Page 4 - mbstring configuration

Originally Posted by trogar1971

Firstly, some people in this thread are talking about moving the libraries/dll files to the root, but this is not a good way to keep the structure of the php install so that you can find things you might need later. To enable ANY module in PHP is a fairly simple process, no matter which OS you are using because PHP is not an OS dependent protocol or language. But to do so, you will need to check directory structure and open up your php.ini to make some changes.

Firstly, you need to browse to the place where PHP is installed on your machine, regardless of platform. When you find where PHP is installed, you need to open the folder and look for a folder called ext. In that folder, you will find a bunch of modules you can enable for your specific build of PHP. This is the PHP extension directory, and if the extension does not exist there, then your PHP build did not include the extension in question, and you will have to either rebuild it or find a ready made solution with the required extensions built into it. Look in this folder to see if mbstring exists. If it does, then you are set. If not, then you will need to rebuild or find another solution as previously mentioned.

In the meanwhile, back up to the directory where PHP is installed and open the php.ini file. Scroll through that file and look for a place like follows:



Just below that line should be a line that starts with as follows:



After that is where you put the path that tells PHP where your extension directory is located within your file structure. For example, I am running a WAMP stack (Windows, Apache, MySQL, and PHP), so what my line looks like is as follows:



Note, this is a FILE PATH based on your system's drive and folder structure.

Once you have this variable set, you need to move to the long listing of extensions that are commented out. Do a search for the following:



This should put you in the general area where the long list of enableable extensions are located. Scroll down until you find ;extension=php_mbstring.dll and uncomment it by deleting the ";" in front of the line. Restart your server and your extensions should be loaded.

Keep in mind this is for those with their own server which they have control over. If you are on a paid host and they do not allow per directory php.ini over rides and they do not have your extension compiled in their PHP build, you will not have these options.

This is the PROPER way of enabling extensions so that when you go to upgrade your PHP installations, you have less trouble with stray files laying around where they do not belong.

Hope this helps out.

Originally Posted by bfulbright

IF I am on a remote host, with no access to the PHP file directory, what then, are my options as you mention below.

I need to resolve this issue on a remote host. All solutions here so far have described the fix very well, including yours.

However, no one has addressed the remote host that owns the PHP dir and to which we have no access.

Thanks,

bill

Originally Posted by trogar1971

Hello Bill,

I don't know what to tell you, as with the situation you are in, you are really at the whims of your hosting service. The only other option you have is if they allow per directory php.ini access for their hosters. If not, then the only other options you really have, to my knowledge, is to either ask them to enable mbstring for you, or find another host that includes the mbstring module. I am unaware of any other solutions for changing the configuration of PHP on a hosting server any other way. I can tell you that I host with godaddy, and I have seen what seems to be an allowance of per directory php.ini when hosting with them. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Originally Posted by bfulbright

trogar1971,

do you know of any workarounds for the 'mbstring' issue?

what host would you recommend that might allow access to the php.ini dir/file?

Thanks,

Bill

Originally Posted by trogar1971

I can tell you that Godaddy DOES, on my hosting plan, have mbstring module loaded on startup. I just verified this as fact with a phpinfo check on the root of my hosting area, and mbstring is there. The proof, as copied and pasted from the results page:

mbstring
Multibyte Support enabled
Multibyte string engine libmbfl
Multibyte (japanese) regex support enabled
Multibyte regex (oniguruma) version 3.7.1

Hope this helps. I have the mid hosting package, btw, the Deluxe plan.

Originally Posted by bfulbright

GREAT. what tool can I use to do the php info check? would that be 'analyze.php'?

Originally Posted by trogar1971

Create a blank file, insert the following code:



Call it whatever you want with the .php file extension. Upload it to your server root area, then call it through your browser window, ie http://www.mysite.com/whatever.php

After you are done, DELETE it. Leaving it on the server can be a security issue.