# PHP

PHP is a widely-used general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited for Web development and can be embedded into HTML.

## Installation

Install the php package from the official repositories.

Note that to run PHP scripts as plain CGI, you need the php-cgi package.

## Setup

While PHP can be run standalone, it is typically used with http servers such as Apache, nginx and lighttpd.

- standalone: `php -S localhost:8000 -t public_html/`. See documentation
- Apache: to setup PHP, Apache and MySQL, commonly known as LAMP, see LAMP
- lighttpd: see lighttpd
- nginx: see nginx

## Configuration

The main PHP configuration file is well-documented and located at `/etc/php/php.ini`.

- It is recommended to set your timezone (list of timezones) in `/etc/php/php.ini` like so:

    date.timezone = Europe/Berlin

- If you want to display errors to debug your PHP code, change `display_errors` to `On` in `/etc/php/php.ini`:

    display_errors=On

- Remember to add a file handler for `.phtml`, if you need it, in `/etc/httpd/conf/extra/php5_module.conf`:

    DirectoryIndex index.php index.phtml index.html

## Extensions

A number of commonly used PHP extensions can also be found in the official repositories:

    # pacman -Ss php-

### gd

For php-gd uncomment the line

    extension=gd.so

### imagemagick

For imagemagick run `# pecl install imagick` and add

    extension=imagick.so

### pthreads extension

If you wish to have POSIX multi-threading you will need the pthreads extension. to install the pthreads (http://pecl.php.net/package/pthreads) extension using `pecl` you are required to use a compiled version of PHP with the the thread safety support flag `--enable-maintainer-zts`. currently the most clean way to do this would be to rebuild the original package with the flag.

instruction can be found on the PHP pthreads extension page.

### mcrypt

- If you want the `mcrypt` module, install php-mcrypt and uncomment `extension=mcrypt.so` in `/etc/php/php.ini`:

    extension=mcrypt.so

## Zend Core + Apache

Zend Core is the official PHP distribution provided by zend.com. It includes an installer/updater, zend optimizer, oracle support, and necessary libraries. However, it lacks support for postgresql, firebird, and odbc.

- Install mod_fcgid, a FastCGI module for Apache (the official one sucks).
- Install Zend Core (official PHP distribution)
  - Uninstall the php package.
  - Download and install zend core from [1] ; don't install the bundle apache or tell it to setup your web server. It always installs to `/usr/local/Zend/Core` due to hard-coded path.
  - Create a script `/usr/local/bin/zendcore` and create symlinks to php, php-cgi, pear, phpize under /usr/local/bin
    `#!/bin/bash
    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="/usr/local/Zend/Core/lib"
    exec /usr/local/Zend/Core/bin/`basename $0` "$@"`
- Setup Apache:
  - In `/etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf`, add
    `LoadModule fcgid_module modules/mod_fcgid.so
    <Directory /srv/http>
    AddHandler fcgid-script .php
    FCGIWrapper /usr/local/bin/php-cgi .php
    Options ExecCGI
    Allow from all
    </Directory>
    SocketPath /tmp/fcgidsock
    SharememPath /tmp/fcgidshm`
  - Remember to change the Directory path
- Disable Zend Optimizer (so you can use cache):
  - Edit `/etc/php.ini`, uncomment the following line near the end of file:
    `zend_extension_manager.optimizer="/usr/local/Zend/Core/lib/zend/optimizer"`

- Install APC (Alternative PHP Cache):
  - Run `pear install pecl.php.net/apc` as superuser.
  - Edit `/etc/php.ini`, add the line after "; Zend Core extensions..." (line 1205):
    `extension=apc.so`
- Update Zend Core and/or install other components
  - Just run `/usr/local/Zend/Core/setup`

## Development tools

### Komodo

Good integration for PHP+HTML+JavaScript. Lacks code formatting and unicode support in doc comments.

Komodo IDE | Komodo Edit (free)

Add custom encodings:

- Edit `KOMODO_INSTALL_DIR/lib/mozilla/components/koEncodingServices.py`, line 84, add:

     ('cp950', 'Chinese(CP-950/Big5)', 'CP950', '', 1,'cp950'),
     ('cp936', 'Chinese(CP-936/GB2312)', 'CP936', '', 1,'cp936'),
     ('GB2312', 'Chinese(GB-2312)', 'GB2312', '', 1,'GB2312'),
     ....

The format is (encoding name in python, description, short description, BOM, is ASCII-superset?, font encoding)

### Netbeans

A complete IDE for many languages including PHP. Includes features like debugging, refactoring, code tempalting, autocomplete, XML features, and web design and development functionalities (very good CSS autocomplete functionality and PHP/JavaScript code notifications/tips).

### Eclipse PDT

Eclipse PDT is not very complete at the current stage (v0.7); for instance, it cannot pop-up class list automatically when you type, though you can add custom auto-activation trigger keys.

You would need other plugins for JavaScript support and DB query.

### Zend Studio

Zend Studio is the official PHP IDE, based on eclipse. The IDE has autocomplete, advanced code formatting, WYSIWYG html editor, refactoring, and all the eclipse features such as db access and version control integration and whatever you can get from other eclipse plugins.

### Aptana Studio

A good IDE for programming in PHP and web development. The current version (3.2.2) does not have a PHP debugger.

### Zend Code Analyzer

A PHP code analyzer from Zend Studio. The program is indispensable for any serious PHP coding.

#### Installation

- Download and install Zend Studio Neon
- In the installation dir, run `find . -name "ZendCodeAnalyzer` to get the path.
- Copy ZendCodeAnalyzer to `/usr/local/bin/zca`
- Now you can remove zend studio; you won't need a key or anything.

#### Vim Integration

Add the following lines into your `.vimrc`:

    autocmd FileType php setlocal makeprg=zca\ %<.php
    autocmd FileType php setlocal errorformat=%f(line\ %l):\ %m

#### Eclipse Integration

Error Link plugin:

- Symlink zca to build.zca (so Error Link can recognize it)
- Install Sunshade plugin suite;
- Preference -> Sunshade -> Error Link -> Add: `^(.*\.php)\(line (\d+)\): ()(.*)`
- Run -> External Tools -> Open External Tools Dialog -> Select "Program" -> Clicn on "New":
  Name: Zend Code Analyzer
  Location: /usr/local/bin/build.zca
  Working Directory: ${container_loc}
  Arguments: --recursive ${resource_name}

#### Komodo Integration

Toolbox -> Add -> New Command:

- Command: zca --recursive %F
- Run in: Command Output Tab
- Parse output with: `^(?P<file>.+?)\(line (?P<line>\d+)\): (?P<content>.*)$`
- Select Show parsed output as a list

## Troubleshooting

### PHP Fatal error: Class 'ZipArchive' not found

Ensure the zip extension is enabled.

    $ grep zip /etc/php/php.ini

    extension=zip.so

### /etc/php/php.ini not parsed

If your php.ini isn't parsed, the ini file is named after the sapi it's using. for instance if you're using uwsgi the file would be called /etc/php/php-uwsgi.ini or if you're using cli it's /etc/php/php-cli.ini

Category:

- Programming language