mssql_connect - function does not exist

[nealh]

I've got php up and my hello world script greets the world just fine. Now I need to connect to SQL. This, however, returns false:
function_exists('mssql_connect')

I'm poking around on line for answers. I went here:
http://us2.php.net/manual/en/mssql.installation.php

but I don't even begin to understand these instructions:
"To get these functions to work, you have to compile PHP with --with-mssql[=DIR], where DIR is the FreeTDS install prefix. And FreeTDS should be compiled using --enable-msdblib. "

Maybe that won't even help. I just don't know.

Here is what I do know:

Version of windows on the server: Windows 2003

Version of mssql: MS SQL 2005

PHP Version 5.2.8

This file exists:
C:\php\ext\php_mssql.dll

There are two php.ini files that I found:
C:\WINDOWS\php.ini
C:\php\php.ini

Both have the line:
extension=php_mssql.dll

Please help me connect.
Thank you for your help. I'd be happy to provide any other information that I can.

[bradgrafelman]

Moving to Install forum.. and to try to help answer your question:

1. Delete the php.ini in C:\WINDOWS\ for this reason: PHP-related files should never be moved outside of the root PHP directory (e.g. c:\php). All too many times I see people on the web suggesting this and it's utter nonsense (not to mention the PHP.net manual clearly states not to do this as well).

Once you delete this file, make some change in c:\php\php.ini (e.g. turn display_errors On - just change something in there temporarily). Restart your webserver and look at a phpinfo() readout; does it show that your config change was applied? If not, we need to get PHP to read your php.ini file; exactly how to do this will depend on your answer to #2 below...

2. You gave us the version of Windows, and since it's a server I'm guessing you're using IIS? If this isn't true, please let us know exactly which webserver you're using - it makes a big difference in how you set certain things up.

3. Is the c:\php\ directory in your system's PATH environment variable? This is a part of the PHP installation process that many skip over, depending upon how they chose to install PHP. To check, open up a command prompt (Start->Run->cmd) and type "path" (without the quotes) and hit enter. Directories are separated by semicolons; if you don't see c:\php in there anywhere, then we need to correct this first.

To add the root PHP folder to your system's PATH environment variable, follow these steps:

Adding PHP to your system's PATH environment variable:
	a.	Properties of My Computer
	b.	Advanced tab
	c.	Environment Variables button at the bottom
	d.	Under System variables, select the Path variable and click Edit
	e.	Add “;C:\php” onto the end (without the quotes; the semicolon is a path separator)
	f.	Create a new System variable called PHPRC – set it’s value to the
		path to the PHP directory (e.g. C:\php)
	g.	Yes, rebooting the entire server is a necessary step – stop trying
		to get around it. You can blame Micro$oft for this. :)

NOTE: Step 'f' above is only necessary if you a) are running IIS, and b) PHP isn't reading config changes in your php.ini file (e.g. what I talked about above).

[nealh]

1. Delete the php.ini in C:\WINDOWS[/QUOTE]

Done.

Once you delete this file, make some change in c:\php\php.ini

display_errors was previously on so I set
display_startup_errors = On

After restarting the webserver phpinfo displayed:
display_startup_errors Off Off

So, yeah, something is wrong about this.

2. I'm guessing you're using IIS?

Yes, IIS 6.

3. Is the c:\php\ directory in your system's PATH environment variable?

Yes.

Where do I go from here?

[bradgrafelman]

Perform the step 'f' I talked about above - setting this PHPRC environment variable will allow PHP to find the php.ini file.

[nealh]

I performed step 'f'.

But now navigating to my helloworld.php or phpinfo.php (which simply echoes the phpinfo) both hang with a "Waiting on server" message until the connection times out.
🙁

[bradgrafelman]

And you rebooted the entire server (not just IIS - you actually have to reboot Windows) afterward? I've never heard of adding the PHPRC environment variable causing IIS to hang on PHP scripts before... not sure how to troubleshoot that.

[nealh]

The exact error displayed in my browser was:

Connection Interrupted
The connection to the server was reset while the page was loading.
The network link was interrupted while negotiating a connection. Please try again.

but the page was taking minutes and minutes to load before it displayed that error.

I will try some other things and try to get more information on the problem.

[nealh]

I've backtracked over all the changes I made and un-done them. PHP is still hanging. I don't even know what to try next except a complete uninstall and do-over.