[mapserver-users] PHP mapscript as Apache module: clarification?

[Daniel Morissette]

Alex Rice wrote:
> 
> Can you say where/what the thread safety issues are in Mapscript+
> libmap? I have been experimenting a bit compiling PHP Mapscript
> using Swig 1.3 directly from mapscript.i. If I could get
> mapscript running in a PHP apache DSO I would be very happy.
> 

Several of the thread-safety issues in libmap.a have been addressed by
Frank and Steve I think before the 3.6 release.  The main issue that I
know is left is related to the use of chdir() in lots of places to
handle relative paths (like shapefile DATA path relative to SHAPEPATH,
or SYMBOLSET location relative to mapfile location).  Julien here has
been working on this in the 3.7 source, it's almost all done, but
because of the recent chaos in the 3.7 branch he still has some work to
do to merge his changes back in the CVS version.

Then the other big issues are the heritage from PHP3 that make the PHP
MapScript wrappers not safe for use as a DSO... probably some small
changes, but still need to be addressed, and I'm not sure of the number
or extents of those issues.

Finally, once the above are addressed, some proper testing, etc. needs
to be done to ensure that PHP MapScript can work safely as a DSO
again... 


I had SWIG 1.3+PHP in my hit list for quite a while, but it keeps being
pushed back.  I wouldn't expect things to work right out of the box with
SWIG since PHP support is very new, but I would be interested in hearing
your mileage with SWIG+PHP... perhaps you could send your feedback on
this via the mapserver-dev list where I think this type of low-level
discussion belongs more.

Daniel
-- 
------------------------------------------------------------
 Daniel Morissette               morissette at dmsolutions.ca
 DM Solutions Group              http://www.dmsolutions.ca/
------------------------------------------------------------
  Don't put for tomorrow what you can do today, because if 
      you enjoy it today you can do it again tomorrow.