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Doc Bug #33236 Setting up PATH variable correctly
Submitted: 2005-06-03 18:07 UTC Modified: 2005-06-03 19:59 UTC
From: steve dot warr at hemdean dot plus dot com Assigned:
Status: Closed Package: Documentation problem
PHP Version: Irrelevant OS: Win32/2k
Private report: No CVE-ID: None
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 [2005-06-03 18:07 UTC] steve dot warr at hemdean dot plus dot com 
Description:
------------
There are numerous claims online about getting a 'php_mysql.dll - module not found' error message. I basically encountered this problem, where the command line 'php -m' showed that mysql was getting loaded ok, but my IIS webservice kept producing the 'module not found' error message.

After a very, very painful day of tracing through the install procedure, I eventually found that the problem was related not php_mysql.dll itself,  but to the dependent 'libMySQL.dll'.  I had followed the install doc to the letter and added 'c:\<php_install_dir>' to my PATH variable. However, the doc fails to mention that you **must** add this path as part of the 'system variables' and not to the 'user variables' section. This explains why the command line worked, but not the web service.  Obvious really when you know, but really difficult to debug. One extra line of text in the install doc pointing out this gotcha would have saved a lot of frustration.

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 [2005-06-03 18:20 UTC] nlopess@php.net 
The installation FAQ explains the correct steps, which is linked from the main installation chapter.
 [2005-06-03 19:11 UTC] steve dot warr at hemdean dot plus dot com 
True, it is buried deep in the online FAQ, although the headline (how do I add PHP to my PATH) doesn't immediately look like it would have applied to my problem since I already had it added to my path (but just to the wrong bit).  However I'm really referring to the 'install.txt' guide that comes with the windows binaries which simply states:
'add C:\php to the PATH'

I'm not trying to report a bug here, simply make a suggestion for additional FAQ line, etc. that might aid future users ....
 [2005-06-03 19:59 UTC] nlopess@php.net 
Yes, the isntall.txt file that ships with PHP doesn't mention those instructions.
I've added the full FAQ to that file, that will be bundled with the next PHP releases.

Thanks,
Nuno
 
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