PHP PORTABLE IDE: Install PHP

Uniform Server Portable PHP IDE.

Installing PHP

Installing PHP is nothing more than extracting appropriate core binaries and copying them to a folder. That said you have a number of choices such as what version of PHP and extensions to include. Added to this do you want to use VC6 or VC9 binaries?

The choice is yours for this portable development environment I have chosen to use PHP 5.3.3 VC9 binaries. The following provides two methods of downloading and installing these binaries. First method extracts them from Uniform Server 6.0.5-Carbo while the second method is more generic and uses binaries from uk.php.net

Preparation

Create three new folders

In folder c:\us_notepad create three new folders

Step A) Create folder C:\us_portable_ide\php_scripts - Will contain your working (development) scripts
Step B) Create folder C:\us_portable_ide\unicode\php - Will contain PHP binaries
Step C) Create folder C:\us_portable_ide\unicode\php\extensions - Will contain PHP extensions

PHP Install Method 1

This method extracts PHP binaries from Uniform Server 6.0.5-Carbo

Download Uniform Server 6.0.5-Carbo from SourceForge
Save downloaded file Carbo_6_0_5.exe to folder c:\us_portable_ide_temp (or whatever you named it)
Extract Uniform Server double click on Carbo_6_0_5.exe no need to change path just click Extract button.

Step A)

Navigate to folder C:\us_portable_ide_temp\UniServer\usr\local\php
Copy the following files to folder C:\us_portable_ide\unicode\php
- php5ts.dll - Core PHP
- php.exe - CLI exe interface to core PHP component

Note: Above two files are the minimum required

For completeness its worth copying these files in addition to the above
- php-win.exe
- libmysql.dll
- ssleay32.dll and libeay32.dll

Step B) For a minimum system there is no need to copy any extensions!

However again for completeness

Navigate to folder C:\us_portable_ide_temp\UniServer\usr\local\php\extensions
Copy all files to folder C:\us_portable_ide\unicode\php\extensions

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PHP Install Method 2

This method extracts PHP binaries from PHP 5.3.3 distribution

Download VC9 x86 Thread Safe (2010-Jul-21 20:29:51) from windows.php.net
Save downloaded file php-5.3.3-Win32-VC9-x86.zip to folder c:\us_portable_ide_temp (or whatever you named it)
Extract PHP right click on php-5.3.3-Win32-VC9-x86.zip click on Extract All click Next and Next again when complete click finish.

Step A)

Navigate to folder C:\us_portable_ide_temp\php-5.3.3-Win32-VC9-x86
Copy the following files to folder C:\us_portable_ide\unicode\php
- php5ts.dll - Core PHP
- php.exe - CLI exe interface to core PHP component

Note: Above two files are the minimum required

For completeness its worth copying these files in addition to the above
- php-win.exe
- libmysql.dll
- ssleay32.dll and libeay32.dll

Step B) For a minimum system there is no need to copy any extensions!

However again for completeness

Navigate to folder C:\us_portable_ide_temp\php-5.3.3-Win32-VC9-x86\ext
Copy all files to folder C:\us_portable_ide\unicode\php\extensions

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Configuration file for PHP

For a minimal system PHP does not require a configuration file.

However at some point you will want to load PHP extensions this is achieved using a configuration file. This should not be confused with that supplied with the PHP distribution (php.ini) which is for a web server. We want a CLI (command line interface) specific version.

Crete a new text file named php_cli_ide.ini with the following content and save to folder C:\us_portable_ide\unicode\php

[PHP]
;extension=php_curl.dll
;extension=php_mysql.dll
;extension=php_openssl.dll
;extension=php_winbinder.dll
;extension=php_gd2.dll

extension_dir = "./extensions"
;error_reporting = E_ALL | E_STRICT
error_reporting = E_ALL 
date.timezone = "Europe/London"

Currently all extensions are disabled. To enable an extensions remove the semicolon for example to enable curl

Change this line:
;extension=php_curl.dll
To:
extension=php_curl.dll

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Test Script Location

We have created a working folder c:\us_portable_ide\php_scripts this will contain working and development scripts.

If you prefer use a different name and location.

Note: For portability save your scripts in a folder that resides in or below folder us_portable_ide.

Test Script

Now would be a good time to create a test script. We will use this file for testing the configuration explained on next page.

Start notepad++ and type in code shown on right
Save the file to folder c:\us_portable_ide\php_scripts name it test.php

<?php
print "Test 123\n";
?>

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Clean-up

If you wish delete folder us_portable_ide_temp its no longer required.

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Summary

With PHP binaries installed our IDE contains all required components to run PHP CLI scripts. These are run from the integrated console window to achieve this plugin NppExec requires configuring.

Next page covers NppExec plugin configuration.

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