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PHP 8 Basics: For Programming and
Web Development 1st Edition Gunnard

Engebreth
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PHP 8 Basics
For Programming and
Web Development
—
Gunnard Engebreth
Satej Kumar Sahu
PHP 8 Basics
For Programming and Web
Development
Gunnard Engebreth
Satej Kumar Sahu
PHP 8 Basics: For Programming and Web Development
Gunnard Engebreth Satej Kumar Sahu
Madison, WI, USA Bangalore, India
ISBN-13 (pbk): 978-1-4842-8081-2 ISBN-13 (electronic): 978-1-4842-8082-9

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-8082-9
Copyright © 2023 by Gunnard Engebreth, Satej Kumar Sahu
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Printed on acid-free paper
This book is dedicated to my wife Erica
and to my boys Trip and Wyatt.
Also, you the reader.
Thank you!
Jesus looked at them and said,

“With man this is impossible,
but with God all things are possible.”
—Matthew 19:26!
Table of Contents
About the Authors��xiii
About the Contributor��xv
Acknowledgments��xix
Introduction��xxi
Chapter 1: Getting Started��1

Why Use PHP?��1
Using PHP��2
Why PHP, Ngnix, and MySQL?��3
Installing Docker��4
Windows��5
Mac OS��6
Linux��7
Installing Docker-Compose��10
The Development Environment��11
Summary��14
Chapter 2: PHP Fundamentals��15

Variables��15
Using Errors As Tools��18
Objects��22
v
Table of Contents
Verbs: GET and POST��25

Summary��30
Chapter 3: Functions, Classes, and Traits��33

OOP��34
Reviewing Class Definitions��35
Class Visibility��37
A Closer Look at Class Inheritance��38
Polymorphism and Abstract Classes��40
Constants��42
Constructs��43
Traits��44
Namespaces��46
Summary��48
Chapter 4: Data and Data Types��49

PHP Data Types��49
PHP Data Types: Scalar Types��50
Boolean��51
Integer��52
Float��52
String��53
PHP String Functions��60
substr( )��60
strlen( )��62
str_replace()��62
trim( )��63
strpos( )��64
strtolower( )��65
vi
Table of Contents
strtoupper( )��66
is_string( )��66
strstr( )��67
PHP Data Types: Compound Types��68
Array��68
Object��71
PHP Data Types: Special Types��71
NULL��71
resource��72
Summary��72
Chapter 5: Form Data��75

PHP POST Form��76
PHP GET Form��80
Summary��83
Chapter 6: Arrays��85
PHP Indexed and Associative Arrays��85
PHP Multidimensional Arrays��91
PHP Array Functions��91
array_change_key_case��93
array_chunk��93
array_column��94
array_combine��95
array_count_values��95
array_diff_assoc��96
array_diff_key��96
array_diff_uassoc��97
array_diff_ukey��97
vii
Table of Contents
array_diff��98
array_fill_keys��99
array_fill��99
array_filter��100
array_flip��101
array_intersect_assoc��101
array_intersect_key��102
array_intersect_uassoc��102
array_intersect_ukey��103
array_intersect��104
array_is_list��104
array_key_exists��105
array_key_first��105
array_key_last��106
array_keys��106
array_map��107
array_merge_recursive��108
array_merge��108
array_multisort��109
array_pad��110
array_pop��110
array_product��111
array_push��111
array_rand��112
array_reduce��113
array_replace_recursive��113
array_replace��114
array_reverse��115
viii
Table of Contents
array_search��115
array_shift��116
array_slice��117
array_splice��118
array_sum��120
array_udiff_assoc��120
array_udiff_uassoc��121
array_udiff��122
array_uintersect_assoc��123
array_uintersect_uassoc��123
array_uintersect��124
array_unique��125
array_unshift��126
array_values��126
array_walk_recursive��127
array_walk��127
array��128
arsort��129
assort��130
compact��131
count��131
current��132
each��133
end��134
extract��134
in_array��136
key_exists��137
key��137
ix
Table of Contents
krsort��137
ksort��138
list��139
natcasesort��139
natsort��140
next��140
prev��141
range��142
reset��142
rsort��143
shuffle��144
sizeof��144
sort��144
uasort��145
uksort��146
usort��146
Summary��147
Chapter 7: Sessions and Cookies��149

PHP Sessions��149
PHP Cookies��160
Summary��163
Chapter 8: Objects��165
Output��167
Summary��169
x
Table of Contents
Chapter 9: PHP Exceptions, Validation, and Regular Expressions��171

PHP Exceptions��172
PHP Form Validation��177
PHP Regular Expressions��184
Regular Expressions Modifiers��185
Regular Expression Metacharacters��185
Regular Expression Square Brackets��186
Regular Expression Quantifiers��187
Regular Expression Functions��187
Summary��191
Chapter 10: PHP and MySQL Working Together��193

PHP Communication with MySQL��194
PHP Communication with the MySQLi Method��194
PHP Communication with the PDO Method��197
MySQLi Advantages��198
PDO Advantages��198
PHP Connection to a Database��199
Summary��209
Chapter 11: Data��211

Planning for a New Database��211
Creation of a New Database��214
Summary��219
Chapter 12: Website with a DB��221

Summary��229
xi
Table of Contents
Chapter 13: Introduction to Frameworks��231

Introduction to Frameworks��231
Pros and Cons of Frameworks��232
Pros of Using Frameworks��232
Cons of Using Frameworks��234
MVC Pattern��235
Different Layers of a Framework��236
Different Types of Frameworks��237
Role of Composer��238
Introduction of PHP Standard Recommendation (PSR)��239
PHP Frameworks��241
Choosing a Framework��242
Summary��245
Chapter 14: Introduction to Laravel��247

Introduction to Laravel��248
Installing Laravel��248
Database Setup and Configuration��250
Database Migrations��253
Controller Route��259
Registration View Form��264
Storing User Data in a Database��267
Summary��271
Chapter 15: Introduction to Symfony��273

Introduction to Symfony��273
Installing Symfony��279
Creating a Symfony Application��281
Summary��283
xii
Table of Contents
Chapter 16: A Basic Symfony Application��285

Creating a New Symfony Project��285
Database Setup and Configuration��288
Controller Route��300
Registration View Form��305
Storing User Data in a Database��308
Summary��313
Index��315
xiii
About the Authors
Gunnard Engebreth began coding at the age
of 11 through a “Learning BASIC” book given
to him by his father. Technology was changing
fast, and Gunnard rode the wave from 1200 to
56k baud modems. Logging into BBSs, Prodigy,
CompuServe, Delphi, and IRC, he could see
the world changing and he wanted to be a part
of it. He soon got involved in the ANSI/demo
scene, making several application generators
for many groups in the 1990s. Visual Basic was
his next language of choice, allowing him to develop “tools” for online
systems such as AOL. This introduced many aspects of development,
security, and user interfaces while they were still in their infancy. Once
the World Wide Web arrived via Mindspring in Atlanta, Georgia, Gunnard
quickly joined in the race for the Web. Learning HTML, PERL, and Linux
(Slackware at the time), he began to build his skill set, which led to a
full-time systems administrator position at the age of 20 (2000) at
Activegrams/Silverpop. Gunnard has moved around the IT industry
from SAN/NAS storage at IBM to custom WordPress sites for marketing
companies, but one thing has stayed the same: his passion for learning
and problem solving. Gunnard also DJs drum and bass as Section31, plays
drums, and bakes bread (www.gunnard.org).
xv
About the Authors
Satej Kumar Sahu works in the role of Senior

Software Data Architect at Boeing. He is
passionate about technology, people, and
nature. He believes that through technology
and conscientious decision making, each of
us has the power to make this world a better
place. In his free time, he can be found reading
books, playing basketball, and having fun with
friends and family.
xvi
About the Contributor
Massimo Nardone has more than 26 years
of experience in security, web/mobile
development, and cloud and IT architecture.
His true IT passions are security and Android.
He has been programming and teaching how
to program with Android, Perl, PHP, Java, VB,
Python, C/C++, and MySQL for more than 25
years. He holds a Master of Science degree
in Computing Science from the University
of Salerno, Italy. He has worked as a Chief
Information Security Office (CISO), software
engineer, chief security architect, security executive, OT/IoT/IIoT Security
Leader, and architect for many years.
xvii
Acknowledgments
I would like to dedicate this book to my parents for always believing in
and having patience with me while I pursued my interest in technology,
and gave me the freedom to explore and try different things. Also, thanks
to my sister Lipsa for always being beside me whenever I needed her. I
would like to thank all my teachers for being with me during my journey,
Runish for the foundational mentoring support at the start of my career,
Mindfire Solutions for my first career opportunity, and to all with whom I
had an opportunity to interact and learn from. Last but not least I would
like to thank Mark for the awesome opportunity to write my first book and
the wonderful team at Apress for all their support without whom this book
would not have been possible.
xix
Introduction
Developing web pages and applications is still, after many years, one of the
most fascinating endeavors for developers. The idea of taking a simple idea
and developing it, seeing it coming alive and imagining the experience the
user will have is something very magical.
The experience of programming as web developer should, of course,
also be easy, user-friendly, and flexible—all characteristics of the
programming language this book is all about: PHP version 8.
The first version of PHP was created by Rasmus Lerdorf in 1994 and
he mainly used it on his home page to keep track of who was looking at
his online resume. In 1995, the first public version was published as the
Personal Home Page Tools.
In the beginning, PHP was just a simple programming language with
a very easy parser engine that only understood a small number of utilities
and macros.
PHP usage grown. In 1996, about 15,000 web sites were developed with
PHP; by 1997, it was up to 50,000. In 1999, about 1 million web sites were
developed with PHP. At the time of writing, 78 million of web sites have
been developed with PHP to give you a perspective of how popular this
programming language has become. Why?
Simple. Because after many years it is still easy to use, user-friendly,
and clearly organized. This helps would-be programmers easily
understand and run PHP commands and functions.
We want to help PHP beginners and would-be developers explore
the new features added to this version 8 and see how easy, flexible, and
powerful it can be to develop new web sites and applications.
xxi
Introduction
You will find all the basic information about how to install and
configure PHP version 8.
All basic PHP concepts like data types, functions, regular expressions,
form handling and verification, sessions, cookies, and filters are
introduced and demonstrated with many examples.
We also introduce the basic information of object-oriented
programming and its classes and objects.
This book also provides some simple examples about how to use
PHP version 8 with one of the most powerful and used databases for
developers, MySQL. You learn how to develop an entire web application
using PHP version 8 and MySQL.
You also learn about PHP frameworks and why they are so important
to use. This book focuses on just two of the many PHP frameworks
available, Symfony and Laravel, and the development of web applications
following the model–view–controller architectural pattern.
Who This Book Is For

The book assumes you have some web development and DB handling
knowledge. The book is written mainly for the beginning web developer
who wants to learn how to use PHP version 8 and how it can be used with
MySQL and PHP frameworks like laravel and Symfony. It also assumes you
have some knowledge of programing language frameworks and how and
when you should use them with PHP.
Prerequisites
The examples in this book were built with PHP version 8. We also used
MySQL for Ubuntu Linux version 22.04 DEB Bundle. As a testing tool,
we used the latest Postman API client version available on the Web, but
you are free to use any testing tool you feel comfortable with. Finally, we
xxii
Introduction
introduced and utilized two different PHP Frameworks named Laravel and
Symfony, which will be needed for the examples of this book.
Downloading the Code

The source code for the examples in this book is available at www.github.
com/apress/php8-basics.
xxiii
CHAPTER 1
Getting Started
PHP is the de facto programming language used to serve billions (“BILL”
not “MILL”) a month. PHP has grown from a hodge-podge collection of
scripts that could be used to stitch together a functional website into the
backbone of several billion-dollar companies influencing how industry
works across the globe. Yes, there are other languages out there that do
many things, but you are not reading this book to understand them! You
chose to step into the world of PHP and join the network of developers
who focus on solutions, community, and the advancement of PHP. This
chapter of the book will cover the why, when, and how of using the
PHP programming language. It will also introduce some programming
development environments and describe how to install Docker, which is
an open platform for developing, shipping, and running applications.
Why Use PHP?

FACT: PHP runs the Web. This is a bold statement but just look at these
numbers:
• Facebook: 25.7 billion monthly estimated visits
• Wikipedia: 15 billion monthly estimated visits
• Yahoo: 4.8 billion monthly estimated visits
• Flickr: 65.44 million monthly estimated visits
• Tumblr: 328.9 million monthly estimated visits
© Gunnard Engebreth, Satej Kumar Sahu 2023 1

G. Engebreth and S. K. Sahu, PHP 8 Basics, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-8082-9_1
Chapter 1 Getting Started
Any one of those sites above pull impressive numbers, but when
combined, they are pretty hefty statistics. Even if you have a loyalty to
another programming language, you can’t deny the use of PHP as a
workhorse in these sites. While we can see that large corporations have
come to trust the language, what about average users like you and me?
Over 39.5% of all websites on the Internet are run on WordPress. Let that
sink in for a minute. Almost 40% of all websites are served up on a CMS
(open source, no less) that is developed in PHP.
PHP is exploding yearly in terms of demand. A quick check on any job
search website will give you thousands of results.
PHP is continuously growing, with scheduled releases and a thriving
community of developers maintaining technological relevance.
PHP is the most exciting AND the most practical programming
language you can get started with today.
Admittedly, we may have our biases.
Using PHP
PHP is mainly used by developers in two ways. One method is to organize
and deliver data from a data source (i.e., a MySQL database) to a webpage.
Think of Facebook or Twitter. The content that you see on these sites is
stored somewhere in a database and needs to be retrieved and then parsed
or organized, ultimately leading to a front-end display to the user. Your
cousin’s baby pictures with 40 likes must be gathered, the likes must be
collected and names attributed to them, and then they are ready to pop up
on your timeline. Depending on the infrastructure, this data can be stored
in one location or multiple places, tied together with unique identifiers.
We may be getting ahead of ourselves here, but we are trying to convey the
fact that the information you see on webpages is cultivated by PHP from
information stored in databases. PHP is the toolbox you will use to build
these powerful applications.
2
We mentioned that there are two main ways to use PHP. The other
way is on the command line. There are usually several scripting languages
on a server that can be used to perform all sorts of tasks. Bash, Python,
and Perl come to mind, but PHP can be used in the same way. If you have
not already, go to the GitHub repo linked from this book’s apress.com
product page and look at the Chapter 1 link. From here, you will set up the
development environment in order to look at and run these PHP scripts.
Let’s get the development environment spun up so you can see PHP
in action.
PHP is a server-side scripting language and therefore needs a server
with the appropriate settings and resources to run. While PHP comes
natively installed on many operating systems, it can be installed or
upgraded on its own. Examples of other server-side languages are Python,
Ruby, and Perl. The opposite of this is client-side languages. They are
processed in the browser and are based on JavaScript. Examples of client-
side languages are Vue.js, jQuery, and Node.js.
Why PHP, Ngnix, and MySQL?

Let us introduce you to your new best friends, at least in terms of your
daily exposure to them. As a developer, you will need to work with each of
these new friends intimately. PHP (as we have discussed) is the language
in which we will be writing our scripts. Nginx is the web server, which
allows for web pages to be served when a user accesses specific URLs on
a server. When you go to gunnard.org, for example, the webserver at the
hosting site looks at the URL (www.gunnard.org) and checks to see if there
are any associated www settings (in Nginx) for this website. If there are, the
software (Nginx) looks for the document root setting and directs the user
to that location. Once there, the first thing the server will look at, unless
otherwise specified, is an index.html or index.php page. The index.html/
php paradigm is fairly standard across the board and serves as a failsafe
3
to protect directories from being viewed across the Web. For example, if
you have an assets/ directory with private information that is publicly
accessible, say gunnard.org/assets, but there is no index.html, this will
be viewable to anyone, and they will see a list of files in that directory. If
a blank index.html is placed there, the file will be shown instead. Within
Nginx you can set the priority and order in which Nginx looks for these
default files. When using PHP, it is necessary to specify that Nginx looks for
index.php over index.html, for example.
In order to use your development environment, you need a tool called
Docker. Docker provides your computer (the host machine) with the
ability to masquerade as a web server, in your example, without creating a
virtual machine separate from your host environment. This might sound
like the exact thing you WANT to do, which it is, but Docker goes about it
in a slightly different way that is more robust, easier to manage, and less
invasive than your typical virtual machine. Think of Docker as software
that allows for a container to dress up like a specific type of computer
or server. This container is separate from your host system but also uses
the resources (directories, CPU, memory) of your host without actually
changing or creating a new machine. The inner workings of Docker vs.
virtual machines is outside of the scope of this book and frankly could
take an entire book to explain it much better than we just did. The bottom
line is that with Docker, we control and can use the beneficial parts of a
web server without having to create, install, and maintain a real or virtual
server. Plus, as of printing, this is what 99% of development shops use; this
is very industry standard.
Installing Docker
Let’s get Docker installed on your operating system of choice. Here’s how
to do it.
4
Windows
Go to https://docs.docker.com/docker-for-windows/install/ and
click the “Docker Desktop for Windows” button to download Docker, as
shown in Figure 1-1.
Figure 1-1. The Docker Desktop for Windows download button
1. Double-click Docker Desktop Installer.exe to run

the installer.
2. When prompted, ensure the Enable Hyper-V

Windows Features. If you have previously
configured WSL and are comfortable with it,
then make sure the “Install required Windows
components for WSL 2” option is selected on the
Configuration page.
3. Follow the instructions in the installation wizard to

authorize the installer and proceed with the install.
4. When the installation is successful, click Close to

complete the installation process.
5. If your admin account is different to your user

account, you must add the user to the docker-
users group. Run Computer Management as an
5
administrator and navigate to Local Users and

Groups ➤ Groups ➤ docker-users. Right-click to
add the user to the group. Log out and log back in
for the changes to take effect.
Docker Desktop does not start automatically after installation. To

start Docker Desktop, search for Docker, and select Docker Desktop in the
search results. When the whale icon in the status bar stays steady, Docker
Desktop is up, running, and accessible from any terminal window.
Mac OS
Go to https://docs.docker.com/docker-for-mac/install/, shown in
Figure 1-2.
Figure 1-2. Download options for Docker for Mac
Double-click Docker.dmg to open the installer and then drag the

Docker icon to the Applications folder, as shown in Figure 1-3.
6
Figure 1-3. Moving the Docker application to the Applications folder
Double-click Docker.app in the Applications folder to start Docker.

(In Figure 1-4, the Applications folder is in grid view mode.)
Figure 1-4. Docker Applications folder
The Docker menu in the top status bar indicates that Docker Desktop
is running and accessible from a terminal.
Linux
Go to https://docs.docker.com/engine/install/. Here you will find
links to instructions on how to install Docker on several popular Linux
7
distributions. If you are using Debian/Ubuntu, you can follow these

instructions (https://docs.docker.com/engine/install/ubuntu/):
1) Ensure that any older installation is removed from

the system.
<code>
sudo apt-get remove docker docker-engine docker.io
containerd runc
</code>
2) Update the apt package index and install packages

to allow apt to use a repository over HTTPS.
<code>
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install \
apt-transport-https \
ca-certificates \
curl \
gnupg \
lsb-release
</code>
3) Add Docker’s official GPG key.
<code>
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo
gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg
</code>
4) Use the following command to set up the stable

repository. To add the nightly or test repository,
add the word nightly or test (or both) after the
word stable.
8
<code>
echo \
"deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-
keyring.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \
$(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.
list.d/docker.list > /dev/null
</code>
5) Update the apt package index and install the latest

version of Docker Engine and container.
<code>
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io
</code>
If you have any difficulties or need to install a specific version of

Docker for your system, please visit https://docs.docker.com/engine/
install/ where they cover many more options and configurations than is
possible in the scope of this section.
Once Docker is installed, you will need to install docker-compose.
Compose is a tool for defining and running multi-container Docker
applications. Compose allows you to define an application within the
confines of a YAML (Yet Another Markup Language) file. This allows you to
spin up all of the defined services for your Docker container with a single
command. This is often used within development teams to ensure version
control and maintain use of third-party applications. Other features of
Compose are
• Multiple isolated environments on a single host
• Preserving volume data when containers are created
• Only recreating containers that have changed
9
• Variables and moving a composition between

environments
More on these features can be found at https://docs.docker.com/

compose/#features.
Installing Docker-Compose
Mac and Windows users that have installed Docker Desktop can skip the
installation step because Compose is included with the installed package.
1) For Linux users, run this command to download the

current stable release of Docker Compose:
<code>
sudo curl -L "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/
download/1.29.1/docker-compose-$(uname -s)-$(uname -m)" -o /
usr/local/bin/docker-compose
</code>
2) Apply executable permissions to the binary.
<code>
sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
</code>
Note If the command docker-compose fails after installation,

check your path. You can also create a symbolic link to /usr/bin or
any other directory in your path.
10
For example,
<code>
sudo ln -s /usr/local/bin/docker-compose /usr/bin/
docker-compose
</code>
Optionally, install command completion for the bash and zsh shells.
Test the installation.
<code>
$ docker-compose --version
</code>
The Development Environment

Now that you have Docker installed and ready to go, you need the YAML
files for your project to set up your development environment. Go to
https://github.com/apress/php8-basics and click the Download ZIP
button, shown in Figure 1-5.
Figure 1-5. yaml files for your project
11
Once you have the ZIP file downloaded, unzip it in a directory of your
choosing. We used ~/ (my users home directory) ~/coding. Once
unzipped, your directory structure should look something like Figure 1-6.
Figure 1-6. Unzipped project folder
Inside this directory will be all the information needed for Docker to
start the development environment.
Go ahead and run
<code>
docker-compose up
</code>
and watch Docker spin up (Figure 1-7).
Figure 1-7. Running the docker-compose command
Next, point your browser to
<code>
http://localhost:8000
</code>
12
and you should see the table of contents page for this book and
verification that the database has connected successfully. Go to the
command prompt and type
<code>
docker ps
</code>
This command shows you any containers that Docker has or is

currently using. Here you can see the mysql, nginx, and beginning php
containers. One last thing to verify is that you can run PHP from within the
PHP container. From the command line, type
<code>
docker exe -ti php-app bash
</code>
This connects you, much like ssh, to the container itself. From here, go
into the Chapter1 directory.
<code>
cd Chapter1
</code>
Type
<code>
php first_script.php
</code>
You should see this output:
<code>
Output here
</code>
13
Summary
In this chapter, you learned in general the why, what, and how of using the
PHP programming language in the development world. We introduced
why you want to use PHP, Nginx, and MySQL and their benefits. As
next steps, you learned how to install the Docker tool, which is an open
platform for developing, shipping, and running applications. Finally,
you saw why you needed the YAML files for your project to set up your
development environment.
In the next chapter, we will explain how programming languages use
variables to store and manipulate data and to build useful tools in PHP.
14
CHAPTER 2
PHP Fundamentals
In order to build useful tools in PHP, you need to know how to manipulate
data. Programming languages use variables to store and manipulate data.
In this chapter, you will learn how programming languages use
variables to store and manipulate data and to build useful tools in PHP.
Additionally, you’ll explore the following topics:
• Using errors as tools
• Objects
• Verbs: GET and POST
Variables
PHP has a few rules when it comes to variables:
• A variable must start with the $ sign, followed by the
name of the variable.
• A variable name must start with a letter or the

underscore character.
• A variable name cannot start with a number.
• A variable name can only contain alpha-numeric

characters and underscores (A-z, 0-9, and _ ).
• Variable names are case-sensitive ($pants and $PANTS

are two different variables).
© Gunnard Engebreth, Satej Kumar Sahu 2023 15

G. Engebreth and S. K. Sahu, PHP 8 Basics, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-8082-9_2
Chapter 2 PHP Fundamentals
Unlike other programming languages, PHP does not have a specific

command for declaring variables. You must pay attention to where and
how variables are declared and used.
Let's write some code and see how the browser handles it. Go into your
beginning-php8-and-mysql directory and under chapter 2, create a file
called newtest.php. Inside of this file, write
<code>
this is normal text
<?php
echo 'This is created by php';
?>
this is normal text again
</code>
The code above shows three lines. The first is normal HTML, the
second is running PHP code, rendering HTML. The third is more HTML
but after/outside the PHP code snippet. You can go between PHP and
HTML as many times as you like within a .php file. This can get messy, so
you want to limit this to very clean and precise code elements. Now create
a file called vartest.php and open it up. Type this code into the file and
save it:
<code>
<?php
echo "variable test";
$color = "blue";
$item = "pants";
echo "Today I am using $item which happen to be the color
$color";
</code>
Navigate to localhost:8000/chapter2/vartest.php and look at the

results (Figure 2-1).
16
Figure 2-1. URL result web page
Ok, let's catch up on what you are doing here. First, you are declaring
the PHP script with
<code>
<?php
</code>
The next line you use echo. This is a PHP command that makes up
one of the most basic ways to display text from PHP to the browser. It does
one thing: sends output to the browser or command prompt. Notice that
after echo, you use the double quote (“) as the delimiter to separate this
portion of text and begin the line of text you wish to output to the screen.
When you are done with the text, you end it with another double quote.
The double quote is the delimiter that marks the beginning and end of a
line of text you want to use. As humans, we can easily determine text or
a sentence that is written down or on a screen. Computers need special
markings, delimiters in this case, to determine where the text boundaries
are. This is true for the echo command or for setting a variable, as in the
next line. $color is the name of a variable you want to use and "blue" is
the value you are setting it to. In this particular case, $color is a variable
of type string. A string is any text that you want to use that will not be used
to compute, say, a mathematical value. Once you have the value of "blue"
set in $color, you can use echo to display it on the page. You do this again
with the variable $item when you set its value to "pants". You will notice
as well that each line of code ends with a semicolon (;). In PHP, this is how
you tell the interpreter to stop reading the line and move on. You will get
an error any time you leave out the ending semicolon.
17
Speaking of errors, let’s go ahead and get comfortable with errors and
how they can be useful to us instead of annoyances.
Using Errors As Tools

In PHP, you do not always see the errors that occur. This is because there
are three different levels with configurations for how and where to display
them. Let’s go back into vartest.php and add these lines to the top:
<?php
error_reporting( E_ALL );
ini_set( "display_errors", 1);
//this next line is an error

echo "these pretzels are making me thirsty;

$color = "blue";
$item = "pants";
echo "Today I am using $item which happen to be the color
$color";
Before you run this, let’s explain what you are doing.
error_reporting( E_ALL ); is telling PHP to display ALL errors. Here
is the full list of options available for error_reporting:
<?php
// Turn off all error reporting

error_reporting(0);
// Report simple running errors

error_reporting(E_ERROR | E_WARNING | E_PARSE);
18
// Reporting E_NOTICE can be good too (to report uninitialized

// variables or catch variable name misspellings ...)
error_reporting(E_ERROR | E_WARNING | E_PARSE | E_NOTICE);
// Report all errors except E_NOTICE

error_reporting(E_ALL & ~E_NOTICE);
// Report all PHP errors

error_reporting(E_ALL);
// Report all PHP errors

error_reporting(-1);
// Same as error_reporting(E_ALL);
ini_set('error_reporting', E_ALL);
The next line of ini_set() is used in PHP to overwrite configuration

options that are set in the php.ini file. This is helpful when you need to do
one-off configurations or are on a server where you do not have access to
the ini file. The next line is the error line. Do you see it? Go ahead and pull
up the file in your browser and see what it says.
<code>
Parse error: syntax error, unexpected token ">" in /var/www/
chapter2/vartest.php on line 8
</code>
Using this error, you can begin to hunt down the bug. This error is
saying that line 8 has an unexpected >. Take a look at line 8 of your code:
<code>
</code>
19
This line looks perfectly fine to me. What PHP is telling us is that
you have done something, in this case set a delimiter for text, on the line
BEFORE line 8 and now the perfectly acceptable > on line 8 is unexpected.
You need to look at line 6 where you will find the closing delimiter of “
missing at the end of your text. Go ahead and add “ to the end of the line
and refresh your page, which should now render with no errors.
Now that you can create and assign variables, render text to the screen,
and trigger/understand errors that show up, let’s start building some
pages. This is the reason you picked up this book, right? Go back to your
Chapter2 directory and open the file main.php.
<code>
<?php
ini_set( "display_errors",1);
$title = "Beginning PHP 8 & MySQL";
$content = "Here is the main content for this page";
$html ="
<!doctype html>
<html lang='en'><?php
<head>
<meta charset='utf-8'>
<title>$title</title>
<meta name='description' content='Basic HTML5 Page'>
<meta name='author' content='Your name'>
<link rel='stylesheet' href='css/styles.css?v=1.0'>
</head>
20
<body>
$content
</body>
</html>";
echo $html;
</code>
These are the basic elements needed for a HTML 5 webpage with PHP
included. You are declaring that you want errors to be turned on at the
top, as you have done before. The next lines set two variables, one for the
title and one for the content. The rest of the file sets the variable $html
to the entirety of HTML that you want displayed on the page. Within this
code you see the $title and $content variables placed where you want to
display them on the page. Go ahead and open your browser to this page to
see how it looks. This can get a little redundant if you have many pages that
follow the same look and feel presented with the HTML. Therefore, you
will use this page as a template that you can call and just switch out the
values you want displayed. Open up main2.php in your editor.
<code>
<?php
//error_reporting( E_ALL );
//ini_set( "display_errors",1);
$title = "Beginning PHP 8 & MySQL";
$content = "Here is the main content for this page";
$html =include_once "inc/template2.php";
</code>
Here you are introducing the include_once function. By calling

include_once, you tell PHP that you want to load a specific file into this
area. By separating out the design aspect (HTML) from the PHP, you can
view your code better and reuse the HTML elements in other PHP files.
21
Building on this example, let’s take it a step further and include multiple
PHP files in your template. In main2.php, change template.php to
template2.php and refresh the page.
In your case, you first include header.php, located within the inc/
directory. When you use this method of including PHP snippets around
the HTML in your file, you are essentially creating a template. This
template (main.php), if used in another file, will still include a header,
contents, and footer. Let’s create a file called second.php by copying the
main.php file and naming it second.php.
Now that you have come to an understanding with your templates on
how to separate them and use them to your advantage, let’s take a look
at your variables. So far you have been using variables for trivial content,
colors, and item names. What if you want to store someone’s name and
address? It’s perfectly correct to do something like this:
<code>
$firstName = "gunnard";
$lastName = "engebreth";
</code>
This works fine until you want to start passing this information around
between functions in your program. Basically, envision passing your friend
a handful of Skittles vs. a bag of Skittles. Your friend still gets the Skittles in
the end, but one way is clean, optimized, and all Skittles are guaranteed to
reach your friend. This brings us to objects.
Objects
In PHP, an object is a specific set of data as defined in a class. In the code
example above, you would say that the information would belong to a class
of User. You would define that class as such:
<code>
22
<?php
class UserClass
/* User variables */
var $firstName;
var $LastName;
/* Member functions */

function setFirstName($firstName){
$this->firstName = $firstName;
}
function getFirstName(){
echo $this->firstName;
}
function setLastName($lastName){
$this->lastName = $lastName;
}
function getLastName(){
echo $this->lastName;
}
}
</code>
To create a new user you can call

<code>
$user = new UserClass();
$user->setFirstName('gunnard');
$user->setLastName('engebreth');
var_dump($user);
</code>
Let’s take a look at this code.
23
$user = new UserClass(); does exactly what it shows: the variable

$user is now going to have the configuration and format that you
described in the class UserClass. This also demonstrates the importance
of proper naming in PHP. With one look at this line of code, you can have
a high percentage of certainty that this variable $user is most likely going
to be associated with $UserClass somehow and less likely to be associated
with a class named $DumpTruckClass.
The next two lines call a method (function) you create within
UserClass. These specific types of methods, Get____ and Set___, are
known as helpers and also commonly referred to as the class “getters” and
“setters.” These methods simplify the task of setting values within the object.
The last line is a PHP-specific function used heavily in debugging
code. var_dump() shows you exactly what is in a variable and what type
of variable you are analyzing. In your example, calling var_dump shows all
the information within the object. $user is the bag of Skittles and $user-
>firstName is the individual Skittle.
Now, how do you use this all together? You need to specify the class
information in one file and include it in another file. Thankfully, you
already know how to do that. Let’s open up main3.php.
<code>
<?php
$title = "main3 php file";
require "UserClass.php";
$user = new UserClass;
$user->setFirstName = 'gunnard';
$user->setLastName = 'engebreth';
var_dump($user);
ini_set( "display_errors",1);
$html =include_once "inc/template2.php";
</code>
24
You have already reviewed what the first two lines do, so set up and set
the variable $user as a part of the class UserClass. The next two lines set
the first name and last name. If you run this script on the command line or
browser, you can verify this through the var_dump() function. Figure 2-2
shows what you should see.
Figure 2-2. Code result web page
This is a fundamental stage in development. You have created an

object, assigned values, and can display the information on the page. Now
you need to make it dynamic by adding user interaction via forms.
Forms are more than just what you use to comment on someone’s
picture on Facebook. Forms are the method by which a user can interact
with a program. The user can directly communicate with the code and the
database you have created. With this kind of access, great detail must be
put into validation and sanitization of input, which we will get to later. For
now, just get comfortable with getting and using input. Let’s get technical
about receiving data from the user.
Verbs: GET and POST

HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) is what connects the Web that
you know today. This is the protocol or method of agreed-upon
communication that allows for servers, PHP, and users to talk to one
25
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
My dear Father:
I have to thank you for three letters, for two poems, for the proof
sheets of your book and for your beautiful Christmas gift, which I
treasure and have with me always. The poem “To Rose in Heaven” is
so exquisite that I cannot write or speak all my deep appreciation of it.
But I know that it is not my personal feeling alone that makes me
consider it one of the noblest elegiac poems in our language. I wish
that I were still in the book-reviewing game—I’d like to express my
opinion of your new book. My column in the Literary Digest is now
conducted by Mrs. Edwin Markham. However, I occasionally send in
some clippings and comment, and I’ll try to get some of your book
quoted. I congratulate you on your book; it is an achievement for which
you must be deeply grateful; of course none of us rhymers can really
be proud if we’re true to the traditions of our craft. You see, I’m not in
“The Proud Poet” mood now. I’m neither proud nor a poet—I’ve written
only one poem since I sailed, a little thing called “Militis Meditatio.”
We all are well and happy—I do not think that any one of us can
honestly say that he has not enjoyed this Winter. The trials and
hardships of the life are so novel as to be interesting. But I imagine
that one enjoys very little his tenth year of soldiering. It is especially
pleasant to be in France and the part of France that we are in. I am
surprised, I acknowledge, by the passionate Catholicity of the people.
Even “Holy Ireland” can scarcely be more Catholic than rural France.
Tell my friends my address and urge them to write to me. Pray for
me, and believe me always
Yours sincerely,
Joyce Kilmer.
* * * * *
Headquarters Company, 165th Infantry,

A. E. F., France.
May 6, 1918.
My dear Father:
It is very comfortable to dwell in so genuinely Catholic a land as
this; to be reminded in every room of every house, and at every cross-
road of the Faith. I do not know when you last visited France, and
perhaps you are already familiar with conditions here, but I do not
cease to be surprised and delighted to see the number of people
receiving Holy Communion not only on Sunday, but every day. And you
will find soldiers of this Regiment in church whenever and wherever
there is a priest to say Mass. I think that most of us are better
Catholics now than when we were at home—certainly we should be.
My own work is growing steadily more interesting. For a while I
worked, as you know, in the Adjutant’s Office, having special charge of
recording and reporting statistics. But this I gave up recently to enter
(as a Sergeant) the Regimental Intelligence Section. This is much
better for me, since it is open-air work of an intensely interesting kind,
and I think that I am now more useful to the Regiment. My newspaper
training, you see, has made me a competent observer, and that is what
I am nowadays—an observer of the enemy’s activities. I have already
some strange stories to tell, but for telling them I must await a time
when censorship rules are abrogated. I have written very little—two
prose sketches and two poems since I left the States—but I have a
rich store of memories. Not that what I write matters—I have
discovered, since some unforgettable experiences, that writing is not
the tremendously important thing I once considered it. You will find me
less a bookman when you next see me, and more, I hope, a man.
Pray for me, my dear Father, that I may love God more and that I
may be unceasingly conscious of Him—that is the greatest desire I
have.
Your affectionate friend,
Joyce Kilmer.
* * * * *
To Reverend James J. Daly, S.J.

Cragmere, Mahwah, New Jersey.
Oct. 7, 1912.
My dear Father Daly:
I hope that I interpret your letter of September 20th correctly in
thinking that it means that you will permit me to write to you
occasionally, and that you will write me in return. Of course I know that
your work occupies much of your time, and that you have pleasanter
uses for your leisure than writing letters to some one you have not
seen. So do not feel obliged by courtesy to answer me at length.
I am glad that you like some of my work. My present occupation is
that of assistant editor of The Churchman, an Anglican weekly paper. It
is a Church Newspaper, with some literary features. Did Grey tell you
that I was not of your Communion? I hope that this knowledge will not
shut me out of your regard.
Your remarks, in your letter, on the fact that many of our most
famous writers to-day are anti-Christian, are certainly justified. Still, do
you not think that a reaction is coming? Already we have Chesterton,
and Belloc, and Bazin, and Miss Guiney, and Fr. Vincent McNabb, and
a number of other brilliant writers who not as theologians but purely as
literary artists express a fine and wholesome faith. People are
beginning to tire of cheap eroticism and “realism” and similar
absurdities.
Yours sincerely,
Joyce Kilmer.
JOYCE KILMER, AGE 5
FROM A PHOTOGRAPH
IN THE POSSESSION OF
MRS. KILBURN KILMER
Dec. 14, 1912.
My dear Father Daly:
The cards are rather laconic, but they are supposed to convey the
information, as you thought, that my family is the larger by one. I have
already a little boy, who will be four next March. His name is Kenton
Sinclair. I married when I was twenty-one, immediately after my
graduation from Columbia. Then—since you have twice asked for
biographical information—I taught school in Morristown for a year,
came to New York, went to work on the Standard Dictionary, and after
three years took my present position on The Churchman.
Do you know the Rev. Michael Earls? I recently received a copy of
his book of verse. He is a member of your Society—I think he is at
Georgetown. The poems about children are very delicate and
sympathetic—one called, I believe, “An Autumn Rose-bush” is
admirable.
I see Grey frequently—I hope to take breakfast with him to-morrow.
A number of us have the custom of breakfasting on Sunday mornings
on the excellent Irish bacon to be procured at Healy’s, on 91st St.
When you return to New York, you must join us. Do you know Thomas
Walsh? He is with us occasionally—you should know him, and his
translations from the Spanish, and his verse. I hope you are coming
East soon.
Yours sincerely,
Joyce Kilmer.
* * * * *
Cragmere, Mahwah, N. J.
July 24, 1913.
Dear Father Daly:
I do not like to burden my friends with my troubles, but you have
certain opportunities that I lack, so I am asking you the greatest favour.
Please pray for the healing of my little daughter Rose. She is
dangerously ill with infantile paralysis. This is a disease that has
appeared among mankind only recently, and physicians are uncertain
how to treat it. She is staying in New York with her mother to be near
the doctor and I am staying here nights to take care of my other child.
Of course the maid is here during the day so the house is kept up. But
Rose cannot move her legs or arms—She was so active and happy
only last week—she cannot even cry—her voice is just a little whimper
—the danger is of its reaching her lungs and killing her. I cannot write
any more. You know how I feel. Pray for her.
Joyce Kilmer.
* * * * *
Aug. 30, 1913.

Dear Father Daly:
There is not, it seems, any danger of the death of Rose now. And
she has regained her strength. Her arms and legs have been left
paralysed but her hands and feet move. It will take a year’s time for us
to know whether or not this paralysis is permanent.
I am deeply grateful to you for your compliance with my request. I
know that your prayers were of value in keeping her alive. Apologies
for the brusqueness of my letter asking your aid, are, I think, not
necessary—you were the only man to whom I could appeal for the
special help needed, and I was in bitter grief and anxiety.
My wife asks me to express her sincere gratitude to you.
Now that the crisis is past, we have a strange tranquillity.
And we have acquired a humility that is, I think, good for us. Well,
these are things not readily expressed—accept our heart-felt thanks.
Yours sincerely,
Joyce Kilmer.
* * * * *
New York.
Oct. 6, 1913.
Dear Father Daly:
This is to express our gratitude for your prayers. They have helped
us in our trial—they are helping—and I know that in part to your efforts
Rose owes her life and we our peace of mind. For fifteen or sixteen
years she will, the doctors say, remain paralysed, unable to move her
arms or legs. But her mind is active and we will keep her happy. I think
that there are compensations, spiritual and mental, for the loss of
physical power.
My wife and I are studying Catholic doctrine and we hope to be
received this Autumn.
Yours sincerely,
Joyce Kilmer.
* * * * *
New York.
Dec. 5, 1913.
Dear Father Daly:
You may be amused by the circular which I enclose. You know, we
have been having a plague of white-slave plays in New York this
season—“The Lure,” “The Fight” and the rest; and now they are giving
white-slave moving pictures—“The Traffic in Souls” they are called. I
think that “The Drama as a Factor in Sex Education” is ridiculous—and
I’m going to say so. Most of the other people who are to speak at the
Academy of Medicine are very serious-minded settlement workers,
ready to save the world by means of eugenics and inexpensive
divorce. So I don’t think I’ll make myself very popular. But I hope to
have a lot of fun.
My wife and I are very comfortable now that we are Catholics. I
think we rather disappointed Father Cronyn (the Paulist who received
us) by not showing any emotion during the ceremony. But our chief
sensation is simply comfort—we feel that we’re where we belong, and
it’s a very pleasant feeling.
I wonder if the enclosed verses will shock you. I am very much
bored by the praise of suicide so common in “æsthetic” circles. Many
of my friends like to think themselves “decadents” and they are most
enthusiastic over the work of such third-rate versifiers as the late
Richard Middleton, who killed himself at the age of thirty. It seems to
me that suicide is the most absurd of all sins. There is, undoubtedly,
pleasure in many sorts of evil; many crimes are reprehensible but not
ridiculous. But suicide is a stupid sort of sin—the criminal gets no fun
at all out of it. I have tried to put this idea into verse—and you should
have heard the criticisms when the poem was read aloud at a meeting
of the Poetry Society!
Yours sincerely,
Joyce Kilmer.
* * * * *
New York, Dec. 22, 1913.

Dear Father Daly:
I am grateful to you for your sound criticism of “To a Young Poet
Who Killed Himself.” It had previously been criticised by “pagans” who
thought that suicide was romantic and charming. You gave me just
what I needed—an analysis of its “philosophy.” Of course I’ll leave it
out of my new book of verse, or else, as you suggest, make it the
utterance of someone not myself.
You will be glad to hear of our Christmas present from Soeur
Therese. Rose can lift her left forearm. I know that you have been
getting her aid for us. Please tell us how to show our gratitude to her
and to you.
A picture of Rose and her mother is going to you for Christmas. I
hope that it may be a mirthful feast for you. We can honestly say that
we have never before been so happy.
Yours sincerely,
Joyce Kilmer.
* * * * *
Mahwah, N. J.
Jan. 9, 1914.
Dear Father Daly:
At last I have leisure to thank you for your Christmas gifts. I did not
know that such beautiful cards were made. How is it that in Prairie du
Chien—a place of which the name suggests Indians and tomahawks
and Deadwood stage-coaches—you can procure better cards than I
can get in New York? The medals are highly valued—the workmanship
on them is admirable—they will be worn properly as soon as I can
afford to buy some silver chains—and that will be next Tuesday.
Of course you understand my conversion. I am beginning to
understand it. I believed in the Catholic position, the Catholic view of
ethics and æsthetics, for a long time. But I wanted something not
intellectual, some conviction not mental—in fact I wanted Faith.
Just off Broadway, on the way from the Hudson Tube Station to the
Times Building, there is a Church, called the Church of the Holy
Innocents. Since it is in the heart of the Tenderloin, this name is
strangely appropriate—for there surely is need of youth and
innocence. Well, every morning for months I stopped on my way to the
office and prayed in this Church for faith. When faith did come, it came,
I think, by way of my little paralysed daughter. Her lifeless hands led
me; I think her tiny still feet know beautiful paths. You understand this
and it gives me a selfish pleasure to write it down.
I was very glad of your criticism of “The Young Poet Who Killed
Himself.” I need some stricter discipline, I think, and it’s hard to get it. I
enjoy Father Cullem’s direction very much, he is a fine old Irishman
with no nonsense about him. But I need to be called a fool, I need to
have some of the conceit and sophistication knocked out of me. I
suppose you think this is “enthusiasm”—that much heralded danger of
converts. Perhaps it is, but I don’t think so. I know I’m glad I live two
miles from the Church, because it’s excellent for a lazy person like
myself to be made to exert himself for religion. And I wish I had a stern
mediæval confessor—the sort of person one reads about in anti-
Catholic books—who would inflict real penances. The saying of Hail
Marys and Our Fathers is no penance, it’s a delight.
Forgive this egotistical letter! I am praying that the New Year may
bring you much happiness.
Yours sincerely,
Joyce Kilmer.
* * * * *
Mahwah, N. J.
July 14, 1914.
Dear Father Daly:
If you read my “Some Mischief Still” I hope the strong language of
my janitor didn’t shock you. I’ve written to my long-suffering confessor
to ask whether or not I can let characters in my plays and stories
“cuss” when they feel so disposed. I fear that I introduced a new sin to
him—vicarious profanity.
You asked me several questions recently. Let me see if I can
answer them. In the first place, you asked me why I addressed the
Holy Name Society of Suffern, New York. The answer to that is, why
not? I go to Sacred Heart Church in Suffern. My parish church is in
Ramsey, New Jersey, but we Mahwah Catholics (those of us who go to
Church) are allowed to go to Suffern, which is much nearer. Ramsey
has only a small Mission Church, to which comes the priest from
Hohokus.
Furthermore, I tolerate no levity on the name Suffern! especially
from a dweller in Prairie du Chien (named after a ridiculous vermin)
who has been visiting a place called Pilsen (named after a beer) and
conducting a retreat in a place called Peoria (obviously a corruption of
Peruna, a patent medicine of ill repute).
You ask me if I know what a retreat is. I do, because long before I
was a Catholic, before I was a wild-eyed Socialistic revolutionary, I was
a ritualistic Anglican, and I went twice up to Holy Cross Monastery at
West Park. This is an Anglican institution, which observes a
modification of the Benedictine rule. And there I learned about imitation
retreats, anyway. I must go to a regular retreat sometime.
I don’t expect to take any vacation this Summer, but I’m going to
spend several Saturdays fishing. I hope you do not scorn that
wholesome and unliterary diversion. Most writers of my acquaintance
consider it lamentably base.
I hope you were satisfied with your efforts at Peoria. I did what you
asked. By the way, when you pray for the Kilmers, please include a
new Kilmer, who is coming, we hope, in October. He—or she—will
have Barry among his or her names, after the family from whom my
wife is descended.
Yours affectionately,
Joyce Kilmer.
* * * * *
Mahwah, New Jersey.

Nov., 1914.
Dear Father Daly:
We are now back in Mahwah, thank God! It’s the chief thing I thank
Him for, of all the splendid things He’s given me—this home of mine.
My children are all well, and my wife. Prayer has given Rose the
almost normal use of one arm and the power to sit up. And prayer will
do more.
Joyce.
This is a postscript, to say that the smug young person portrayed
in the Citizen resembles me only “as the dew resembles the rain.” I am
fat and gross, and I have “elastic and rebellious hair,” like M.
Baudelaire’s cat. Someday I’ll have a decent picture and courageously
send it to you. In my young youth, I was slightly decorative. But now I
drink beer instead of writing about absinthe. And therefore—
* * * * *
June 15, 1915.

Dear Father James:
Your suggestion as to a lecture tour is characteristically kind. I am
already on the books of a lecture manager named Feakins, who
manages Chesterton, Barry Pain and other people. I’ll probably lecture
before Catholic organizations as well as secular ones, because I need
the money, but I don’t want to for reasons you will, I know, understand.
In the first place, I don’t want in any way to make money out of my
religion, to seem to be a “professional Catholic.” In the second place, I
have delight chiefly in talking veiled Catholicism to non-Catholics, in
humbly endeavouring to be an Apostle to Bohemia. I have no real
message to Catholics, I have Catholicism’s message to modern
pagans. So I want to lecture chiefly to Pagans.
The Prairie du Chien correspondent of the Police Gazette has
cabled that you are to read a paper at the St. Paul Educational
Conference. Congratulations! And I’ll try to help you to the extent of my
power—but you don’t need help as I do.
Joyce.
* * * * *
Good Samaritan Hospital,
Suffern, N. Y.
August 2, 1916.
Dear Father James:
I am sorry that you received exaggerated reports of my accident.
All that happened to me was the fracture of a couple of ribs, and I have
been very comfortable in a delightful hospital. My secretary comes out
several times a week, so I am keeping up with my work.
Remember me, if you please, to Mother Mercedes and Father
O’Reilly.
Joyce.
* * * * *
Mahesh, N. J.
Aug. 10, 1916.
Dear Father James:
This is to say that I am rapidly recovering my health, and hope to
be in my office in a week. I had a fine time in the hospital, a
comfortable place run by particularly amiable Sisters of Charity. It may
interest you to know that I had received the Blessed Sacrament half an
hour before the train struck me, and that to this fact I attribute my
escape from death—since at the place where I was struck several men
have been killed, being thrown forward and under the wheels, instead
of, (as I was), to one side.
Affectionately,
Joyce.
* * * * *
(Aug 8, 1917).
Monday.
Dear Father James:
Your letter was opened and read by one Private Kilmer, a
hardened military cuss, unused to literary activities. This is the first
literary labor he has essayed for a month, aside from studying Moss’s
Manual of Military Training and the art of shooting craps.
We’re still in New York—at the Armory from 9 A. M. to 4.30 P. M.,
but we usually get home at night. Young Louis is in the same company
as myself. We probably will go to Spartansberg, North Carolina, about
Aug. 17, but we may be here till October, or we may go to France to-
morrow. Nobody knows. I find that there are many Catholics in the
Seventh. It’s amusing that our training camp is in North Carolina—
nothing to drink and no Jesuits! Bishop is a Benedictine mitred abbott
—it’s in Belmont Abbey.
Before mobilisation I finished editing “Dreams and Images,” an
anthology of Catholic verse written since (but including) Patmore.
Terrible rush job, but pretty good book. Do you mind having it
dedicated to you? Wanted to include some of your stuff, but didn’t have
time to get any. Have dedicated it to you, but can change it, if you
wish. Don’t hesitate to say so! Can’t hurt my feelings! Hard military
character, seriously considering acquisition of habit of chewing
tobacco.
This is an absurd note, but I find myself very stupid at writing.
Perhaps after drill becomes easier, I’ll have more of a mind left at
night. Fr. Dwight honoured me by asking me for a sonnet on St.
Ignatius for America, but I fell down on the assignment. I could not
write even a limerick on St. Ignatius in my present mental state! But it’s
a comfortable life physically—mentally too, I guess, and as for
spiritually, why, pray for yours affectionately,
Joyce.
* * * * *
(Sept., 1917).
Thursday.
Dear Fr. James:
I never expected to write to you on lined paper or Y. M. C. A. paper
—uses of adversity! The Y. M. C. A. gives us poor “dough boys” the
only place we have to sit down and read and write—so far the Knights
of Columbus have not been in evidence in this highly papistical camp. I
am, as you know, a member of the 165th Infantry, U. S., formerly the
69th New York. I have recently been transferred from Co. H. to
Headquarters Co., and exchanged my 8 hours a day of violent physical
exercise (most deadening to the brain, a useful anodyne for me,
coming as it did after my grief) for exacting but interesting statistical
work. I am called Senior Regimental Statistician, but in spite of all
these syllables still rank as a private. My work is under the direction of
the Regimental Chaplain, Fr. Francis Patrick Duffy. The people I like
best here are the wild Irish—boys of 18 or 20, who left Ireland a few
years ago, some of them to escape threatened conscription, and
travelled about the country in gangs, generally working on the
railroads. They have delightful songs that have never been written
down, but sung in vagabonds’ camps and country jails. I have got
some of the songs down and hope to get more—“The Boston
Burglar”—“Sitting in My Cell All Alone”—they are fine, a veritable Irish-
American folk-lore. Before I was transferred to Headquarters Co., I
slept in a tent with a number of these entertaining youths, and enjoyed
it tremendously. We sang every night from 9 to 9.30. Now I am in more
sophisticated but less amusing company—ambitious youths, young
office men, less simple and genial than my other friends.
I get to New York for part of Saturday and Sunday. Aline is staying
with her mother in New York. It is good that I am not with the 7th
Regiment in Spartanburg—as it is I can telephone to Aline every night.
I will send you a picture of Rose soon. Her death was a piercing blow,
but beautiful. It happened at the best time. Aline was there and I and
our parish priest. Rose was happy but did not want to get well. “I’ll
drink it in another house,” she said, when the nurse coaxed her to take
some broth. Perhaps she meant the new house in Larchmont which
we move to in October. And perhaps not. There was a Mission in our
parish-church, just a couple of blocks from the house, and while Rose
died the voices of the Sisters singing “O Salutaris Hostia” could be
heard in the room. I thank you for your letter, beautifully interpretative.
Certainly Rose makes Heaven dearer to us.
Joyce.
* * * * *
Headquarters Company, 165th U. S. Infantry,

Camp Albert E. Mills, New York.
October 28, 1917.
Dear Father James:
I hope you don’t mind being typewritten to by an unskillful typist. I
have learned all I know of this art since I became a soldier. It is
ridiculous for a newspaperman to learn typewriting in the army, but I
never had the time to learn it before—I found it better to have an
expert typist for a secretary and dictate my stuff to him. I used to turn
out four or five thousand words an hour when Watts was working for
me. I haven’t much speed as yet but I ought to be pretty good at it
when I get back. There are two things I always wanted to learn—how
to typewrite and how to serve Mass. I’m learning the one and I’m going
to get Fr. Duffy to let me pinch-hit for his orderly at Mass some
mornings. So I’ll be an accomplished cuss when I come back from the
Wars—I’ll know how to typewrite and to serve Mass and to sing the
Boston Burglar.
Numerous philanthropic citizens are sending cigarettes to soldiers,
and pipe-tobacco (in which last bounty I often share). But some
enlightened person should start a nation-wide campaign for sending
cigars to Senior Regimental Statistical Representatives. I am Senior
Statistical Representative of the 165th U. S. Infantry, I am!
Joyce.
* * * * *
Headquarters Company,
165th Infantry,
A. E. F., France.
April 5, 1918.
Dear Father James:
When I next visit Campion, I will teach you (in addition to “The
Boston Burglar”) an admirable song called “Down in the Heart of the
Gas-House District.” I sing it beautifully. Its climax is, “If you would
meet good fellows face to face, Just hang around Jimmy
Cunningham’s place, For it’s down in the heart of the Gas-house
district, In Old New York.”
I received two most welcome letters from you recently. One had to
do with the case of ——. It contains excellent advice, and I am carrying
it in my pocket, intending to clip your name and the name of the
college from it and to give it to him. I am deeply grateful, my dear
Father, for your great and characteristic kindness in this matter. I think
we’ll yet see him practicing and teaching philosophy. You see, in his
veins is a dangerous mixture of bloods—like my own—German and
Irish, perhaps that accounts for his troubles. Gaelic impetuosity and
Teutonic romanticism—no, sentimentality—no, self-pity—no, what is it
that makes Germans German? I mean Sturm und Drang, Sorrows of
Werther and that sort of thing. Well, it doesn’t matter what it’s called.
But all people with any German blood have a bit of it. And highly
diluted it’s rather nice. Which reminds me that Father Duffy says I’m
half German and half human.
I wrote a poem called “Rouge Bouquet.” I’ll ask Aline to send you a
copy—it’s long—and you remind her. It will tell you of an incident which
will indicate to you that handling statistics in Regimental Headquarters
isn’t the dry task you imagine it. The statistics aren’t dry—they’re wet—
and red. Also, I’m attached to the Regimental Intelligence Section,
which is exciting. I had a very thrilling week not long ago—I’m not
allowed to write about it yet. I’ll tell you about it some day. By the way,
it was at that time—Feb. 26, that you wrote to me. I wasn’t in the office
then, I was out working as an observer—finest job in the army! By the
way, I’m a Sergeant now. I’ll never be anything higher. To get a
commission I’d have to go away for three months to a school, and then
—whether or not I was made an officer—I’d be sent to some outfit
other than this. And I don’t want to leave this crowd. I’d rather be a
Sergeant in the 69th than a Lieutenant in any other regiment in the
world. Get Aline to send you a copy of “Holy Ireland”—it will explain,
somewhat.
Please give my love to anybody who will accept it. Remember me
with special fervour to Sister Eugene and Sister Stanislaus. I enjoy
reading the Campion, and am glad to see the newspaper has become
a reality.
You speak of French anti-clericals in your letter. They all must be in
Paris. I haven’t found any in my rather extensive wanderings around
France. As a common soldier, I have the privilege of intimacy with the
French peasants—and I find them edifyingly good Catholics. Pray for
me, dear Father James.
Affectionately,
Joyce.
* * * * *
April 8, 1918.
My dear Father James:
I am sending you with this letter some verses that will, I think,
interest you. They are my first attempt at versification in a dug-out—a
dug-out not far from the event of which the verses tell. I have sent a
copy to Aline, but since the trans-Atlantic mails are so uncertain, will
you be so kind as to write to her asking if she has received it?
Somewhere within a radius of five miles from where I write now
slumbers (for it’s long after bedtime for soldiers who keep regular
hours) one Drury Sheehan. Every day he meets someone from my
outfit and asks after me and says he’s coming to see me. And some
days ago I—riding on a truck—passed and was passed several times
by his outfit. And I paged him, so to speak, unavailingly. Also numerous
letters from the States tell me that young Father Charles O’Donnell is
somewhere near. We’ll have a great reunion one of these days. I wish
you’d be in it! But one of these nights I’ll jump off a freight at Prairie du
Chien, break a pane of glass in a basement window and go to sleep in
the Bishop’s room. The Brother will be aghast next morning at
discovering a ragged mustachioed shaven headed soldier in such a
place—I’ll try to explain to him that I’m an adopted alumnus of
Campion—I’ll probably use French in my excitement—and he will
promptly shoot me. Then I’ll spend two months in the Campion
Infirmary, which is, I am told, a very nice place.
I am having a delightful time, but it won’t break my heart for the
war to end. I feel much comforted and strengthened by many prayers
—those of my wife and little children, those of many dear friends,
mostly priests and Sisters. I value highly my share in your Masses.
Always pray hard, my dear Father, for
Your affectionate friend,
Joyce.
* * * * *
May 15, 1918.

Dear Father James:
I thought you’d like to see how I looked after six months of
soldiering. I’m having a lot of fun (I’m a Sergeant in the Regimental
Intelligence Section now, you remember) but I haven’t been to Mass
for three weeks! It so happened that I was away from churches (except
the ruins thereof) and from Fr. Duffy. So you’ll have to be praying
doubly hard for your affectionate friend,
Joyce.
* * * * *
To Mrs. Kilburn Kilmer

To My Mother, on Her Birthday, 1914,
With a Book of Poems
Gentlest of critics, does your memory hold

(I know it does) a record of the days
When I, a schoolboy, earned your generous praise
For halting verse and stories crudely told?
Over those boyish scrawls the years have rolled,
They might not bear the world’s unfriendly gaze,
But still your smile shines down familiar ways,
Touches my words and turns their dross to gold.
Dearer to-day than in that happy time

Comes your high praise to make me proud and strong.
In my poor notes you hear Love’s splendid chime
So unto you does this, my work, belong.
Take, then, this little book of fragile rhyme;
Your heart will change it to authentic song.
* * * * *
To A. K. K.
August the Fourth
Nineteen Hundred and Eleven
Now the English larks are singing,

And the English meadows flinging
Scarlet flags of blazing poppies to the fragrant summer air,
And from every tower and steeple
All the wondering English people
Hear a chime of fairy music, though no bell-ringers are there.

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Web Development 1st Edition Gunnard

ISBN-13 (pbk): 978-1-4842-8081-2 ISBN-13 (electronic): 978-1-4842-8082-9

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About the Contributor�������������������������������������������������������������������������xv

Chapter 1: Getting Started��������������������������������������������������������������������1

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Chapter 5: Form Data��������������������������������������������������������������������������75

Chapter 7: Sessions and Cookies�����������������������������������������������������149

Chapter 9: PHP Exceptions, Validation, and Regular Expressions����171

Chapter 10: PHP and MySQL Working Together��������������������������������193

Chapter 11: Data�������������������������������������������������������������������������������211

Chapter 12: Website with a DB���������������������������������������������������������221

Chapter 13: Introduction to Frameworks�����������������������������������������231

Chapter 14: Introduction to Laravel��������������������������������������������������247

Chapter 15: Introduction to Symfony�����������������������������������������������273

Chapter 16: A Basic Symfony Application����������������������������������������285

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Who This Book Is For

Downloading the Code

Why Use PHP?

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© Gunnard Engebreth, Satej Kumar Sahu 2023 1

Why PHP, Ngnix, and MySQL?

Figure 1-1. The Docker Desktop for Windows download button

1. Double-click Docker Desktop Installer.exe to run

2. When prompted, ensure the Enable Hyper-V

3. Follow the instructions in the installation wizard to

4. When the installation is successful, click Close to

5. If your admin account is different to your user

administrator and navigate to Local Users and

Docker Desktop does not start automatically after installation. To

Figure 1-2. Download options for Docker for Mac

Double-click Docker.dmg to open the installer and then drag the

Figure 1-3. Moving the Docker application to the Applications folder

Double-click Docker.app in the Applications folder to start Docker.

Figure 1-4. Docker Applications folder

distributions. If you are using Debian/Ubuntu, you can follow these

1) Ensure that any older installation is removed from

2) Update the apt package index and install packages

3) Add Docker’s official GPG key.

4) Use the following command to set up the stable

5) Update the apt package index and install the latest

If you have any difficulties or need to install a specific version of

• Multiple isolated environments on a single host

• Preserving volume data when containers are created

• Only recreating containers that have changed

• Variables and moving a composition between

More on these features can be found at https://docs.docker.com/

1) For Linux users, run this command to download the

2) Apply executable permissions to the binary.

Note If the command docker-compose fails after installation,

The Development Environment

Figure 1-5. yaml files for your project

Figure 1-6. Unzipped project folder

and watch Docker spin up (Figure 1-7).

About the Contributor��xv

Chapter 1: Getting Started��1

Chapter 2: PHP Fundamentals��15

Verbs: GET and POST��25

Chapter 3: Functions, Classes, and Traits��33

Chapter 4: Data and Data Types��49

Chapter 5: Form Data��75

Chapter 7: Sessions and Cookies��149

Chapter 9: PHP Exceptions, Validation, and Regular Expressions��171

Chapter 10: PHP and MySQL Working Together��193

Chapter 11: Data��211

Chapter 12: Website with a DB��221

Chapter 13: Introduction to Frameworks��231

Chapter 14: Introduction to Laravel��247

Chapter 15: Introduction to Symfony��273

Chapter 16: A Basic Symfony Application��285

Who This Book Is For

Downloading the Code

Why Use PHP?

Why PHP, Ngnix, and MySQL?

The Development Environment

Using Errors As Tools

Verbs: GET and POST