Database-Driven Web Development: Learn to Operate at a Professional Level with PERL and MySQL

This book will teach you the essential knowledge required to be a successful and productive web developer with the ability to produce cutting-edge websites utilizing a database. This updated edition starts with the fundamentals of web development before delving into Perl and MySQL concepts such as script and database modelling, script-driven database interactions, content generation from a database, and information delivery from the server to the browser and vice versa. The only skills required to get the most from this book are basic knowledge of how the Internet works and a novice skill level with Perl and MySQL. The rest is intuitively presented code that most people can quickly and easily understand and employ. An extensive selection of practical, fully functional programming constructs in six different programming languages will give you the knowledge and tools required to create eye-catching, capable, and functionally impressive database-driven websites. Author Thomas Valentine has taken the concepts presented in the first edition of this book to new heights, offering in-depth discussions of each area of functionality required to develop fully formed database-driven web applications. He has expanded on the examples presented in the first edition and has included some very interesting and useful programming techniques for your consideration. Upon completing this book, you’ll have gained the benefit of the author’s decades worth of experience and will be able to apply your new knowledge and skills to your own projects. What You Will Learn Install, configure and use a trio of software packages (Apache Web Server, MySQL Database Server, and Perl Scripting Server) Create an effective web development workstation with databases in mind Use the PERL scripting language and MySQL databases effectively Maximize the Apache Web Server Who This Book Is For Those who already know web development basics and web developers who want to master database-driven web development. The skills required to understand the concepts put forth in this book are a working knowledge of PERL and basic MySQL. Table of Contents About the Author About the Technical Reviewer Chapter 1: Database-Driven Web Development Fundamentals The Evolution of the Database-Driven Approach How to Spot a Database-Driven Website The Website Address (URL) Differing Content Areas Adding Search Features Username and Password Considerations Protect a Directory with .htaccess Files Where and When to Use a Database Web Hosting Fundamentals The Shared Server The VPS Server The Dedicated Server Email Options Secure Transactions Plesk or cPanel? Hard Drive Space and Data Transfer Limits Resellers Installing Perl Modules File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Clients File Rights and Permissions Obtaining Your Path Statement with printenv.pl Summary Chapter 2: Perl CGI and MySQL Essentials CGI Primer HTTP Methods The GET Method The POST Method Running Perl CGI Programs CPAN.bat The Perl Package Manager Including the CGI Module in Your Script Manager Using the param() Method Obtaining Calling IP Address Making System Calls Error Handling CGI::Carp Where and When to Use Error Handling Handle Your Errors The External HTML Content Template Printing Your Dynamic Content to the Browser Perl and MySQL Basics Selecting One Database Item into One Variable Selecting a Piece of Data Using the Three-Step Method Selecting a Piece of Data Using the Two-Step Method Selecting a Piece of Data Using the One-Step Method Selecting Many Database Items into Many Variables Selecting Many Database Items into One Array Selecting Many Pieces of Information Using a WHERE Clause Selecting Many Items to Many Arrays Inserting Many Database Items from One Array Using a foreach Loop to Insert from an Array Inserting Many Database Items from Many Arrays Using a foreach Loop to Insert Many Items from Many Arrays Summary Chapter 3: Essential MySQL Skills MySQL Column and Index Types Integer Column Types Floating-Point Column Types Character String Column Types BLOB Column Types Enumeration or Set Column Types Time Column Types Perl and MySQL Functions Review Creating Tables Loops The while() Loop The foreach() Loop Pushing an Array Gathering Content Ordering Your Arrays: Perl reverse() vs. MySQL ASC or DESC Links and Parameters Summary Chapter 4: Nuts and Bolts Date and Time Formatting Website Parameters Catching the Parameters Processing the Parameters Loading Your Links Gathering the Information Constructing the End Array The External Content Template Printing the End Array Using the CGI::Carp Module Username and Password Maintenance Per-User Usage Statistics Deleting Tables Deleting Rows Uploading Files Managing Images and Files Summary Chapter 5: Understanding the Document Object Model (DOM) The DOM Statement Understanding the Document Statement Hierarchy The ID and CLASS Selectors and a DOM Statement Accessing CSS Rules via DOM Using DOM Arrays Accessing the Array Items Summary Chapter 6: Practical JavaScript Concepts and Projects Turning Visibility On and Off Change the Background Color of an Element An onLoad Event Trigger Use “this” to Change Colors Switching Images on the Fly Change HTML Code Using innerHTML Change the Position of a Page Element Using onMouseMove Using onLoad and onUnload Making Text Bigger Change the Background Color of an “input” Field Change the Text Color of an “input” Field Change the Background Image of an “input” Field Select All of the Check Boxes in a Form Select the Background Color of a Submit Button Change the Text Color of a Submit Button Insert a Background Image on a Button Change the Background Color of a Drop-Down List Change the Text Color of a Drop-Down List Change the Background Color of a Textarea Element Insert a Background Image into a Textarea Element Preload and Store an Image Changing the Size of an Image Changing the Source of an Image Changing the Position of an Image Changing the Background Image An Image Viewer A Digital Clock A Drop-Down Menu Create Inset or Outset Border Buttons A Description Menu Create a Description Box for an Image A Sliding Horizontal Menu A Click-Driven Horizontal Sliding Menu Return the Cursor’s Coordinates Make Your Text Follow the Cursor Summary Chapter 7: Installing and Using the Perl Server Where’s Perl? Preparing Your Workstation Installing the Perl Server Topics to Consider Perl Is Always Ready Installing Perl Modules CPAN.bat The Perl Package Manager (PPM) Commonly Used Perl Modules Summary Chapter 8: Installing and Using the MySQL Database Server Locating and Downloading the MySQL Server Binaries What’s a Beta? Preparing Your Workstation Installing the MySQL Server Start the MySQL Server Summary Chapter 9: Installing and Using the Apache Web Server Handling Errors Downloading and Installing the Apache Web Server Binaries Allowing Changes to Your Operating System Apache and DBI.pm Starting the Apache Server Startup on a Windows Operating System Stopping or Restarting the Server Stopping the Apache Server Restarting the Apache Server, Gracefully Reviewing Runtime Configuration Directives Setting the Server Root Setting the Server Name Setting the Document Root Setting the CGI-BIN Location Summary Chapter 10: Scripted Email: Using sendmail Setting the Stage Summary Chapter 11: A Database-Driven Menu System How Do Drop-down Menus Work? create.pl populate.pl page.cgi menu.html Code Block One Begin Code Block Two Code Block Three Begin Code Block Four Summary Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Index