Thread: Hello, etc.
Hi, Would like to ask a few questions. I have been assigned the task of implementing a web front-end/database backend for a medical office. The office has 36,000 patients and 25 doctors. Is postgres a reliable solution? (I see posts from people saying that from time to time they have to reset postgres due to connections timeouts, or other issues -- sorry I can't recall specifics right now.) I'd like to hear about some real-world examples with specifics regarding the size of the database, reliability, and backup procedures. I'd like to implement an open source solution, and PHP/Postgres/Apache is very attractive (MySQL is excluded due to the lack of sub-selects). I used PHP/Postgres/Apache 2 years ago for a small medical database for 12 users and less than 1000 records. It worked well. I now return to the technology to implement the above-mentioned system. Perhaps I haven't looked hard enough, but I could not find a "How-to" on compiling PHP for postgres/apache. I would think this is a common combination, no? I'm going to post my ongoing experience with the process, I find reading about others' experience educational. Based on the following experience, I'm going to create a howto for compiling php/apache/postgres from the tarballs. The RPM nonsense gets confusing, particularly with RedHat-derived versions putting their files in different directories from the standard install. (I'm on a Mandrake box right now) Here's my adventure so far: 1) download rpms for mandrake from postgres mirror (mars.capital-data.com) 2) rpm -qip mod_php3-pgsql-3.0.17RC1-2mdkPG7.1686.rpm: This is a dynamic shared object (DSO) for Apache that will add PostgreSQL database support to PHP3. If you need back-end support for PostgreSQL, you should install this package in addition to the main mod_php3 package. 3) rpm -qip mod_php3-3.0.17RC1-2mdkPG7.i686.rpm: The mod_php module enables the Apache web server to understand and process the embedded PHP language in web pages. This package contains PHP3, or PHP version 3.0.17RC1. If you use applications which specifically rely on PHP/FI, you should instead install the PHP/FI module contained in the mod_php package. If you're just starting with PHP, you should install this package. You'll also need to install the Apache web server. 4) attempt to install mod_php3-3.0.17RC1 with: rpm -i mod_php3-3.0.17RC1-2mdkPG7.i686.rpm WRONG ARCHITECTURE 5) Build my own 6) get source for php 4.0.2 7) tar xzvf php-4.0.2.tar.gz 8) sent email to Jouni Ahto, postgres extension maintainer "odd fixes", after read EXTENSIONS file. (will php postgres work?) 9) Began reading INSTALL file in distribution 10) pre INSTALL, ran "httpd -l" to make sure "mod_so.c" was present, indicating "mod_so" was enabled 11) per INSTALL, ran $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs 12) lex or flex was not present -- downloaded flex for mandrake 7.1 and installed 13) again ran: $ ./configure --with-mysql --with-apxs ./configure: apxs: command not found configure: error: Sorry, I cannot run apxs. Either you need to install Perl or you need to pass the absolute path of apxs by using --with-apxs=/absolute/path/to/apxs 14) could not locate apxs script, ran find /|grep apxs to see if it's on the system anywhere 15) apxs man page was there, but no apxs script -- wierd 16) download apache source (sucks cuz i already have mandrake apache rpm installed) hope the apxs script is in the source code! took forever to find a decent mirror. 17) unpack apache code: tar xzvf apache_1.3.12.tar.gz 18) found "apxs.pl" in apache dir ./src/support/apxs.pl 19) per php INSTALL file, ran this in the php-4.0.2 directory: $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.12/src/support/ 20) ERROR! in the apache distrbution, the apxs script (a perl script) is named "apxs.pl" and the php script is looking for "apxs" -- so I rename the apxs file . . . 21) i also noticed in my configure script output the following: configure: warning: You will need bison if you want to regenerate the PHP parsers. so i download and install bison for mandrake 22) apxs is renamed, and the following is run again: $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.12/src/support/ same ERROR! 23) I see apxs.pl is not set to execute mode, so I delete apxs, and run "chmod +x apxs.pl" and rerun: $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.12/src/support/ 24) copy apxs.pl file to apxs, and rerun . . . . $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.12/src/support/ EROR! 25) I look at the apxs script, and it refers to perl in /usr/local/bin/perl. On my mandrake system, perl is located at /usr/bin/perl, so I edit the script . . . and rerun 26) nothing's working. i see that autoconf is not installed, so i install it. (and find out that m4 is also needed) 27) maybe i need the postgres source, too! download that. 28) my root/download folder looks like: drwxr-xr-x 8 1078 1078 4096 Oct 11 00:46 apache_1.3.12/ -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1709589 Feb 25 2000 apache_1.3.12.tar.gz drwxrwxr-x 14 512 511 4096 Oct 11 01:27 php-4.0.2/ -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2088247 Oct 11 00:06 php-4.0.2.tar.gz drwxr-xr-x 5 1005 96 4096 Jun 5 14:15 postgresql-7.0.2/ -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2338356 Jun 5 14:17 postgresql-7.0.2.base.tar.gz -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2545529 Jun 5 14:16 postgresql-7.0.2.docs.tar.gz -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1322640 Jun 5 14:17 postgresql-7.0.2.support.tar.gz -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 7211311 Jun 5 14:16 postgresql-7.0.2.tar.gz -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1006213 Jun 5 14:17 postgresql-7.0.2.test.tar.gz 29) going back into the php-4.0.2/ directory: i now run $ ./configure --with-postgres=../postgresql-7.0.2/ --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.1 2/src/support/ NO GOOD! 30) let's try a diversion in to compiling postgres 7.0.2 . . . . 31) per INSTALL, create postgres superuser and passwd 32) ran config, had to install gcc-g++ for mandrake . . . 33) ran configure, then gmake . . . 34) followed the pgsql intructions and got postgres up and running -yay! 35) need to try to configure a static apache module, since dynamic (apxs) is not working 36) entered configure command to make php with postgres and apache: ./configure --with-postgres --with-apache=../apache_1.3.12/ --enable-track-v ars 37) Get an error in the config script: configure: error: Invalid Apache directory - unable to find httpd.h under /root/download/apache_1.3.12/apache_1.3.12 38) look in configure script: things look OK 39) Try configure again, this time without trailing "/": ./configure --with-postgres --with-apache=../apache_1.3.12 --enable-track-va rs 40) This worked, but configures MySQL. I need to use the option --with-pgsql: ./configure --with-pgsql --with-apache=../apache_1.3.12 --enable-track-vars 41) It again tells me at the end of the configure script output that I've configured PHP for MySQL -- need to go to the Postgres maling list and see if anyone is having the same prob: | You chose to compile PHP with the built-in MySQL support. If you | | are compiling a server module, and intend to use other server | | modules that also use MySQL | 42) Started compiling anyway, but then decided to use the configure option "--without-mysql" to see if I can get rid of the mysql code. It worked! 43) Apache compiled according to the instructions. (It's huge!!! 2.4 MB+!!) However the apache binary looks for the config files on a different directory than where they are currently installed. (I had done just a standard mandrake rpm install of apache previously): $ apachectl start fopen: No such file or directory httpd: could not open document config file /www/conf/httpd.conf /usr/sbin/apachectl start: httpd could not be started ======================= You guys get the picture. Take care, Shaun Grannis, MD Diplomat, American Board of Family Practice
Hi, Sean... I use Postgresql as the backend database for over 15 different domains (all hosted from 1 Dell Poweredge 2450 Database Server + 3 Power.web servers), serving a total of more than 300,000 page-views daily. Our largest databases in this system number more than 40,000 records. Our combined userbase is about 8,000. So far postgresql has proven *very* stable. I haven't had any problem at all with any database crashing. I should note that Postgres performance was pretty low on my first box, which was a P2-450 with 128MB of RAM, which also hosted the web servers. Once I put the database on its own dedicated server (which has 1GB of RAM), it blazed like lightning. Justin Long www.strategicnetwork.org www.livethecall.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Shaun Grannis" <granniss@msu.edu> To: <pgsql-php@postgresql.org> Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2000 2:54 AM Subject: Hello, etc. Hi, Would like to ask a few questions. I have been assigned the task of implementing a web front-end/database backend for a medical office. The office has 36,000 patients and 25 doctors. Is postgres a reliable solution? (I see posts from people saying that from time to time they have to reset postgres due to connections timeouts, or other issues -- sorry I can't recall specifics right now.) I'd like to hear about some real-world examples with specifics regarding the size of the database, reliability, and backup procedures. I'd like to implement an open source solution, and PHP/Postgres/Apache is very attractive (MySQL is excluded due to the lack of sub-selects). I used PHP/Postgres/Apache 2 years ago for a small medical database for 12 users and less than 1000 records. It worked well. I now return to the technology to implement the above-mentioned system. Perhaps I haven't looked hard enough, but I could not find a "How-to" on compiling PHP for postgres/apache. I would think this is a common combination, no? I'm going to post my ongoing experience with the process, I find reading about others' experience educational. Based on the following experience, I'm going to create a howto for compiling php/apache/postgres from the tarballs. The RPM nonsense gets confusing, particularly with RedHat-derived versions putting their files in different directories from the standard install. (I'm on a Mandrake box right now) Here's my adventure so far: 1) download rpms for mandrake from postgres mirror (mars.capital-data.com) 2) rpm -qip mod_php3-pgsql-3.0.17RC1-2mdkPG7.1686.rpm: This is a dynamic shared object (DSO) for Apache that will add PostgreSQL database support to PHP3. If you need back-end support for PostgreSQL, you should install this package in addition to the main mod_php3 package. 3) rpm -qip mod_php3-3.0.17RC1-2mdkPG7.i686.rpm: The mod_php module enables the Apache web server to understand and process the embedded PHP language in web pages. This package contains PHP3, or PHP version 3.0.17RC1. If you use applications which specifically rely on PHP/FI, you should instead install the PHP/FI module contained in the mod_php package. If you're just starting with PHP, you should install this package. You'll also need to install the Apache web server. 4) attempt to install mod_php3-3.0.17RC1 with: rpm -i mod_php3-3.0.17RC1-2mdkPG7.i686.rpm WRONG ARCHITECTURE 5) Build my own 6) get source for php 4.0.2 7) tar xzvf php-4.0.2.tar.gz 8) sent email to Jouni Ahto, postgres extension maintainer "odd fixes", after read EXTENSIONS file. (will php postgres work?) 9) Began reading INSTALL file in distribution 10) pre INSTALL, ran "httpd -l" to make sure "mod_so.c" was present, indicating "mod_so" was enabled 11) per INSTALL, ran $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs 12) lex or flex was not present -- downloaded flex for mandrake 7.1 and installed 13) again ran: $ ./configure --with-mysql --with-apxs ./configure: apxs: command not found configure: error: Sorry, I cannot run apxs. Either you need to install Perl or you need to pass the absolute path of apxs by using --with-apxs=/absolute/path/to/apxs 14) could not locate apxs script, ran find /|grep apxs to see if it's on the system anywhere 15) apxs man page was there, but no apxs script -- wierd 16) download apache source (sucks cuz i already have mandrake apache rpm installed) hope the apxs script is in the source code! took forever to find a decent mirror. 17) unpack apache code: tar xzvf apache_1.3.12.tar.gz 18) found "apxs.pl" in apache dir ./src/support/apxs.pl 19) per php INSTALL file, ran this in the php-4.0.2 directory: $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.12/src/support/ 20) ERROR! in the apache distrbution, the apxs script (a perl script) is named "apxs.pl" and the php script is looking for "apxs" -- so I rename the apxs file . . . 21) i also noticed in my configure script output the following: configure: warning: You will need bison if you want to regenerate the PHP parsers. so i download and install bison for mandrake 22) apxs is renamed, and the following is run again: $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.12/src/support/ same ERROR! 23) I see apxs.pl is not set to execute mode, so I delete apxs, and run "chmod +x apxs.pl" and rerun: $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.12/src/support/ 24) copy apxs.pl file to apxs, and rerun . . . . $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.12/src/support/ EROR! 25) I look at the apxs script, and it refers to perl in /usr/local/bin/perl. On my mandrake system, perl is located at /usr/bin/perl, so I edit the script . . . and rerun 26) nothing's working. i see that autoconf is not installed, so i install it. (and find out that m4 is also needed) 27) maybe i need the postgres source, too! download that. 28) my root/download folder looks like: drwxr-xr-x 8 1078 1078 4096 Oct 11 00:46 apache_1.3.12/ -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1709589 Feb 25 2000 apache_1.3.12.tar.gz drwxrwxr-x 14 512 511 4096 Oct 11 01:27 php-4.0.2/ -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2088247 Oct 11 00:06 php-4.0.2.tar.gz drwxr-xr-x 5 1005 96 4096 Jun 5 14:15 postgresql-7.0.2/ -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2338356 Jun 5 14:17 postgresql-7.0.2.base.tar.gz -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2545529 Jun 5 14:16 postgresql-7.0.2.docs.tar.gz -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1322640 Jun 5 14:17 postgresql-7.0.2.support.tar.gz -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 7211311 Jun 5 14:16 postgresql-7.0.2.tar.gz -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1006213 Jun 5 14:17 postgresql-7.0.2.test.tar.gz 29) going back into the php-4.0.2/ directory: i now run $ ./configure --with-postgres=../postgresql-7.0.2/ --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.1 2/src/support/ NO GOOD! 30) let's try a diversion in to compiling postgres 7.0.2 . . . . 31) per INSTALL, create postgres superuser and passwd 32) ran config, had to install gcc-g++ for mandrake . . . 33) ran configure, then gmake . . . 34) followed the pgsql intructions and got postgres up and running -yay! 35) need to try to configure a static apache module, since dynamic (apxs) is not working 36) entered configure command to make php with postgres and apache: ./configure --with-postgres --with-apache=../apache_1.3.12/ --enable-track-v ars 37) Get an error in the config script: configure: error: Invalid Apache directory - unable to find httpd.h under /root/download/apache_1.3.12/apache_1.3.12 38) look in configure script: things look OK 39) Try configure again, this time without trailing "/": ./configure --with-postgres --with-apache=../apache_1.3.12 --enable-track-va rs 40) This worked, but configures MySQL. I need to use the option --with-pgsql: ./configure --with-pgsql --with-apache=../apache_1.3.12 --enable-track-vars 41) It again tells me at the end of the configure script output that I've configured PHP for MySQL -- need to go to the Postgres maling list and see if anyone is having the same prob: | You chose to compile PHP with the built-in MySQL support. If you | | are compiling a server module, and intend to use other server | | modules that also use MySQL | 42) Started compiling anyway, but then decided to use the configure option "--without-mysql" to see if I can get rid of the mysql code. It worked! 43) Apache compiled according to the instructions. (It's huge!!! 2.4 MB+!!) However the apache binary looks for the config files on a different directory than where they are currently installed. (I had done just a standard mandrake rpm install of apache previously): $ apachectl start fopen: No such file or directory httpd: could not open document config file /www/conf/httpd.conf /usr/sbin/apachectl start: httpd could not be started ======================= You guys get the picture. Take care, Shaun Grannis, MD Diplomat, American Board of Family Practice
www.php.net has information on compiling php and apache. Adam Lang Systems Engineer Rutgers Casualty Insurance Company ----- Original Message ----- From: "Shaun Grannis" <granniss@msu.edu> To: <pgsql-php@postgresql.org> Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2000 2:54 AM Subject: Hello, etc. > Hi, > > Would like to ask a few questions. I have been assigned the task of > implementing a web front-end/database backend for a medical office. The > office has 36,000 patients and 25 doctors. Is postgres a reliable solution? > (I see posts from people saying that from time to time they have to reset > postgres due to connections timeouts, or other issues -- sorry I can't > recall specifics right now.) I'd like to hear about some real-world examples > with specifics regarding the size of the database, reliability, and backup > procedures. > > I'd like to implement an open source solution, and PHP/Postgres/Apache is > very attractive (MySQL is excluded due to the lack of sub-selects). I used > PHP/Postgres/Apache 2 years ago for a small medical database for 12 users > and less than 1000 records. It worked well. I now return to the technology > to implement the above-mentioned system. > > Perhaps I haven't looked hard enough, but I could not find a "How-to" on > compiling PHP for postgres/apache. I would think this is a common > combination, no? I'm going to post my ongoing experience with the process, I > find reading about others' experience educational. Based on the following > experience, I'm going to create a howto for compiling php/apache/postgres > from the tarballs. The RPM nonsense gets confusing, particularly with > RedHat-derived versions putting their files in different directories from > the standard install. (I'm on a Mandrake box right now) > > Here's my adventure so far: > > 1) download rpms for mandrake from postgres mirror (mars.capital-data.com) > > 2) rpm -qip mod_php3-pgsql-3.0.17RC1-2mdkPG7.1686.rpm: > This is a dynamic shared object (DSO) for Apache that will add PostgreSQL > database support to PHP3. If you need back-end support for PostgreSQL, > you should install this package in addition to the main mod_php3 package. > > 3) rpm -qip mod_php3-3.0.17RC1-2mdkPG7.i686.rpm: > The mod_php module enables the Apache web server to > understand and process the embedded PHP language in web pages. > This package contains PHP3, or PHP version 3.0.17RC1. If you use > applications which specifically rely on PHP/FI, you should instead > install the PHP/FI module contained in the mod_php package. > If you're just starting with PHP, you should install this package. > You'll also need to install the Apache web server. > > 4) attempt to install mod_php3-3.0.17RC1 with: > rpm -i mod_php3-3.0.17RC1-2mdkPG7.i686.rpm > WRONG ARCHITECTURE > > 5) Build my own > > 6) get source for php 4.0.2 > > 7) tar xzvf php-4.0.2.tar.gz > > 8) sent email to Jouni Ahto, postgres extension maintainer "odd fixes", > after read EXTENSIONS file. (will php postgres work?) > > 9) Began reading INSTALL file in distribution > > 10) pre INSTALL, ran "httpd -l" to make sure "mod_so.c" was present, > indicating "mod_so" was enabled > > 11) per INSTALL, ran > $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs > > 12) lex or flex was not present -- downloaded flex for mandrake 7.1 and > installed > > 13) again ran: > $ ./configure --with-mysql --with-apxs > > ./configure: apxs: command not found > configure: error: Sorry, I cannot run apxs. Either you need to install Perl > or you need to pass the > absolute path of apxs by using --with-apxs=/absolute/path/to/apxs > > 14) could not locate apxs script, ran find /|grep apxs to see if it's on the > system anywhere > > 15) apxs man page was there, but no apxs script -- wierd > > 16) download apache source (sucks cuz i already have mandrake apache rpm > installed) hope the apxs script is in the source code! took forever to find > a decent mirror. > > 17) unpack apache code: tar xzvf apache_1.3.12.tar.gz > > 18) found "apxs.pl" in apache dir ./src/support/apxs.pl > > 19) per php INSTALL file, ran this in the php-4.0.2 directory: > $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.12/src/support/ > > 20) ERROR! in the apache distrbution, the apxs script (a perl script) is > named "apxs.pl" and the php script is looking for "apxs" -- so I rename the > apxs file . . . > > 21) i also noticed in my configure script output the following: > configure: warning: You will need bison if you want to regenerate the PHP > parsers. > > so i download and install bison for mandrake > > 22) apxs is renamed, and the following is run again: > $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.12/src/support/ > same ERROR! > > 23) I see apxs.pl is not set to execute mode, so I delete apxs, and run > "chmod +x apxs.pl" and rerun: > $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.12/src/support/ > > 24) copy apxs.pl file to apxs, and rerun . . . . > $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.12/src/support/ > EROR! > > 25) I look at the apxs script, and it refers to perl in /usr/local/bin/perl. > On my mandrake system, perl is located at /usr/bin/perl, so I edit the > script . . . and rerun > > 26) nothing's working. i see that autoconf is not installed, so i install > it. (and find out that m4 is also needed) > > 27) maybe i need the postgres source, too! download that. > > 28) my root/download folder looks like: > drwxr-xr-x 8 1078 1078 4096 Oct 11 00:46 apache_1.3.12/ > -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1709589 Feb 25 2000 apache_1.3.12.tar.gz > drwxrwxr-x 14 512 511 4096 Oct 11 01:27 php-4.0.2/ > -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2088247 Oct 11 00:06 php-4.0.2.tar.gz > drwxr-xr-x 5 1005 96 4096 Jun 5 14:15 postgresql-7.0.2/ > -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2338356 Jun 5 14:17 > postgresql-7.0.2.base.tar.gz > -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2545529 Jun 5 14:16 > postgresql-7.0.2.docs.tar.gz > -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1322640 Jun 5 14:17 > postgresql-7.0.2.support.tar.gz > -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 7211311 Jun 5 14:16 > postgresql-7.0.2.tar.gz > -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1006213 Jun 5 14:17 > postgresql-7.0.2.test.tar.gz > > 29) going back into the php-4.0.2/ directory: i now run > $ > ./configure --with-postgres=../postgresql-7.0.2/ --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.1 > 2/src/support/ > NO GOOD! > > 30) let's try a diversion in to compiling postgres 7.0.2 . . . . > > 31) per INSTALL, create postgres superuser and passwd > > 32) ran config, had to install gcc-g++ for mandrake . . . > > 33) ran configure, then gmake . . . > > 34) followed the pgsql intructions and got postgres up and running -yay! > > 35) need to try to configure a static apache module, since dynamic (apxs) is > not working > > 36) entered configure command to make php with postgres and apache: > ./configure --with-postgres --with-apache=../apache_1.3.12/ --enable-track-v > ars > > 37) Get an error in the config script: > configure: error: Invalid Apache directory - unable to find httpd.h under > /root/download/apache_1.3.12/apache_1.3.12 > > 38) look in configure script: things look OK > > 39) Try configure again, this time without trailing "/": > ./configure --with-postgres --with-apache=../apache_1.3.12 --enable-track-va > rs > > 40) This worked, but configures MySQL. I need to use the > option --with-pgsql: > ./configure --with-pgsql --with-apache=../apache_1.3.12 --enable-track-vars > > 41) It again tells me at the end of the configure script output that I've > configured PHP for MySQL -- need to go to the Postgres maling list and see > if anyone is having the same prob: > | You chose to compile PHP with the built-in MySQL support. If you | > | are compiling a server module, and intend to use other server | > | modules that also use MySQL | > > 42) Started compiling anyway, but then decided to use the configure option > "--without-mysql" to see if I can get rid of the mysql code. It worked! > > 43) Apache compiled according to the instructions. (It's huge!!! 2.4 MB+!!) > However the apache binary looks for the config files on a different > directory than where they are currently installed. (I had done just a > standard mandrake rpm install of apache previously): > $ apachectl start > fopen: No such file or directory > httpd: could not open document config file /www/conf/httpd.conf > /usr/sbin/apachectl start: httpd could not be started > > ======================= > > You guys get the picture. > > Take care, > > Shaun Grannis, MD > Diplomat, American Board of Family Practice
Also, what I did was (on redhat 6.2) compiled postgres from source and then compiled php and apache from source. The RPMs tend to put things in unconventional areas which screws up the basic compile instructions of other programs that are dependant upon it. Also, with PHP 4, you don't need to say with mysql... it does it by default... if you don't want mysql, you have to implicitly say without mysql. Adam Lang Systems Engineer Rutgers Casualty Insurance Company ----- Original Message ----- From: "Shaun Grannis" <granniss@msu.edu> To: <pgsql-php@postgresql.org> Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2000 2:54 AM Subject: Hello, etc. > Hi, > > Would like to ask a few questions. I have been assigned the task of > implementing a web front-end/database backend for a medical office. The > office has 36,000 patients and 25 doctors. Is postgres a reliable solution? > (I see posts from people saying that from time to time they have to reset > postgres due to connections timeouts, or other issues -- sorry I can't > recall specifics right now.) I'd like to hear about some real-world examples > with specifics regarding the size of the database, reliability, and backup > procedures. > > I'd like to implement an open source solution, and PHP/Postgres/Apache is > very attractive (MySQL is excluded due to the lack of sub-selects). I used > PHP/Postgres/Apache 2 years ago for a small medical database for 12 users > and less than 1000 records. It worked well. I now return to the technology > to implement the above-mentioned system. > > Perhaps I haven't looked hard enough, but I could not find a "How-to" on > compiling PHP for postgres/apache. I would think this is a common > combination, no? I'm going to post my ongoing experience with the process, I > find reading about others' experience educational. Based on the following > experience, I'm going to create a howto for compiling php/apache/postgres > from the tarballs. The RPM nonsense gets confusing, particularly with > RedHat-derived versions putting their files in different directories from > the standard install. (I'm on a Mandrake box right now) > > Here's my adventure so far: > > 1) download rpms for mandrake from postgres mirror (mars.capital-data.com) > > 2) rpm -qip mod_php3-pgsql-3.0.17RC1-2mdkPG7.1686.rpm: > This is a dynamic shared object (DSO) for Apache that will add PostgreSQL > database support to PHP3. If you need back-end support for PostgreSQL, > you should install this package in addition to the main mod_php3 package. > > 3) rpm -qip mod_php3-3.0.17RC1-2mdkPG7.i686.rpm: > The mod_php module enables the Apache web server to > understand and process the embedded PHP language in web pages. > This package contains PHP3, or PHP version 3.0.17RC1. If you use > applications which specifically rely on PHP/FI, you should instead > install the PHP/FI module contained in the mod_php package. > If you're just starting with PHP, you should install this package. > You'll also need to install the Apache web server. > > 4) attempt to install mod_php3-3.0.17RC1 with: > rpm -i mod_php3-3.0.17RC1-2mdkPG7.i686.rpm > WRONG ARCHITECTURE > > 5) Build my own > > 6) get source for php 4.0.2 > > 7) tar xzvf php-4.0.2.tar.gz > > 8) sent email to Jouni Ahto, postgres extension maintainer "odd fixes", > after read EXTENSIONS file. (will php postgres work?) > > 9) Began reading INSTALL file in distribution > > 10) pre INSTALL, ran "httpd -l" to make sure "mod_so.c" was present, > indicating "mod_so" was enabled > > 11) per INSTALL, ran > $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs > > 12) lex or flex was not present -- downloaded flex for mandrake 7.1 and > installed > > 13) again ran: > $ ./configure --with-mysql --with-apxs > > ./configure: apxs: command not found > configure: error: Sorry, I cannot run apxs. Either you need to install Perl > or you need to pass the > absolute path of apxs by using --with-apxs=/absolute/path/to/apxs > > 14) could not locate apxs script, ran find /|grep apxs to see if it's on the > system anywhere > > 15) apxs man page was there, but no apxs script -- wierd > > 16) download apache source (sucks cuz i already have mandrake apache rpm > installed) hope the apxs script is in the source code! took forever to find > a decent mirror. > > 17) unpack apache code: tar xzvf apache_1.3.12.tar.gz > > 18) found "apxs.pl" in apache dir ./src/support/apxs.pl > > 19) per php INSTALL file, ran this in the php-4.0.2 directory: > $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.12/src/support/ > > 20) ERROR! in the apache distrbution, the apxs script (a perl script) is > named "apxs.pl" and the php script is looking for "apxs" -- so I rename the > apxs file . . . > > 21) i also noticed in my configure script output the following: > configure: warning: You will need bison if you want to regenerate the PHP > parsers. > > so i download and install bison for mandrake > > 22) apxs is renamed, and the following is run again: > $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.12/src/support/ > same ERROR! > > 23) I see apxs.pl is not set to execute mode, so I delete apxs, and run > "chmod +x apxs.pl" and rerun: > $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.12/src/support/ > > 24) copy apxs.pl file to apxs, and rerun . . . . > $ ./configure --with-postgres --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.12/src/support/ > EROR! > > 25) I look at the apxs script, and it refers to perl in /usr/local/bin/perl. > On my mandrake system, perl is located at /usr/bin/perl, so I edit the > script . . . and rerun > > 26) nothing's working. i see that autoconf is not installed, so i install > it. (and find out that m4 is also needed) > > 27) maybe i need the postgres source, too! download that. > > 28) my root/download folder looks like: > drwxr-xr-x 8 1078 1078 4096 Oct 11 00:46 apache_1.3.12/ > -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1709589 Feb 25 2000 apache_1.3.12.tar.gz > drwxrwxr-x 14 512 511 4096 Oct 11 01:27 php-4.0.2/ > -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2088247 Oct 11 00:06 php-4.0.2.tar.gz > drwxr-xr-x 5 1005 96 4096 Jun 5 14:15 postgresql-7.0.2/ > -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2338356 Jun 5 14:17 > postgresql-7.0.2.base.tar.gz > -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2545529 Jun 5 14:16 > postgresql-7.0.2.docs.tar.gz > -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1322640 Jun 5 14:17 > postgresql-7.0.2.support.tar.gz > -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 7211311 Jun 5 14:16 > postgresql-7.0.2.tar.gz > -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1006213 Jun 5 14:17 > postgresql-7.0.2.test.tar.gz > > 29) going back into the php-4.0.2/ directory: i now run > $ > ./configure --with-postgres=../postgresql-7.0.2/ --with-apxs=../apache_1.3.1 > 2/src/support/ > NO GOOD! > > 30) let's try a diversion in to compiling postgres 7.0.2 . . . . > > 31) per INSTALL, create postgres superuser and passwd > > 32) ran config, had to install gcc-g++ for mandrake . . . > > 33) ran configure, then gmake . . . > > 34) followed the pgsql intructions and got postgres up and running -yay! > > 35) need to try to configure a static apache module, since dynamic (apxs) is > not working > > 36) entered configure command to make php with postgres and apache: > ./configure --with-postgres --with-apache=../apache_1.3.12/ --enable-track-v > ars > > 37) Get an error in the config script: > configure: error: Invalid Apache directory - unable to find httpd.h under > /root/download/apache_1.3.12/apache_1.3.12 > > 38) look in configure script: things look OK > > 39) Try configure again, this time without trailing "/": > ./configure --with-postgres --with-apache=../apache_1.3.12 --enable-track-va > rs > > 40) This worked, but configures MySQL. I need to use the > option --with-pgsql: > ./configure --with-pgsql --with-apache=../apache_1.3.12 --enable-track-vars > > 41) It again tells me at the end of the configure script output that I've > configured PHP for MySQL -- need to go to the Postgres maling list and see > if anyone is having the same prob: > | You chose to compile PHP with the built-in MySQL support. If you | > | are compiling a server module, and intend to use other server | > | modules that also use MySQL | > > 42) Started compiling anyway, but then decided to use the configure option > "--without-mysql" to see if I can get rid of the mysql code. It worked! > > 43) Apache compiled according to the instructions. (It's huge!!! 2.4 MB+!!) > However the apache binary looks for the config files on a different > directory than where they are currently installed. (I had done just a > standard mandrake rpm install of apache previously): > $ apachectl start > fopen: No such file or directory > httpd: could not open document config file /www/conf/httpd.conf > /usr/sbin/apachectl start: httpd could not be started > > ======================= > > You guys get the picture. > > Take care, > > Shaun Grannis, MD > Diplomat, American Board of Family Practice