Getting started with php, need advice.

[Elias Montoya]

 Hello Guys,

Last night i was taking a look at php (because PBCC cgi's are not allowed by  my web host),
and i think its pretty simple and strightforward.

So i plan to start converting a cgi i have to php. Now, the question is, Do you guys recomend
a specific php editor? will notepad do? something to test them locally? any advice you might have?

Any input is greatly appreciated.

Thanx!

[Brian Chirgwin]

I recommend UltraStudio http://www.ultraedit.com/ for more than just php.

Free trial. UltraEdit is a little cheaper, but has fewer features.

[Rolf Brandt]

I am using PSPad for php, it is free. You might want to give it a try.

http://www.pspad.com/

[Ivan Iraola]

I use Notepad++, not only for PHP but also JavaScript.

It's free, lots of features and small.

[Roger Garstang]

Notepad++ is nice. Helped me out a lot with nested brackets and parenthesis issues. HTML Kit is also pretty good for HTML...although it doesn't help with PHP as much other than highlighting. PSPad looks interesting too, going to download it now.

As far as PHP books go, the Larry Ullman books are all very good. I bought [PPH for the Web: Visual Quickstart Guide] and really enjoyed it. I looked at all of them and it had the most range covered without focus on just one thing like MySQL, etc. After reading it I mostly just use the CHM files for PHP and MySQL now and get great results.

[Rolf Brandt]

You might want to check this site:

http://www.w3schools.com/php/default.asp

Lots of code, tutorials, and examples.

[Elias Montoya]

 Hello guys, thank you for all the input! i tested all therecommendations and for now im settled with PSPad,
i think its nice and hasnt given me any troubles in the couple days i have worked with it. In case of problems
i have options.

Rolf, thats the same link i am using since tuesday! I guess they are the best choice to learn Php.

Well, everything is going well, Php is a slightly diferent language but not hard at all. Just less forgiving, specially
when you forget to add those pesky ; characters.

As for MySQL, i love the funcionality in php. After only 3 days and i am already kind of fluent in php language.
Its kind of like c.

Anyway, maybe i am doing things wrong, but i am storing forms in a MySQL TEXT field, from there i just load them and modify them as i need. This is more or less what i was doing in PBCC, but instead of storing the form in a database, i stored them in resources.

Is this an acceptable way to do it or is there a best way?


Edit:
I typed SQLite instead of MySQL twice! 

[Elias Montoya]

Hello, i need to compile my php scripts, any recommendations?

[Rolf Brandt]

This looks good to me:

http://www.zzee.com/phpexe/?r=google&group=1&ad=2

Haven't tried it though.