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Data Munging with Perl

by ybiC (Prior)
on Feb 07, 2001 at 17:34 UTC ( [id://56946]=bookreview: print w/replies, xml ) Need Help??
Order Data Munging with Perl

Item Description: Techniques for data recognition, parsing, transformation and filtering

Review Synopsis: DMwP is a readable, practical and informative guide to manipulating data using Perl 5.

Author: David Cross
Publisher: Manning
Availability:
    Monastery bookstore hardcopy
    Publisher
        hardcopy
        ebook (PDF format, reduced price)
        sample chapters (PDF format)

This book covers a wide range of data types and manipulations, including dates, line endings, access logs, PNG, HTML, XML, RSS, recognition, parsing, filtering, transformation, etc.   It contains more knowledge than you'd think could fit into a handy 283 pages.

I can personally recommend DMwP to eternal amateurs like myself.   For any real programmers reading this review, I'll quote the forward by Damian Conway: "...munging data.   It's a dirty job but someone has to do it.   If that someone is you, you're definately holding the right book."   The only issue I have with DMwP is that your (spouse|partner) may think you a bit odd for requesting it as a birthday present   ;^)

I like DMwP for the following reasons:

  • readable - humor and conversational tone bely potential dryness of the subject.
  • practical - riddled with real-world scenarios and code snippets, and employs modules such as
  • informative - topics range from simple pattern-matching to the powerful Parse::RecDescent.
  • open - refers the reader to other Perl books as needed.

Chapters:

  1. introduces use of Perl for munging data
  2. general methods for efficient munging
  3. Perl idioms
  4. pattern matching
  5. unstructured data
  6. record-oriented data
  7. fixed-width and binary data
  8. complex data formats
  9. HTML
  10. XML
  11. Parse::RecDescent
appendix A - guide to Perl modules covered
appendix B - rudimentary intro to Perl

Update: PM-linkafied mention of CPAN modules

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Jesse reads DMwP.
by frankus (Priest) on Apr 18, 2001 at 13:29 UTC

    I'm currently reading this book, with a great degree of interest. For the first time I'm reading a book written by a tangible person, somehow this makes a difference. More importantly the subject is what I do everyday; sometimes it's fun, I suspect there is potential for it to be more fun.

    My route through the book is the introduction, appendix B, and then sequentially through the chapters. Damian Conway's Object Oriented Perl has some scorching information hidden in chapters claiming to be rudimentary Perl, as does DMwP. Due to the self-taught nature of my Perl skills, I am ever alert for rudiments I overlooked.

    Supplement

    • Given a Cadburies Caramel for an hour loan of the book to the author of Brain Bench's Perl quiz. He's definitely be buying it.
    • Used the word "data sink" to a manger, who then left me to my work, (I assume it sounded more important than his task).

    --
    
    Brother Frankus.
(crazyinsomniac) Re: Data Munging with Perl
by crazyinsomniac (Prior) on Feb 08, 2001 at 12:45 UTC
    Perhaps we can hear a bit straight from the horses mouth,
    a perlmonks exclusive interview perhaps.

    Post your questions below, and maybe we can get the author to answer a few.

    Question #1:
    The publisher mentions your association with Perlmonth, why no mention of PerlMonks?

    UPDATE: bah, i didn't check out the index

     
    "Disclaimer: Don't blame, it came from inside the void".
                                                                - crazyinsomniac

      (I can't believe that anyone's really that interested in my opinions, but here goes :)

      Answer #1:
      PerlMonks does get a couple of mentions (tho' it seems that only one made it into the index). I think that the publisher sees PerlMonth as more of a 'real' magazine (even tho' it now seems to be defunct). Also, to be honest, a lot of the publicity blurb was written some time ago, when I was spending more time on PerlMonth stuff than on PerlMonks.

      --
      <http://www.dave.org.uk>

      "Perl makes the fun jobs fun
      and the boring jobs bearable" - me

Re: Data Munging with Perl
by Plato (Friar) on Jun 04, 2003 at 09:22 UTC
    I've accumulated 5 or 6 books on Perl by this time, mostly very good, but a couple were quite bad to say the least, so I've decided to be more selective and do a little more research before I spend any of my hard-earned cash from now on (reading these book reviews, looking at the publishers website, authors background, etc.)
    After a bit of research I bought this book last week, I'm just sorry that I didn't buy it months ago. I like the style that it's written in, and it's chock-a-block full of useful information. I've been writing Perl (hacking at it really) for about six months now, and this is just the sort of stuff that I need to improve my skills. And I find it's really geared towards the sort of work I do. I've already recommended this to my fellow work-mates (high praise indeed!) in the hopes that they wont be robbing (sorry...borrowing!) my copy all the time!
    Brilliant book, in my opinion essential for any Perl library!

    Plato

Re: Data Munging with Perl
by mda2 (Hermit) on Apr 27, 2005 at 01:05 UTC
    I'm read this great book at 2003, but one Brazilian Portuguese Translated...

    In my opinion terrible errors ocurred during translation (partial code, partial only!! making code errors!)...

      If any brazilian portuguese speakers read this...

          use the language original book!!!

      I didn't know that the Brazilian edition had been published. Do you have the contact details of the publisher? I'd love to get my hands on a copy.

      --
      <http://www.dave.org.uk>

      "The first rule of Perl club is you do not talk about Perl club."
      -- Chip Salzenberg

        Editora Ciência Moderna, 2001 ISBN: 85-7393-151-5 Editora Ciência Moderna Ltda. Rua Alice Figueiredo, 46 CEP: 20950-150, Riachuelo - Rio de Janeiro/RJ http://www.temporeal.com.br/produtos.php?id=165315

        On first page has "Published by arrangement with original publisher, Manning Publications Co.".

        --
        Marco Antonio
        Rio-PM

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