Re: Help with installing PEAR

David Brogan wrote:

Hi there, I recently purchased a book which requires me to install a number of PEAR packages. Although I have been programming using numerous languages for some years I have never used PEAR before. I went to the appropriate location on your site with the "go-pear.php" and I ran the file from my machine (Windows XP with SP2, lots of memory and hard disk space) which is also running the IIS (Internet Information Service) as this is the one I prefer to use. I have tried many times now to install PEAR but keep coming up with numerous errors which is now getting very frustrating - to the point where I may completely abandon it!!! Is there no other way of installing PEAR apart from the webinstaller? Are there no plans to develop a .exe installer that will make the process much easier. Even though I have developed numerous sites on many systems I am trying to prevail with this and at the same time I wonder how many less experienced people out there have completely given up all hope of using PEAR? If you can help I would be grateful.

Don't worry, your book probably sucks :) it should have mentioned the command-line installer as the primary option. The best way to use pear on windows is to use the command-line installer. Simply open a DOS box, and run go-pear.bat, which should be in the distribution of PHP that you have. If not, then get the .zip version - not the .msi version - of php. Also, all kidding aside, this list is an excellent resource for solving problems. If you have *any* other problems installing, please ask, and unless you find a situation that no one has encountered before, I guarantee it will be solved immediately. Otherwise, give it two-three days. Try getting that kind of support from Microsoft if you want a comparison. Regardless of how much $$$ you give them. As for the .exe installer, that would be great. I unfortunately do not have the cash to buy the tools and the time to learn how to use them. PHP is free and easy to learn. Fear not, however, I have high hopes for the new winbinder extension that should make it possible to write a windowed installer for PHP in PHP itself. Greg