Uncovering How PHP "Ticks" – Simulating Multi-tasking Using Tick Functions

So they say that PHP does not support multithreading.Well… they’re right, but it does offer somethingsimilar. Join author Michael Paul Baley as he guides you throughthe fascinating world of tick functions–a most-often forgottenaspect of PHP worth exploring.

—by Michael Bailey

Modeling Object Oriented Applications Using UML in PHP5

What is modeling? Modeling is taking an idea and turning itinto art. That’s what programming is all about: taking anidea and making it into an application. Since the introduction ofobject-oriented programming in the late 60’s, we’vebeen trying to model normal processes into applications. But how dowe keep track of all this activity? Documenting code? Yes, but ittakes time to read and understand the relationships among theobjects. The quick way is to look at images on adiagram—after all, as author Pawel Pastuszak show us in thisarticle, a picture is worth a thousand words.—by Pawel Pastuszak

Simplified MVC pattern for PHP Web Apps – Modularized CMSs Using Design Patterns

In this article, author Lukasz Karapuda outlines a way ofrapidly developing modularized content management web applicationsin PHP that are based on a simplified version of the Model ViewController (MVC) pattern. His approach utilizes a Controllerscript, Screen classes and Data Objects based on thePEAR::DB_DataObject package. The framework Lukasz presents is easyto understand, simple to program in and makes it straightforward todocument and model your applications.—by Lukasz Karapuda

Design Patterns: Powerful Solutions to Common Problems

Many common programming problems have already been solved. Adesign pattern is a formal explanation of a solution to a type ofproblem; design patterns are well-tested, elegant solutions thatcan turn good code into great code. If design patterns have alwaysbeen a bit of a mystery to ou, let Devon Weller take you for a ridein the wonderful world of truly reusable code in this can’t-missarticle!—by Devon Weller

Mobilizing Web Content – Write Once, Wireless Everywhere

When you get down to it, developing applications to suitevery wireless device is an awesome—and somewhatintimidating—task. The incredible range of device types andform factors, as well as the lack of standards, has brought severeheadaches to application developers as they have to write new codefor each and every device out there. Do not fear,however—help is on its way in the form of this great articleby Contect Innovations CTO Roland Schmidt!—by Roland Schmidt

Integrating SAP with PHP

SAP is an extremely large ERP system, which contains a wealthof information relating to the business where it is installed. SAPis marketing a number of new web-based platforms to exploit thisdata in web applications. These can be expensive and too“large” for your requirements. This article by JasonSimmons highlights how PHP and the SAPRFC extension could provide acost effective alternative to these offerings.—by Jason Simmons