By Cromicon on

Nope, this isn't another post about trying Drupal for the first time, I already have two sites with it with one under development. This post is about taking the plunge into actually learning PHP and MySQL for real instead of my random copy / paste method! (tm) ;-)

I have to say I'm really quite impressed with the course I'm on. It's taken me through setting up a local Apache server, MySQL and installing PHP already and after only a day I've covered:

Installation and configuration of required software (as above), Basic Syntax, Sending Data, Understanding PHP and HTML whitespace, Writing Comments, Using Variables, Using Strings, Using Numbers, Using Constants, Using single and double quotation marks, Creating HTML forms, Handling HTML forms, Managing Magic Quotes and Conditionals.

I really hope to get to grips with all of this so that I can contribute more fully than reporting issues. One day I'd like to produce patches and even modules!

If anyone is interested and I hope this isn't against any forum rules, the site for online learning I am using is www.itdatacorp.com

Maybe other folk know of other tutorial sites? :-)

Comments

jondoesdrupal’s picture

jondoesdrupal commented

I found this site when I was trying to get my head around joins and thought this guy's tutorials were pretty good.......

http://www.keithjbrown.co.uk/vworks/mysql/mysql_p1.php

Max Bell’s picture

Max Bell commented

Pardon in advance if the suggestion seems a bit pedantic, but http://www.w3schools.com/default.asp -- covers a lot of territory with reasonable depth, for free.

I have to admit, though -- I'm very impressed with the link you posted, have bookmarked it and plan to audit one of their free classes to see how I like it. The one I suspect you were referring to sounds pretty decent.

I have to ask, did you spring for the year's "live" assistance? I can totally see blowing the $60 on pretty much any class, since for another 35, you get access to someone you can pester for a year with inane newb questions. I'll sit on hold for thirty minutes so a level one can tell me to scandisk and upgrade my drivers because I'm quite adept at getting my issues escalated and if the third level doesn't have any interesting ideas, heck. I've arrived and I'll be a coder anyways.

Very cool find; thanks for posting it and please, if you have the time, I'd be very interested in whatever other impressions you've formed so far.

Cromicon’s picture

Cromicon commented

Great links. I'll definately be using the w3schools one as my CSS and XHTML needs brushing up.

@jondoesdrupal I had a look at that link and now have it bookmarked for when I reach that stage, thanks a lot!

@Max Bell Yes, I opted for the Live Assistance option, I haven't had need to use it just yet so I don't really know what the response time will be, hopefully it will be good as they do have announcements when it's going to be unavailable due to Public Holidays in the States...that indicates to me they do take it seriously. I am prepared to eat my words though!

After looking at the other courses linked here, the impression I have so far of the PHP / MySQL course is that it is aimed at the person with general knowledge of the subject but isn't quite sure how it links together. The pieces are all falling into place for me now though. I find the tone and pace of the course just right and even though it's not free I think it's money well spent so far. The walkthrough of setting up Apache and configuring it to work with MySQL and the PHP installation at the beginning of the course was value for money in my mind.

Thanks for comments so far. Any more link ideas folks?