S T E E P learning curve - where to start?

[fixerdave]

Okay, so I have this secret project I want to do; you know, one that will make me stupid-rich and change the world. I tried bringing in a coder as a partner - but that was a disaster. Soooo, I've decided to code it myself. Being otherwise lazy, I've decided to start with an existing OS forum system. I figured I should start with the best, so here I am.

I'm an electronics technologist by training, and a sysAdmin by trade. In other words, I'm a HW guy. I've been coding for 25 odd years, everything from assembler on up; more languages than I care to think about really. Over the last few years, as part of my sysAdmin duties, I've been working in Perl and hacking around in Access databases. However, I've never really considered myself a true programmer. The HW has always come first. It's time to change that.

So, here I am learning PHP, mySQL, and HTML for that matter, all the while trying to understand how phpBB works, all 60 odd tables and 600 odd files. Meanwhile, I'm learning how professionals code - trying to make sense of the templating system and the class structure. It's a pretty steep learning curve.

I don't mind learning, and I will learn how phpBB works. As I learn best by doing, my intent is to take a project and get it to the point where it is an accepted "official" mod for phpBB. The project I've chosen is a Project Tracking database - just because I wanted one. I'm not suggesting that the world needs a better project-tracking database, it's just that it's a good learning project for me. I've already coded it up in PHP and mySQL - so I've made a start, as pathetic as it is. I have also set up some web hosting and installed phpBBv3B5 (very easy actually, thank you) and also installed my project along side it.

(This provided my first lesson, by the way, having a page that takes 200+ SQL queries to write is fine on a development server but will not function in a web environment. )

So, to finally get around to what this post is about, can anyone recommend an approach to learning how phpBB all fits together? I'm just looking for some cracks and toe-holds I can use to start scaling the learning curve. I don't need the "how to use or install" info, I want hints on making mods, understanding the code, that kind of stuff. What's out there?

Any help appreciated,

David...

[Vic D'Elfant]

So, to finally get around to what this post is about, can anyone recommend an approach to learning how phpBB all fits together? I'm just looking for some cracks and toe-holds I can use to start scaling the learning curve. I don't need the "how to use or install" info, I want hints on making mods, understanding the code, that kind of stuff. What's out there?

I don't think this is something you didn't know yet, but you learn best by just trying. Back in the days when I wasn't even capable of writing a simple "<?php die('hello world'); ?>", I insisted on getting this complicated, weird piece of software called phpBB to do what I want. So, I started hacking around and after many, many hours of googling around and countless visits to php.net, I am where I am now

There really is no best approach, and neither are there best practices for getting a feeling of the phpBB internals. Set yourself a goal, do whatever it takes to reach that goal, and move on to the next challenge.

[fixerdave]

There really is no best approach...

Sigh, no shortcuts huh? No one's made a "This is how phpBB works", or a primer on the templating system? Oh well, I guess I'll just have to start climbing; it's not like I haven't done it before. I guess I was just hoping someone had already paved the way, or at least blazed the trail.

See you in about a month, after I have some intelligent questions to ask.

David...

[Nicholas the Italian]

Sigh, no shortcuts huh? No one's made a "This is how phpBB works", or a primer on the templating system?

Try this => http://olympuswiki.naderman.de/Main_Page
and of course this => http://area51.phpbb.com/docs/code/
I'm sure there are other resources as well.
Have fun.

[jojobarjo32]

The coding guidelines may help you too
If you already know PHP a bit, phpBB's code is not that hard to learn (except perhaps for some parts such the template engine or the module system... those ones may require some "advanced" skills to understand them perfectly...)

[who_cares]

countless visits to php.net

heh, I do that a lot

[fixerdave]

Try this => http://olympuswiki.naderman.de/Main_Page
and of course this => http://area51.phpbb.com/docs/code/
I'm sure there are other resources as well.
Have fun.

Ah, a wiki, now that helps Thank you. I had already found the code documentation, which looks really good, if you already know what's generally going on. I expect I'll be using that a lot once I build up a basic understanding. I've also found the coding guidelines and found them useful. However, then wiki looks really good. Maybe I'll add some to that as I make progress.

Thanks again.

Now, one further question:

Can anyone recommend a really good example phpBB Mod? One that's concise, not too small or too big, and that most people would agree is written in a "best practice" kind of way? What it does isn't really important to me... I'm just looking for a good style/practice example to get an idea of where I should be heading.

With that (the code, the wiki, and a mod example), I should have enough to shut up and start doing.

David...

[geoffreak]

2.0.x mods --> http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewforum.php?f=78
3.x mods --> coming soon!

(if you want some mods for 3.x, find Handyman or Highway of Life and click on the links in their signatures)

[Ida]

fixerdave
Registered User

Posts: 0
Joined: 23 Mar 2007 00:42

You seem to post quite a lot for someone with 0 posts

Bug ?

(edit: Or maybe posts in chit chat do not count ?)

(edit2: That is the case. *gets off the bug tracker* )

[karlsemple]

Chit Chat
Want to chit chat about anything, do it here ... posting here won't increase your post count (or shouldn't!). Please do not post any "phpBB" specific topics here unless they do not fit into the category above. Do not post bug reports, feature or support requests!