I have been checking out your PHP app node runner. Will this run on a Windows box and if so how can I get it to work. I have a Windows web server and all my boxes are NT. I like your app and would love to get it to work. Thanks!
Mark
Hi Mark,
I've been meaing to write up a piece on using Node Runner on Win32, but I've yet to actually try it. Not to be discouraged by the details, however, here are some helpful links and thoughts that may lead you in the right direction.
1. The biggest hangup will be the requirement of PHP on Win32. PHP has a Win32 version that installs with relative ease, but the tricky part is compiling it as CGI. The PHP manual has a section on installing it on Win32:
3. Ideally, you could run PHP, MySQL, and a webserver on 3 separate machines. But unless you work for the government, you're not likely to have those extra machines lying about... I'd at least try to use PHP and MySQL on the same box, but they don't really need to be on the same box as the web server. Here's a good article on installing PHP on IIS, if that's what you use.
4. Oh yes, MySQL. I've actually used MySQL on Win32 before, and found that it works rather well. Take a look at their site (mysql.com) for the latest Win32 installation binaries. So far, I've only written Node Runner to work with MySQL, but in the future, I plan to port it's use to PostgreSQL and MSSQL also.
5. Don't forget to peruse the README file included with the software. Much of it is geared toward *nix users, but the concepts are the same across most platforms.
6. If you need help, let me know, because I'd be interested in writing up some documentation about this. Given enough time, any problem can be solved, even if I have to rewrite some code to make it happen. Also, if you wish to document the exact steps you took to make it all work on Win32, I'd be happy to give you credit for the documentation in future releases.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
<Several 'trouble-shooting' emails were excluded from this final response, but here is the resulting issue.>
The problem is not with your machine or Node Runner. The problem is with a bug in PHP. The "fsockopen" command uses a timeout in case it doesn't connect to a server. On Win32 machines, this timeout is not working, which means it just keeps trying until the "maximum execution time" for the PHP script is reached, and the script bombs out.
Below is a list of PHP bugs that the developers are currently working on or have been fixed. You'll notice that sockets and fsockopen are mentioned under Windows operating systems. These appear to be open bugs, so when they get them fixed, (probably next release), Node Runner should work for Win32. Until then...sorry.
I have been checking out your PHP app node runner. Will this run on a Windows box and if so how can I get it to work. I have a Windows web server and all my boxes are NT. I like your app and would love to get it to work. Thanks!
Mark
Hi Mark,
I've been meaing to write up a piece on using Node Runner on Win32, but I've yet to actually try it. Not to be discouraged by the details, however, here are some helpful links and thoughts that may lead you in the right direction.
1. The biggest hangup will be the requirement of PHP on Win32. PHP has a Win32 version that installs with relative ease, but the tricky part is compiling it as CGI. The PHP manual has a section on installing it on Win32:
http://www.php.net/manual/en/install.windows.php
After you get that working, I found a good user posting from PHPBuilder.com about using PHP from the command line.
http://www.phpbuilder.com/annotate/message.php3?id=1007082
2. Another slight pain will be the use of mail through Win32. The PHP manual again has a few insightful user comments on getting that to work.
http://www.php.net/manual/en/ref.mail.php
3. Ideally, you could run PHP, MySQL, and a webserver on 3 separate machines. But unless you work for the government, you're not likely to have those extra machines lying about... I'd at least try to use PHP and MySQL on the same box, but they don't really need to be on the same box as the web server. Here's a good article on installing PHP on IIS, if that's what you use.
http://www.e-gineer.com/instructions/install-php3xx-for-iis4x-on-windowsnt.phtml
And that site has a lot more info for various other ventures too. It sure helped me once upon a time.
http://www.e-gineer.com/instructions/index.phtml
4. Oh yes, MySQL. I've actually used MySQL on Win32 before, and found that it works rather well. Take a look at their site (mysql.com) for the latest Win32 installation binaries. So far, I've only written Node Runner to work with MySQL, but in the future, I plan to port it's use to PostgreSQL and MSSQL also.
5. Don't forget to peruse the README file included with the software. Much of it is geared toward *nix users, but the concepts are the same across most platforms.
6. If you need help, let me know, because I'd be interested in writing up some documentation about this. Given enough time, any problem can be solved, even if I have to rewrite some code to make it happen. Also, if you wish to document the exact steps you took to make it all work on Win32, I'd be happy to give you credit for the documentation in future releases.
<Several 'trouble-shooting' emails were excluded from this final response, but here is the resulting issue.>
The problem is not with your machine or Node Runner. The problem is with a bug in PHP. The "fsockopen" command uses a timeout in case it doesn't connect to a server. On Win32 machines, this timeout is not working, which means it just keeps trying until the "maximum execution time" for the PHP script is reached, and the script bombs out.
Below is a list of PHP bugs that the developers are currently working on or have been fixed. You'll notice that sockets and fsockopen are mentioned under Windows operating systems. These appear to be open bugs, so when they get them fixed, (probably next release), Node Runner should work for Win32. Until then...sorry.
http://bugs.php.net/search.php?cmd=display&bug_type=Any&status=&search_for=fso
ckopen&php_os=&bug_age=&by=&order_by=php_version&direction=ASC&phpver=4&limit=30&assign=&reorder_by=php_version
Thanks to Mark Stewart, we now know that Node Runner works with W2K, IIS 5.
There must have been a problem for any older operating systems.