Please recommened an uptodate php downloadable book I could buy

Something up to date and complete.

So far I found these 2:

PHP and MySQL Web Development (4th Edition)

Learning PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, and CSS: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Dynamic Websites

Thanks

Look at the publication dates on the books when you're shopping. That first book was published in 2008, which is well before PHP 5.3 was released. That means that it probably will not cover newer concepts like namespaces and closures. PHP 5.4 also has some brand new features, like traits, and just came out a year ago. Look for the newest book you can find, and don't buy one that was published more than 2 years ago.

You should also be able to find a table of contents on the publisher's site. That way you can look and confirm whether or not it discusses these newer features. Namespaces are a major feature; any PHP book that is up to date will cover them. Closures and traits are less major features, but it would be ideal to find a book that covers them as well.

Beyond that I can't really give any specific advice; the last PHP book I read was published in 2001 and would be useless now. It sits on my bookshelf solely as a reminder of how I learned PHP.

Probably the most up to date, and complete is the documents on php.net website, and it's free.
It contains a wealth of info contributed by other users too in the comments at the end of each function description.

Admittedly, not a tutorial as such, but it usually has enough on any function/feature, with context to point you in the right direction.

I have a feeling this post will make a few fellows angry around here but php.net is not written for everyone. It is neither a good nor complete resource for me. I don't understand this. It maybe up to date but not writen in way that everyone could use it. Don't fall into the classic trap "Just because I understand it. everyone else should too".

Read a good user's manual to see what a good manual looks like. As in almost every book I read it is the same case. I find books understandable with proper writing and structured examples, not relying on what user's may or may not contribute.

You did ask for something complete and up to date, and that it surely is.
If you can't understand it, then that's OK. I've found over many years, that someone else's user guide can contain info that's not quite complete, or can be be misunderstood and be misleading, or not be "best practice". The real source is what I've always found to be the most complete and accurate.

I hope you find a reference you can use.

I found a book that looks good.

Does anyone have a ny comments?

From looking over the table of contents that seems fairly comprehensive and up to date to me.

Hey man what is your website?

The thing about php.net is you have to know what you are looking for. I find it is more a clarification and reference resource rather than a teaching resource. The later being what the OP seems to be after.

Thanks for the recommendation

Best.

No, it's written for people who already understand programming concepts and it documents the userland API

Once you understand the concepts of programming then the php.net website will become your favoured resource.

From discussions we've had in the past, I feel that you've approached PHP from an HTML-based past and view and that there's perhaps some mental blockage preventing you from taking the next step/leap.

What this is, I cannot say right now but what I think you need is something which creates a paradigm shift for you, personally, on how you view programming. Once this occurs you'll be able to look at PHP/MySQL/Javascript documentation and tutorials and just 'get it' after reading it one or a few times.

The problem is that most books are quite general and the examples are either too simple or the longer ones too specific and it is unclear how extend or adapt it for your own needs.

I was tought the basics of programming at university in a 12 week course in C (of which I completed half of the tasks in that time). Thinking back to this, preparation was key - thought, pencil 7 paper, flow charts, pseudo coding, etc.

If you take a think-about it first approach then you'll go a long way. You'll go even further when you start to recognise design patterns - ie already proven elegant ways of solving common non-trivial problems in coding. (The website http://sourcemaking.com/ might help in this respect) Then you'll have a more interesting tool box to work from