Basically, the installation file in the Apache section does not provide
the level of detail that is really needed. Far too often I see emails
where people can not get php to work. Why? Because they have simply
followed this instruction:

After you've set up the file layout properly, you're ready to finally
configure Apache to load the PHP4 module. Just add the following lines
to your httpd.conf:

   LoadModule php4_module c:/php/sapi/php4apache.dll
   AddModule mod_php4.c
   AddType application/x-httpd-php .php

Followed liturally, the user then goes and plonks them all in one big
group. Guess what happens then? If you said it mess's up, then you are
correct! Basically, to help all the new users to php/php installation, I
suggest the following change: (This is taken from an email I have sent
out several times, so some gramatic change may be in order!)

    LoadModule php4_module C:\PHP\sapi\php4apache.dll

This has to be in the same place as all the other LoadModule commands.
If you look through your httpd.conf file for Apache, you will see a
whole load of LoadModules with #'s in front of them. You need to place
the above line
at the end of that list.

If you then scroll down a bit the next section should be 'AddModule'. In
this section, you have to put the line
   AddModule mod_php4.c
at the bottom of the list. Both commands are needed to properly load
PHP.

Once that is done, you will need to run a search for

" # AddType allows you to tweak mime.types without actually editing it,
or to "

Below that line should be a series of AddType commands. Again, you need
to put

    AddType application/x-httpd-php .php

at the end of the list.

    AddType application/x-httpd-php-source .phps

is an optional feature, I personnally do not use it as I do not want
people to be able to view my source code. However it is up to you. If
you do want to include it, put it in the same section as the previous
command.

Hi-

What this guy says is right on - there is simply not enough explanation
in the install section. I would like to add one comment, though:

An especially glaring ommission is an explanation of what features are
built into the base install of 4.3.0, and what options need to be added
to 'configure'. The heading of the chapter says that it contains a
"complete list of configuration options", yet when I take a look at past
comments from users, they are referencing configuration options not
listed in the chapter!!?!? Among the ones of interest are the settings
for enabling MySQL, PostgreSQL, and apache support. 

Are all these built in now? It's not made clear in the doc. Also, it
would be great if there was more explanation of what the different
options mean.

The reason why this is so critical is that a wrong setting here can
cause many hours of frustration and tweaking of PHP config files,
messing with other installed programs (basically hosing your system)
when it all could have been avoided by having the info upfront about
which config flags to include...

Alright verified.

If someone is already working on that, let me know or I will do it.

@stephen dot edmonds5 at btinternet dot com:
the docs has been updated and will show up soon on the website. You can
take a look at
http://cvs.php.net/co.php/phpdoc/en/chapters/install.apache.xml?login=2&
r=1.17
Feel free to add your comments.
@mawebb at rocketmail dot com
The complete list of configure options will be soon available along with
more verbose explanations of each option. Meanwhile consult the
extension specific configure options in the function reference.

Thanks for your report.

Friedhelm

Closing as Friedhelm commented the docs were updated.