Question:

Hi! It's time for me to do a web application and I need to install MySQL and PHP on my Apache2 server. Is there anything I need to watch out for?

Answer:

Well, there's always something. All of the following assumes Apache2 v2.0.49, PHP v4.3.10 and MySQL v4.1.7.

The examples that follow assume you are booting from volume C: and that the applications and data are on volume D:.

Finding the code

First, use the OS/2 Power link to find the WarpIn install packages for v4.1.7.

If you use the old DNS alias link, you will be taken to the page for the older v4.0.18. As of the date of this article, this page not been updated to point to v4.1.7.

Installing the packages

The WarpIn packages install without errors for most users, but usually do not result in a ready to run MySQL setup.

The install places code>LIBC06B4.DLL in mysql41\dll and does not update LIBPATH. Mr. KIA recommends you move LIBC06B4.DLL to mysql41\bin . If the DLL can not be found via a LIBPATH search, the server will not start.

The build also requires LIBC06B2.DLL which is not included in the WarpIn packages. If you do not already have a copy, get it from LIBC06B2 Mr. KIA recommends you copy the DLL to mysql41\bin. If the DLL can not be found via a LIBPATH search, the MySQL client will not start.

Network drivers

MySQL requires features provided by the AFOS2.SYS driver. Make sure CONFIG.SYS contains DEVICE=AFOS2.SYS. If you do not load this driver, the MySQL server will not be able to set up the sockets it uses.

My.cnf is optional

The manual is not entirely clear about this. My.cnf is optional unless you want to change the default settings. The default settings are OK for getting started. If, or when, your application needs to be tuned, you can create my.cnf with the appropriate settings.

For large databases, it is often a good idea to the keep the database store separate from the MySQL applications. This requires specific my.cnf settings.

When tuning an installation, it is often helpful to turn off the storage engines you are not using. This is best done with my.cnf settings.

Mysql.inf is out of date

The INF version of the MySQL manual is pretty far out of date. Mr. KIA recommends you bookmark the MySQL Online Manual . It is well organized and fully searchable.

Since you are also going to be doing PHP coding, you should bookmark the PHP Language Reference Manual .

TMP needs forward slashes

This is one of those places where MySQL shows its unix heritage. If you have TMP defined as set TMP=d:\tmp some work files might end up in the root of the volume. This is usually just messy unless you neglect to clean up the leftovers. Mr. KIA recommends that you redefine TMP with set TMP=d:/tmp when starting up the MySQL server or client. This can be done with a script or by editing the MySQL program objects.

MySQL client does not do command line editing

There is a build problem in the v4.1.7 distribution and readline support is not compiled into the MySQL client. If you want to have command line history and editing available, download the v4.0.18 WarpIn package .

Use WarpIn's wic.exe to extract the package contents to a work directory. Copy

 libc05.dll
 mysql.exe
 mysql40.dll

PHP extensions not enabled

The PHP v4.3.10 documentation claims the MySQL PHP extensions are enabled by default. This is not true. Add

 extension=mysql.dll

PHP DLL locations

New users often get the PHP executable locations wrong.

Put php4.dll where it can be found with a LIBPATH search. Mr. KIA recommends d:\Apps\apache2\bin. This assumes your Apache2 startup script contains

  set BEGINLIBPATH=d:\Apps\apache2\bin

Put the CGI version of php4.exe in the apache2\cgi-bin directory.

Put modphp4.dll in the apache2\modules directory. The modules directory does not need to be in LIBPATH. Apache2 takes care of this internally.

PHP configuration

You must enable PHP in httpd.conf with:

 LoadModule php4_module modules/modphp4.dll

 AddType application/x-httpd-php .php

Troubleshooting

The Internet is full of tips and techniques for effective troubleshooting of Apache/PHP/MySQL setups. Mr. KIA will add just a couple here.

Mr. KIA uses the following program object setting to start the MySQL server:

  Program:        *
  Parameters:     /c set TMP=d:/tmp & MYSQLD.EXE --console & if errorlevel 1 pause
  Work directory: d:\Apps\mysql41\bin

Mr. KIA recommends setting

  display_errors = On

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