Useful Books and Software

Hall has distilled his years of Perl experience into a book for Perl programmers that is both fluid and fun to read. It's somewhat like reading the Perl FAQ; even when you think you know everything, there's so much you don't know.

Effective Perl Programming has a clear layout: the text is easy on the eyes and the monospaced font makes a clear distinction between backticks and single quotes. Hall uses his PEGS (PErl Graphical Structures) notation to show the difference between Perl's different types of data structures and how everything ties together.

Packed with great examples and code snippets, this book is an excellent source of tips and tricks to make your Perl programs faster and easier to read. You'll also find a strong section on using the Perl debugger to improve your Perl programming skills. In yet another section, Hall walks the reader through the creation of a complete XS module that can boost the performance of array shuffling eight-fold. All in all, this is a great book for programmers who want to move beyond plain, verbose Perl toward a more succinct and powerful coding style.

The book on Perl that experienced Perl programmers have been looking for, Effective Perl Programming explains idiomatic Perl, covering the latest release (Version 5). It includes information and useful examples about the structure, functions, and latest capabilities of the language, such as self-documenting object-oriented modules. Learn from Hall's answers to "real life" questions and problems he receives from newsgroups and his Perl seminars.

Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
Authors: Joseph N. Hall, Randal Schwartz
Release Date: 1998-01-09
ISBN/EAN: 0201419750 / 9780201419757

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• Install, configure, and troubleshoot a testing environment with PHP/MySQL and Apache or IIS
• Learn the fundamentals of PHP and good database design
• Use Dreamweaver 8 server behaviors to create robust dynamic applications that validate user input for greater security and reliability
• Incorporate live XML feeds into your web pages with PHP and Dreamweaver 8s new XSL Transformation server behavior
• Download and apply a suite of custom-built PHP functions designed exclusively for this book

• Introduction
• Chapter 1: So, You Want to Build Dynamic Sites?
• Chapter 2: Dreamweaver and PHPA Productive Partnership
• Chapter 3: Getting the Work Environment Ready
• Chapter 4: Getting Ready for the Case Study
• Chapter 5: Integrating PHP into Your Site
• Chapter 6: Getting Feedback from an Online Form
• Chapter 7: Putting the Power of a Database
• Chapter 8: Building a Random Quotation Generator
• Chapter 9: Working with Multiple Tables
• Chapter 10: Using Sessions to Track
• Chapter 11: Displaying a Blog and Photo Gallery
• Chapter 12: Using XSLT to Display Live News Feeds and XML
• Appendix A: Using Languages Other Than English in MySQL
• Appendix B: Essential MySQL Maintenance
• Index

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First, the book outlines the basics of creating and running Perl scripts. (Though this is a Unix-centered approach, the examples will run on Windows NT as well.) Early in the text, the author introduces variables, both scalar and arrays, and basic programming statements (such as conditional statements and looping). He presents the rudiments of using regular expressions and basic Perl metacharacters and commands for searching and replacing text in manageable increments. The author also does a good job of showing how Perl can work together effectively with other Unix commands, such as files and pipes, and operating features, such as processes.

The book is less successful at exposing the intricacies of object-oriented Perl (a difficult topic). However, it is good at explaining some of the pitfalls of Perl programming, including debugging. Other interesting chapters explain topics such as where Perl programming fits into the Internet and why Perl will likely continue to play an important role on the Web. Chapters throughout this book are short and sweet and include simple exercises so that readers can try out Perl on their own. Although no single book can make you into a Perl guru, this tutorial can start you on your way to becoming a competent Perl developer.

The clear, step-by-step instructions in Perl 5 Interactive Course, Certified Edition, teach you how to develop sophisticated Net applications and Web sites using the flexible power of Perl. From simple tasks like writing loops and opening files to advanced topics such as networking, generating graphics, and linking Perl and C, these hands-on lessons show you how it's done.Throw your Internet connection into the mix and you'll have free access to the eZone, the innovative Web-based learning center from Waite Group Press. You'll get expert help from the pros, interactive quizzes for immediate feedback, dedicated discussion groups for interaction with other students, certification, and even optional continuing education units (for a nominal fee). This isn't just a book; it's a Web-based learning center.

• Provides the opportunity to earn 3 Continuing Education Units from Marquette University
• Updated edition covers the latest version of Perl
• Web-based components include online mentors to answer specific questions, interactive testing for immediate feedback, discussion groups for student interaction and more
• CD-ROM includes Microsoft Internet Explorer, the latest Perl source code and all the binaries needed to run Perl on any platform

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Originally created as a powerful text processing tool, Perl has since evolved into a multi-purpose, multi-platform language capable of implementing a variety of tasks such as system administration, CGI and network programming, XML processing, and more. Beginning Perl, Second Edition provides valuable insight into Perls role regarding all of these tasks and more.

Commencing with a comprehensive overview of language basics, you'll learn all about important concepts such as Perl's data types and control flow constructs. This material sets the stage for a discussion of more complex topics, such as writing custom functions, using regular expressions, and file input and output. Next, we move on to the advanced topics of object oriented programming, modules, CGI programming, and database administration with Perls powerful database interface module, DBI. The examples and code provided offer you all of the information you need to start writing your own powerful scripts to solve the problems listed above, and many more.

Whether you are a complete novice or an experienced programmer, Beginning Perl, Second Edition offers an ideal guide to learning Perl.

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And you can find many of those answers right here in "Perl Hacks," Like all books in O'Reilly's Hacks Series, "Perl Hacks" appeals to a variety of programmers, whether you're an experienced developer or a dabbler who simply enjoys exploring technology. Each hack is a short lesson--some are practical exercises that teach you essential skills, while others merely illustrate some of the fun things that Perl can do. Most hacks have two parts: a direct answer to the immediate problem you need to solve right now and a deeper, subtler technique that you can adapt to other situations. Learn how to add CPAN shortcuts to the Firefox web browser, read files backwards, write graphical games in Perl, and much more.

For your convenience, "Perl Hacks" is divided by topic--not according to any sense of relative difficulty--so you can skip around and stop at any hack you like. Chapters include: Productivity Hacks User Interaction Data Munging Working with Modules Object Hacks Debugging

Whether you're a newcomer or an expert, you'll find great value in "Perl Hacks," the only Perl guide that offers something useful and fun for everyone.

Publisher: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
Authors: chromatic, Damian Conway, Curtis "Ovid" Poe
Release Date: 2006-05-08
ISBN/EAN: 0596526741 / 9780596526740

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