Connect to Remote Oracle database

Arun Prasath

Hi all,

I want to connect to remote oracle database in PHP. I've googled a lot but couldn't find any solution.

Can any one guide me with step by step process please???

I tried with this code

<span class="pln">$con </span><span class="pun">=</span><span class="pln"> oci_connect</span><span class="pun">(</span><span class="str" style="color: #800000;">'username'</span><span class="pun">,</span><span class="pln"> </span><span class="str" style="color: #800000;">'password'</span><span class="pun">,</span><span class="pln"> </span><span class="str" style="color: #800000;">'//server ip:port/service name'</span><span class="pun">);</span>

but it's throwing "Call to undefined function oci_connect()" error.

Christopher Jones-Oracle

Start by installing (or properly installing) the OCI8 extension.  If you think you already have it installed, check the section "Commonly Seen Connection and Environment Errors" on p 107 of The Underground PHP and Oracle Manual

Arun Prasath

Thanks for the reply CJ.

But I didn't run any separate setup for the OCI8 extension. How to install the OCI8 extension?

Christopher Jones-Oracle

There are various installation instructions on the web.  The steps you use depend on your OS and what Oracle libraries you have/want installed. 

Check out PHP: Requirements - Manual and the subsequent installation section.  Or look at chapter 8 in The Underground PHP and Oracle Manual

Arun Prasath

I'm using Windows server 2003 with IIS6. As I didn't run any separate setup for the OCI8 extension. But i'm having TOAD and i'm connecting to that remote database using that. Do i need to install oracle client separately???

Christopher Jones-Oracle

I don't know what Oracle libraries the recent versions of TOAD install.  Does TOAD have an oci.dll?  It's been a while since I've seen a TOAD user. [Side note: the SQL Developer 4.0 early adopter release is just out: Oracle SQL Developer Downloads.]

Although having multiple installs of Oracle libraries on Windows can be problematic (another reason to use Linux!), you might just want to install Oracle Instant Client and try PHP with it.  The install is a simple unzip & setting of PATH, so it's easy to back out if there are problems.

Arun Prasath

I've downloaded and unzipped the basiclite of instantclient. Where to set the path of that??

And one more thing, the extension path of PHP installation is not having php_oci8.dll and php_oci8_11g.dll and i couldn't find any directive for those both dlls in php.ini file.. But if i install WAMP, i'm getting both dlls and directives in php.ini file..

I'm totally confused!!!!

Christopher Jones-Oracle

Regarding PATH, see "Installing Oracle Instant Client on Windows" at the bottom of p 84 of The Underground PHP and Oracle Manual.

I'd like to help you more, but I you haven't given particularly useful information, nor seemed to have read any existing installation instructions,

nor Googled:

database - PHP (WAMP) OCI8 driver setup problem - Stack Overflow

Installing PHP with OCI8 enabled