Installing PHP > weird unzipping issue

General Questions
#1

Having touble even getting started with php

Here’s what I have (btw, I’m running Windows 2000 Pro):

[ul]
[li]Installed Apache – after making the recommended adjustmenys for php, it’s running perfectly.[/li]
[li]Installed the Windows Installer from www.php.net/ (php-4.3.3-installer) – no problem[/li]
[li]Downloaded the PHP 4.3.3 zip package from the same page – problems![/ul][/li]
The Windows Installer goes it’s thing and some folders have appeared – but I suspect these are from the Installer iteslf. Here are the folders I can see in C:\php:

  • BACKUP
  • Sessiondata
  • Uploadtemp

Two issues with that;

  1. According to the php site , I should be looking at a whole lot more (half-way down page), and also
  2. WinZip is saying:

“Cannot open File – does not appear to be a valid achive. If you downloaded this file, try doing it again”
So, something’s amiss.

I’ve downloaded the same PHP 4.3.3 zip package three times now, each time experiencing the same message from Winzip.

I’ve also uninstalled WinZip itself and upgraded to the current version – so the same thing has happened with two versions.

Could it be the PHP 4.3.3 zip package ? They must get hundreda od downloads every day from that same spot, so I’d be very surprised . . . any other idea’s of what the issue might be cos I’m going inssssssannnne!

Cheers.

#2

I don’t know what PHP is, but I have not had good luck with winzip. I use a command line zip program whose distribution file is called zip23xn.zip and I guess I found it by googling on zip. Second I don’t know how you downloaded it, but if you use ftp, be sure to switch to binary mode.

If neither of these work, then I have no ideas.

#3

Hi Hari - I just downloded it with the useless Wuindows default tool. I’ve used all kinds of downloading progs but never needed to be wary of binaries before - and you’re right, I am downloading binaries, http://www.php.net/downloads.php"] from here in fact:

*Windows Binaries
All Windows binaries can be used on Windows 98/Me and on Windows NT/2000/XP.

**PHP 4.3.3 zip package **[6,180Kb] - 25 August 2003
(CGI binary plus server API versions for Apache, Apache2 (experimental), ISAPI, NSAPI, Servlet and Pi3Web. MySQL support built-in, many extensions included, packaged as zip)
md5: c3497c394b3f5829136eb2ff614da241 *

  • bolded is what’s the actual link on the page.
    What tool should I be downloading Binaries with ?

Cheers for the response!

#4

Maybe you should try downloading from a different mirror site? Perhaps the one you were using had a problem

The windows default tool should recognize binary downloads - and if it didn’t someone would have alerted the PHP guys already! So I doubt that’s the problem.

#5

Good thinking, Noone Special - I’m going with a German mirror as I write - worth a shot!

#6

From the command line I type
ftp sitename
This asks for a userid and you type
anonymous
They prompt you to enter your email address, but it is totally irrelevant what you type in. Then you say
binary
and it will reply that type is set to I. The next step requires knowing what directory it is in and you
cd dirname
Then
get filename
This is what I do. I imagine most people use their browser, which is supposed to do this automatically and also decide on the basis of the file extension whether it is a binary. Zip files ought to be recognized. But who knows?

#7

Hari – Looks like I’m okay, at least for the moment. Thanks very much for your efforts . . . fingers crossed for the next stage . .

**Noone Special ** - You’re a legend, sir! Spot on, it must have been a problem with the zipped files on the UK mirror.

Okay, onwards to try and get this alll working with Dreamweaver MX before the pubs close . . .