This is a fairly good little book, nice to take with me between home and the office while I keep the other two big (non-O'Reilly) PHP books in one place.
Aside from echoing the other comments (it needs a corresponding O'Reilly big book, more detailed function descriptions, etc.), it seriously needs an index. This became clear while looking for the missing descriptions of the list() and isset() functions. As the function descriptions are so minimal, I expect to use this book mainly to look up proper spelling (mainly whether or not a function has an inline underscore: e.g. isset, is_int, intval; file_exists, filesize, is_file), and parameter lists of functions I already know. An index would make this painless, which it is not right now. Expanding the function descriptions in the book would make an index even more useful.
The Tcl/Tk Pocket Reference has an index, and it's 32 pages shorter (not to mention $2 cheaper). The six blank pages at the back of the PHP Pocket Reference are surely enough room, if litle else is changed.
It would be nice to have the Function Reference split into two or more major sections. I would suggest Basic Functions (array, string, date/time, variable, misc, etc.) and Advanced Functions (database, IMAP, LDAP, MCAL, Mcrypt, networking, etc.). Alternately, the Advanced Functions could be further split into sections for Local (database and file manipulation, such as GZIP, graphics, PDF, FDF, etc.) and Remote (networking and remote server functions, such as IMAP, LDAP, MCAL, etc.) functions. Another option would be to separate out the functions that require an additional library (e.g. IMAP, MCAL, Mcrypt, mhash, PDF, spell-checking, etc.).
Still, I did learn a few tricks from the chapters prior to the function reference, and I would recommend this book to PHP coders on the go, since it's so small, relatively inexpensive, and currently unique in the marketplace.
|
