Bug #12434 Updated: confusing....

ID: 12434 Updated by: alindeman@php.net Reported By: jpharrison@newedgenetworks.com -Status: Open +Status: Assigned Bug Type: Documentation problem Operating System: na PHP Version: 4.0.6 -Assigned To: +Assigned To: alindeman New Comment: I'll fix this. Status -> Assigned (alindeman) Previous Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2001-07-27 14:19:49] rasmus@php.net This is more an issue of the FAQ not really being maintained. The definitive installation documentation is in the INSTALL file in the distribution where the instructions are actually perfect. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2001-07-27 14:17:09] jpharrison@newedgenetworks.com In the FAQ: Build Problems, here's what it says: ----------------------------------------- 7. I can't figure out how to build PHP with Apache 1.3. This is actually quite easy. Follow these steps carefully: Grab the latest Apache 1.3 distribution from http://www.apache.org/dist/. Ungzip and untar it somewhere, for example /usr/local/src/apache-1.3. Compile PHP by first running ./configure --with-apache=/<path>/apache-1.3 (substitute <path> for the actual path to your apache-1.3 directory. Type 'make' followed by 'make install' to build PHP and copy the necessary files to the Apache distribution tree. Change directories into to your /<path>/apache-1.3/src directory and edit the Configuration file. At the end of the file, add: AddModule modules/php3/libphp3.a. ------------------------------------ Well, of course, the AddModule line should read "libphp4.a". While this may seem obvious to the writer, what happens is that the user thinks that might be the name of a certain file in version 3, but that the file name has changed in version 4. So the user looks, and the file name is "libmodphp4.a". So he changes it to that name, and failure occurs. Later, there's a remark about how the writers can't be outsmarted - to make such a remark would mean that the writer has to be PERFECT - and that's impossible. Solution: the FAQ should point out that the filename doesn't really exist, so just change "3" to "4". If a user slavishly followed the docs, he would just use "3", so the writer has to help him out. BTW, the AddModule line shouldn't be at the end - there is another AddModule line that belongs at the end. Suggestion: don't make comments about outsmarting the docs writers. I can point out hundreds of errors in the docs - users OFTEN have to read between the lines to figure stuff out, and try to discern what the writers really mean. Thanx for listening....JP Harrison ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Edit this bug report at http://bugs.php.net/?id=12434&edit=1