mod_php4, mod_python, mod_perl, etc...

I recently compiled mod_php4 on FreeBSD. Instead of compiling in the "standard" sense, I used the port installation program which lets you choose in advance what extensions you want to compile php and apache with.

The problem is, certain things are not compiling into PHP/Apache, because it isn't part of the installation program (for example, wddx). Also, there are many other things I would like to compile into Apache, such as mod_python.

My question is: Does anyone know of any installations programs, or instructions, for that matter, that will help me install everything easily and in the least amount of time possible?

I'm hoping someone out there has documented these things. Please help!

Thanks in Advance,

FreeBSD's precompiled binary packages or ports collection builds/installs Apache with DSO method. That's to say, apxs should be available in /usr/local/sbin/. With apxs, you can compile/install additional modules without having to recompile Apache from src.
Just cd to /usr/ports/www/mod_xxx and run make install clean so it will fetch, extract, build, install, and clean that port for you automatically. You also can run make fetch or even make extract then cd to the work directory and check out the original src.

This is cool. I'm going to try this.

I'm also very interested finding a mod_php4 configuration script of some sort. Maybe I will have to wait until the newer mod_php4 port is released and hope they have more support for other extensions. I guess I am lazy and just want freebsd to do it all for me. Maybe I should just create the script myself.

Unless someone else can find something like this???

Thanks Again,

>> Maybe I will have to wait until the newer mod_php4 port is released

If you track -STABLE you can cvsup your ports tree and keep everything up-to-date, including new version and bugfixes. That mod_php4 is constantly changing/updating (almost every 3/4 days).

>> I guess I am lazy and just want freebsd to do it all for me

You need to learn how to recompile a kernel and buildworld. Even you don't the time to learn those now you will have to go thru that sooner or later as they are essential (top 10s) tasks for all BSD users. Don't even tell anyone that you are running FreeBSD when you have never recompiled a kernel or buildworld.

There is still a lot about of FreeBSD I am still learning about. I think it's pretty awesome though. I am coming from Linux. Once I installed and used FreeBSD for a while, I haven't used Linux since. Not that Linux is bad, actually I think it's awesome too, but I guess I just am more comfortable with FreeBSD.

Some of the stuff you mentioned above is Greek to me. Can you point me to any "must-reads" or resources for any of these things. I've recompiled my kernel using Linux, but have never done this in FreeBSD. These things sound like something I should be doing. Especially because I like to keep my systems current.

Thanks...

>> Can you point me to any "must-reads" or resources for any of these things.

FreeBSD already has very good handbook at www.freebsd.org ..

>> I've recompiled my kernel using Linux

It's good to hear that and I don't think you will have much problems with that just because 95% of Linux users (either too lazy, technical incapable, don't have a need, don't have time or whatever excuse or so) have never recompile a kernel. You just need to spend roughly 8 - 20 hours to get a right custom kernel, it's a matter of time consuming and trials. Do that first then learn cvsup and buildworld.

I am coming from this post and discussion here is somewhat relevant to my problem, so let me interfere.

freebsd, I've tried to install php4 as module like you suggested here (cd /usr/ports/www/mod_php4 && make install clean) and it installed wihtout any errors (took a while though), but the problem is that I still dont have apache working with php - I get download pop up. Yes, I fixed httpd.conf by addin AddType line to it - not the first time installing php. I think the thing is that I have apache installed in /net/apache instead of default /usr/local/apache and php might not be able to find it (or the other way around) - but I am not sure if there was any way to 'configure' mod_php4 port before installing it.

In few words - I did 'make install clean' for /usr/ports/www/mod_php4 and apache 2 - installed in /net/apache - still doesnt see it.

>> that I have apache installed in /net/apache instead of default /usr/local/apache

/usr/local/apache isn't the default but a non-standard PREFIX as well.
You can set your docoot to whatever non-standard path all you want, and set that at post install makes no harm. When it comes to PREFIX, just don't change the default /usr/local to anything else.

>> install php4 as module like you suggested here (cd /usr/ports/www/mod_php4 && make install clean)

I only suggest that to newbies. For experience users they should make extract first then cd to the work directory and find out all available configure option.
When you installed Apache to a non-standard path, a default install of mod_php4 from ports wouldn't work.
Why don't you just pkg_delete them and start all over from scratch?

ok, I'll do that again today. So let me get few things straight - there is no sense of installing apache with prefix /net/apache? I just wanted to have all my online and networking stuff under /net so its easier for me to maintain it.

>>When you installed Apache to a non-standard path, a default
>>install of mod_php4 from ports wouldn't work.
Thats is what I thought. Would it help if I try to ./config after make extract? I mean is it the same as installing from source code?

>> I just wanted to have all my online and networking stuff under /net

That's what symlink is for. For example,

ln -sf /usr/local/etc/apache /net/apache

>> Would it help if I try to ./config after make extract?

Don't even do that or it will break your ports tree.
What make extract do is to extract the tarball to, say /usr/ports/www/apache13/work/apache_1.3.24/*,
then you can cd there and have a look at the default configure options and compare them against /usr/ports/www/apache13/Makefile. You then can alter that Makefile directly or send options to make, as if you are compiling apache from src by running its ./configure script.
To enable suEXEC, for example, you can't see that in that /usr/ports/www/apache13/Makefile but you should be able to see that in the original src under that work directory. So it's more than possible to enable suEXEC by altering /usr/ports/www/apache13/Makefile by hand.

Another situation where you need to run make extract is when you have a 3rd party patch that you want to apply to that port, you would run make extract, then patch the src, then make install clean.

Also, I like to do make extract, so I can modify configure.layout, since freebsd.layout isn't in /usr/ports/www/apache13/files anymore like before.

Hey guys,

So basically if I am just running postgres and PHP, the only real modules that I need are mod_php4, mod_so, and mod_ssl?

The default port comes with over 33 modules installed! Wow that sounds bloated!

Any other module recommendations? Like are there some critical ones you just can't do without?

Wait, I don't even need mod_so if I am recompling anyway, right?

I think, mod_so is already included in Apache and enabled by default.

>> Any other module recommendations?

Depend on your need.. I love to add mod_gzip, because it compresses the data when it send to users/visitors's browser. It helps save around 30% of the bandwidth as well.