With the exponential growth in the use of PHP, mod_php has become the most requested module for Apache. The Statement of direction for PHP support on OHS explains Oracle's detailed plan on how PHP use with the Oracle Application Server 10g will be supported. As the statement says, although mod_php does not ship with the Oracle Applications Server 10g (9.0.4) release, Oracle will provide detailed instructions on how to install and use PHP with OHS. This document provides these instructions.

Topics

2.1.1 Pre install steps  

1. Oracle Application Server 10g should be installed on the same node.

2. Download php-4.x.x.tar.gz from http://www.php.net/downloads.php. Place it at any location. ( For the purpose of documentation we assume its ~/ )
3. Gunzip using the command - gunzip php-4.x.x.tar.gz this will give you php-4.x.x.tar
4. Un-tar using this command - tar -xvf php-4.x.x.tar

            This will create a folder php-4.x.x The contents of this folder will be like:

1. Set the following environment variables ORACLE_HOME, PERL5LIB, LD_LIBRARY_PATH

2. Edit the apxs file to modify the CFG_INCLUDE value.
   Navigate to the $ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/bin

With the pre install steps done we are now ready to configure PHP.

1. Navigate to ~/php-4.x.x folder. Run the configure command with the following options:

2. If 'configure' succeeded without any errors issue the 'make' command at the command prompt! Once the make command is executed properly libphp4.so is generated at the ~/php-4.x.x/libs/ location.

1. Now that the required files are generated we will have to copy libphp4.so and php.ini-dist   to the appropriate  location.

2. Now that all the files are in the appropriate the locations we have to tell OHS to load PHP module and service the requests for .php / .phtml / .phps type extensions!
   Navigate to the $ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/conf. Edit the httpd.conf file as follows:

3. Finally OHS should be restarted for the changes to come into effect!

4. Proceed to section 5 to test your configuration.

2.2 Building PHP with Oracle DB access - OCI8
2.2.1 Pre install steps

Execute steps in section  2.1.1 Pre install steps - a,b,c,d

         In addition to the above steps please execute the following steps:

5. In the Oracle Application Server 10g instance create a folder demo at $ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/
6. Download the OCI headers to $ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/demo.
7. Un-tar using this command - tar -xvf ociheaders.tar. The contents of this folder will be like:

Execute steps in section 2.1.2 Setting up the environment

2.2.3 Configure & install

With the pre install steps done we are now ready to configure PHP.

1. Navigate to ~/php-4.x.x folder. Run the configure command with the following options:

 

bash-2.05$ bash-2.05$ ./configure --with-apxs=$ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/bin/apxs --prefix=$ORACLE_HOME  --with-config-file-path=$ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/conf --with-oci8=$ORACLE_HOME Tip : You can store the above command in a file and execute the file with proper permissions.

2. If 'configure' succeeded without any errors issue the 'make' command at the command prompt! Once the make command is executed properly libphp4.so is generated at the ~/php-4.x.x/libs/ location.

2.2.4 Post Install steps

1. Now that the required files are generated we will have to copy libphp4.so and php.ini-dist   to the appropriate  location.

 

bash-2.05$ bash-2.05$ cp ~/php-4.x.x/libs/libphp4.so $ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/libexec bash-2.05$ cp ~/php-4.x.x/php.ini-dist $ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/conf/php.ini

2. Now that all the files are in the appropriate the locations we have to tell OHS to load PHP module and service the requests for .php / .phtml / .phps type extensions!

Navigate to the $ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/conf. Edit the httpd.conf file as follows:

 

$ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/conf/httpd.conf # Dynamic Shared Object (DSO) Support. . . LoadModule . . .  LoadModule php4_module libexec/libphp4.so # Document types. . . .  # And for PHP 4.x, use: . . .  AddType application/x-httpd-php .php .phtml AddType application/x-httpd-php-source .phps. . . .  Tip : Take a backup of the file before doing any modifications.

3. Enter the connect string for the database you want to access.
   Edit $ORACLE_HOME/network/admin/tnsnames.ora file to add the connect string.
4. Finally OHS should be restarted for the changes to come into effect!

 

$ORACLE_HOME/opmn/bin/ opmnctl startproc ias-component=HTTP_Server

5. Proceed to section 5 to test your configuration!

3.1. Installing PHP Manually

1. Oracle Application Server 10g should be installed on the same node.

2. Download php-4.3.4-Win32.zip from http://www.php.net/downloads.php. Place it at any location. (for the purpose of documentation we assume its c:\)
3. Un-zip the downloaded zip file. It will create a folder php-4.3.4-Win32
4. Rename this folder to php. The contents of this folder will be like:

Tip : Do not place the php folder in c:\Program Files as some web servers crash due to the space in the path.

            Setting up the php.ini file. There are two .ini files in the extracted location : php.ini-dist & php.ini-recomended. Since the php.ini-recomended settings have been optimized for performance & security, its advisable to use this file. Rename the php.ini-recomended file to php.ini.
    The php.ini has to reside in the %SYSTEMROOT% or %WINDIR% location of your system.
 

on Windows NT / 2000 - %SYSTEMROOT% is typically C:\WINNT on Windows NT / 2000 Servers - %SYSTEMROOT% is typically C:\WINNT40 on Windows XP - %WINDIR% is typically C:\Windows

              This step is required only if you need to access the Oracle Database. To have access to the database PHP needs the php_oci8.dll which is located in the c:\php\extensions folder. The location for the extensions  folder is derived by PHP from the php.ini file.
   After placing the php.ini file in the %SYSTEMROOT%, edit the php.ini file.

Locate the Paths and Directories section and add the location for the folder.
 

c:\winnt\php.ini ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ; Paths and Directories ; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;  ; Directory in which the loadable extensions (modules) reside.  extension_dir = "c:\php\extensions" Tip : Take a backup of the file before doing any modifications.

This would complete the basic steps to setup PHP on Windows.

Now we have to inform OHS about PHP to load it as a module.

1. Since the version of Apache in OHS is 1.3.29 we have to use php4apache.dll from the c:\php\sapi folder. php4apache.dll rely on php4ts.dll which gets loaded as soon as Apache loads php4apache.dll.
   php4ts.dll is searched in the following order:
   1. in the directory where apache.exe is loaded
   2. in the directory where php.exe is called
   3. in the directory where php4apache.dll is loaded.
   4. whole %PATH%.

2. To load PHP as a module we have to load php4apache.dll in the httpd.conf file. Edit the httpd.conf file at the following location c:\OHS\Apache\Apache\conf and follow the instructions in the following steps:
          Locate LoadModule and add color=#000099>LoadModule php4_module C:/PHP\sapi/php4apache.dll at the end of the list.

1. Finally OHS should be restarted for the changes to come into effect!

2. Proceed to section 5 to test your configuration!

1. Please refer section 3.1.1. Pre install steps - step a.
2. Download php-4.3.4-installer.exe from http://www.php.net/downloads.php. Place it at any location. (for the purpose of documentation we assume its c:\)

1. Invoke the installer which opens up a wizard. There are two types of install types : Standard and Advance.

    Standard  - This option takes default values during the install.
     Advanced - This option would ask a series of questions in the initial phase.

   Advanced - This option would ask a series of questions in the initial phase.
   For both the installs you have to select the HTTP server you want PHP to associate to. There is an option to select Apache however it would not get associated during the install as this module is of installation is not implemented.
   
   The information gathered during the install is used to setup the php.ini file.
    

2. Complete the installation from the Install Shield.

For enabling the Oracle DB access, you require the folder extensions from php-4.3.4-Win32.zip used for manual installation. Further refer to section 3.1.2.2 With Oracle DB access

3.2.4 Web Server configuration
  Please refer 3.1.3. Web Server configuration . The required folder sapi required for web server configuration will have to be copied from php-4.3.4-Win32.zip used for manual installation. 3.2.5 Post Install step
Refer section 3.1.4 Post Install step.
Proceed to section 5 to test your configuration!

4.1 Building PHP without Oracle DB access

1. Oracle Application Server 10g should be installed on the same node.

2. Download php-4.x.x.tar.gz from http://www.php.net/downloads.php. Place it at any location. ( For the purpose of documentation we assume its ~/ )
3. Gunzip using the command - gunzip php-4.x.x.tar.gz this will give you php-4.x.x.tar
4. Un-tar using this command - tar -xvf php-4.x.x.tar

            This will create a folder php-4.x.x The contents of this folder will be like:

1. Set the following environment variables ORACLE_HOME, PERL5LIB, LD_LIBRARY_PATH

2. Edit the apxs file to modify the CFG_INCLUDE value.

 Navigate to the $ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/bin

With the pre install steps done we are now ready to configure PHP.

1. Navigate to ~/php-4.x.x folder. Run the configure command with the following options:

2. If 'configure' succeeded without any errors issue the 'make' command at the command prompt! Once the make command is executed properly libphp4.so is generated at the ~/php-4.x.x/libs/ location.

1. Now that the required files are generated we will have to copy libphp4.so and php.ini-dist   to the appropriate  location.

2. Now that all the files are in the appropriate the locations we have to tell OHS to load PHP module and service the requests for .php / .phtml / .phps type extensions!
   Navigate to the $ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/conf. Edit the httpd.conf file as follows:

3. Finally OHS should be restarted for the changes to come into effect!

4. Proceed to section 5 to test your configuration!

Execute steps in section 4.1.1 Pre install steps - a,b,c,d

In addition to the above steps please execute the following steps:

5. In the Oracle Application Server 10g instance create a folder demo at $ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/
6. Download the OCI headers to $ORACLE_HOME/rdbms/demo.
7. Un-tar using this command - tar -xvf ociheaders.tar. The contents of this folder will be like:

~/OAS         |          + - - Apache         |         + - - rdbms         |         | - - demo         |                 | - -  oci.h         |                 | - -  ociap.h         .                 | - -  oratypes.h         .                 | - - . . .         .                 | - - . . .

Execute steps in section 4.1.2 Setting up the environment

4.2.3 Configure & install

With the pre install steps done we are now ready to configure PHP.

1. Navigate to ~/php-4.x.x folder. Run the configure command with the following options:

2. If 'configure' succeeded without any errors issue the ' color=#cc0000>make install-sapi' command at the command prompt! Once the make command is executed properly libphp4.so is generated at the ~/php-4.x.x/libs/ location and copied to $ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/libexec/ location. Also it activates php4 module for http server by adding entry "LoadModule php4_module libexec/libphp4.so" in http server config file $ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/conf/httpd.conf

4.2.4 Post Install steps

1. Now that the required files are generated we will have to copy php.ini-dist   to the appropriate  location.

bash-2.05$ bash-2.05$ cp ~/php-4.x.x/php.ini-dist $ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/conf/php.ini

2. Now that all the files are in the appropriate the locations we have to tell OHS to service the requests for .php / .phtml / .phps type extensions by adding AddType directives.
   
   Navigate to the $ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/conf. Edit the httpd.conf file as follows:

3. Enter the connect string for the database you want to access.
   Edit $ORACLE_HOME/network/admin/tnsnames.ora file to add the connect string.
4. Finally OHS should be restarted for the changes to come into effect!

5. Proceed to section 5 to test your configuration!

5.1 Tests for mod_php without DB support.

1. Download the demo.zip file.
2. Unzip the contents to $ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/htdocs

5.2 Tests for mod_php with DB support.

1. Download the dbdemo.zip file.
2. Unzip the contents to $ORACLE_HOME/Apache/Apache/htdocs

3. Before accessing the script edit each of the script to enter the database connect string. Open the dbtest file and search for the $dbstring variable and update with your connect string.

    The URL to test this would be http://<ohs_host>:<ohs_port>/dbdemo/dbtest01.php