php-4.0.3pl1: description + notes

Note: links below will go outside SGI, and thus SGI is not in any way resposible for the content of the linked pages.

What is PHP?

PHP is a server-side, cross-platform, HTML embedded scripting language. If you are completely new to PHP and want to get some idea of how it works, have a look at the Introductory Tutorial. Once you get beyond that have a look at the example archive sites and some of the other resources available in the Links section.

This distribution

This distribution differs from the PHP 3.0.16 distribution previously prepared by SGI, in that there is no special support for the Netscape web servers. Upgrades from PHP 3.0.16's NSAPI module will result in the CGI version of PHP being used. The SGI "owner" of PHP 3.0.16 received no indication that an NSAPI module was desired; it was originally done for his own use. The current "owner" uses Apache, so has no use for the NSAPI module.

If support for an NSAPI module in the distribution is desired, please contact SGI's freeware project!

About the Apache module

The Apache module requires the following products from the SGI Freeware distribution to be installed:

Without these products installed, you will have to use the CGI executable version of PHP. For this reason, the CGI executable is the default. IF you want the Apache module, follow these steps:
  1. Be sure you have all the prerequisite software listed above loaded. Without them, you will not be able to install PHP's Apache module.
  2. When the Software Manager window opens, click on the "Customize Installation" button.
  3. After the distribution and the initialization history are read, there will be a checkbox in the window which shows the software to be installed. To the right of the checkbox is an icon which looks like a folded piece of paper. Click on this to "unfold" it. This will allow you to choose which parts of the PHP software are installed.
  4. Click the checkbox next to the Apache module (fw_php.sw.php_apache if you use short names) to select it. The "Conflicts" button should light up, because you can't install both the Apache module and the CGI executable. Click the checkbox next to the CGI executable to de-select it, or use the Conflicts button to not install fw_php.sw.php.
At this point, if the Conflicts button is still lit, you are missing some of the required software listed above. Otherwise, you can click on "Start" to begin the installation.

One last thing...

The installation procedure does not attempt to modify Apache's configuration file. This file, /usr/freeware/apache/etc/httpd.conf, controls how the Apache server functions. In order to activate the PHP Apache module, you will need to edit this file. Please see /usr/freeware/doc/php/INSTALL for details; you will need to follow the instructions for the "Dynamic" module.
To auto-install this package, go back and click on the respective install icon.