Config issues with php and Apache

phpneophyte

:o Hello,
I'm trying to teach myself to code. I am working through a book, attempting set up a AMP dev environment on XP. I have the web server apparently running well but am hitting the wall with my php configuration.
The scripts I have written do not show up in IE at all. I have verified the code is OK by running the same scripts on a server I rent space on that runs php. phpinfo.php returns the expected result.

The install and configuration process I used is as follows:

Downloaded and ran php-5.1.2-installer using standard wizard install.
Changed php.ini-dist to php.ini
Copied php.ini to C:\Windows
Copied php5ts.dll to c:\windows\system32
Updated Apache httpd.conf as follows

LoadModule php5_module "c:/php/php5apache2.dll"

AddType application/x-httpd-php .php
AddType application/x-httpd-php-source .phps

DocumentRoot: The directory out of which you will serve your

documents. By default, all requests are taken from this directory, but

symbolic links and aliases may be used to point to other locations.

#
DocumentRoot "C:/Program Files/Apache Group/Apache2/test" (NOTE: this test folder is part of the book)

Note that from this point forward you must specifically allow

particular features to be enabled - so if something's not working as

you might expect, make sure that you have specifically enabled it

below.

This should be changed to whatever you set DocumentRoot to.

#
<Directory "C:/Program Files/Apache Group/Apache2/test">

PHPIniDir "C:/php" (per the install instructions in php)

Restarted Apache.

I have tried to searchthe forum for help but am finding nothing specific to the pain I'm in.

Please be patient with me guys, :o

Thanks.

rincewind456

Downloaded and ran php-5.1.2-installer using standard wizard install.

Did you read the manual before you started, if you had you will have seen this:

Manual
Note: While the Windows installer is an easy way to make PHP work, it is restricted in many aspects as, for example, the automatic setup of extensions is not supported. Use of the installer isn't the preferred method for installing PHP.

2. Changed php.ini-dist to php.ini

Good. But did you set it up to use Apache?

Manual
The installation wizard gathers enough information to set up the php.ini file, and configure certain web servers to use PHP. One of the web servers the PHP installer does not configure for is Apache, so you'll need to configure it manually.

3. Copied php.ini to C:\Windows

Why? When in the lines you added to your httpd.conf file you put

PHPIniDir "C:/php" (per the install instructions in php)

So you now have 2 copies of php.ini in different dirs, which one is your Apache server meant to look for.

4. Copied php5ts.dll to c:\windows\system32

Why?

Manual
To make php4ts.dll / php5ts.dll available you have three options: copy the file to the Windows system directory, copy the file to the web server's directory, or add your PHP directory, C:\php to the PATH. For better maintenance, we advise you to follow the last option, add C:\php to the PATH, because it will be simpler to upgrade PHP in the future. Read more about how to add your PHP directory to PATH in the corresponding FAQ entry.

5. Updated Apache httpd.conf as follows

LoadModule php5_module "c:/php/php5apache2.dll"

AddType application/x-httpd-php .php
AddType application/x-httpd-php-source .phps

DocumentRoot: The directory out of which you will serve your

documents. By default, all requests are taken from this directory, but

symbolic links and aliases may be used to point to other locations.

#
DocumentRoot "C:/Program Files/Apache Group/Apache2/test" (NOTE: this test folder is part of the book)

Note that from this point forward you must specifically allow

particular features to be enabled - so if something's not working as

you might expect, make sure that you have specifically enabled it

below.

#

#

This should be changed to whatever you set DocumentRoot to.

#
<Directory "C:/Program Files/Apache Group/Apache2/test">

PHPIniDir "C:/php" (per the install instructions in php)

Ok.

I would recommend you either read the manual FIRST and then uninstall all that you have done, and install the windows binaries, and manually configure php/apache (about 20 minutes tops).
Or you download and install any off the bundled packages that are available.

phpneophyte

OK - Thanks for the input.