Win32 Perl Programming

Scripting has become an enormously popular method of managing and maintaining Windows NT and 2000 networks--as evidenced by the success of Windows NT Shell Scripting, which has sold over 30,000 copies in 2 years. Simpler than programming, yet allowing greater complexity and utility than packaged network management tools, scripting is now the tool of choice by many of you network administrators. Perl is yet another powerful element of the scripting arsenal, yet since it has been ported to the Windows environment, very little information has been published on how to employ this extremely effective tool. Win32 Perl is so powerful that it can accomplish virtually any task that you may want to perform. Dave Roth, prolific creator of Win32 extensions, is prepared to share his unique insight into how these tasks can be accomplished and provide scripts that can be immediately employed. This book illustrates how Perl can automate many current mundane administrative tasks.

This book is a guide to Perl¿s most common Win32 extensions, grouped by their functionality. The new edition updates coverage from Perl 5.05 to current Perl version 5.6. It also includes new chapters offering critical, badly-needed information regarding security for Win32Perl, the topic most highly requested by reviewers. The appendices have descriptions and syntax of each function in the extensions covered. Each chapter makes extensive use of code segments to illustrate the use of specific functions and real world scenarios in which these functions can be used.

An introduction to Perl, including tips for PC users and NT-specific examples.

One of the greatest strengths of the Perl programming language is its ability to manipulate large amounts of data. Database programming is therefore a natural fit for Perl, not only for business applications but also for CGI-based web and intranet applications.The primary interface for database programming in Perl is DBI. DBI is a database-independent package that provides a consistent set of routines regardless of what database product you use--Oracle, Sybase, Ingres, Informix, you name it. The design of DBI is to separate the actual database drivers (DBDs) from the programmer's API, so any DBI program can work with any database, or even with multiple databases by different vendors simultaneously.Programming the Perl DBI is coauthored by Alligator Descartes, one of the most active members of the DBI community, and by Tim Bunce, the inventor of DBI. For the uninitiated, the book explains the architecture of DBI and shows you how to write DBI-based programs. For the experienced DBI dabbler, this book reveals DBI's nuances and the peculiarities of each individual DBD.The book includes: An introduction to DBI and its design How to construct queries and bind parameters Working with database, driver, and statement handles Debugging techniques Coverage of each existing DBD A complete reference to DBI This is the definitive book for database programming in Perl.

This complete guide to the Perl programming language ranges widely through the Perl programmer's universe, gathering together in a convenient form a wealth of information about Perl itself and its application to CGI scripts, XML processing, network programming, database interaction, and graphical user interfaces. The book is an ideal reference for experienced Perl programmers and beginners alike.With more than a million dedicated programmers, Perl is proving to be the best language for the latest trends in computing and business, including network programming and the ability to create and manage web sites. It's a language that every Unix system administrator and serious web developer needs to know. In the past few years, Perl has found its way into complex web applications of multinational banks, the U.S. Federal Reserve, and hundreds of large corporations.In this second edition, "Perl in a Nutshell" has been expanded to include coverage of Perl 5.8, with information on Unicode processing in Perl, new functions and modules that have been added to the core language, and up-to-date details on running Perl on the Win32 platform. The book also covers Perl modules for recent technologies such as XML and SOAP.Here are just some of the topics contained in this book: Basic Perl referenceQuick reference to built-in functions and standard modulesCGI.pm and mod_perlXML:: * modulesDBI, the database-independent API for PerlSockets programmingLWP, the library for Web programming in PerlNetwork programming with the Net modulesPerl/Tk, the Tk extension to Perl for graphical interfacesModules for interfacing with Win32 systemsAs part of the successful "in a Nutshell" book series from O'Reilly & Associates, "Perl in a Nutshell" is for readers who want a single reference for all their needs."In a nutshell, Perl is designed to make the easy jobs easy, without making the hard jobs impossible."-- Larry Wall, creator of Perl

The sixth edition of this bestselling Perl tutorial includes recent changes to the language. Years of classroom testing and experience helped shape the book's pace and scope, and this edition is packed with exercises that let readers practice the concepts while they follow the text.

The creator of most of the Win32 extensions of Perl provides numerous proven examples and practical uses of Perl to solve everyday Win32 problems. The book will attract a mix of programmers, experienced UNIX users who are working with Windows, the Perl community, and NT users.

These are the best and most timeless articles printed in "The Perl Journal." Topics include networking, software development, coding style, internals, and others.