Web-Site-Scripts.com - PHP http://www.web-site-scripts.com/knowledge-base/category/81 en-us KnowlageBase RSS Generator Recommended FastCGI settings for IIS7+MSSQL http://www.web-site-scripts.com/knowledge-base/article/AA-00685 Watch this short video to learn how to setup recommended FastCGI settings if you're using IIS7 and MSSQL.

Ensure that the Administration Pack for IIS 7 is installed on your server! If not - please install it first, otherwise you wouldn't see the option for configuring FastCGI settings!

Take the KnowledgeBase Manager Pro Video Tour

]]> Fri, 17 Jun 2011 10:46:59 +0000 http://www.web-site-scripts.com/knowledge-base/article/AA-00685 Checking your PHP settings with phpinfo() http://www.web-site-scripts.com/knowledge-base/article/AA-00616 phpinfo() is the PHP function that outputs your current PHP settings.

It may be useful if you're installing or configuring PHP and want to check if everything is fine, or if you're troubleshooting a problem connected with PHP.

  1. Create an info.php page in your site that contains the following:

    <?php
    phpinfo();
    ?>
    Use a plain text editor for this, e.g. Notepad or Notepad++. Do not use Word or Wordpad for this!
  2. Open it in your browser, e.g. if you put the file to the web root folder, open http://www.yourwebsite.com/info.php
  3. You'll get something like this:


]]> Mon, 27 Dec 2010 15:26:29 +0000 http://www.web-site-scripts.com/knowledge-base/article/AA-00616 Database extensions for PHP (MySQL, Microsoft SQL) http://www.web-site-scripts.com/knowledge-base/article/AA-00595 KMP uses MySQL or MS SQL database to store most of its data. You would need to have a database driver (realized as a PHP extension) to enable KMP connect to a database server. Chose the link below which matches your web server operation system and desired database type.



]]> Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:10:02 +0000 http://www.web-site-scripts.com/knowledge-base/article/AA-00595 PHP installation http://www.web-site-scripts.com/knowledge-base/article/AA-00497

If you need to install PHP on IIS server, see the respective guide:

These guides include full information about downloading, installing, and configuring of PHP and FastCGI on your IIS server.

You can alternatively use one of the all-in-one packages that include all required components: Apache, MySQL, and PHP. You can download it from the respective website:

]]> Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:43:02 +0000 http://www.web-site-scripts.com/knowledge-base/article/AA-00497 PHP installation on IIS7 and IIS7.5 http://www.web-site-scripts.com/knowledge-base/article/AA-00495 This guide describes installation of PHP with FastCGI on IIS7 server.

We strongly recommend you to use the latest version of PHP (v5.3+). Earlier versions of PHP for Windows have bugs and may freeze when launch external programs (e.g. attachment indexation plugins) using Windows command line.

Actual PHP versions work with IIS via FastCGI interface. We will explain how to install FastCGI and configure it to work with PHP.

Installing the FastCGI Extension for IIS 7

Windows Server 2008

Add the CGI role service by going to Server Manager -> Roles -> Add Role Services. This enables both the CGI and FastCGI services:


Windows 7 and Windows Vista SP1

Add the CGI feature by going to Control Panel -> Programs and Features -> Turn Windows features on or off. This enables both the CGI and FastCGI services.


Install the update for FastCGI module

The update for IIS 7 FastCGI module fixes several known compatibility issues with popular PHP applications. Install the update from one of the following locations:

Download and Install PHP

  1. Download the latest PHP package for Windows 
    You need PHP v5.3 or higher. Choose ZIP package VC9 x86 Non Thread Safe.
  2. Extract the contents of PHP zip package to a folder on your server, e.g. C:\PHP\
  3. Make a copy of the php.ini-production file and name it php.ini
  4. Open the php.ini and setup the following parameters. Every parameter already exists in the php.ini and you just need to find it, uncomment (by removing ";" character from the beginning of the line), and change its value. Make sure that you do not have one of these options specified twice in the php.ini file.

    memory_limit = 256M
    post_max_size = 128M
    extension_dir = "C:\PHP\ext"
    upload_tmp_dir = "C:\PHP\upload"
    upload_max_filesize = 128M

    max_execution_time = 600
    max_input_time = 600
    max_input_vars = 2000

    cgi.force_redirect = 0
    cgi.fix_pathinfo = 1
    fastcgi.impersonate = 1

    extension=php_curl.dll
    extension=php_mbstring.dll
    extension=php_exif.dll
    extension=php_gd2.dll
    extension=php_ldap.dll
    extension=php_mysqli.dll

    session.save_path = "C:\PHP\session"

    session.use_cookies = 1

    Extensions Loading Order

    It is required to load "php_mbstring.dll" extension before "php_exif.dll". Make sure that order of extensions in your php.ini is the same as shown above.

  5. Create "upload" and "session" sub-directories in the C:\PHP\ directory. You can use different names, just make sure that they match upload_tmp_dir and session.save_path parameters that you've set in the php.ini.
  6. Setup date.timezone parameter in php.ini, for example:
    date.timezone = "America/New_York"

    Chose your city or at least a city from your time zone.

    You can find the full list of possible date.timezone values on PHP.net website.

  7. Save the php.ini.
  8. To test if the PHP installation is successful, run the following from the command line prompt:
    C:\PHP>php -info

    If PHP Fails to Start

    VC9 Versions are compiled with the Visual Studio 2008 compiler and have improvements in performance and stability. The VC9 versions require you to have the Microsoft 2008 C++ Runtime (x86)  or the Microsoft 2008 C++ Runtime (x64)  installed. You may need to download these extensions on old versions of Windows if PHP is unable to start.

Configure IIS 7 to Handle PHP Requests

In order for IIS 7 to host PHP applications, it is necessary to add a handler mapping that tells IIS to pass all PHP specific requests to the PHP application framework via FastCGI protocol.

This can be done using IIS Manager or using command line.

Using IIS Manager

Open IIS Manager and then select and open "Handler Mappings" at the server level:

Select the "Add Module Mapping" action and specify the configurations settings as below:


  • Request path: *.php
  • Module: FastCgiModule
  • Executable: "C:\PHP\php-cgi.exe"
  • Name: PHP via FastCGI

Note

If you do not see "FastCgiModule" in the "Modules:" drop-down list then it means that the module is not registered or not enabled. To check if FastCGI module is registered open the IIS configuration file %WINDIR%\windows\system32\config\applicationHost.config and check that the following line is present in <globalModules> section:

<add name="FastCgiModule" image="%windir%\System32\inetsrv\iisfcgi.dll" />

Also, in the same file, check that the FastCGI module is added to the <modules> section:

<add name="FastCgiModule" />

Click OK. A dialog box appears asking if you want to create a FastCGI application for this executable. Click Yes.

Setting FastCGI Configuration for Optimal Performance

Watch this short video to learn how to setup optimal performance for FastCGI

Ensure that the Administration Pack for IIS 7 is installed on your server! If not - please install it, otherwise you wouldn't see the option for configuring FastCGI settings!

Take the KnowledgeBase Manager Pro Video Tour

Configure default document in IIS

Most of the PHP applications use a file named index.php as the default application document. Configure IIS to treat this file as the default content page:

  1. Open IIS Manager and then select and open "Default Document" at the server level:



  2. Click "Add..." and enter "index.php".

Testing PHP CGI

After installing the FastCGI extension, and registering and configuring the PHP CGI, you can use KMP normally.

Restart the IIS server to apply all changes that you've made.

To test, create and request an info.php page in your site that contains the following:

<?php
phpinfo();
?>

You see something like: 


Note that the Server API indicates that PHP is hosted in FastCGI mode.

Information Box Title

Default settings of IIS7 conflict with filename escaping methods used in KMP for attachments and images that contain a whitespace in their names. Check this this guide to set correct option and you  won't run into such issue in future.



]]> Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:49:03 +0000 http://www.web-site-scripts.com/knowledge-base/article/AA-00495 PHP installation on IIS6 http://www.web-site-scripts.com/knowledge-base/article/AA-00491 This guide describes installation of PHP with FastCGI on IIS6 server.

We strongly recommend you to use the latest version of PHP (v5.3 or higher). Earlier versions of PHP for Windows have bugs and may freeze when launch external programs (e.g. attachment indexation plugins) using Windows command line.

Actual PHP versions work with IIS via FastCGI interface. We will explain how to install FastCGI and configure it to work with PHP.

Installing the FastCGI Extension for IIS 6.0

The FastCGI extension for 32bit and 64bit Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 can be downloaded from the official Microsoft website.

When you run FastCGI installer, it copies FastCGI specific files to "%WINDIR%\system32\inetsrv" folder (e.g. "C:\Windows\system32\inetsrv\") and then registers and enables FastCGI Web Server Extension. Out of the files that the installer copies, be aware of the following:

  • fcgiext.dll – This is the actual FastCGI handler that communicates with FastCGI enabled processes for processing requests
  • fcgiext.ini – This is the configuration file that contains mapping of file extensions to FastCGI processes. It also contains the configuration of FastCGI process pools.

Downloading and Installing PHP

  1. Download the latest PHP package for Windows 
    You need PHP v5.3 or higher. Choose ZIP package VC9 x86 Non Thread Safe.
    MSSQL

    If you're planning to use MSSQL as a database server, be sure download PHP v5.3.* (not v5.4.*!) as SQL drivers for PHP that work on IIS6 are available only for v5.3.* family. PHP v5.4.* drivers for SQL doesn't work on IIS6.

    If your database is MySQL you can use PHP v5.4.* without any restrictions.

  2. Extract the contents of PHP zip package to a folder on your server, e.g. C:\PHP\
  3. Make a copy of the php.ini-production file and name it php.ini
  4. Open the php.ini and setup the following parameters. Every parameter already exists in the php.ini and you just need to find it, uncomment (by removing ";" character from the beginning of the line), and change its value. Make sure that you do not have one of these options specified twice in the php.ini file.

    memory_limit = -1
    post_max_size = 128M
    extension_dir = "C:\PHP\ext"
    upload_tmp_dir = "C:\PHP\upload"
    upload_max_filesize = 128M

    max_execution_time = 600
    max_input_time = 600
    max_input_vars = 2000

    extension=php_curl.dll
    extension=php_mbstring.dll
    extension=php_exif.dll
    extension=php_gd2.dll
    extension=php_ldap.dll
    extension=php_mysqli.dll

    session.save_path = "C:\PHP\session"

    session.use_cookies = 1

    fastcgi.impersonate = 1
    cgi.fix_pathinfo = 1
    cgi.force_redirect = 0

    Extensions Loading Order

    It is required to load "php_mbstring.dll" extension before "php_exif.dll". Make sure that order of these two extensions in your php.ini is the same as shown above.

  5. Create "upload" and "session" sub-directories in the C:\PHP\ directory. You can use different names, just make sure that they match upload_tmp_dir and session.save_path parameters that you've set in the php.ini. 
  6. Setup date.timezone parameter in php.ini, for example:
    date.timezone = "America/New_York"

    Chose your city or at least a city from your time zone.

    You can find the full list of possible date.timezone values on PHP.net website.

  7. Save the php.ini.
  8. To test if the PHP installation is successful, run the following from the command line prompt:
    C:\PHP>php -info

    If PHP Fails to Start

    VC9 Versions are compiled with the Visual Studio 2008 compiler and have improvements in performance and stability. The VC9 versions require you to have the Microsoft 2008 C++ Runtime (x86)  or the Microsoft 2008 C++ Runtime (x64)  installed. You may need to download these extensions on old versions of Windows if PHP is unable to start.

Manually Configuring FastCGI Extension to Work with PHP

To manually configure the IIS and FastCGI extension, you must create script mappings for the PHP extension in the IIS metabase and modify fcgiext.ini file located in %WINDIR%\system32\inetsrv.

Create script mapping

  1. Launch inetmgr.exe.
  2. Double click the machine icon for the local computer.
  3. Right click on "Web Sites" and pick "Properties."
  4. Click the "Home Directory" tab. 
  5. Click the "Configuration…" button.
  6. Click the "Add…" button.
  7. Browse to the fcgiext.dll located in %WINDIR%\system32\inetsrv.
    Note: If you need to use FastCGI in 32 bit mode on a 64 bit machine, then browse to %WINDIR%\SysWOW64\inetsrv.
  8. Enter .php as the Extension.
  9. Enter Verbs as GET,HEAD,POST .
  10. Ensure that "Script Engine" and "Verify that file exists" are checked.



  11. Click OK

Modify fcigext.ini file

Once the script mapping is added, modify the fcgiext.ini file:

  1. Add an extension to application mapping (php=PHP) to the [Types] section.
  2. Add [PHP] section with ExePath=c:\php\php-cgi.exe (assuming you installed PHP files to C:\PHP folder).

[Types]

php=PHP


[PHP]

ExePath=c:\php\php-cgi.exe

RequestTimeout=600

ActivityTimeout=900

After all the changes to fcgiext.ini the file are saved, restart the web server.

Configure default document in IIS

Most of the PHP applications use a file named index.php as the default application document. Configure IIS to treat this file as the default content page:

  1. Launch inetmgr.exe.
  2. Double click the machine icon for the local computer.
  3. Right click "Web Sites" and pick "Properties."
  4. Click the "Documents" tab.
  5. Click the "Add…" button and enter "index.php" for "Default Document Name:" 
  6. Click "OK."

Testing PHP CGI

After installing the FastCGI extension, and registering and configuring the PHP CGI, you can use KMP normally.

Restart the IIS server to apply all changes that you've made.

To test, create and request an info.php page in your site that contains the following:

<?php
phpinfo();
?>

You see something like: 


Note that the Server API indicates that PHP is hosted in FastCGI mode.

]]> Wed, 17 Feb 2010 19:02:18 +0000 http://www.web-site-scripts.com/knowledge-base/article/AA-00491