures and side information that clarifies many oddball situations as well as straightforward conditions. --David Wall

Topics covered: How to create HTML (XHTML and CSS, strictly speaking) documents using Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004. In addition to the basic stuff (text, images, links, and frames), the book shows you how to build forms for data submission and embed Flash movies and Java applets. There's also a lot of helpful emphasis on Dreamweaver's productivity features, like snippet libraries and file transfer utilities. A special section shows you how to do some server-side work with databases.

Book Description

Macromedia's Dreamweaver MX 2004 offers a rich environment for building professional web sites, with drag-and-drop simplicity, clean HTML code, and dynamic database-driven web site creation tools. It comes with everything except perhaps the most important feature of all: a printed manual. Enter Dreamweaver MX 2004: The Missing Manual, the book that enables both first-time and experienced web designers to bring stunning, interactive web sites to life. What sets this new edition apart is the crystal-clear writing, welcome humor, and exclusive features like these:

Live examples. With a step-by-step annotated tutorial, readers follow the construction of a state-of-the-art commercial web site, complete with Flash buttons, Cascading Style Sheets, and dynamic databases.
Tricks of the trade. The book is bursting with undocumented workarounds and shortcuts.
Design guidance. Readers can create any modern web feature, including forms, animations, pop-up windows, and more. This book lets you know which browsers, situations, and audiences are appropriate for each.

With over 500 illustrations, a handcrafted index, and the clarity of thought that has made bestsellers of every Missing Manual to date, this edition is the ultimate atlas for Dreamweaver MX 2004.

Customer Reviews:

Dreamweaver Manual.......2007-04-11

Fantastic, really simple tutorials and suggested websites for further info. Deals with the basics to get an extemely powerful website online.

There are many more aspects to web design but anyone from the total beginner to intermediate should find this book helpful.

Good Book.......2006-11-10

Better than Dreamweaver MX 2004 "Training From the Source". This is a step by step book for beginners thru experts. I found it easy to follow and understand. It is also a good reference book for the experienced, which I am not. Why Macromedia could not furnish a book like this with there software I will never understand. The same goes for the new Dreamweaver 8. They want you to buy there product but not show you how to use it. This is a good buy.

Very good manual.......2006-07-13

So many software books are so confusing and difficult to understand, I really appreciateone that is clear and truly helpful, which this one is.

Fantastic.......2006-03-16

I have read this book cover to cover. You can read it in front of your computer and perform the tutorials or you can simple read an look at the illustrations. Both provide you with a very accurate experience. The online web site allows you to download all of the necessary files to perform your labs if you desire. It is simple, elegant, and well thought out book. You can't walk away from this book and not say that you did not truely learn to use Dreamweaver MX 2004. I struggled to learn this program, after reading the book, I have built several complex websites, complete with dynamic database integration. This book is that good!

The Dreamweaver Missing Manual Rocks!.......2006-03-15

I admit I'm biased because I've had Dave as a teacher and he's a great one, but his book is like his teaching -- clear, comprehensible, practical and most importantly, funny. Who wouldn't want to work on the National Exasperator pages? His tutorials are excellent, easy to use and fun.

Dynamics AX: A Guide to Microsoft Axapta

Average customer rating:

Dynamics AX guide
This Book Serves Its Purpose
Great book - get a copy today.
Trying hard to cover everything... but....
Excellent book for almost everyone

Dynamics AX: A Guide to Microsoft Axapta
Luis Mourão , and David Weiner
Manufacturer: Apress
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1590594894

Book Description

The world's leading Axapta experts will take you from Axapta novice to pro in this book. This authoritative and comprehensive guide walks you gently through the bulk of what you need to know to productively apply the system in the real world with real data, sizing guidelines, deployment architectures, and code.

By the book's end, you will have acquired practical hands-on experience. You'll be able to get Axapta up and running, and identify gaps between the out-of-the-box product and your actual business needs. You'll also know how to automate real-world business functions.

Customer Reviews:

Dynamics AX guide.......2007-05-07

I would say it is a bit lightweight, but as a complete beginner I have found it a lot easier than wading through the mountains of stuff availble from Microsoft.

This Book Serves Its Purpose.......2006-01-29

I am prompted to write this review owing to the number of negative comments I have seen. I personally read the book and I found it very informative and easy to understand. Axapta is a huge application and it is not very easy to understand, just as how math is a huge and deep topic. However, learning math helps if you understand the fundamental topics. If you miss the fundamentals God help you.

I said this to say that this book is not for the experts who are looking for something deep, it opens your eyes to the fundamentals and gives you a base to start with. I am a self learner and I find a lot of the materials for Axapta hard to grasp if you do not understand the fundamentals. This book indeed opened my understanding to a great extent and some of the things that I already understood I believe were clearly explained. If you are just starting out with Axapta this book is a great place to start.

Great book - get a copy today........2006-01-23

This is an excellent book. It is comprehensive and well written. This book should be read by anyone who is either considering purchasing Dynamics AX or has recently purchased the product. All new users will learn a great deal of information from this book. In fact, all good resellers of Dynamics AX should include a copy of this book at no charge with a sales quote to a potential customer. If I had this book two years ago, I could have saved my company several thousands of dollars in consulting fees alone. This book is an excellent `jump start' to gain overall Axapta knowledge, and is a great value for the money. This book will become a `must read' for all Dynamics AX implementers.

Trying hard to cover everything... but...........2005-12-07

At first glance the book looks very impressive and promising; however you don't have to read many pages before the cold truth of the authors' dilemma hits you. Covering a product as huge as Axapta in less than 500 pages is impossible, so choosing the right level of detail is vital. The authors chose the same approach as the online documentation shipping with the product. They describe in a clear and easy digestible language the most important forms in great detail. The online documentation has rightfully been accused of not providing procedural information (Step-by-step descriptions of how to accomplish tasks spanning multiple forms) or overview information (How everything ties together). Unfortunately this book does not provide that information either. Since the page count is limited one could have hoped non-trivial information was prioritized. That isn't the case. This book is however more than just a rewrite of the online documentation. It contains many valuable and interesting insights where appropriate. Don't expect this book to give you a lot of new information; but it gives you the opportunity to bring it all to the beach.

The content in the book is fairly accurate, and fairly complete. If you are new to Axapta it will help you, if you already are somewhat familiar with the product, the technical inaccuracies and missing key information may throw you off track. An example of missing key information is in the X++ chapter. Here both transaction and exception handling are well described in sequent subchapters. However not a word is mentioned on how they interact, which is something every X++ developer needs to understand to write business logic. Hopefully this and many similar issues will be ironed out in a revised edition.

The architecture chapter is quite a disappointment to me, as it mostly describes deployment scenarios and lists the files that come with the product. The chapters on development and X++ will not teach you to be an Axapta developer. Just like reading a car's manual won't teach you how to drive. In the book there are no examples of business code, but a lot of screenshots and descriptions of the MorphX toolbox. The structure and contents of the development chapters makes me wonder if the authors ever used MorphX themselves.

The book has an edge towards Microsoft, which at times is mind-opening, but mostly plain ignorant. At times it seems more focused on finding ways to crash the system, than ways to successfully avoid the crashes.

By the way: Don't be tricked by the book's title. The book is about Axapta version 3.0 released in 2002. "Dynamics AX" is the name of version 4.0 scheduled to release in 2006.

Excellent book for almost everyone.......2005-11-29

I'm an experienced JD Edwards consultant moving to Axapta and I have not found it easy even after going, or better trying to go through the existing documentation referred by some of the other reviewers. Reading the book was easy and by far the best investment of time and money I have made in Axapta, and I now feel comfortable that I can take it to the next level by myself. Thanks for the book.

Average customer rating:

A Reference Book Written by the Developers
A must-have reference for anyone working with Dynamics AX

Inside Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0
Arthur Greef , and Michael Fruergaa
Manufacturer: Microsoft Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0735622574

Book Description

Dive deep in to the architectural details of Microsoft Dynamics AX to make relationships clear and development tasks easier. The first part of the book is aimed at consultants and developers who are new to Microsoft Dynamics AX but have backgrounds in business application development using traditional languages, frameworks, and tools. It describes the architecture and development environment and explains key application frameworks that developers need for their customization, extension, and integration projects. The second part of the book is a reference guide for developers who work with Microsoft Dynamics AX deployments, with information on developing new functionality and supporting users. It covers more complex development concepts such as advanced forms and reports, reflection over the application metadata, performance, upgrades, migration, and setup. This is the first book written by the Microsoft product group architects and the first to take developers deep inside Microsoft Dynamics AX.

Customer Reviews:

A Reference Book Written by the Developers.......2007-05-11

Microsoft Dynamics AX is another of the very high end development system that Microsoft has been developing to make the implementation of sophisticated applications relatively easy. Specifically Dynamics AX (which has gone by several names during it's development cycle) is oriented to enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications developers. It might be viewed as a library of subroutines that perform the fundamental actions needed by an ERP system. It is then up to the developer to simply connect these subroutines together in order to produce application.

The end result can be viewed as a very high level language that contains many functions written to perform the actual work. As with any other computer language, it is something non-trivial that has to be learned. And this book is basically a tutorial on the language. It probably is something that could be learned as a language by itself, but experience in other languages, particularily C++ and SQL will ease the learning task. Obviously the reader should have some experience in ERP.

This book is written by members of the development team. It is complete and thorough, but it is a book on the Dynamics AX system, not on ERP.

A must-have reference for anyone working with Dynamics AX.......2006-10-04

I found this book helpful when trying to figure out how to do a variety of development tasks such as debugging, reverse engineering, compiling, etc. The section on the development tools was helpful because it provided a guide on what's available for developers. It's easy to understand and provides some good background information on a lot of the tools and techniques. Very useful for either developers or consultants.

ASP.NET 2.0 Web Parts in Action: Building Dynamic Web Portals (In Action)

Average customer rating:

A must buy book if your working with webparts
Excellent introduction on web parts
The BEST Web Part Resource
Great Book on the Web Part Framework

ASP.NET 2.0 Web Parts in Action: Building Dynamic Web Portals (In Action)
Darren Neimke
Manufacturer: Manning Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 193239477X

Book Description

"A must-buy for every ASP.NET developer using Web Parts."
Scott Guthrie
General Manager
Microsoft Developer Division

"Squeezes the full potential out of ASP.NET Web Parts."
Andres Sanabria
Lead Program Manager
ASP.NET and Server Application Frameworks

Using Web Parts, ASP.NET developers can create portals with the same advanced features found in sites such as Live.com and Google ig.

ASP.NET 2.0 Web Parts in Action demystifies portal design, development, maintenance, and deployment. In over 400 code-packed pages, ASP.NET expert Darren Neimke shares his deep understanding of the controls and services that make up the portal framework.

This book will help you to code like a guru but think like a user. For example, you'll discover how to use Web Parts to reduce four-step actions to a single click with a strategically-placed edit button. Learn to balance features and usability to make your portals both look good and work well.

ASP.NET 2.0 Web Parts in Action gives you the tools you need to move your ideas off the whiteboard and bring them to life. Find out how to provide the personalization options your users want while preserving the look and feel of your portals with solid designs and custom chrome. Create usable information dashboards and tackle tough interoperability questions with confidence.

All the information in this book is performance-tested. Author Darren Neimke walks you through Web Parts concepts including static and dynamic connections, WebPartManager, SQLPersonalizationProvider, and the hot new ASP.NET Atlas framework.

Whether you're creating custom solutions or adding Web Parts to SharePoint 2007, exploring Atlas or dabbling in gadgets, ASP.NET 2.0 Web Parts in Action will get you started and guide you as you build successful portals using ASP.NET Web Parts.

Customer Reviews:

A must buy book if your working with webparts.......2007-09-11

A must buy book if your working with webparts. Darren (The author) is also extremely helpful if you post web part related questions on his forum. The book is clear, concise and well organised. You will not be disapointed!

Ps. I have bought many many tech reference books from Amazon over the years. This is the first time I have ever posted a review. This book has been an invaluable reference for a large project I am currently working on.

Paul Hale (Domainscanners)

Excellent introduction on web parts.......2007-08-30

An all in one great introduction to web parts and even to some advanced techniques.

Web parts are a strong web UI element and this book has done a great job of talking about ALL the things that are necessary for proper web parts development.

The BEST Web Part Resource.......2007-01-11

This book introduces and explains a lot of concepts with Web Parts. This book SHOULD BE your starting point if you want to do any kind of web part development.

Key concepts:
- Web Part Connections
- Zones and how web parts behave inside them
- Tips & Tricks to get web parts to behave like they look in SharePoint
- Page Life cycle with web parts
- AJAX and web parts (little light on that topic)

I have done some basic web part development and read other articles on the web. This book by far brought a lot of concepts together and allows you to build a portal based on web parts.

Great Book on the Web Part Framework.......2006-11-16

Although SharePoint 2003 allowed us to create Web Parts, it was tedious and you couldn't use it outside of SharePoint. Microsoft upped the ante with the release of ASP.NET 2.0. You can create Web Parts in ASP.NET 2.0 and use them in both ASP.NET web sites and SharePoint 2007.

Darren has written a very solid book on Web Parts. This book covers different areas of the Web Part framework and the author does a very good job of explaining the subject in a clear manner. Darren starts at the beginning (explaining portals and web parts) and moves to more advanced areas. Darren also covers areas such as SharePoint, AJAX, and discussing other portals such as Live.com (including how to build a gadget).

I did run into a few issues with the book's source code but after posting the issues on the book's forum, Darren had a fix for me within 12 hours. This book also covers some areas which I have not seen before such as splitting out the catalog into a separate web page. There are numerous extensions discussed where I said out loud: "I didn't know it could do that!".
[...]

ActionScript 3.0 Design Patterns: Object Oriented Programming Techniques (Adobe Developer Library)

Average customer rating:

A pick for any advanced programmer's library.
Excellent
Great Design Pattern Resource for ActionScript 3 Developers
Worse than uninformative, it's actually mis-leading
Very clear book on Design Patterns for ActionScript developers

ActionScript 3.0 Design Patterns: Object Oriented Programming Techniques (Adobe Developer Library)
William Sanders , and Chandima Cumaranatunge
Manufacturer: Adobe Dev Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0596528469

Book Description

Now that ActionScript is reengineered from top to bottom as a true object-oriented programming (OOP) language, reusable design patterns are an ideal way to solve common problems in Flash and Flex applications. If you're an experienced Flash or Flex developer ready to tackle sophisticated programming techniques with ActionScript 3.0, this hands-on introduction to design patterns is the book you need.

ActionScript 3.0 Design Patterns takes you step by step through the process, first by explaining how design patterns provide a clear road map for structuring code that actually makes OOP languages easier to learn and use. You then learn about various types of design patterns and construct small abstract examples before trying your hand at building full-fledged working applications outlined in the book. Topics in ActionScript 3.0 Design Patterns include:

Key features of ActionScript 3.0 and why it became an OOP language
OOP characteristics, such as classes, abstraction, inheritance, and polymorphism
The benefits of using design patterns
Creational patterns, including Factory and Singleton patterns
Structural patterns, including Decorator, Adapter, and Composite patterns
Behavioral patterns, including Command, Observer, Strategy, and State patterns
Multiple design patterns, including Model-View-Controller and Symmetric Proxy designs

During the course of the book, you'll work with examples of increasing complexity, such as an e-business application with service options that users can select, an interface for selecting a class of products and individual products in each class, an action game application, a video record and playback application, and many more. Whether you're coming to Flash and Flex from Java or C++, or have experience with ActionScript 2.0, ActionScript 3.0 Design Patterns will have you constructing truly elegant solutions for your Flash and Flex applications in no time.

Customer Reviews:

A pick for any advanced programmer's library........2007-10-05

College-level and specialty computer libraries covering web development will find William Sanders & Chandima Cumaranatunge's ActionScript 3.0 Design Patterns an excellent acquisition, covering common problems in Flash and Flex applications and providing developers with the tools necessary to adopt superior design patterns. From key components of ActionScript 3.0 and its characteristics to the benefits of developing both structural and behavioral patterns, ACTIONSCRIPT 3.0 is a pick for any advanced programmer's library.

Excellent.......2007-09-28

Great book! The concepts shown are useful not only to action script but to any language at the enterprise development level.

Great Design Pattern Resource for ActionScript 3 Developers.......2007-08-31

This book is a solid resource for developers who want to fully embrace OOP concepts in their Flash and Flex projects.

With examples based on traditional GoF patterns, the authors demonstrate the use of OOP specifically for ActionScript 3 development. For someone like me, who's just getting their head around AS3 and large-scale RIAs, this book is invaluable.

It starts out with a good introduction to OOP, helping to familiarize those who are just getting started or who don't quite think in OOP terms just yet, with the over-arching principles. With AS getting closer and closer to Java structure, this introduction is especially helpful for AS developers. For those already comfortable thinking in OOP-terms, you may want to skip this section and dive into the meat of the book, which is quite substantial.

Each chapter addresses a specific design pattern, analyzes it's structure and benefits, and provides both an abstract example and real-world examples. This not only gives you the full understanding of the pattern, but also gives you an idea of how to implement it in your projects. This makes this book both a great overall OOP reference, but also a practical one.

If you are familiar with OOP, or just wrapping your head around it, I highly recommend this book to take your Flash and Flex projects to the next level.

Worse than uninformative, it's actually mis-leading.......2007-08-28

My biggest complaint with this book is that the authors basically just took the design patterns found in Java and C++ and re-implemented them to run under ActionScript 3 (AS3). The list is comprehensive, but it's clear that the authors don't "think in AS3".

In several core ways, AS3 is very different than Java and even more so with respect to C++. For instance, the event model is baked into the language and asynchronous programming is a different style. Also, XML and XPath are native constructs in ActionScript 3, not libraries like they are in other languages. These differences (among others) imply that some of the original Gang of Four (GoF) and Java patterns manifest themselves differently and some patterns don't apply at all. There are a few places in the book where the authors use the built-in events infrastructure and few other native features, but it's clear that they don't think in AS3. It seems like they think in Java.

For instance, the observer pattern is one of the core GoF and HeadFirst patterns. However, the native event capability in AS3 serves the same purpose. Rather than show you how/why to use the native event capability, this book happily shows you an AS3 translation of the GoF/HeadFirst observer pattern and never tells you to use the built-in event capability instead. In contrast, the Joey Lott and Danny Patterson book from Adobe Press, does not have a section on the observer pattern, but there is a chapter on "WORKING WITH EVENTS".

The above problem would be enough for me to recommend that you not buy this book but it gets worse. This book is not even great at teaching you how to think in design patterns. To be fair, neither is the original GoF design patterns book nor is the Lott/Patterson book. The best book for this purpose is the HeadFirst book. Its examples are Java but, the HeadFirst book walks you through application evolution which really makes the case for why the patterns are useful. The HeadFirst book also includes exercises and discussion as well as a quirky style that really make the concepts sink in so you learn to recognize when to use each pattern.

If you are an AS3 programmer who is already familiar with design patterns, just get the Lott/Patterson book. If you are new to design patterns, get the HeadFirst book AND the Lott/Patterson book.

Very clear book on Design Patterns for ActionScript developers.......2007-07-26

This book tackles the rather advanced topic of writing reusable OOP code for ActionScript 3.0 targeting intermediate ActionScript developers. The book organizes its topics in a way similar to the book "Design Patterns Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software" by Erich Gamma et al - also known as the Gang of Four. In spite of its target audience, the first part of the book contains an introduction to both design patterns and object orientation to assist those readers with minimal object-oriented programming experience. More advanced users may want to skip the review of OOP, but go over the materials on design patterns. Parts II, III and IV are the three major parts of the book. They examine fundamental design patterns, and organize the patterns into creational, structural and behavioral categories. Representative design patterns are included in each part, but every single design pattern from the book by Gamma and his associates is not included since these other patterns are not very relevant to ActionScript, plus Gamma's book is considered the definitive reference on the subject.

Each chapter on design patterns is organized in a similar matter both to clarify understanding the purpose of a design pattern and how to use it and to make the book more uniform and therefore well-suited as a reference. The following is the basic outline of each of the chapters on design patterns:

1. What is the pattern?
2. Key features of the pattern
3. The formal model of the pattern including a class diagram
4. Key OOP concepts found in the pattern
5. Minimalist abstract example
6. Applied examples

You will need either Flash CS3 or Flex 2 to work with the program examples in this book. All the applications were developed in Flash IDE, so Flex 2 developers will need to make modifications, especially where certain features were developed using Flash drawing tools and components. A few examples use Flash Media Server 2 (FMS2). Thoe examples can be created using the Developer's version of FMS2 that you can download from Adobe. You will need either a Windows or Linux OS to run Flash Media Server 2. Otherwise, you can skip the examples with FMS2 if you like and not lose much. The following is the detailed table of contents:

Part I. CONSTANT CHANGE
1. Object-Oriented Programming, Design Patterns, and ActionScript 3.0
The Pleasure of Doing Something Well
OOP Basics
Abstraction
Encapsulation
Inheritance
Polymorphism
Principles of Design Pattern Development
Program to Interfaces over Implementations
Favor Composition
Maintenance and Extensibility Planning
Your Application Plan: It Ain't You Babe
Part II. CREATIONAL PATTERNS
2. Factory Method Pattern
What Is the Factory Method Pattern?
Abstract Classes in ActionScript 3.0
Minimalist Example
Hiding the Product Classes
Example: Print Shop
Extended Example: Color Printing
Key OOP Concepts Used in the Factory Method Pattern
Example: Sprite Factory
Example: Vertical Shooter Game
Summary
3. Singleton Pattern
What Is the Singleton Pattern?
Key OOP Concepts Used with the Singleton Pattern
Minimalist Abstract Singleton
When to Use the Singleton Pattern
Summary
Part III. STRUCTURAL PATTERNS
4. Decorator Pattern
What Is the Decorator Pattern?
Key OOP Concepts Used with the Decorator Pattern
Minimalist Abstract Decorator
Applying a Simple Decorator Pattern in Flash: Paper Doll
Decorating - The right and wrong way
Dynamic Selection of Concrete Components and Decorations: A Hybrid Car Dealership
Summary
5. Adapter Pattern
What Is the Adapter Pattern?
Object and Class Adapters
Key OOP Concepts in the Adapter Pattern
Example: Car Steering Adapter
Extended Example: Steering the Car Using a Mouse
Example: List Display Adapter
Extended Example: Displaying the O'Reilly New Books List
Summary
6. Composite Pattern
What Is the Composite Pattern?
Minimalist Example of a Composite Pattern
Key OOP Concepts in the Composite Pattern
Example: Music Playlists
Example: Animating Composite Objects Using Inverse Kinematics
Using Flash's Built-in Composite Structure: the Display List
Summary
Part IV. BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS
7. Command Pattern
What Is the Command Pattern?
Minimalist Example of a Command Pattern
Key OOP Concepts in the Command Pattern
Minimalist Example: Macro Commands
Example: Number Manipulator
Extended Example: Sharing Command Objects
Extended Example: Implementing Undo
Example: Podcast Radio
Extended Example: Dynamic Command Object Assignment
Summary
8. Observer Pattern
What Is the Observer Pattern?
Key OOP Concepts Used with the Observer Pattern
Minimalist Abstract Observer
Example: Adding States and Identifying Users
Dynamically Changing States
Example: Working with Different Data Displays
Summary
9. Template Method Pattern
What Is the Template Method Pattern?
Key OOP Concepts Used with the Template Method
Minimalist Example: Abstract Template Method
Employing Flexibility in the Template Method
Selecting and Playing Sound and Video
Hooking It Up
Summary
10. State Pattern
Design Pattern to Create a State Machine
Key OOP Concepts Used with the State Pattern
Minimalist Abstract State Pattern
Video Player Concrete State Application
Expanding the State Design: Adding States
Adding More States and Streaming Capabilities
Summary
11. Strategy Pattern
What Is the Strategy Pattern?
Key OOP Concepts Used with the Strategy Pattern
Minimalist Abstract State Pattern
Adding More Concrete Strategies and Concrete Contexts
Working with String Strategies
Summary
Part V. MULTIPLE PATTERNS
12. Model-View-Controller Pattern
What Is the Model-View-Controller (MVC) Pattern?
Communication Between the MVC Elements
Embedded Patterns in the MVC
Minimalist Example of an MVC Pattern
Key OOP Concepts in the MVC Pattern
Example: Weather Maps
Extended Example: Infrared Weather Maps
Example: Cars
Custom Views
Adding a Chase Car
Summary
13. Symmetric Proxy Pattern
Simultaneous Game Moves and Outcomes
The Symmetric Proxy Pattern
Key OOP Concepts Used with the Symmetric Proxy
The Player Interface
The Referee
Information Shared Over the Internet
Player-Proxy Classes
Classes and Document Files Support
Summary

Average customer rating:

10 out of 10 - changed the way I developed software - great to have it back
The "agile" story of Visual C++
Many good ideas that others continue to reuse.
Common Sense That Is Not So Common
An Epiphany for Software Developers & Managers

Dynamics of Software Development
Jim McCarthy
Manufacturer: Microsoft Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Programming | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Software | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1556158238

Book Description

Here is the candid collected wisdom of Jim McCarthy, a software industry veteran and the director of the Microsoft Visual C++ development group. In McCarthy's words, "More people have ascended bodily into heaven than have shipped great software on time"; but shipping great software on time can be done, he insists, and this book tells how. DYNAMICS OF SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT is divided into five sections that chart the progress from initial design to successful product. Throughout, McCarthy expresses his sometimes-controversial judgments in witty, memorable maxims, one of which has become the title of the book. Destined to be a cult classic, DYNAMICS OF SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT will get a lot of attention in the industry and cause a favorable stir in the press.

Customer Reviews:

10 out of 10 - changed the way I developed software - great to have it back.......2006-10-02

This book (when first published) formed a major part of the turn towards Agile for me and my development teams in the 1990's.
When I first read Dynamics I realised that software development could become fun and creative again. Building software didn't need to be a trudge through schedules, missed deadlines, working with 'bozos' and finger pointing.
I have used the ideas from Dynamics for over 10 years now in the software development teams I have run, worked with, trained and mentored. In the 1990's I bought multiple copies of this book for the teams I worked with. In those work places it was recommended (in some places compulsory) reading and I believe still should be for many software development teams.
It is fantastic to see this book back in publication and hopefully a new generation of developers will learn to create great products and reach their potential.

Things I love about Dynamics:
1. easy to dip into the book and read a rule (or three) and get value from them without having to read the book from the begining to the end.
2. written from the trenches, at the time of writing it Jim and Michele worked at Microsoft on the Visual C++ team. There are many good stories in the book from the trials and tribulations of that team.
3. common sense writing that often makes you think "Doh! why are we not doing that?"
4. you don't have to buy into everything in the book, take what works for you now and come back later to grab more value when you are ready for it
5. the 4 stages of the development lifecycle partition the rules cleanly
6. all the original content from the first edition is still there

Software For Your Head by Jim and Michele, although full of great ideas, proved hard to read and requires commitment to get to the end. I am very pleased to see the Core protocols and commitments from Software for your Head updated and added to the end of Dynamics. This time the Core is presented in a much easier to digest format.

The "agile" story of Visual C++.......2004-02-05

This books describes Jim McCarthy's story on developing Visual C++ 1.0. The method of development has much in line with the agile development methods at this moment. Quotes like "embrace the change" are now quite common but were less common in 1995.

The book is written in a very funny way. It's not always easy to follow the author but that doesn't really make it much worse. Jim McCarty puts very much effort on the "group psyche" and focus on team work and communication. He tries to describe on how to make a team with a "winning mood" which then should take all responsibility and 'just' finish the product.

Parts like "Group psyche", "Don't flip the bozo bit", "The world changes and so should you" and "slip but don't fall" are extremly good and useful to read! When reading the book I really got the feeling that he knows how to ship great intellectual property. And the success of the Visual C++ compiler also shows that his methods have been very successfull.

The second edition of the book will be released in 2 days from now (6 Feb. 2004) and that's certainly a book which I will read again! Great stuff.

Many good ideas that others continue to reuse........2003-10-31

Despite the occasional lapse into speech resembling the Microsoft line and the relative age of the book, the message this book contains is still applicable. Software development is a very hard, (perhaps the hardest of all), thing to do and humans have yet to master it. McCarthy was a primary manager of the original Microsoft Visual C++ project and when he joined the group, it was in shambles. There was a lack of direction, and contrary too much of the published data, most C programmers had not yet made the transition to coding in C++. While it was true that the developers were using compilers that understood C++ source code, the code they were developing was a slightly modified C code that was translated using a C++ compiler. Under his direction, the Visual C++ team created a package that automated many of the complex, yet largely routine tasks of using C++, doing much to spread the use of the language.
McCarthy has since become an evangelist for sensible software practices, and he has preached his sermons in many locations. The essence of those sermons is condensed into the 54 software development "rules" that appear in this book. Most of them continue to appear in the continuous cycle of books professing to put forward new, (so to speak), ways of developing software. For example, number 18, "Cycle Rapidly", is one of the fundamental principles of Extreme Programming, about which a large number of books have been written. Number 56, "Every milestone deserves a no-blame postmortem.", is the fundamental principle of the book, "Project Retrospectives: A Handbook for Team Reviews" by Norman L. Kerth and published by Dorset House in 2001.
Therefore, since having your ideas repeated by experts who come later is the highest form of confirmation that they are good, there is no doubt that the ideas in this book are well worth reading. I have not investigated the chronology of the main ideas of software development that are currently bandied about, but it is quite possible that some of them first appeared in this book.

Common Sense That Is Not So Common.......2003-09-03

This book delivers great insight into what goes on in software development. Although presented in the context of work performed on Microsoft Visual C++ 1.0, the author does a good job of generalizing specific experience. McCarthy gives us an honest look into the ups and downs without sugar coating or promising silver bullets.

Presented in a format similar to Meyers' "Effective C++" books, the text flows very well and is a pleasure to read. When you read many of the pitfals presented, you may think "Duh!". However, these are things that I see happen regularly. Here are some of the highlights.

Rule #2 "Get Their Heads Into The Game". This sounds like a very simple rule. Everyone on the team needs to be contributing ideas toward creating intellectual property. However, most people know this is easier said than done. McCarthy goes on to explain the barriers to the flow of ideas.

Rule #4 "Don't Flip The Bozo Bit". This rule is necessary to keep #2 working. The author deals with the natural tendency that people have to become defensive when criticism is offered of their ideas. This can actually cause both the critic and the one being criticized to tune each other out. The author suggests that team members call each other on it when the Bozo Bit is being flipped.

Rule #25 "Don't Accept Dictation". This topic is addressed in many other texts, but that fact should tell us that we aren't getting it. McCarthy reminds us that it is foolish to accept dictation of scheudle, features, and resources. The "Holy Triangle" has to be balanced and tradeoffs are required when changing any one of these three. Managers are encouraged to be strong and take a stand when they find themselves in this situation. Eight years after this book was published, I still see this very thing happening. Until something changes, we will continue to see this issue addressed in software management texts.

Rule #31 "Beware Of A Guy In A Room". Software development is a collaborative effort. Don't let people isolate themselves. There is no opportunity for feedback or help when problems arise, and this can derail the project.

The appendix on "Hiring And Keeping Good People" is also very helpful. If you are like most managers, you didn't get to hire most of the people that work for you. Here you will find practical advice for letting your superstars reach their potential and getting something out of everyone.

An Epiphany for Software Developers & Managers.......2003-07-22

For several years I've been aware that the biggest obstacles to overcome in producing high quality software are not technical but psychological. Finally here is a software engineering book that deals effectively with these problems.

Jim McCarthy explains the psychology behind cooperative vs competitive behaviours and gives you practical techniques that you as a software development leader can undertake. People make decisions based upon emotions more often than on intellect; that's a reality.

If you've ever wanted to act as an agent of change, you will know that you fail more often than you succeed and its risky. Giving someone advice that they haven't asked for is tricky.

When management creates an atmosphere where people feel safe about sharing their ideas & creating a shared vision and an evolutionary technology plan, then your group will become as supercharged as a V12 Pratt & Whitney engine!

This book would revolutionize software development if more people read it and understood it. It's great for technical recruiters too. Jim explains how to recognize the super achievers instead of trying to recruit an alphabet soup of acronyms.

Book Description

M->CREATED

Customer Reviews:

About defining and integrating PM processes - not about PM.......2002-06-22

This is not a book about project management per se, but a book about how to integrate project management processes into a large software development organization using analysis based on system dynamics.

If you are not familiar with system dynamics, it's a methodology for studying and managing complex feedback systems using time graphs and causal loops, and more formal analytical methods such as simulation and exploring alternatives in a structured manner.

This book uses those techniques to align project management processes to software development. The best way to determine if this book is right for you is to answer the following questions:

- Is your core business software development?
- Is your organization at approximately the same level as that described by SEI's CMM for level 3 or above?
- Is there a commitment to implement an integrated process that is driven by the executive or board level and does this commitment have a strong sponsor?

If the answer to at least two of the above questions is yes, then this book will be valuable. Also note that some knowledge of system dynamics is assumed. If you need to become familiar with this discipline I recommend "Business Dynamics: Systems Thinking and Modeling for a Complex World" by John D. Sterman. This book addresses system dynamics from public policy and strategy points of view, but will provide a thorough understanding of the subject.

Those who will benefit most from this book are organizations that have found existing PM methodologies to not fully meet objectives. For example, the U.S. standard based on the Project Management Institute's Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) is too generic for software development, and the U.K. standard called PRINCE2 is not as well suited for product-line and software vendor approaches to development. While the PMBOK and PRINCE2 contain processes and procedures that can be used, the system dynamics approach defined in this book gives a method for selecting, evaluating and integrating the processes and procedures borrowed from these two standards. Moreover, since the CMM and related models identify key process areas for project management, they do not prescribe how they are to be implemented. This book will provide the tools and techniques for tailoring the techniques to PM process areas.

Book Description

Server-Side Flash: Scripts, Databases, and Dynamic Development fills an important gap in the Flash book market. With the emergence of e-commerce, no Web site is complete without a back end because the back end is the virtual sales connection. Likewise, complex games are dependent on access to huge sets of data that can be sent in small packages, but getting them in and out of Flash requires knowing how the data can be generated in Flash, how it can be sent out to the servers and how it gets information back from the servers and integrates it into the ongoing game.

While every book on Flash recognizes this new capacity to some extent, none of them have really showed developers how to get the data into and out of Flash and use it effectively. Server-Side Flash gives developers the tools to fully utilize Flash's capacity to communicate with the server side of the Web. PHP/MySQL have over half a million users, ASP has at least as many, and just about every professional Web page now contains at least some JavaScript. Find out how Flash communicates with these other languages and servers with coverage of the use of Macromedia's powerful database Flash product, Generator, and put its use in context with other Flash database techniques and applications.

Customer Reviews:

Note: Book is about Flash 5, not FlashMX or Flash Remoting.......2003-01-30

This isn't a criticism of the book, but pay attention that it's from 2001 and covers Flash 5, NOT the latest Flash MX and its available Flash Remoting technology which offers far easier server-side integration.

Still, the info in the book still has value today to those who have not yet bought Flash MX. Indeed, even if you have Flash Mx, if your server is Perl, PHP, CF5, etc, then the approaches here will work since the new Flash Remoting only works on CFMX, ASP.NET, and select J2EE platforms.

Then again, MX users who do get the book should check out the newer LoadVars object as an alternative to the older but still supported LoadVariables. The approach to processing XML is also vastly improved in MX.

Of course, the book can't be faulted for having come out prior to MX. It's just that since the title doesn't say Flash 5, if you buy the book thinking it's about the latest and greatest ways of doing Flash/server integration, you'd likely be disappointed. Just offering this as a caution.

At Last , a book even a designer can understand........2002-11-23

As a graphics person, I've tried for months to understand scripting and databases with no success, I was just about to throw in the towel and literally go back to the drawing board when I found this book. The authors make these subjects easy to understand and the tutorials are excellent for bridging the graphic person's need to see the concepts in action. I've never written a review before, but this book has finally made me understand and given me the tools to move forward.

A sparse overview.......2002-05-27

When I buy a book, I want a little depth. This book is a decent summary of the Flash backend, but it's nothing you can't readily find on the web. I HIGHLY recommend a more specific approach--e.g Foundation PHP for Flash by Webster .

A complete and easy steps book.......2002-05-16

This book is awesome; it explains how to use Flash integration with the most common used server-side programming languages (PHP, ASP and Perl)...

All separated by parts, and it explains some of the functions and methods of the programming languages, just for letting the reader who doesn't deal with certain server-side languages more confortable to understand it.

Really good book, it solved all my problems with database and server integration with Flash.

Absolutely Brilliant!.......2002-04-19

A massive treasure trove of information that has just saved me countless hours of messing around with Flash. I've read through the first 5 chapters and went through the included examples and that alone has been enough to make me feel comfortable selling backend integration to my clients now, and being able to deliver a Flash site that does more than just look and sound good. There's no ColdFusion here but at five grand for Cold Fusion Sevrver, I'll take the PHP/SQL,ASP,and Perl solutions detailed in this book any day of the week over a book trying to sell me on CF.

Customer Reviews:

Content good, index bad.......2001-10-17

Although I basically agree with the other review of this book, I wanted to point out that the index could use some work. For example, I wanted to find a particular WML tag in the index and couldn't find it. Finally, I noticed that there was an index entry called "WML elements" and the tag I needed was *subindexed* under that.

I think that each tag needs to have a separate entry if the index is going to be seriously useful. In a reference book like this one, it's important.

Quite good.......2001-10-13

A nice book, pretty thorough. Examples were consistent across sections, lots of images and code are helpful. Covers database access and ASP/Java through WAP. Probably the one to keep on the shelf if you are like me and are one of the few actually doing WAP development.

The most comprehensive.......2001-10-10

This is the ONLY book I've been able to find that covers all aspects of mobile development. That it covers HDML and voiceXML is quite nice. There are sections on migrating HDML to WML, and on designing mobile applications, also very helpful.

For my money, this is the WAP book to own. The cover certainly is goofy, though :-).

Well written, accurate and comprehensive.......2001-10-04

My development team is just beginning to work with mobile applications, and I've looked through many of the books on the topic that are available -- this is the best by far. Especially nice is that this book covers a lot of topics *beyond* WAP -- particularly useful is the section on HDML, the markup language the preceded WAP but is still found everywhere. It even includes a section on Voice XML (which has nothing to do with WAP at all) but it was a nice addition.

My only nit-pick is that in some cases the authors tried too hard to be beginner-friendly (is it really necessary to inform the reader that a variable is "a container that holds a piece of information that can change." In spite of this one complaint, the book is useful for beginners and experienced developers alike, has a lot of screen shots and code examples, and provides a broad scope of information.

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