[SOLVED] building php extensions using c++?

[logansama]

1st: From teh sticky it seems people are strict about what is allowed here, but from what i can define this is best place to have this post - if not, indicate where and i will move the post.

 

I have not personally built php extensions but i have studied the process it goes through. I was instructed to determine (for a project i have just been thrown into) if it is at all possible to build php extensions using either external .so (built form c++ files) or actually using c++ (cpp) files as implementation(s) instead of C files?

 

So far from all the "well explained" tutorials i have found that the default files generated by calling the ext_skel is basically for C code. But like i said we have c++ code we would like to build the extension implementations with.

 

What i have determined so far:

1) One can apparently use PHP_ARG_WITH in the config.m4 which will allow you to specify an external .so file when calling 'configure'. But how this would effect other files in the skel setup i am not aware of. For example: does that mean the default C implementation file is left as is?

 

2) through online examples i have found that apparently cpp files may be used:

http://www.mail-archive.com/internals@lists.php.net/msg24298.html resolved on last reply

 

http://cvs.php.net/viewvc.cgi/pecl/rar/config.m4?revision=1.6&view=markup

 

For all purposes i hope to test out the above to points today, but i must wait for my station to be loaded with linux later this morning before i can try.

 

All i ask for is some input from those who have knowledge in this area, and perhaps a nudge into the right direction of testing/research.

 

Thank you.

[logansama]

Ok, i have just been informed that i must focus my attention on how to build a PHP extension in linux using external libraries (.so). Thus using the PHP_ARG_WITH in the config.m4 file.

 

My linux box is estimated to arrive in 1 hour. Will try and test then.

Any input about the external library version would be greatly appreciated.

 

[corbin]

You should theoretically be able to write a PHP extension in C++.

 

 

Any reason why C won't suffice?  Do you want to do it OOP or something?

 

(I prefer C++ over C, just so you know I'm not a C fanboy ;p.)

[logansama]

An engine for a project has already been created using c++ and it would be the death of the developer if he would be told to redo it in C. what exactly has been done in the c++ code i am not wholly aware of.

 

I have been given a link to a script called Swig which does allow you to create a suitable wrapper of your cpp code. Does most of the code adapting and macro replacing stuff for you. Then you just compile the wrapped code into a library (.so) and use that in php.

 

Problem is that this script requires a list of includes from php and i cannot figure out how to provide the includes.

 

Swig tut:

http://www.swig.org/Doc1.3/Php.html#Php_nn2_6

[logansama]

If you get the .cpp and header file's structure correct and specify correct php include files then the Swig framework compiles correctly without error. Seems to do all correctly.

 

Now i just need to work out how the hell to correctly load the generated .so file for use in php!

[jason_mc]

If you get the .cpp and header file's structure correct and specify correct php include files then the Swig framework compiles correctly without error. Seems to do all correctly.

 

Now i just need to work out how the hell to correctly load the generated .so file for use in php!

Did you figure it out? I am having the same problem of not being able to link the .so file into php

 

thanks,

Jason

 

 

here is my small test class:

 

I can’t seem to get my c++ class working in PHP.

 

Does anyone have a simple example I could follow?

 

swig –php –c++ example.i

gcc `php-config --includes` -fpic -c example_wrap.cpp

gcc -shared example_wrap.o -o example.so

 

then I add the extension to my php.ini file:

extension=/root/example/example.so

 

 

my test example.php file:

include("example.php");

echo “<br>Before SWIG<br>”;

echo example::function1(); //should return “Function1 Working”

echo “<br>After SWIG<br>”;

 

 

The PHP file will stop/fail at the function1() function

 

The example.cpp class will work from the prompt but not in the php file.