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I downloaded the 64 vc9 ts version and dropped it into the wamp/bin/php/php5.4.3/ext/ file but I was unsure whether I needed to make any changes to the php.ini file.
yes you must make a change to the php.ini if you are adding an extension that is not listed on the
wamp menu
left click wamp icon> php > extensionsplace the file into
c:\wamp\bin\php\phpX.X.X\extleft click wamp tray icon> php > php.inifind the extentions section at about line 990 and add this line of code
extension=name_of_dll_file.dll
Left click wamp tray icon> Restart all Services-----------------------------------------------------------
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Whilst I have some help with you guys online, could somebody please explain dll files to me (what are they and how do they work) and also the significance of "thread safe". I know that this isnt necessarily the place to ask such questions but I always seem to work better with a bit of understanding!
Thread Safe and Non Thread Safe are too type of programming architectures that have to do with
how the processor is told to handle the code.
Now that processors have multiple threads, chunks of code that would have been run concurrently is not run simultaneously. Thread Safe code allows for this, and it more complex because you have to remember that shared memory could be written over etc..
So basically it depends how the software is compiled , Apache is compiled into both which both have different advantages/disadvantages depending on the use.
a DLL file is a dynamic link library. its very similar to an exe file, except that it cannot be run separately.
It must be called by an exe file to run. It basically a file full of useful code but that is generally for a specific task. This way we dont need to load millions of lines of code into ram just in case we need to use some function.
So for example APC is not included in the main php.exe because its not required by alot of people , adding it would make php slower.
Generally php dll files are just a bunch of php code that someone has written to make tasks alot easier, and then just compiled into a dll. When you include that dll , new functions can be used.
Again for example echo is part of the main php.exe because its used alot. but if i wanted i could make a echo that would write everything backward and call it becho. it would not be terribly useful, but if some peope wanted it, i could make a dll file with it and now the becho command would work when they add the dll.
This is a stupidly simple example - dll's generally perform a huge amout of work , like the mysql extension - it allows php talk to mysql , and although nowadays its nearly standard in web design to use this extension , its not part of the php.exe because they want to keep this php.exe REALLY small.
if you wanted you can compile php.exe again and include all these dll files into the exe , this would make things faster provided that you do require those extensions you added, because there is a small overhead to loading dll files and not having them static in the exe.
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And another quick Q...... The php.ini comes from the Apache folder rather than from the PHP folder(why?) so do I simply replace it with the php.ini.development file from the PHP folder (with a name change of course)?
You dont need to make any changes to php.ini names. They are already included in wamp.
Wamp is a little more complex when it comes to php.ini files because wamp has the ability to swap php/apache versions from the menu if you want other versions.
There is 2 php files in each copy of php
php.ini
phpforapache.ini
php.ini is used by the php cli, this is when your not using apache , and only want to run php from the command line .
phpforapache.ini is used when your using apache.
When you select a version of php on the menu, this phpforapache.ini is copied into the selected apache version and renamed php.ini
When you change to another version of php or apache, this file is first copied back into the php folder and then replaced.
So basically, Never edit the php.ini file from the folders. ALWAYS use the wamp menu
left click wamp icon> php > php.iniThis will ensure you are editing the correct php.ini at the time.
Steven Martin
stevenmartin99@gmail.comstevenmartin99@hotmail.comPampServer.com - [
pampserver.com]
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/2012 10:24PM by stevenmartin99.