WampServer

Is there any plans to support the later versions of PHP?
Where can we check this information on the wamp site?

Basically, I'm planning to use the SQLSRV Driver but currently it doesn't support PHP 5.5.12, only 5.5.16+

Hi,


Sorry I cannot answer for AlterWay, a new version will be along when they get the time.

However, you can do it yourself if you feel you have the skills.

This was written for installing a different veriosn of PHP, but it covers the principle of how to do it.


HOW TO MANUALLY INSTALL A NEW RELEASE OF PHP INTO THE WAMP ENVIRONMENT

Before you start

On Apache and PHP Downloads you will see the acronyms VC6, VC9, VC10 or VC11. This denotes the compiler version used to compile that program and its dll's.

The safe way is to have an Apache and a PHP that is compiled with the same version of the MS Visual C/C++ compiler.

Bacause of the way PHP and Apache interact in the default WAMPServer install (i.e. PHP runs as an Apache module php5apacheX_Y.dll) they both have to have been compiled using the same version of Microsoft Visual C Compiler or compatible versions thereof.

Currently Code compiled with VC11 (Visual Studio 2012) will load modules ( i.e. PHP ) that are compiled with VC9 or VC10 so this makes the process of installing your own randon PHP version a little easier. But I make no guarantee of this.

So first you must find out which compiler was used to compile the Apache you are currently using, so you can get the PHP that was compiled with the same version of the compiler.
As time goes on this becomes more complicated as newer versions of PHP are not being compiled and linked with older versions of the compilers. VC6 seems to have been dropped a little while ago. However in the recent past versions of both Apache and PHP have been compiled with VC6, VC9, VC10 and VC11.

Apache 2.4.x is compiled with VC11 so it should run PHP that was compiled with VC9, VC10 or VC11
Apache 2.2.x was compiled with various versions of the C++ compiler so if you are still using older versions of Apache you will need to be more careful when picking PHP versions that will be compatible. In short upgrade to WAMPServer 2.5 if at all possible, see for a safe way to upgrade WAMPServer without loosing databases and web site code



1. From WampManager "Stop All Services".

2. Download the PHP Release you want to install or if its not a current release from The Acrhives
You should use the Thread Safe build. Usually the Not Thread Safe version has the acronim NTS and the thread safe version has no acronym.
You should download the ZIP and not an .msi
Make sure its built with the same compiler versions as you Apache or a compatible version ( VC6 / VC9 / VC10 / VC11 ),
But if you are using WAMPServer 2.4 or > then you want the VC11 Thread Safe version.

3. Create a new folder under c:\wamp\bin\php\ with the name = the version you are installing
So, for example, make a folder called php5.5.11.


4. Now from the folder containing your most recent ( and working ) verions of PHP copy the file called wampserver.conf and paste it into your new PHP folder created in the previous step.
This file is required by wamp server to properly identify that this is a valid PHP version folder.
The file contains references to the names of the dll files that contain the PHP interpreter, so that the correct file can be copied to the Apache folder when you activate this new version of the PHP interpreter.

The file should look like this, if you are moving from a very old version of PHP you may need to add some new sections from here to your file.

<?php
$phpConf['phpIniDir'] = '.';
$phpConf['phpExeDir'] = '.';
$phpConf['phpConfFile'] = 'php.ini';

$phpConf['apache']['2.2']['LoadModuleName'] = 'php5_module';
$phpConf['apache']['2.2']['LoadModuleFile'] = 'php5apache2_2.dll';
$phpConf['apache']['2.2']['AddModule'] =  '';

$phpConf['apache']['2.4']['LoadModuleName'] = 'php5_module';
$phpConf['apache']['2.4']['LoadModuleFile'] = 'php5apache2_4.dll';
$phpConf['apache']['2.4']['AddModule'] =  '';
?>

5. Unzip the downloaded PHP into your new folder.


6. Now in your new folder copy the file php.ini_development into a new file called php.ini

Do the same again but paste into a file called phpForApache.ini
You should now have the original file called php.ini_development PLUS 2 more, one called php.ini and one called phpForApache.ini

The php.ini file is used if you are using the PHP CLI i.e. running php from the command line > php script.php
The phpForApache.ini is the php config used by Apache. This file is copied into the currently active Apache's folder and renamed to php.ini by WAMPmaneger when you activate this version of PHP.

7. We must now make some change to the php.ini files to WAMPise them. Take your time here it will save you time later.

Edit the newly created phpForApache.ini file

Search for extension_dir and change to
extension_dir = "d:/wamp/bin/php/phpx.y.z/ext/" <- where x,y,z match the folder you are putting the new PHP into.

Search for ;error_log = php_errors.log and change to
error_log = c:\wamp\logs\php_errors.log
Search for anything 'php/' and make sure you change it to you c:\wamp\bin\php\php.x.y.z folder name.

In fact search for anything with a C:\ in it and make sure its changed to the WAMPServer equivalent.

As of PHP5.4 the timezone need to be set
Search for [Date] and put an entry into the date.timezone field as a minimum

date.timezone = "Europe/London"
date.default_latitude = 0.0
date.default_longitude = 51.502973

look here for a list of supported timezone values [www.php.net]

PHP5.5 specific changes
a. All the PHP extensions are commented out, so you need to manually uncomment at least some of them
Check your last used php.ini to see what you need, remember some extensions may have been included in the core of php so you may need to check the php change log for details.


Now there may well be other configuration changes you had made to your existing PHP, these you will have to find and transfer yourself.
I suggest you compare your last \wamp\bin\apache\apachex.y.z\bin\php.ini with this new one and move over anything you believe is relevant.

DONT FORGET, if you are using the PHP CLI you will also need to do this to the php.ini file as well.

8. Make sure all services are stopped in wampmanager, and then right click over the wamp manager icon in the system tray and select the 'refresh' menu item.
When you left click on wamp manager -> PHP -> Version you should see your new version in the list.

If the new version does not appear, then you have probably spelt the phpForApache.ini file name wrong. Correct it and redo the 'refresh'.

9. You can now 'restart all services' from the wamp manager menus.

NOTE: You have not actually changed anything yet, so if wamp,Apache,PHP etc were working before they still should be.

10. Activate your new PHP version.
Using the wamp manager menus again you just need to click on the new version number to activate it.
wamp manager -> PHP -> Version -> 5.5.11 ( <- or whatever the version number is you have just added )

This will cause wamp manager to :-
1. Stop Apache ( the icon will go Orange )
2. Copy the correct files from the PHP folder to the Apache folder or if you are on WAMPServer 2.5 or greater
create the correct SYMLINK in the apachex.y.z/bin folder.
3. Restart Apache. So the wamp manager icon should go GREEN again.

If the wamp manager icon stays ORANGE, then you have missed something, probably a file name spelt wrong. The phpForApache.ini file must exists.

11. Now run localhost from the wamp manager menu, and check the wamp server home page. It should tell you which version of PHP is loaded.



If it all goes wrong when you activate the new PHP, you can easily back out of trouble by just activating whatever version of PHP you were using before, and then going back to see what you did wrong.


ADDING IONCUBE

You must ensure that you download the correct version to match your PHP :-
compiler( VC6/VC9/VC11 etc ) compiled ionCube dll
correct 32 or 64 bit code
and the Thread Safe version which is the one that is not NON-TS


1. Download the correct ionCube loader from [www.ioncube.com]
2. Place it somewhere on your disk, but not in the WAMP folder.
for example c:\webstuff\ioncube\vc9\
2. Edit the new php.ini Using the wamp manager menus
Add these 2 lines at the bottom of the file.
Remember the version you load will depend upon which MAJOR version of PHP you are using i.e. 5.2,5.3 or 5.4

NOTE on IONCUBE and PHP5.5
Ioncube for PHP5.5 is not yet released as of 13/09/2013, they say they are waiting for PHP 5.5 to become stable and secure and hosting providers to adopt PHP 5.5 before they release their upgrade. They comment that it can take a year or more for hosting companies to adopt new versions of PHP and this I guess is their schedule.

;ioncube Extension
zend_extension = "c:/webstuff/ioncube/vc9/ioncube_loader_win_5.5.dll"

ADDING XDEBUG
XDEBUG comes with WAMP Server and is incredibly useful for debugging CLI or WEB scripts.
But it does not come with the PHP you have downloaded from the PHP website.
When upgrading PHP to a major version release you may need to get an up to date version of xdebug from

http://xdebug.org/download.php

For a minor version upgrade you can probably use the existing xdebug version you already have on disk.

So for a minor PHP version upgrade, copy the folder c:\wamp\bin\php\php5.y.z\zend_ext from your old PHP to your new php folder.
For a major PHP version upgrade get a new dll from the xdebug website and put it in a newly created folder called c:\wamp\bin\php\php5.y.z\zend_ext

Now add a line like this ( version specific of course ) to your php.ini ( using the wamp manager menus, to ensure you are editing the correct file )

;XDEBUG Extension
zend_extension = "d:/wamp/bin/php/phpx.y.z/zend_ext/php_xdebug-2.2.2-5.3-vc9.dll"

[xdebug]
xdebug.remote_enable = off
xdebug.profiler_enable = off
xdebug.profiler_enable_trigger = off
xdebug.profiler_output_name = cachegrind.out.%t.%p
xdebug.profiler_output_dir = "d:/wamp/tmp"

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(Windows 10 Pro 64bit) (Wampserver 3.3.4 64bit) Aestan Tray Menu 3.2.5.4
<Apache versions MULTIPE> <PHP versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Versions MULTIPLE>
<MariaDB versions MULTIPLE> <phpMyAdmin versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Workbench 8.0.23>
Read The Manuals Apache -- MySQL -- PHP -- phpMyAdmin
Get your Apache/MySQL/mariaDB/PHP ADDONs here from the WAMPServer alternate Repo
-X-X-X- Backup your databases regularly Here is How dont regret it later! Yes even when developing -X-X-X-

Thanks! I appreciated this

I will try this one whenever I get the time.