Introduction to Perl
- Origin and Design Goals of Perl
- Overview of Perl Features
- Getting and Installing Perl
- Accessing Documentation via perldoc
- HTML-Format Reference Documentation
- Perl Strengths and Limitations
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Getting Started With Perl
- Explicit Invocation of the Perl Interpreter
- Running Perl on UNIX vs. Windows
- Running Perl from the Command Line
- Using Command Line Options
- Using Debug Mode
- Implicit Invocation of the Perl Interpreter
- Running and Debugging Perl Scripts
- Simple and Compound Statements
- Fundamental Input Techniques
- Using the print Function
to Generate Standard Output
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Using Variables
- Scalar Variables
- Introduction to Standard Data Types
- Retrieving Standard Input Using the Default Variable
$_
- Assigning Strings and Numbers to Scalar Variables
- Declaring Constants for Persistent Values
- Using strict to Declare
Variables
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Pattern Matching in Perl
- Regular Expressions in Perl
- Using Pattern Matching Operators
- Altering Data with Substitutions in Regular Expressions
- Using Backreferences to Capture Data from Regular Expression Matching
- Global and Case-Insensitive Matches
- Altering Data with Character Translation
- Using Variables in Patterns
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Operators
- Introduction to Fundamental Operators
- Operator Precedence and Associativity
- Using the Ternary Operator ?:
as a Shortcut for the if Statement
- Using <FILEHANDLE>
and <> File I/O
Operators for Standard Input/Output
- Using the Shortcut Operators +=,
-=, *=, /=
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String Manipulation
- String Comparison
- String Relations
- Concatenation
- Substring Manipulation
- Using chomp and chop
to Eliminate EOL Characters
- Escape Characters for Formatting
- String Manipulation Functions
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Flow Control: Conditional
Statements and Looping
- Conditional Expressions and Logical Operators
- if/else/elsif and unless
- Constructing switch/case Equivalent Expressions
- while Loops and do
Loops
- for and foreach
Loops
- Labels
- Altering Program Flow with next,
last, and redo
- Trapping Errors with the eval
Function
- Terminating a Script with exit
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Subroutines and Parameters
- Simplifying Scripts with Subroutines
- Defining and Calling a Subroutine
- Passing Arguments by Value
- Passing Arguments by Reference
- Using return to Return
a Value
- Controlling Variable Scope using my
and local Keywords
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Arrays and Hashes
- Defining Numeric Index Arrays
- Defining Associative Arrays
- Sorting Arrays with the sort Function
- Adding and Deleting Items Using push,
pop, shift, and unshift
- Using slice, splice,
and reverse
- Other Array Manipulation Techniques
- Looping through an Array
- Merging Arrays
- Introduction to Hashes
- Preallocating Memory to Optimize Hash Performance
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Packages and Modules
- The Power of Packages and Modules
- Introduction to Standard Modules
- Where to Find Modules on the Internet
- Installing a Module on UNIX or Windows
- Creating Packages for Portability
- Using Packages to Create Isolated Namespaces and to Separate Code
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File Manipulation
- Using open and close
- Difference Between print
and write
- Reading and Writing Arrays
- Directory Manipulation Using opendir,
closedir, readdir, chdir, mkdir and rmdir
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Input/Output Processing
- Parsing Input
- Using Standard Input, Standard Output, and Standard Error
- String and Field Processing
- Using Streams and Pipes
- Using die to Quit with
an Error
- Redirecting Standard Output and Standard Error to a File
- Getting Standard Input from a File
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Implementing Command Line
Arguments
- Reading Command Line Arguments from @ARGV
- Manipulating Positional Parameters with push,
pop, shift
- Processing Command Line Options with getopt
or getopts
- Analyzing Command Line Argument Values with the Getopt::Std
and Getopt::Long Modules
- Reserved Variables
- Manipulating Identifiable Options Using GetOptions
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Perl Report Formatting
- Defining Report Formats
- Justifying Text (Left, Right, Center)
- Using write to Generate
Reports
- Defining here Documents
for Report Customization
- Creating Report Headers
- Using Built-in Variables to Control Report Appearance
- Printing Line Numbers on a Report
- Formatting Multi-Line Output
- Writing Formatted Text to a File
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Debugging In Perl
- Using the Built-in Perl Debugger
- Starting the Debugger
- Debugger Command Syntax
- Checking for Script Syntax Errors
- Solving Compile-Time Errors
- Single-Stepping through a Script
- Executing to Breakpoints
- Setting Global Watches
- Printing Values of Variables
- Listing All Variables Used in the Script
- Using strict Error
Checking
- Quitting the Debugger
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Web Architecture and CGI
Scripting Overview
- Static vs. Dynamic Web Pages
- Serving a Static HTML Web Page
- Serving a Dynamic HTML Web Page
- Dynamic Web Page Capabilities
- The Common Gateway Interface
- How Server-Side CGI Scripts Work
- Differences between Client-Side and Server-Side Script Environment
- Strengths and Weaknesses of Web Programming Languages
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CGI Scripting with Perl
- Perl's Role in Distributed Web Applications
- Using Environment Variables to Control CGI Scripts
- Communicating with the Web Server
- Perl CGI Script Instantiation and Invocation
- Generating Output for the Browser
- CGI Security Mechanisms
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Configuring a Web Server
for CGI
- Servers and CGI
- The Apache httpd.conf
File
- Aliasing Standard Directories in Apache
- Using Standard Apache-Aliased Directories
- The Default Apache cgi-bin Directory
- Aliasing CGI-Enabled Directories in Apache
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Fundamentals of CGI Scripting
with Perl
- Perl's Role in Distributed Web Applications
- Using Environment Variables to Control CGI Scripts
- Communicating with the Web Server
- Perl CGI Script Instantiation and Invocation
- Generating Output for the Browser
- CGI Security Mechanisms
- The Importance of the "Shebang" Line
- "Shebang" Line CGI Errors
- Debugging CGI Errors
- Linux vs. Windows File Format Errors
- Setting Linux File Protections
- Specifying the Page MIME Type
- Generating Standards-Compliant HTML
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Generating Dynamic Web Pages
Using Perl/CGI
- Generating Dynamic Web Pages and Dynamic Content
- The Role of JavaScript
- Generating JavaScript Using CGI
- Displaying Data in Tables
- Using Environment Variables to Control CGI Scripts
- Displaying Data from Files
- CGI Output Stream Buffering
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Dynamic Behavior Based on
Query Strings
- The Query String Part of a URL
- Parsing the Query String
- Using Query Strings to Maintain Session State
- User-Defined Modules and CGI
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Processing HTML Forms with
Perl CGI
- Creating and Submitting HTML Forms
- HTML Input Elements
- Submitting a Form
- Form Interaction Summary
- Populating Form Elements Using CGI
- Processing HTML Forms
- Characteristics of the GET Method
- GET Method Environment Variables
- Characteristics of the POST Method
- POST Method Environment Variables
- Using Form Data Validation to Check Data Values
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Development Cycle for HTML
Forms
- Dealing with Program Complexity
- Calendar and Time Functions
- Step 1 - Algorithm Development
- Step 2 - Algorithm Application
- Step 3 - Adding Form Elements
- Step 4 - Processing Form Elements
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Using the Perl CGI.pm Module
- Introduction
- Orientation to CGI.pm
- The Power of Perl-Supplied Routines
- Simplifying Debugging
- Using CGI.pm in Object-Oriented Style
- Named Parameter Syntax
- Using CGI.pm in Procedural Style
- Importing Groups of CGI.pm Methods
- CGI.pm Output and XHTML
- Mixing CGI.pm Methods with Standard Perl
- Custom Tag Generation
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Form Processing with CGI.pm
- Classes of CGI.pm Methods
- Specifying Arguments for HTML Tags
- Differentiating Blank & Missing Parameters
- Using Passed Parameters as Numbers
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Maintaining State with CGI.pm
- State Information and the Web
- Using Extra Path Information
- Using Hidden Fields in Forms
- Using Client-Side Cookies
- Setting Cookies
- Cookie Parameters
- Setting Cookies from Form Data
- Deleting Cookies
- Form Validation and Cookie Storage
- Cookie Deletion
- Overcoming Cookie Limitations
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Using Relational Databases
with Perl DBI: Basic RDB and SQL Concepts
- Multi-Tiered Architecture
- Database Servers and Connections
- Database Concepts and Terminology
- Database Table Components
- Categories of SQL Statements
- The SQL INSERT Statement
- The SQL SELECT Statement
- The SQL UPDATE and
DELETE Statements
- Determining Whether MySQL Is Running
- Starting and Controlling MySQL
- Creating a MySQL Database
- Installing Perl DBD-mysql and DBI Modules
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Accessing a Database Using
Perl DBI
- Database Access Life Cycle
- Using DBI and DBD to Connect to a Database
- Fundamental Data Storage and Retrieval Strategies
- DBI Query Syntax
- Using DBI Methods to Retrieve Database Information
- Preparing a SQL Statement
- Executing the SQL Statement Against the Database
- Fetching the Result Set to Achieve Workable Data in the Perl Script
- Extracting Data Using an Array
- Extracting Data Using a Hash
- Useful Utilities to Aid in Database Development
- Using Other Modules to Access Databases on the Web
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Performance Optimization
Using ModPerl
- Overview of Apache Web Server Functionality
- Comparing the Speed of CGI Scripting vs. ModPerl
- Configuring Apache with Perl and ModPerl
- Apache Strengths and Limitations
- Using the Apache::Registry Module
- Extending and Enhancing Apache Functionality
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Developing Multi-Tiered Web
Applications
- Review of Multi-Tiered Web Application Components
- Putting It All Together
- Using High-Level Packages to Assist with Scalability and Maintainability
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"Very good instructor! Very knowledgeable in Perl and CGI. It was very refreshing having an instructor who knew more than what was just in the book. Thank you!"
– W.C., SAIC
"Enjoyed this course. Received just what I was looking for, a solid intro to Perl."
– M.S., Yale New Haven Hospital
"This was one of the best training weeks I’ve had. The instructor was by far the most entertaining and down to earth instructor I’ve had. I will surely check with HOTT first next time I have training needs. "
– D.B., US District Courts
