Re: [cobalt-users] PHP 4.1.0 with PDF, MySQL, FTP, GD (JPEG & PNG) support

["Steve Werby" <steve-lists@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Correllia Fuengabe" <corras4@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I am needing to add PDF support to my installed PHP.
> I would be happy just to add this, but it seems I need
> to recompile PHP with this module included anyway.  So
> far everything (PHP and such) has been installed from
> RPMs.

You are correct - you need to recompile PHP.  First you'll need to install
pdflib.  I've successfully installed it on the RaQs, most recently with
pdflib-4.0.1 (source available at pdflib.com), which I was able to use to
install PHP with pdf support on a RaQ4 with a source install of PHP 4.1.1.
FYI, pdflib is now at 4.0.2, but I have not tested that version.  I wouldn't
expect problems with it though.

> Key is serveral other sites rely on PHP and cannot be
> down for more than the hours required to do the
> upgrade!

Then make sure you backup the libphp4.so file first.  If you do the
installation properly and Apache doesn't work when you reload it, it'll only
take a few seconds to realize this.  Between the make install step,
restarting Apache, realizing Apache is not working and copying the old
libphp4.so back to /usr/lib/apache/libphp4.so and restarting Apache again
the worst case scenario is webserver downtime of about 1-2 minutes.

> So in getting background info the following are the
> best resources I have found:
> http://list.cobalt.com/pipermail/cobalt-users/2001-December/058330.html

The basic steps in the above post should work.  I'd advise looking at all of
the available configuration options at
http://www.php.net/manual/en/install.configure.php so you can see if there
are other options you want to install.

> I do have one .asp requiring site, so that issue in
> the second message must be considered as well.

Installing a more recent PHP and/or PHP with more modules will not have any
more effect on ASP scripts than installing any other totally unrelated
program.

> 1) * How safe is the procedure in the first URL above?

Safe.  I've installed PHP several hundred times on the RaQs so I know from
experience.  Of course, it's always wise to backup relevant files before
doing a major installation like this.  In this case libphp4.so, the Apache
config files and php.ini are good candidates for backing up.  If you aren't
already, I'd recommend backing up all of your important system files every
night or at whatever frequency you're comfortable with.  That will eleviate
a lot of poetntial future headaches.

> 2) Any protective measures I can take (along with
> backing up libphp4.so (how does one restore from this
> back up?)?

Just copy the backup to the original location.  Then restart Apache.

> 3) Further advice!?!?

Subscribe to php-general at php.net, read the manual at php.net and
familiarize yourself with the apache 1.3 documentation at apache.org.  And
backup your files.  I know I said it already, but it deserves repeating.

--
Steve Werby
President, Befriend Internet Services LLC
http://www.befriend.com/