PHP for babies

Anon

Hi Folks

I am an enthusiast keen to learn the language but I have not been able to get it going. I have searched the archive for a few days now.

I installed PHP4 and Apache1.3 in Windows and carried out all the configuration settings specified at http://www.phpbuilder.com/manual/install-windows95-nt.php for Win32 systems. Apache works but I can`t even get my first PHP script to work. I have not installed MySql because I understand that this is optional.

Would you be kind enough to answer the following question for me please?
1) Do I have to compile PHP scripts for them to run?
2) Do I have to install MySql (I have many other databases that I would prefer to use, given a choice)?
3) If PHP scripts have to be compiled, how can I do this from Windows (I have Visual Studio 6 on Windows 2000)?
4) More importantly, what configuration do I have to do and how do I test that PHP is installed correctly and working with Apache? I have configured PHP4 as per guidelines on this web site but I cannot see anything on testing PHP or writing your first script. Apache works just fine.

Many thanks in advance for taking the time to answer.
Jigh

Anon

Q1 NO
Q2 NO
Q3 NO
Q4 Cant tell you

I have PHP running on windows nt using IIS.
And its very easy to set up on NT

Paul

Anon

Don't be stressed out. I have an Apache / Win 95 / MySql environment and if I can get it to run, probably anyone can.

I'm not sure why, but the readme.txt file does not give the settings necessary for Apache and PHP4. This is probably where the problem is.

I finally figured out what had to be done from the book "PHP fast& easy web developmment". I also had several helpful emails from people on this board. Hopefully, I have not forgotten any steps, but here is most of what I did:

ScriptAlias /cgi-bin/ "H:/Apache Group/Apache/cgi-bin/"
ScriptAlias /php4/ "H:/php4/"

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

Action application/x-httpd-php /php4/php.exe

I extracted the PHP4 zip file to H:\php4

Copied and renamed php.ini-dist to php.ini and placed in the c:\windows directory
Copied php4ts.dll to c:\windows\system ( msvcrt.dll was already there )

If I have forgotten anything, please email me back and I'll add it to my list. Why this is not in the readme.txt file - I don't know.

Also, I would be interested in exchanging information with someone else that is in a similar environment as we work through the issues. If you are interested, please email me. davebean@ecentral.com

Anon

Dave,

Thanks very much for your time. I have carried out the configuration instructions line by line. However, I am still trying to run my first script such as the one below. I saved this as hello.php in Apache web server dtdocs folder. Apache is working ok and I also start php by double clicking on php.exe. Initially this was reporting missing dll`s for a number of databases but I commented these out in the php.ini file.

<body>

<?php
print "Hello, world.";
?>

</body>

The following code (file called Test1.php):
<?

This script will produce a page of HTML

print "";
print "<head>";
print "<title>PHP Test 2</title>";
print "</head>";
print "<body>";
print "<center>";
print "<h1>PHP is Great!</h1>";
print "</center>";

print "<hr>";
print "<p>The header of this page is overhead thanks to \"PHP\".</p>";
print "</body>";
print "";

    # End of PHP document

?>

Produces this output:

"; print ""; print ""; # End of PHP document ?>

How do compile and run this?

Thanks a bunch again for your help

Jighjigh

Anon

We are in pretty desperate measures if I'm trying to solve this. But until, someone else jumps in - here goes. I think two concepts are being mixed. I had forgotten that you can run PHP4 from the command line. Normally, I just http://127.0.0.1/test.php from the address in the browser and Apache takes care of starting PHP4. I don't compile the scripts and don't have any idea how you would do this.

However, the command line might be a good test for you. From the PHP4 directory (or where you installed it) type "php test.php" where you have <? phpinfo(); ?> or other commands in the test.php file. Does PHP run from the command line producing appropriate output?
If so - at least php4 runs and you have Apache running, so to get them to run together, I still think the problem must be in the httpd.conf configuration file.

I'm not sure if it matters if PHP has been started from the command line before using the browser, but to limit the complications - reboot and don't start it from the command line and see if Apache acts any different. If you email me your php.ini and httpd.conf files I'll swap them with mine (with drive letter changes) and see if they work.

Getting started seems to be the hardest part - what else is new.

Dave