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For 2023 (and 2024 ...) - we are now fully retired from IT training.
We have made many, many friends over 25 years of teaching about Python, Tcl, Perl, PHP, Lua, Java, C and C++ - and MySQL, Linux and Solaris/SunOS too. Our training notes are now very much out of date, but due to upward compatability most of our examples remain operational and even relevant ad you are welcome to make us if them "as seen" and at your own risk.

Lisa and I (Graham) now live in what was our training centre in Melksham - happy to meet with former delegates here - but do check ahead before coming round. We are far from inactive - rather, enjoying the times that we are retired but still healthy enough in mind and body to be active!

I am also active in many other area and still look after a lot of web sites - you can find an index ((here))
Efficient PHP applications - framework and example

There are many elements to your on line application - there's the "look" (1), the "feel" (2), the algorithms behind it (3), and the way the whole thing is bolted together (4).

1. The look may be shared across all the pages of your web site.

2. The feel you choose to use may be shared across all your online applications, perhaps numerous web sites, but not be applicable to "flat" pages.

3. The algorithms are likely to be shared by a selection of applications, some of which may run in a batch (crontab) type environment that don't share the look and feel.

4. The controlling logic that ties the whole application together will be unique, but will aways be based on the following steps as it moves from one page to the next:
• read in any "session" or "shopping cart" information
• read and validate form fields from the form JUST COMPLETED and in the process work out which page is to be displayed next
• perform any general calculation and logging tasks needed for each page processed
• prepare for the next page / form that's to be displayed
• save away and shopping cart / session data that's to be retained
• send out the next page.

A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of spending a little time listening to Rasmus Lerdorf - the author of PHP - as he gave an advanced tutorial session; he was talking of a similar 4 layer model to my description at the beginning of this piece, and I have used similar for numerous applications since - indeed I have my own standard "feel" file that's used pretty much all over the place. It's wonderful in that I can employ techniques such as sticky fields, and do all my handling of characters such as &, <, ", ' and > in a single place which has been fully tested and should be fairly bullet proof.

I awoke early on Christmas morn. Perhaps you did too? The sound of reindeer in the distance as Santa rode past from one good child's house to the next? No - it was the rain against the window and a feeling that I really ought to provide a good, updated example of the four layer model. And I got the inspiration!

The Top Layer - in which the whole is tied together - is a PHP file in which you can see all the steps laid down can be seen (source code) here. This is element "4" in my description.

The Business Logic - also in PHP contains the meat of the calculations and application-specific validation. In a demonstration, there's very little to this, but you can see the code here - element 3 in my description.

The Web Helpers - again in PHP - are the functions that provide form support, sticky fields, secure handling of nasty characters - element 2 in my description and available for my demonstration here in source code.

The Feel of the page - written in HTML, but with Javascript, CSS and other bits too - is the final element. It's in the form of a template where I have used placeholders of the form '%[[:alnum:]]%' [Regular expression] to signify where the template is to be completed by the web helpers, using results generated by the business logic in an order controlled by the top layer. See the template here.

I have that code running on our web site - link here - so that you can see how it works.

But this code is - just a demonstration; the power comes in the re-use of the formula. Come the 26th, I was testing a new incident book system for our internal use for reporting anything from scuff marks that need repainting, to making notes of special dietary requirements or letting everyone know that we're running out of Moroccan Chicken. Really was written rather quickly. And you're welcome to look through the public records too ... see a practical (in terms of use) and practical (in terms or writing speed) and practical (in terms of maintainability) system too. Perhaps I should wait until later in the year to show you a secure booking system? I know I've only got a couple of days, but that's plenty isn't it?
(written 2007-12-28, updated 2007-12-30)

 
Associated topics are indexed as below, or enter http://melksh.am/nnnn for individual articles
H116 - Shopping Cart Application in PHP
  [1321] Resetting session based tests in PHP - (2007-08-26)
  [1623] PHP Techniques - a workshop - (2008-04-26)
  [1634] Kiss and Book - (2008-05-07)
  [3820] PHP sessions - a best practice teaching example - (2012-07-27)

H115 - Designing PHP-Based Solutions: Best Practice
  [123] Short underground journeys and a PHP book - (2004-11-19)
  [237] Crossfertilisation, PHP to Python - (2005-03-06)
  [261] Putting a form online - (2005-03-29)
  [340] Code and code maintainance efficiency - (2005-06-08)
  [394] A year on - should we offer certified PHP courses - (2005-07-28)
  [426] Robust checking of data entered by users - (2005-08-27)
  [563] Merging pictures using PHP and GD - (2006-01-13)
  [572] Giving the researcher power over database analysis - (2006-01-22)
  [839] Reporting on the 10 largest files or 10 top scores - (2006-08-20)
  [896] PHP - good coding practise and sticky radio buttons - (2006-10-17)
  [936] Global, Superglobal, Session variables - scope and persistance in PHP - (2006-11-21)
  [945] Code quality counts - (2006-11-26)
  [1047] Maintainable code - some positive advice - (2007-01-21)
  [1052] Learning to write secure, maintainable PHP - (2007-01-25)
  [1166] Back button - ensuring order are not submitted twice (PHP) - (2007-04-28)
  [1181] Good Programming practise - where to initialise variables - (2007-05-09)
  [1182] Painting a masterpiece in PHP - (2007-05-10)
  [1194] Drawing hands on a clock face - PHP - (2007-05-19)
  [1323] Easy handling of errors in PHP - (2007-08-27)
  [1381] Using a MySQL database to control mod_rewrite via PHP - (2007-10-06)
  [1389] Controlling and labelling Google maps via PHP - (2007-10-13)
  [1390] Converting from postal address to latitude / longitude - (2007-10-13)
  [1391] Ordnance Survey Grid Reference to Latitude / Longitude - (2007-10-14)
  [1482] A story about benchmarking PHP - (2007-12-23)
  [1490] Software to record day to day events and keep an action list - (2007-12-31)
  [1533] Short and sweet and sticky - PHP form input - (2008-02-06)
  [1694] Defensive coding techniques in PHP? - (2008-07-02)
  [1794] Refactoring - a PHP demo becomes a production page - (2008-09-12)
  [2199] Improving the structure of your early PHP programs - (2009-05-25)
  [2221] Adding a newsfeed for your users to a multipage PHP application - (2009-06-06)
  [2430] Not just a PHP program - a good web application - (2009-09-29)
  [2679] How to build a test harness into your PHP - (2010-03-16)
  [3539] Separating program and artwork in PHP - easier maintainance, and better for the user - (2011-12-05)
  [3813] Injection Attacks - PHP, SQL, HTML, Javascript - and how to neutralise them - (2012-07-22)
  [3926] Filtering PHP form inputs - three ways, but which should you use? - (2012-11-18)
  [4069] Even early on, separate out your program from your HTML! - (2013-04-25)
  [4118] We not only teach PHP and Python - we teach good PHP and Python Practice! - (2013-06-18)
  [4326] Learning to program - comments, documentation and test code - (2014-11-22)
  [4641] Using an MVC structure - even without a formal framework - (2016-02-07)
  [4691] Real life PHP application using our course training MVC example - (2016-06-05)

G996 - Well House Consultants - Newsletter Scripts
  [1001] .pdf files - upload via PHP, store in MySQL, retrieve - (2006-12-19)
  [1066] Final, Finally and Finalize - three special words in Java - (2007-02-05)
  [1123] mysqldump and mysqlrestore - (2007-03-30)
  [1217] What are factory and singleton classes? - (2007-06-04)
  [1387] Error logging to file not browser in PHP - (2007-10-11)
  [1505] Script to present commonly used images - PHP - (2008-01-13)
  [1601] Replacing the last comma with an and - (2008-04-04)
  [1665] Factory method example - Perl - (2008-06-04)
  [1743] First class functions in Lua lead to powerful OO facilities - (2008-08-07)
  [1813] Ajax - going Asyncronous and what it means - (2008-09-28)
  [1954] mod_rewrite for newcomers - (2008-12-20)
  [2046] Finding variations on a surname - (2009-02-17)
  [2145] Using the internet to remotely check for power failure at home (PHP) - (2009-04-29)
  [2259] Grouping rows for a summary report - MySQL and PHP - (2009-06-27)
  [2360] Error Handling in Lua with assert and pcall - (2009-08-13)
  [2433] Controlling, supressing, enabling PHP error messages - (2009-10-02)
  [2539] Changing Images - (2009-12-17)
  [3179] Oops - I typed ci not vi, and have lost my file ... - (2011-02-21)


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Some other Articles
Apple Mac Operating System OS X - code names and version numbers
Pictures of December
New trainee laptop fleet for our Open Source courses
Efficient PHP applications - framework and example
Does anyone understand Lithuanian?
Copyright and theft of images, bandwidth and members.
A christmas message
What have hotels and bananas got in common?
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This is a page archived from The Horse's Mouth at http://www.wellho.net/horse/ - the diary and writings of Graham Ellis. Every attempt was made to provide current information at the time the page was written, but things do move forward in our business - new software releases, price changes, new techniques. Please check back via our main site for current courses, prices, versions, etc - any mention of a price in "The Horse's Mouth" cannot be taken as an offer to supply at that price.

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