I'm kind of bummed about this book. In the first few Chapters (the only ones I've read so far) there are a hand full of errors, both grammatical and in code. Then, when I got to the end of chapter two and wanted to see how they tackled the exercises: the book used code that wasn't introduced yet... not to mention it didn't work. I'm going through again and highlighting all the mistakes so I can post them. They were so blatant that I thought somebody else would have posted them. They used "explode()" in the second chapter's exercise which doesn't get introduced until page 434. Then the "solution" to the second exercise doesn't even work. Anyway, just wanted to see what everybody else thought.

Simply....yes.

I expect some of those errors and discrepancies from other publishers, but have not had such lack of attention to detail with Wrox.

And yet the Errata and Code updates are blank?? C'mon!!

I havent tackled the book your reading but I have encountered problems in others. Im not an expect php programmer but i logically understand it all. It seems as if there are complete sections missing and I've even encountered errors in coding in 2 different source releases. I guess I have to hand code now. Nice

There are really a lot of erros in the code. Mostly HTML errors as far as I encountered (thank goodness; that's easy to correct). It's a shame really. I was really enthousiastic about this book. Still am... I'm learning a lot here, but those little errors are just too annoying.

Norm 2782, why are you here?
- Normality

There are A WHOLE DAMN LOT errors - of all kinds!
Some typos, okay that goes. Other ones; referring to the same file with slightly different name (?). Okay - that goes too. I could recall it, after all.

The first file I have ever ran from the book (still the only one) is class.DataManager.php from chapter three.
Running this will give error;

Parse error: parse error, unexpected T_STATIC, expecting T_OLD_FUNCTION or T_FUNCTION or T_VAR or '}'

Which is referring to 'private static function name() {'
After removing 'static', it comes up with

Parse error: parse error, unexpected T_STRING, expecting T_OLD_FUNCTION or T_FUNCTION or T_VAR or '}'

WHICH refers to 'private'. So there's NO private or static function declaration. hmm.

After that, in the connection it's got a semicolon (;) and continueing code after that.. okay.. bug.
And that's looking at only like the first 3 lines of code, of ONE file.


Another example; infinite include loop. Some class was included in every other file, and after that, all files were also included in that class. What the ??

There are MORE and MORE of these errors.


WHATS BUGGING ME MOST is that when I come to a part where I think 'hmm thats weird' or 'I dont totally get that' I would normally do some research. Here, I think to myself 'must be another bug', which ladies and gentlemen, in most cases it is.

Thank you for reading.
Leave your thoughts.

I would like to demand a totally corrected edition supplied to me FOR FREE, or stuff like €5. Supplied to everybody that applies, rather said. This is too mad for words. It was $60 friggin bucks damnit. We should get premium value. Unbelievable.

Seriously, we need to get something back for this book. The thing that bugs me the most is this: sure, they are covering (arguably) the right topics to cover in a PHP book *BUT* they aren't even teaching it in a way that works. They are making bad coders of us all... as the person who started this thread I am REALLY disappointed that the errata pages for both Beginning and Professional PHP5 are blank. Totally empty. I read the book last summer. Posted this message a while ago, and there are still no listings for errata in either of these books. I do kind of want my time and money back from this terrible book. I just can't seem to trust a book that withing the first few chapters seems like the authors didn't care enough to hire somebody to edit their grammar let alone check through the code THEY themselves have written to make sure it at least works. Where do I file some sort of complaint. I think we can make some sort of difference if we get enough people to email or whatever.
-Matthew

Chapter 3.
Im having a few problems understanding the theory involved in the
code more than the syntax.I had the same errors you had at first. I had to convert the code over to work with my Mysql database then it worked sorta ok. Still working on the excercise they leave you with at teh end of chapter 3.

class.Datamangager.php looks like a great tool. if you fix it.

I agree. This is the worst WROX book yet. I am an instructor and wanted to use this book in the classroom. However the chapters are too long. They need to be broken up into smaller segments. Also the Try It Outs are full of syntax errors, which makes it difficult to learn. Also, some of the Try It Outs do not work the way they are suppose to, specifically the dynamic.php in chapter 4. Usually, I can fix them myself, but since the book has provided me with such a poor foundation in the previous chapters, I have given up. These authors need to review the Active Server Pages 3.0 book (an excellent WROX book) and learn how to write a book. The editors and proofreaders at WROX really missed the boat on this one.

Are you sure that you are running PHP5? If you do not, that would explain the error message.

I think the book is excellent, if you fulfill the prerequisites: experience with PHP.

Hillechien