PHP for NonProgrammers (DrupalCon SF 2010)

Today’s Tools
Write code: http://www.codepad.com
Select PHP as the language!
Ask questions:
IRC: irc.freenode.net #php4np
Twitter: php4np
Robert Ristroph is here for you!

PHP For NonProgrammers
Programmer: One who writes computer programs.

NonProgrammer: One who will write PHP code today
while learning Diana’s Five Rules of Programming
and earning geek points.

DrupalCon San Francisco 2010

You Win!
Score more than 5 points during today’s
presentation and win the Grand Prize Geek Award*
(GPGA).

* Four Kitchens’ stickers and the right to change your Facebook language to
English(Pirate).

<?php

/**
* About Me
*/

// also comments
$name = “Diana Montalion Dupuis”;
$fourKitchensWebChef = TRUE;
$numPets = 3;

$currBooks = array(“The World Without Us”, “Outliers”, “Brain Rules”, “Wolf
Hall”);

if ($notWorking == TRUE) {

echo “I’m reading a book or watching football.”;
} else {

echo “I’m writing PHP code.”;
}
?>

Write your own version!

<?php

/** comments
* About Me
*/

// also comments
$fourKitchensWebChef = TRUE;
$numPets = 3;

Hall”);


} else {

}
?>


<?php

/** comments
* About Me
*/

// also comments
$fourKitchensWebChef = TRUE; variables
$numPets = 3;

Hall”);


} else {

}
?>


<?php

/** comments
* About Me
*/

// also comments
$numPets = 3;

Hall”);

array

} else {

}
?>


<?php

/** comments
* About Me
*/

// also comments
$numPets = 3;

Hall”);

array

} else {

echo “I’m writing PHP code.”; conditional
}
?>


What does PHP mean?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PHP

What does PHP mean?
Who cares?!?


What does PHP mean?
Who cares?!?
The question and answer that matter most are the


What does PHP mean?
Who cares?!?
The question and answer that matter most are the

PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor is a widely used, general-purpose scripting language that was originally designed for web development to
produce dynamic web pages. For this purpose, PHP code is embedded into the HTML source document and interpreted by a web server
with a PHP processor module, which generates the web page document. As a general-purpose programming language, PHP code is
processed by an interpreter application in command line mode performing desired operating system operations and producing program
output on its standard output channel. It may also function as a graphical application. PHP is available as a processor for most modern
web servers and as a standalone interpreter on most operating systems and computing platforms.


Diana’s Rule #1

Programming is asking the right questions and coming up with
possible answers.

Diana’s Rule #1
Self educate constantly.

Your sixth-grade English teacher was right - if you
don’t know, look it up. Find places to get help.
Ignore whatever (or whomever) isn’t helpful.

Programming is asking the right questions and coming up with
possible answers.

Are you a Mac || a PC?

I’m a Mac.

Good Places to Start
• W3Schools Tutorial: http://www.w3schools.com/PHP/

• HeadFirst Labs Book: http://headﬁrstlabs.com/books/
hfphp/

hfphp/
• PHP.net (and tutorial): http://php.net/manual/en/
tutorial.php

hfphp/
• PHP.net (and tutorial): http://php.net/manual/en/
tutorial.php
• Pro Drupal Development Book: http://
www.drupalbook.com/

Diana’s Rule #2

How do I get to Carnegie Hall?

Diana’s Rule #2
Write code.


Diana’s Rule #2
Write code.

Writing code is the only thing that teaches you how
to write code.


Write Code!

I recommend TextMate and Coda for Mac, EditPlus and Aptana for PCs

Write Code!
1. Use Codepad or open Notepad (or any other
simple text program).


Write Code!
2. Not Microsoft Word, never ever ever use Word. A
piece of paper and a pen is ﬁne too.


Write Code!
2. Not Microsoft Word, never ever ever use Word. A
piece of paper and a pen is ﬁne too.
2. Write this in the top left-hand corner:


PHP for NonProgrammers (DrupalCon SF 2010)

<?php

/**
* About Me
*/

$name = “Your Name Here”;

echo $name;

?>

Bonus point if you’ve seen the movie more than 5 times.

$name = “Trinity”;

Bonus point if you’ve seen the movie more than 5 times.

Diana’s Rule #3

“Stupid” mistakes are 85% of mistakes you’ll make.

Diana’s Rule #3
You will suffer daily from the Missing Semicolon
Syndrome (MSS).

Forgetting the semicolon is the most common syntax
error. PHP errors will break your site. Don’t panic!
Just ﬁx them.

“Stupid” mistakes are 85% of mistakes you’ll make.

Four PHP Concepts
• Variables: containers for your stuff

Four PHP Concepts
• Arrays: a variable that is a list, or a list of lists

Four PHP Concepts
• Conditionals: the brains of your operation

Four PHP Concepts
• Conditionals: the brains of your operation
• Functions: little blocks of “do stuff”

Variables
• begin with the ‘$’ symbol

Variables
• should be aptly named

Variables
• come in 8 different ﬂavors

Variables
• come in 8 different ﬂavors
• are assigned a value using =

8 Types of Variables
• Boolean: $fourKitchensWebChef = TRUE;

• Integer: $numPets = 3;

• Float: $pie = 3.1416;

• Float: $pie = 3.1416;
• String: $hobbies = “I enjoy hiking.”;

• Float: $pie = 3.1416;
• String: $hobbies = “I enjoy hiking.”;
• Array: $currBooks = array(“The World Without Us”,
“Outliers”, “Brain Rules”, “Wolf Hall”);

And The Rest
Variables we won’t discuss (much) today:

And The Rest
• Object: $node->id

And The Rest
• Resource: the database connection, for example

And The Rest
• Resource: the database connection, for example
• NULL

1 point for the group name, 1 point each for individual
names

$montyPython = array(“TerryG”, “John”,
“Michael”, “TerryJ”, “Eric”, “Graham”);

1 point for the group name, 1 point each for individual
names

Arrays

array keys start with 0

Arrays
$myPets = array(“Maya”, “Cloe”, “August”);

echo $myPets[0];


Maya

Arrays

echo $myPets[0];


Foreach is your friend

foreach ($myPets as $pet) {
echo $pet;
echo “<br />”;
}
// $pet is a variable you create

Maya
Cloe
August

Foreach is your friend

foreach ($myPets as $pet) {
echo $pet;
echo “<br />”;
}
// $pet is a variable you create

Keys and Values
$actor = array(
‘name’ => “John Cleese”,
‘nickname’ => “Bruce”,
‘job’ => “Minister of Silly Walks”,
);
echo $actor[‘nickname’];

this is very common in Drupal coding

Bruce

Keys and Values
$actor = array(
‘name’ => “John Cleese”,
‘nickname’ => “Bruce”,
‘job’ => “Minister of Silly Walks”,
);
echo $actor[‘nickname’];

this is very common in Drupal coding

<?php

/**
* About Me
*/


$yourList = array(“Thing1”, “Thing2”, “Thing3”);

?>


<?php

/**
* About Me add some
*/ variables



?>


<?php

/**
* About Me add some
*/ variables


add an array
?>


TRUE || FALSE

Bonus point if you shout “Janeway!”

TRUE || FALSE

TRUE

Bonus point if you shout “Janeway!”

Symbols to Know

More: http://www.w3schools.com/PHP/php_operators.asp

Symbols to Know
• Assignment: =


Symbols to Know
• Assignment: =
• AND: &&


Symbols to Know
• Assignment: =
• AND: &&
• OR: ||


Symbols to Know
• Assignment: =
• AND: &&
• OR: ||
• Greater and Less Than: > <


Symbols to Know
• Assignment: =
• AND: &&
• OR: ||
• Greater and Less Than: > <
• Is Equal To: ==


Let’s Talk Boolean
• My name is Diana

• My name is Diana && I own a motorcycle

• My name Diana || I am younger than 29

• My name Diana || I am younger than 29
• (My name is Diana || I am younger than 29) && I
own a motorcycle

$myMotorcycle = “BMW F650GS”;

Conditionals are Control
if ($captain == “Picard”) {
echo “Make it so, Number One.”;
} elseif ($captain == “Kirk”) {
echo “Two to beam up.”;
} else {
echo “Please state the nature of your medical
emergency.”;
}

<?php

/**
* Boolean Example
*/

$captain = “Janeway”;

} else {
echo “Please state the nature of your medical emergency.”;

?>

There is an MSS issue in this code, can you ﬁnd it? Hint: }

<?php Please state the nature of your medical
emergency.
/**
* Boolean Example
*/

$captain = “Janeway”;

} else {

?>


<?php Please state the nature of your medical
emergency.
/**
* Boolean Example
*/

$captain = “Janeway”; MSS ALERT!
} else {

?>


<?php

/**
* About Me
*/



if (variable == something && variable == something) {

print “A clever sentence”;
}

?>


<?php

/**
* About Me
*/
variables



}

?>


<?php

/**
* About Me
*/
variables



}
add a conditional
?>


A bonus point if you’ve read the book && seen the movie

Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya.
You killed my father. Prepare to
die.

A bonus point if you’ve read the book && seen the movie

Functions
Functions encapsulate code that does a speciﬁc task.
The function can be called whenever the task needs
to be performed.

Tutorial: http://www.tizag.com/phpT/phpfunctions.php

// call the function to count the ﬁngers
$killHim = isSixFingeredMan($numFingers);

if ($killHim) {
echo “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my
father. Prepare to die.”;
}

/**
* Returns true if number of ﬁngers is 6
*/
function isSixFingeredMan($numFingers) {
if ($numFingers == 6) {
return TRUE;
} else {
return FALSE;
}
}

call
if ($killHim) {
}

/**
*/
return TRUE;
} else {
return FALSE;
}
}

call
if ($killHim) {
}

/**
*/
return TRUE;
} else { function
return FALSE;
}
}

call
if ($killHim) {
} continue on
/**
*/
return TRUE;
} else { function
return FALSE;
}
}

Function Facts
• include the word “function”

Function Facts

Function Facts
• can accept one or more parameters

Function Facts
• can return something

Function Facts
• should be used for repeated tasks and to organize
logic

Function Facts
• should be used for repeated tasks and to organize
logic
• can be public or private

<?php

/**
* Function Fun
*/

$yourVariable = “Something”;
$returnedVariable = NULL;

$returnedVariable = yourFunction($yourVariable);
echo $returnedVariable;

public function yourFunction($yourVariable) {

$greeting = “Here’s a sentence containing “. $yourVariable;

return $greeting;
}

?>


<?php

/**
* Function Fun
*/

$yourVariable = “Something”; deﬁne a variable




return $greeting;
}

?>


<?php

/**
* Function Fun
*/


call your function


return $greeting;
}

?>


<?php

/**
* Function Fun
*/


call your function


return $greeting;
}
add a function
?>


<?php

/**
* Function Fun
*/





return $greeting;
}
add a function
?>


<?php

/**
* Function Fun
*/


continue on


return $greeting;
}
add a function
?>


<?php Here’s a sentence containing Something.
/**
* Function Fun
*/


continue on


return $greeting;
}
add a function
?>


What does he do for a living?

Score one point for each title you can name

Diana’s Rule #4

Practice makes a programmer.

Diana’s Rule #4
Read and dissect (good) code.

Practice makes a programmer.

Diana’s Rule #5

http://drupal.org/node/287350

Diana’s Rule #5
Follow best practices.

Like the rules of the road, best practices prevent
(coding) accidents. They also make you a likable
person.

http://drupal.org/node/287350

Browser Points

Modern Browsers Only!

Browser Points
• +10: Firefox && (Chrome || Opera)


Browser Points
• +8: Firefox && (IE 7 || IE 8 || Safari)


Browser Points
• +5: Firefox


Browser Points
• +5: Firefox
• +3: IE 7 || IE 8


Browser Points
• +5: Firefox
• +3: IE 7 || IE 8
• +1: Safari


Browser Points
• +5: Firefox
• +3: IE 7 || IE 8
• +1: Safari
• -3,890,745: IE 6


Diana’s Five Rules
1. Constantly self educate.
2. Write code.
3. Accept Missing Semicolon Syndrome gracefully.
4. Read and dissect (good) code.
5. Follow best practices.

diana@fourkitchens.com

Take the Survey
http://sf2010.drupal.org/conference/schedule

PHP for NonProgrammers (DrupalCon SF 2010)

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