Showing posts with label PHP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PHP. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

PHP Write, Append to Files

You are advised to check corresponding YouTube video at the end of this article. 


<?php

$result = fopen("new_file.txt" , "w") or 
die ("Unable to create that file");

fwrite($result, "Write this to file \n");

fclose($result);

?>

This code creates a new file named "new_file.txt" and opens it for writing, using the fopen() function with the "w" mode, which means that the file will be created if it doesn't exist, or truncated to zero length if it already exists.

If the file cannot be created or opened for writing, the or die() statement is executed, which will print the specified error message ("Unable to create that file") and terminate the script immediately.

The fwrite() function is then used to write the string "Write this to file" to the opened file handle ($result). The "\n" at the end of the string represents a newline character, which will create a new line in the file.

Finally, the fclose() function is used to close the file handle, which flushes any pending writes to disk and releases the system resources associated with the file. 


<?php

$result = fopen("new_file.txt" , "a") or 
die ("Unable to create that file");

fwrite($result, "Append this to file \n");

fclose($result);

?>

This PHP code opens a file named "new_file.txt" and appends the string "Append this to file" followed by a newline character to the end of the file.

The fopen function is used to open the file in "append" mode, which means that data will be written to the end of the file instead of overwriting the existing content. The "a" mode flag is used to open the file in append mode.

Then, the fwrite function writes the string "Append this to file" followed by a newline character to the file. The file is then closed using the fclose function.

This code is useful for adding new content to an existing file without overwriting the existing data in the file.

form.html to pass things to .php file


<form action="grabthings.php" method="post">
<label>New Line:</label>
<input type="text" name="new_line">
<br><br>

<input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>

This code creates an HTML form with one text input field named "new_line" and a submit button. When the user fills out the input field and clicks the submit button, the form data is sent to a PHP script called "grabthings.php" using the HTTP POST method. The value entered in the input field will be accessible in the PHP script using the $_POST superglobal variable.

grabthings.php


<?php 

$get_new_line = $_POST["new_line"];

$out = fopen("output.txt", "a") or 
die ("Can't append to output.txt");

fwrite($out, $get_new_line . "\n");

fclose($out);

?>

The value of the "new_line" input field is obtained using the $_POST superglobal variable and stored in the $get_new_line variable. The code then opens the "output.txt" file in append mode using the fopen() function, which creates the file if it does not exist. If the file cannot be opened, the script terminates and outputs an error message.

The fwrite() function is used to write the value of $get_new_line to the end of the "output.txt" file. The "\n" character is added to create a new line in the file.

The fclose() function is used to close the file handle and release the resources associated with it.

PHP Reading Files

You are advised to check corresponding YouTube video at the end of this article.

There are several file handling functions in PHP, but some of the most commonly used ones are:

  1. fopen(): Used to open a file and returns a file pointer resource that is used in other file handling functions.

  2. fclose(): Used to close an opened file.

  3. fwrite(): Used to write data to an opened file.

  4. fread(): Used to read data from an opened file.

  5. file_get_contents(): Used to read the entire contents of a file into a string.

  6. file_put_contents(): Used to write a string to a file.

  7. file_exists(): Used to check if a file exists.

  8. unlink(): Used to delete a file.

These functions allow developers to create, read, update, and delete files in PHP.

source.txt


first line
second line
third line

index.php or open_file.php, you decide.


<?php

$result = fopen("source.txt" , "r");

echo fread($result, filesize("source.txt"));

fclose($result);

?>

This code opens the file "source.txt" in read mode using the fopen() function, reads the content of the file using the fread() function, and then closes the file using the fclose() function.

The fread() function reads the content of the file up to the specified number of bytes, which is determined by the filesize() function that returns the size of the file in bytes.

The content of the file is then output to the screen using the echo statement.

This code can be used to display the content of the file "source.txt" on a web page. 


<?php

$result = fopen("source.txt" , "r");

echo fgets($result) . "<br>";
echo fgets($result) . "<br>";
echo fgets($result) . "<br>";

fclose($result);

?>

This code reads and outputs the first three lines of the "source.txt" file using the fgets() function. Here's what's happening:

  • fopen("source.txt" , "r"): This opens the "source.txt" file in read mode and returns a file pointer to the beginning of the file. This file pointer is stored in the $result variable.
  • fclose($result): This closes the file and frees up the file pointer.

So, assuming the "source.txt" file has at least three lines of text, this code will output those three lines to the screen. 


<?php

$result = fopen("source.txt" , "r");

for ($x = 0; $x < 5; $x = $x + 1) {
	echo fgets($result)	. "<br>";
}

fclose($result);

?>

This code opens the file "source.txt" for reading and then reads and outputs the first 5 lines of the file using a for loop and the fgets function.

The fgets function reads a line from the file pointed to by the file handle ($result in this case) and returns it as a string. Each time the function is called, it reads the next line from the file.

In this code, the fgets function is called 5 times inside a for loop that runs 5 times. Each time the loop runs, it calls fgets to read the next line and then outputs that line with an HTML line break (<br>). 


<?php

$result = fopen("source.txt" , "r");

$x = 0;

while ($x < 4) {
	echo fgets($result) . "<br>";
	$x = $x + 1;
}

fclose($result);

?>

Note that the loop condition checks if $x is less than 4 because the loop should only run for 4 iterations to print the first 4 lines. 


<?php

$result = fopen("source.txt" , "r");

while (!feof($result)) {
	echo fgets($result) . "<br>";
}

fclose($result);

?>

The feof() function in PHP checks if the end of the file has been reached while reading a file using a file pointer. It stands for "end of file".

The feof() function takes one argument, which is the file pointer returned by fopen() when opening a file. It returns true if the file pointer has reached the end of the file, and false otherwise.

A common use of feof() is to read a file line by line using a loop and fgets(), and terminate the loop when feof() returns true, indicating the end of the file has been reached. 


<?php

$result = fopen("source.txt" , "r") or 
die ("Unable to find that file");

while (!feof($result)) {
	echo fgets($result) . "<br>";
}

fclose($result);

?>

If the file does not exist or cannot be opened for any reason, the code after the 'or' operator will be executed, which in this case is the die() function with an error message "Unable to find that file". The die() function will terminate the execution of the script immediately and display the error message.

PHP Include, Require

You are advised to check corresponding YouTube video at the end of this article.

Include and "require" are language constructs that allow you to include the contents of one file in another PHP file.

The difference between the two is that require will generate a fatal error if the file to be included cannot be found, while include will only generate a warning and continue execution of the script.

We use include and require to break up our code into smaller, reusable components. For example, we might put our database connection code into a separate file and then include it in all the files that need to access the database. This way, if we need to change the database connection details, we only need to make the change in one place.

It's smart to use include and require when you have common code that needs to be shared across multiple files, or when you want to modularize your code into smaller, more manageable chunks. It can also improve code organization and readability.

navigation.php


<?php 
echo '
<a href="">Home</a> - 
<a href="">Products</a> - 
<a href="">About</a> - 
<a href="">Contact</a>';

?>

This is an example of creating a navigation menu using HTML and PHP code. It creates a simple horizontal menu with four links: Home, Products, About, and Contact. The HTML code is enclosed in a PHP echo statement, which allows it to be dynamically generated by PHP code.

The links can be replaced with actual URLs to make the menu functional.

index.php


<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head></head>
<body>

<h1>Main Heading on Home Page</h1>

<?php include 'navigation.php'; ?>

<p>Main Content</p>
<p>Main Content</p>
<p>Main Content</p>
<p>Main Content</p>

<?php include 'navigation.php'; ?>

</body>
</html>

This code includes the navigation.php file twice in an HTML page. The navigation.php file contains the navigation menu links that are included in both instances on the page.

Using include allows you to reuse code across multiple pages, which can be helpful for maintaining consistency and reducing redundancy. It's smart to use include when you have common HTML or PHP code that you need to use across multiple pages.

In this case, including the navigation menu twice may not be necessary, but it could be useful if you want to show the same menu at the top and bottom of the page for easy navigation.

index.php


<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head></head>
<body>

<h1>Main Heading on Home Page</h1>

<?php include 'navigation.php'; ?>

<p>Main Content</p>
<p>Main Content</p>
<p>Main Content</p>
<p>Main Content</p>

<?php require 'navigation_1.php'; ?>

<p>Main Content</p>
<p>Main Content</p>
<p>Main Content</p>
<p>Main Content</p>

</body>
</html>

The include statement is used to include the navigation.php file, which contains the navigation links for the website. This code will be inserted at the location where the include statement is written.

The require statement is also used to include another file navigation_1.php, which may contain some critical code or data. If the file is not found, the script execution will stop with a fatal error. It is recommended to use require instead of include for important files, as it ensures that the file is present and can be accessed before continuing with the script.

In this particular example, both include and require are used for the same file, which may not make sense, but it's just for demonstration purposes.

PHP Constants

You are advised to check corresponding YouTube video at the end of this article.

Constants are fixed values that do not change during the execution of a program. Once defined, a constant retains its value throughout the entire program and cannot be modified by the program or the user.

Constants are useful in situations where you need to use a value that remains the same throughout the program, such as mathematical constants (e.g., pi), physical constants (e.g., speed of light), or configuration values (e.g., database credentials).

In many programming languages, constants are typically defined using the const or define keyword and are given a name and a value. Once defined, the constant can be used throughout the program using its name, and its value cannot be changed or modified. 


<?php 

define("SYSTEM_ver", "SAP v0.5");
define("LEGAL", "Please, read TOS");
define("NOTICE", "You will be kicked after 3 failed logins");
define("HR", "<hr>");

echo SYSTEM_ver;
echo HR;

echo LEGAL;
echo HR;

echo NOTICE;
echo HR;

?>

This code defines four constants using the define() function and then uses them to output messages with a horizontal line separator between them.

The first constant is SYSTEM_ver with the value of "SAP v0.5", which could be used to identify the version number of the system. The second constant is LEGAL with the value of "Please, read TOS", which could be used to display a legal notice or terms of service. The third constant is NOTICE with the value of "You will be kicked after 3 failed logins", which could be used to warn users about login attempts.

The last constant is HR with the value of "<hr>", which is an HTML horizontal line element. This constant is used to separate each message with a horizontal line, making the output more readable. 


<?php 

define("SYSTEM_ver", "SAP v0.5");
define("LEGAL", "Please, read TOS");
define("NOTICE", "You will be kicked after 3 failed logins");
define("HR", "<hr>");

function message() {
	echo SYSTEM_ver;
	echo HR;

	echo LEGAL;
	echo HR;

	echo NOTICE;
	echo HR;
}

message();

?>

Explanation:

  • The define() function is used to define constants in PHP.
  • In this example, we define four constants: SYSTEM_ver, LEGAL, NOTICE, and HR.
  • We then create a function message() that simply echoes these constants.
  • Finally, we call the message() function, which outputs the values of the constants with horizontal lines in between them.

PHP Return Values

You are advised to check corresponding YouTube video at the end of this article.

A return value is the value that a function or method returns after performing its operations or calculations. When a function is called, it can execute a series of instructions and then return a value to the caller, which can then be used in the program.

Return values are important because they allow you to get output from a function or method and use it in your program. They also allow you to make decisions and perform operations based on the output of a function or method.

In most programming languages, you can use the "return" keyword to specify the return value of a function. 


<?php 

function addition($x, $y) {
	$result = $x + $y;
	
	return $result;	
}

//Function ok, but we are not using return at all
addition(5, 6);

//Let's use return
echo addition(5, 6);
echo "<br>";

echo addition(3, 6);
echo "<br>";

echo addition(1, 7);
echo "<br>";

?>

Tthe function addition accepts two parameters and calculates their sum.

Using the return statement to return a value from a function is important because it allows the value to be used later in the program. In this example, without the return statement, the calculated result would be lost and could not be used elsewhere in the program.

By using return, the value can be stored in a variable, printed to the screen, or used in any other way that is necessary.

PHP Default Arguments

You are advised to check corresponding YouTube video at the end of this article.


<?php 

function one_ping($host = "google.com") {
	echo "<pre>";
	system ("ping ". $host);
	echo "</pre>";
}

one_ping("yahoo.com");

?>

The function "one_ping" has a default argument of "google.com" assigned to the parameter $host. This means that if an argument is not passed when the function is called, it will use "google.com" as the default value for the $host parameter.

Using default arguments in functions can be useful in situations where you want to provide a default value for a parameter, but still allow the user to override it if needed. This can make the function more flexible and easier to use.

PHP Function Arguments

You are advised to check corresponding YouTube video at the end of this article.

The terms "parameter" and "argument" are often used interchangeably, but there is a slight difference between them.

A parameter is a variable or a placeholder in a function definition that represents the input that the function expects. It is a part of the function's signature and defines the type and order of the input that the function expects.

An argument, on the other hand, is the actual value that is passed into a function when it is called. It is the data that is supplied to the function for it to work on.

To put it simply, a parameter is what a function expects, while an argument is what a function receives.

The reason why we pass arguments to functions is to provide input data to the function so that it can perform a task based on that input data. For example, if you are writing a function that calculates the area of a rectangle, you would need to pass the length and width of the rectangle as arguments to the function so that it can perform the calculation.

Passing arguments to functions makes your code more flexible and reusable, as you can use the same function to perform the same task with different input data. It also helps to reduce code duplication, as you can create a function that performs a task and then call that function multiple times with different arguments.

In addition, passing arguments to functions allows you to separate the input data from the logic of the function. This makes your code easier to read, understand, and maintain, as the function only needs to focus on performing the task, while the input data is handled separately. 


<?php 

function one_ping($host) {
	echo "<pre>";
	system ("ping ". $host);
	echo "</pre>";
}

one_ping("google.com");

?>

This is a PHP code that defines a function called "one_ping" and then calls it with the argument "google.com".

The function "one_ping" takes one parameter, which is the hostname or IP address of the host that you want to ping. The function uses the "echo" statement to print the opening "<pre>" tag, which formats the output as preformatted text, and then uses the "system" function to execute the "ping" command on the specified host. The output of the "ping" command is then printed to the screen.

The "ping" command sends a network packet to the specified host to test the network connection and measures the time it takes for the packet to be sent and received. The output of the "ping" command shows the number of packets sent and received, the percentage of packet loss, and the time it took to send and receive each packet.

The last line of the code calls the "one_ping" function by using its name followed by parentheses and passing the argument "google.com", which executes the function and prints the output to the screen. In this case, the output will be the result of the "ping" command on the host "google.com".

By defining a function, you can reuse the code to ping different hosts by passing different arguments to the function. This makes the code more modular and easier to maintain.

form.html


<form action="grabthings.php" method="post">
<label>Host to Ping:</label>
<input type="text" name="host">
<br><br>

<input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>

This is an HTML code that creates a form with a text input field and a submit button.

The form uses the "post" method to send the data to the "grabthings.php" file when the user clicks the submit button. The "action" attribute specifies the URL of the file that will handle the form submission.

The form contains a label that says "Host to Ping" and a text input field with the name "host". When the user types a value into the text field and submits the form, the value will be sent to the server as a POST parameter with the name "host".

The submit button has the text "Submit" and will submit the form when clicked.

grabthings.php


<?php 

$get_host = $_POST["host"];

function one_ping($x) {
	echo "<pre>";
	system ("ping ". $x);
	echo "</pre>";
}

one_ping($get_host);

?>

This is a PHP code that retrieves the value of the "host" parameter from the form submission using the $_POST superglobal variable, assigns it to the variable $get_host, and then calls the "one_ping" function with $get_host as the argument.

The "one_ping" function takes one parameter, which is the hostname or IP address of the host that you want to ping. The function uses the "echo" statement to print the opening "<pre>" tag, which formats the output as preformatted text, and then uses the "system" function to execute the "ping" command on the specified host. The output of the "ping" command is then printed to the screen.

By passing the value of the "host" parameter to the "one_ping" function as an argument, the function will ping the host that was entered into the text field on the form submission.

Note that this code assumes that the form was submitted using the "post" method and that the name attribute of the text input field is "host".

PHP Functions

You are strongly advised to check corresponding YouTube video at the end of this article.

A function is a block of code that performs a specific task or set of tasks. It is like a subprogram that can be called from different parts of a program. A function can take inputs, perform operations on those inputs, and return a result.

Functions are used in programming to organize code, make it more modular, and improve code reuse. By breaking a program into functions, you can isolate specific tasks and make them easier to understand and maintain. Functions also enable you to write code that is more concise and readable by reducing duplication and promoting abstraction.

In many programming languages, including Python, Java, C++, and JavaScript, functions are defined using a specific syntax that includes a name, a set of parameters (if any), and a block of code.

A parameter is a variable that is used to pass data into a function. It is a way for the function to receive input values from the caller.

When a function is defined, you can specify one or more parameters inside the parentheses after the function name. The parameters are separated by commas, and each parameter is given a name.

A default parameter is a parameter in a function that has a predefined value. If the caller does not provide a value for that parameter when calling the function, the default value is used instead.

Default parameters are useful when you want to make a parameter optional or when you want to provide a default behavior for a parameter. They can help to simplify function calls by reducing the number of arguments that need to be specified.

The parentheses "()" are used to define the parameters of a function and to call the function with those parameters.

When you define a function, the parentheses are used to declare the parameters that the function will receive. The parameters are placed inside the parentheses, separated by commas, and can have default values assigned to them if needed.

When you call a function, you also use the parentheses to pass arguments to the function.  


<?php 

function print_3_times() {
	echo "Dude, where's my car ? <br>";	
	echo "Dude, where's my car ? <br>";	
	echo "Dude, where's my car ? <br>";	
}

print_3_times();

?>

This is a script that defines a function called "print_3_times" and then calls it.

The function "print_3_times" uses the "echo" statement to print the text "Dude, where's my car ?" three times, each followed by a line break "<br>".

The last line of the code calls the function by using its name followed by parentheses, which executes the function and prints the output to the screen. In this case, the function will print the text "Dude, where's my car ?" three times. 


<?php 

function print_3_times() {
	echo "Dude, where's my car ? <br>";	
	echo "Dude, where's my car ? <br>";	
	echo "Dude, where's my car ? <br>";	
}

function call_other_functions() {
	print_3_times();
	print_3_times();
	print_3_times();
	print_3_times();	
}

call_other_functions();

?>

This is a script that defines two functions and then calls one of them.

The first function, "print_3_times", uses the "echo" statement to print the text "Dude, where's my car ?" three times, each followed by a line break "<br>".

The second function, "call_other_functions", calls the "print_3_times" function four times, which will result in the text "Dude, where's my car ?" being printed 12 times in total.

The last line of the code calls the "call_other_functions" function, which executes it and prints the output to the screen. 


<?php 

function custom_pinger() {
	echo "<pre>";
	system("ping google.com");
	echo "</pre>";
}

custom_pinger();

?>

This is a PHP code that defines a function called "custom_pinger" and then calls it.

The function "custom_pinger" uses the "echo" statement to print the opening "<pre>" tag, which formats the output as preformatted text, and then uses the "system" function to execute the "ping" command on the domain "google.com". The output of the "ping" command is then printed to the screen.

The "ping" command sends a network packet to the specified domain to test the network connection and measures the time it takes for the packet to be sent and received. The output of the "ping" command shows the number of packets sent and received, the percentage of packet loss, and the time it took to send and receive each packet.

The last line of the code calls the "custom_pinger" function by using its name followed by parentheses, which executes the function and prints the output to the screen. In this case, the output will be the result of the "ping" command on the domain "google.com".

Note that the "system" function allows you to execute commands on the operating system, which can be a security risk if the input is not properly validated. You should be careful when using the "system" function and ensure that it is only used with trusted input.

PHP While, Do While

You are strongly advised to check corresponding YouTube video at the end of this article.

While and do..while are loop structures in programming languages that allow a piece of code to be executed repeatedly until a certain condition is met.

The while loop executes a block of code while a condition is true. It first evaluates the condition, and if it is true, it enters the loop and executes the block of code. Once the code is executed, it evaluates the condition again, and if it's still true, it executes the code again, repeating this process until the condition becomes false. If the condition is initially false, the block of code is not executed at all.

The do..while loop is similar to the while loop, but the block of code is executed at least once before the condition is evaluated. First, the block of code is executed, and then the condition is evaluated. If it is true, the loop executes again, repeating the process. If it's false, the loop terminates.

While loops are useful when we don't know in advance how many times we need to execute a block of code, and do..while loops are useful when we want to ensure that a block of code is executed at least once. 


<?php 

$x = 0;

while ($x < 10) {
	echo "Right now: $x <br>";
	$x = $x + 1;
}

/*
for ($x = 0; $x < 10; $x = $x + 1) {
	echo "Right now: $x <br>";	
}
*/

?>

This code is an example of a while loop in PHP. The loop executes the code inside its block as long as the condition $x < 10 is true.

The code initializes a variable $x to 0 before entering the loop. Inside the loop, it first prints the value of $x using the echo statement. Then, it increments the value of $x by 1 using the $x = $x + 1 statement. This process repeats until the value of $x is no longer less than 10, at which point the loop ends.

This code is functionally equivalent to the commented-out for loop that appears at the bottom of the script.

The for loop is another type of loop that is often used for iterating over a sequence of values. In this case, the for loop initializes the variable $x to 0, checks the condition $x < 10, and increments the value of $x by 1 with each iteration, just like the while loop.

However, the for loop includes all three of these steps in its header, making it a more concise way to express this type of loop. 


<?php 

$x = 0;

do {
	echo "Right now: $x <br>";
	$x = $x  + 1;
} while ($x < 10);

?>

This PHP script demonstrates the use of a "do-while" loop.

The code inside the curly braces will be executed at least once, regardless of the condition specified in the while statement.

In this example, the variable $x is initialized to zero, and the loop will execute until $x is no longer less than 10. During each iteration, the value of $x is echoed to the screen along with some text. The value of $x is then incremented by 1.

The loop will continue to execute until the value of $x is 10 or greater.

PHP Associative Arrays

You are advised to check corresponding YouTube video at the end of this article. 

Associative arrays in PHP are arrays that use named keys instead of numerical indexes. Each key in the array is associated with a specific value. They are also commonly referred to as "hashes" or "dictionaries" in other programming languages.

In an associative array, the keys can be any valid string or integer, and each key is unique within the array. You can access the values of an associative array by specifying the corresponding key, rather than an index number.


<?php 

$fruits = array("Apples" => 5, "Oranges" => 12, "Grapes" => 25);

echo "Amount of Apples: " . $fruits["Apples"] . "<br>";
echo "Amount of Oranges: " . $fruits["Oranges"] . "<br>";
echo "Amount of Grapes : " . $fruits["Grapes"] . "<br>";

?>

This PHP script initializes an associative array called $fruits with three key-value pairs: "Apples" => 5, "Oranges" => 12, and `"Grapes" => 25". The keys of the array are the names of the fruits, and the values represent the number of fruits available.

Then, the script uses the keys to access the values stored in the associative array using the square brackets notation. It prints out the number of Apples, Oranges, and Grapes using the echo statement. 

The "=>" operator is used in associative arrays to assign a value to a specific key. The key is placed on the left side of the => operator, and the corresponding value is placed on the right side of the => operator. It is a way to define key-value pairs in an array. In the example above, the keys are "Apples", "Oranges", and "Grapes", and the corresponding values are 5, 12, and 25, respectively.


<?php 

$fruits = array("Apples" => 5, "Oranges" => 12, "Grapes" => 25);

$len_of_fruits = count($fruits);

echo "Num of elements: " . $len_of_fruits . "<br><br>";

foreach ($fruits as $key => $value) {
	echo "In array: $key, amount: $value <br>";
}

?>

This PHP script creates an associative array $fruits with three key-value pairs. The keys are the names of different fruits and the values represent the number of those fruits.

Then the script uses the count() function to get the number of elements in the array and prints it out.

After that, the script uses a foreach loop to iterate over each key-value pair in the array. Within the loop, the variable $key represents the key (fruit name) and $value represents the value (number of fruits). The script prints out the key and value for each iteration of the loop.

This way of iterating over an associative array in PHP is commonly used when you need to work with both the keys and values of the array.

PHP Sorting Arrays

You are advised to check corresponding YouTube video at the end of this article. 


<?php 

$fruits = array("Bananas", "Oranges", "Apples", "Grapes");

echo "BEFORE: <br>";
foreach ($fruits as $x) {
	echo "Element: $x <br>";
}

echo "<br><hr><br>";

sort($fruits);
echo "AFTER: <br>";
foreach ($fruits as $x) {
	echo "Element: $x <br>";
}

?>

This PHP script creates an array of fruits and then sorts the elements in alphabetical order using the sort() function.

The foreach loop is used to display the array elements before and after sorting.

In the first loop, the script prints the elements of the $fruits array as they are stored. In the second loop, the script sorts the $fruits array using the sort() function and then prints the sorted elements.

The output of the script will display the original order of the elements in the array followed by the sorted order of the elements.

PHP Count Function

You are advised to check corresponding YouTube video at the end of this article.

In PHP, count() is a built-in function that is used to count the number of elements in an array or the number of characters in a string. It returns the number of elements in an array or the length of a string. 


<?php 

$languages = array("Javascript", "Perl", "Lisp", "C++", "Python");

$num_of_languages = count($languages);

echo "Number of langs: " . $num_of_languages;

?>

This is a PHP script that creates an array named $languages with five elements: "Javascript", "Perl", "Lisp", "C++", and "Python".

The count() function is then used to count the number of elements in the $languages array, which is five. The result is then stored in a variable called $num_of_languages.

Finally, the script outputs the result to the screen using the echo statement, which prints the string "Number of langs: " concatenated with the value of $num_of_languages, which is "5" in this case. 


<?php 

$languages = array("Javascript", "Perl", "Lisp", "C++", "Python");

$num_of_languages = count($languages);

for ($x = 0; $x < $num_of_languages; $x = $x + 1) {
	echo "Lang at the moment: $languages[$x] <br>"; 
}

?>

This PHP script creates an array called $languages containing five different programming languages. It then uses the count() function to determine the number of elements in the $languages array and stores that value in the $num_of_languages variable.

Next, it uses a for loop to iterate through the array. The loop initializes the $x variable to 0, and then loops as long as $x is less than $num_of_languages. Inside the loop, it uses the $x variable to access each element of the array in turn, and then prints out a message that includes the current element of the array.

The output of this script will be five lines of text, each one displaying one of the programming languages in the $languages array. 


<?php 

$languages = array("Javascript", "Perl", "Lisp", "C++", "Python");

$num_of_languages = count($languages);

foreach ($languages as $lang) {
	echo "Lang at the moment: $lang <br>";
}

?>

This script uses a foreach loop to achieve the same thingas before. The loop iterates over the $languages array, and each time it goes through the loop, it assigns the current element's value to the variable $lang. The loop then prints out the value of $lang.

This is a more concise and often easier to read way of iterating over an array in PHP

PHP Element Position

You are advised to check corresponding YouTube video at the end of this article.

An index is a numeric value used to identify and access elements within an array. Each element in an array is associated with a unique index, which is used to retrieve or modify the element's value. 


<?php 
// Positions: 	     0        1          2
$programs = array("calc", "notepad", "mspaint");

echo "First element: " . $programs[0] . "<br>";
echo "Second element: " . $programs[1]. "<br>";
echo "Third element: " . $programs[2]. "<br>";

?>

This PHP code declares an indexed array called $programs and assigns it three string values: "calc", "notepad", and "mspaint".

Then, the code uses the index of each element to access and print their values using echo. The first element, which is "calc", is accessed using $programs[0], the second element, which is "notepad", is accessed using $programs[1], and the third element, which is "mspaint", is accessed using $programs[2].

In PHP, as well as in many other programming languages, indexing starts from 0 by convention.

form.html


<form action="grabthings.php" method="post">
<label>Name:</label>
<input type="text" name="name">
<br><br>

<label>Lastname:</label>
<input type="text" name="lastname">
<br><br>

<label>Years:</label>
<input type="text" name="years">
<br><br>

<input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>

This HTML form will create a form with three input fields for the user to enter their name, last name, and age. The form will use the HTTP POST method to send the data to the server-side script "grabthings.php" for processing.

The input fields will be labeled with "Name:", "Lastname:", and "Years:". Each input field will have a corresponding "name" attribute that will be used to identify the input field and its value when the form is submitted.

The form will include a "Submit" button that the user can click to submit the form data. When the button is clicked, the form data will be sent to the "grabthings.php" script using the POST method, and the script will be responsible for processing the data and performing any necessary actions.

grabthings.php


<?php 

$get_name = $_POST["name"];
$get_lastname = $_POST["lastname"];
$get_years = $_POST["years"];

$data = array($get_name, $get_lastname, $get_years);

echo "Name: $data[0]" . "<br>";
echo "Lastname: $data[1]" . "<br>";
echo "Years: $data[2]" . "<br>";

?>

This PHP script retrieves data from an HTML form submitted via POST method and assigns it to variables $get_name, $get_lastname, and $get_years using the $_POST superglobal. It then creates an array called $data, which includes the values of these variables.

Finally, the script outputs the values of the array using echo statements.

The output shows the submitted name, lastname, and years.

PHP Foreach, Arrays

You are advised to check corresponding YouTube video at the end of this article.

foreach is a loop structure in PHP that allows you to iterate over arrays or objects. 

an array is a data structure that stores a collection of values, each identified by an index or a key. Arrays can hold any type of data, including strings, integers, and other arrays.

There are three types of arrays in PHP:

  1. Indexed arrays: This is the most common type of array, where the elements are assigned a numerical index starting from 0. Indexed arrays are created using square brackets [] or the array() function.
  1. Associative arrays: In this type of array, the elements are assigned a named key that is used to access them. Associative arrays are created using the array() function and assigning values to keys using the => operator.
  1. Multi-dimensional arrays: This is an array that contains one or more arrays as elements. Multi-dimensional arrays can be either indexed or associative.

<?php 

$stuff = array(1, 2, 3, 4, 5);

foreach ($stuff as $x) {
	echo "Unique elements is: $x";
	echo "<br>";
}

?>

This PHP code defines an array called $stuff containing the integers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Then, it uses a foreach loop to iterate over the elements in the array.

In the foreach loop, the variable $x is assigned to each element of the $stuff array one by one, and the loop body is executed for each element. Inside the loop, the code prints out the value of $x along with a string "Unique elements is:" using the echo statement and adds a line break <br> to separate each element on a new line. 


<?php 

$stuff = array("something", "from", "here", 3.14);

echo "<ul>";

foreach ($stuff as $x) {
	echo "<li>";
	echo "Unique elements is: $x";
	echo "</li>";
}

echo "</ul>";

?>

This PHP code defines an array called $stuff containing a string "something", a string "from", a string "here", and a float value 3.14. Then, it uses a foreach loop to iterate over the elements in the array.

In the foreach loop, the variable $x is assigned to each element of the $stuff array one by one, and the loop body is executed for each element. Inside the loop, the code prints out an HTML unordered list <ul> tag to start the list, then for each element in the $stuff array, it adds a list item <li> tag to the unordered list, and prints out the value of $x along with a string "Unique elements is:" using the echo statement. After printing the element, it closes the list item tag </li>.

After the loop ends, the code prints out the closing unordered list tag </ul>


<?php 

$stuff = array("calc", "notepad", "mspaint");

foreach ($stuff as $x) {
	system($x);
}

?>

This PHP code defines an array called $stuff containing three strings: "calc", "notepad", and "mspaint". Then, it uses a foreach loop to iterate over the elements in the array.

In the foreach loop, the variable $x is assigned to each element of the $stuff array one by one, and the loop body is executed for each element. Inside the loop, the code calls the system() function with the string value of $x as its argument. This means that for each element in the $stuff array, the corresponding command (calc, notepad, or mspaint) will be executed on the system running the PHP code.

So, when this code is executed, it will launch the "calc" program, then the "notepad" program, and finally the "mspaint" program on Windows system running the PHP code, in that order.

PHP For Loop, Html Form

You are advised to check corresponding YouTube video at the end of this article.

form.html


<form action="grabthings.php" method="post">
<label>Lower:</label>
<input type="text" name=lower>
<br><br>

<label>Upper:</label>
<input type="text" name=upper>
<br><br>

<input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>

This HTML form is used to collect data from the user and send it to the server using the POST method.

The form has two text input fields named "lower" and "upper", which allow the user to enter lower and upper bounds for a range of values. These fields are labeled using the HTML <label> element.

The form also has a submit button labeled "Submit". When the user clicks this button, the form data is sent to a PHP script located at "grabthings.php" using the POST method.

grabthings.php


<?php 

$get_lower = $_POST["lower"];
$get_upper = $_POST["upper"];

for ($x = $get_lower; $x <= $get_upper; $x = $x + 1) {
	echo "x at the moment: <b>$x</b>";
	echo "<br>";
}

if ($get_lower >= $get_upper) {
	echo "<h2>Error: Lower number must be smaller than Upper</h2>";
}

?>

This PHP script is used to process the data submitted by the HTML form that collects the lower and upper bounds of a range of values.

The script first retrieves the lower and upper bounds from the $_POST superglobal array, using the keys "lower" and "upper" that correspond to the name attributes of the input fields in the HTML form.

Next, the script uses a for loop to iterate through the range of values from the lower bound to the upper bound. The loop uses the retrieved values of the lower and upper bounds as the start and end points of the loop, respectively. For each iteration, the current value of x is printed to the screen using the echo statement, along with some HTML tags to format the output.

The script checks whether the lower bound is greater than or equal to the upper bound. If so, it prints an error message to the screen to indicate that the input is invalid.

This script demonstrates how to process form data in PHP and use it to perform a task such as iterating through a range of values. It also includes error checking to handle cases where the input data is invalid.

For Loop in PHP

You are strongly advised to check corresponding YouTube video at the end of this article.

A for loop is a control flow statement that allows you to repeatedly execute a block of code a fixed number of times. It's a type of loop that is commonly used when you know how many times you need to execute the code.

The syntax of a for loop typically includes three parts:

  1. Initialization: This is where you set the initial value of a loop counter variable.
  2. Condition: This is where you specify the condition that must be true for the loop to continue executing.
  3. Increment/Decrement: This is where you update the value of the loop counter variable after each iteration of the loop.

For loops are commonly used in programming for a variety of tasks, such as iterating over arrays, processing data, and performing calculations.


<?php 

for ($x = 0; $x <= 10; $x = $x + 1) {
	echo "x at this moment: <b>$x</b>"; 
	echo "<br>";
}

?>

This is a PHP script that uses a for loop to output the value of the variable $x and a line break for each iteration of the loop.

The for loop is initialized with the variable $x set to 0. The loop will continue to execute as long as the value of $x is less than or equal to 10. After each iteration of the loop, the value of $x is incremented by 1 ($x = $x + 1).

Inside the loop, the script uses the echo statement to output the value of $x along with some HTML tags for formatting. Specifically, the script outputs the string "x at this moment: " followed by the value of $x wrapped in a bold tag (<b>), and then a line break (<br>).

The output of this script will be a list of numbers from 0 to 10, each preceded by the string "x at this moment: " and formatted in bold. 


<?php 

for ($y = 30; $y >= 0; $y = $y - 5) {
	echo "y at this moment: <b>$y</b>"; 
	echo "<br>";
}

?>

This is a PHP script that uses a for loop to output the value of the variable $y and a line break for each iteration of the loop.

The for loop is initialized with the variable $y set to 30. The loop will continue to execute as long as the value of $y is greater than or equal to 0. After each iteration of the loop, the value of $y is decremented by 5 ($y = $y - 5).

Inside the loop, the script uses the echo statement to output the value of $y along with some HTML tags for formatting. Specifically, the script outputs the string "y at this moment: " followed by the value of $y wrapped in a bold tag (<b>), and then a line break (<br>).

The output of this script will be a list of numbers from 30 to 0, each preceded by the string "y at this moment: " and formatted in bold. The output will be displayed in the web browser when the PHP script is executed.

x = x + 1 is an assignment operation in programming, where the current value of the variable x is incremented by 1 and then assigned back to x. This operation can also be written as x++ or ++x, which means the same thing.

Similarly, y = y - 1 is an assignment operation in programming, where the current value of the variable y is decremented by 1 and then assigned back to y. This operation can also be written as y-- or --y, which means the same thing.

These operations are commonly used in loops, as they allow you to update the value of a loop counter variable in each iteration of the loop. They are also used in other programming constructs where you need to increment or decrement a variable's value, such as in calculations or data processing.

x++ and x-- are unary operators in programming that increment and decrement the value of a variable x, respectively.

x++ increments the value of x by 1, and returns the original value of x. This means that if x initially had the value of 5, then x++ would increment x to 6, and the value returned by the operator would be 5.

Similarly, x-- decrements the value of x by 1, and returns the original value of x. This means that if x initially had the value of 5, then x-- would decrement x to 4, and the value returned by the operator would be 5.

These operators are often used in loops or other situations where you need to increment or decrement a variable by one. They are convenient and concise ways to express these operations in code.

PHP Switch, Html Form

You are advised to check corresponding YouTube video at the end of this article.

form.html


<form action="grabthings.php" method="post">
<label>External Program:</label>
<input type="text" name="external">
<br><br>

<input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>

Our usual html form to grab things.

grabthings.php


<?php 

$get_external = $_POST["external"];

switch ($get_external) {
	case "calc":
		system("calc");
		break;
	
	case "notepad":
		system("notepad");
		break;
		
	default:
		echo "Just calc and notepad are allowed";
}

?>

This PHP script checks for a POST request parameter named "external" and executes a command based on its value.

If the value of the "external" parameter is "calc", the script will execute the "calc" command using the system() function, which will open the Windows calculator application. If the value of the "external" parameter is "notepad", the script will execute the "notepad" command, which will open the Windows Notepad application.

If the value of the "external" parameter is not "calc" or "notepad", the script will output the message "Just calc and notepad are allowed".

PHP Exec, Html Form

You are advised to check corresponding YouTube video at the end of this article.

form.php


<form action="grabthings.php" method="post">
<label>Command:</label>
<input type="text" name="command">
<br><br>

<input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>

This HTML form prompts the user to enter a command and submit it to the server using the HTTP POST method. The form sends the user's input as a parameter named "command" to a PHP script called "grabthings.php" for processing.

grabthings.php


<?php 

$get_command = $_POST["command"];

system($get_command);

?>

This PHP script executes a system command that is submitted through an HTML form using the POST method. The command is retrieved from the form input field with the name "command" and is passed as an argument to the system() function.

The system() function is used to execute commands in the system's shell, so the command entered in the form input will be executed on the server.

In PHP, the system() function is used to execute an external command and return the output as a string. It can be used to run various system-level commands such as shell commands, programs, and scripts.

Here are some things that system() can do:

  1. Execute a shell command: You can use the system() function to execute shell commands and get the output as a string. For example, system('ls -l') will execute the ls -l command and return the output as a string.

  2. Run a program: You can also use system() to run an external program, such as a compiled C program or an executable file. For example, system('/usr/bin/myprog') will run the program /usr/bin/myprog.

  3. Call a script: You can use system() to call a script or a batch file. For example, system('python myscript.py') will call the Python script myscript.py.

  4. Redirect output: You can redirect the output of the command to a file or to another command by using shell redirection. For example, system('ls > file.txt') will redirect the output of the ls command to the file file.txt.

PHP Executing Programs

You are strongly advised to check corresponding YouTube video at the end of this article.

HTML forms and PHP can be dangerous if not properly secured. They can potentially allow attackers to access and manipulate sensitive information, install malware on the server, or perform other malicious activities.

For example, attackers can use SQL injection to inject malicious code into SQL queries that are used to interact with a database. They can also use cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks to inject malicious scripts into web pages, which can be used to steal user data, redirect users to malicious sites, or perform other harmful actions.

To prevent these attacks, it's important to use best practices for web development, such as validating user input, sanitizing data, using prepared statements or parameterized queries for database interactions, and using encryption for sensitive data. Additionally, keeping software up to date and implementing security measures like firewalls and access controls can help reduce the risk of attacks. 


<?php 

system("calc");
system("notepad");

?>

This code will execute the Windows "calc" and "notepad" programs using the system() function in PHP.

Running arbitrary system commands like this can be dangerous as it allows an attacker to execute commands on the server running the PHP script. They can use this to run malicious code, steal sensitive data or damage the system. 


<?php 

echo "<pre>";
system("ping google.com");
echo "</pre>";

?>

This PHP code is using the system() function to execute the ping command on the command line, with google.com as the argument. The output of the command is then printed to the screen using the echo statement, wrapped in the <pre> HTML tag to preserve its formatting.

While this code itself is not necessarily harmful, it demonstrates a potential security vulnerability. If an attacker were able to inject malicious input into the $_POST variables used in this code, they could potentially execute arbitrary commands on the server, which could lead to serious security breaches. 


<?php 

echo "<pre>";

system("cmd");
system("dir");

echo "</pre>";

?>

In the above code, the "cmd" command opens the Windows command prompt, and the "dir" command lists the files and directories in the current directory of the command prompt. This could be a security risk if the script is not properly secured and only authorized users are allowed to access it.

Tkinter Introduction - Top Widget, Method, Button

First, let's make shure that our tkinter module is working ok with simple  for loop that will spawn 5 instances of blank Tk window .  ...