Update 7 May 2012: New version released, containing PHP 5.4.2 version (CGI only). It now contains openssl / curl / SQLite modules statically linked within php-cgi executable and thus curlssl works! Beside the version number, all installation instructions below still apply.
If you are already using PHP 5.3.8, just grab the php-cgi file from the 5.4.2 archive system/xbin folder and replace the /system/xbin/php-cgi on the device.
Introduction
Below you can find an bundle of PHP 5.3.8 (CGI only) and Lighttpd 1.4.29 (FastCGI module included) which are cross compiled for ARMv5 CPUs (Android platforms mainly).
As you mail well know, both PHP and Lighttpd offer modules that could be loaded at run-time based on settings within configuration files. The bundle doesn’t include all modules, due to difficulties encountered when compiling for ARM platforms. Those modules that are included are statically linked in the executables (so no additional files are needed) nor configuration files need to be updated to load them.
Screenshots
Below you can see screenshots with the phone browser opening localhost address. Once you unpack the archive, there’s an index.php file which just calls phpinfo() to show the details about the build.
Of course, you can remove the file and put your own scripts π
phpinfo() on Sony Arc
phpinfo() on Sony X10 Mini
PHP Modules
The list of PHP modules that are statically linked:
[root@arc]/sdcard# php -m [PHP Modules] cgi-fcgi Core ctype date dom ereg fileinfo filter ftp gd hash iconv json libxml pcre PDO pdo_sqlite Phar posix Reflection session SimpleXML soap sockets SPL SQLite sqlite3 standard tokenizer xml xmlreader xmlwriter zlib [Zend Modules]
Lighttpd Modules
mod_indexfile mod_userdir mod_dirlisting mod_status mod_simple_vhost mod_evhost mod_secdownload mod_cgi mod_fastcgi mod_scgi mod_ssi mod_proxy mod_staticfile mod_evasive mod_compress mod_usertrack mod_expire mod_accesslog
Download
This comes with NO WARRANTY. Use it at your own risk!
php-5.4.2_lighttpd_1.4.29_armv5.tar.gz
php-5.3.8_lighttpd_1.4.29_armv5.tar.gz
License
Please check README.txt file found in /system/README.txt within the bundle.
PHP executable is offered under PHP license, Lighttpd executable under Lighttpd license, all other files in the bundle are offered under New BSD License (3 clause BSD license).
Installing
The bundle tries to mimic as much as possible the layout of a Debian installation of the two files. However, due to file system layout on Android phones (binaries under /system folder), the folders are one step down, under /system folder:
`-- system
|-- bin
| |-- lighttpd -> /system/xbin/lighttpd-static
| `-- php -> /system/xbin/php-cgi
|-- etc
| |-- lighttpd
| | `-- lighttpd.conf
| `-- php
| `-- php.ini
|-- var
| |-- log
| `-- www
| `-- index.php
`-- xbin
|-- fcgiserver
|-- lighttpd-static
|-- php-cgi
|-- reload_fcgi.sh
`-- reload_lighttpd.sh
Prerequisites:
- rooted phone with busybox installed.
- mount the /system partition as RW.
Using DroidSSHd on the phone and connecting with Putty (or equivalent) makes the whole process faster.
After you copy the archive above into the root of your SD Card, installation is easy:
cd / tar xf /sdcard/php-5.3.8_lighttpd_1.4.29_armv5.tar.gz reload-fcgi.sh reload-lighttpd.sh
You might notice that the owner / group of the files is 1000:1000. Ignore that, as long as you execute them as root, there’s no issue (those are the IDs of my username on the PC I created the tar.gz archive and tar tries to conserve the user / creation time / etc from when the archive was created).
The last two commands start the FCGI server (PHP with 4 children processes), and then launch lighttpd server as daemon.
The default port is 80.
Default htdocs folder is /system/var/www.
The configuration files are under /system/etc/lighttpd/lighttpd.conf and /system/etc/php/php.ini. To restart either PHP or Lighttpd, please use one of the commands above.
It is mandatory that you are on the root folder when you extract the archive. tar will take care of creating all the missing folders, creating the links, etc, as long as you are on the root folder.
You can now open the phone’s browser and point it at localhost π and the phpinfo() page should appear.
Example usage
Installing Simple Machines Forum 2.0.1 on Android
Before executing the commands below, you need the “Full Install” smf_2-0-1_install.tar.gz archive downloaded from SMF and then copied onto your /sdcard root folder.
# cd /system/var/www # ls index.php # mkdir forum # cd forum # tar xf /sdcard/smf_2-0-1_install.tar.gz # reload_fcgi.sh # reload_lighttpd.sh
Last two commands are optional, if you already started the FastCGI server as well as lighttpd.
You should now connect to http://localhost/forum and finish installation of the forum.
Enjoy π
secaviar
Problem with php.ini :
– in /system/xbin/fcgiserver, if I use “-c /system/etc/php/php.ini” option in php call, phpinfo says :
. Configuraton file path : /system/etc/php
. Loaded configuration file : (none)
– if I write “-c /system/etc/php/”, phpinfo says :
. Configuration file path ! /system/etc/php
. Loaded configuration file : /system/etc/php/php.ini
In either case, configuration options in php.ini are totally ignored.
Any Idea ?
viulian
Can you please provide a configuration parameter that you’ve modified and which gets ignored ?
secaviar
The parameter I wish to modify is session.save_path since my apps use sessions to save variables and, with the default value, an error is fired every time I call session_start in PHP.
Since I cant update this parameter, I have to code a session_save_path call in every php page of my apps.
viulian
I’ve tested and it works for me …
I have my
session.save_pathset to/data/local/tmpandsession_startworks.The moment I change the session.save_path to an wrong folder (such as
/fff) – I get[sourcecode]Warning: session_start(): open(/fff/sess_2b03akgq6f8v5ds2r960v6slt0, O_RDWR) failed: No such file or directory (2) in /system/var/www/session.php on line 4[/sourcecode]
To me it seems that something is wrong on your configuration, but I can’t tell what from the description..
Can you please try to move the ini file to another partition ? Such as
/data/data/etcfor example and try again ? There are reports that sometimes php fails to read certain partitions (I don’t understand yet why, I never had a phone like that to investigate more …)A solution would be to move the configuration file to
/data/data/etc/php/php.inifor example ?secaviar
As you suggested, everything is OK if I move php.ini to another directory (I use /sdcard/data/phpconf on my Galaxy Tab 2).
Thank you for your help.
anilsoneji
mysql functions is not work
Maro
How to make mysql works?
DenisK
Hello! Please, viulian, can you tell what exactly I need to change in glibc
for exec() and system() (passthru()) to properly function? I think I must
change somewhere “/bin/sh” to “/system/bin/sh”. Then crosscompile glibc
and use it to crosscompile PHP. Also I want to know how to tell PHP
to use my recompiled glibc during crosscompile. I will very appreciate your help.
MietekN
Unfortunately, in both editions of php does not work start with proc_open() . Always returns an error number 127 (file not found). Running the same command with the exec() works fine.
DenisK
Hello! Does someone crosscompile PHP with Android bionic instead glibc? I want to fix the problem with DNS (gethostbyname()).
viulian
DenisK, using bionic, I think there was another PHP project compiled which was meant to be used as a scripting language as far as I remember.
For the /system/bin/sh, I need to search the code, but if I remember well, by default it uses a PATH environment variable which contains the /bin/sh as first (and only) entry. This has to be modified to include /system/bin/sh.
For how to tell PHP to use your glibc it is part of the cross compiling options provided with PHP.
DenisK
I already solved “/system/bin/sh” problem by editing some files in glibc source and then crosscompiled PHP with it. But gethostbyname() still does not function. I try to create /etc/resolv.conf and /system/etc/resolv.conf on my Adnroid device with DNS ip addresses but nothing happens. The main question is how to make gethostbyname work? I will very appreciate your help. So I think that bionic is needed. Above you wrote that creating /etc/resolv.conf will fix gethostbyname(). Why does it not work in my case? I crosscompile PHP using CodeSourcery toolchain (arm-none-linux-gnueabi). PHP 5.4.11.
yermin
I install this on S3C2416 demo board, But can not run correctly. I got “500 – Internal Server Error” or “503 – Service Not Available”.
It simes seems lighttpd is OK, but php do not work.
[root@spc2416 /]# /system/bin/lighttpd
2000-01-01 10:44:35: (src/server.c.595) No configuration available. Try using -f option.
[root@spc2416 /]# /system/bin/php
Illegal instruction
[root@spc2416 /]#
viulian
It could be because I have compiled it with ARMv7 architecture I think .. I will read more about your board.
Love PHP
Can you help me to create tutorial step by step compile lighttpd for android which binary is ARM and static linked. I have compile with scons there if I check with file build/lighttpd-static not ARM but Intel. Or please sent to me file Sconstruct. I compile with arm-none-linux-gnueabi
Love PHP
I have success compile lighttpd, but server.dirlisting= “enable” not working. So always return 404 and index file not working so.
How to fix it? thanks.
phpdevloper
I finally found an even better PHP binary by installing the KSWEB app.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ru.kslabs.ksweb
This PHP handles the dir() function correctly in all Android paths. Moreover it supports mysql as well.
Maybe you can contact the developer about cooperation, etc ?
viulian
@phpdeveloper – I will do my own build and put everything on the market – yesterday I was able to reproduce the problem with accessing dirs by playing with the cifs module and Midnight Commander. It seems that once my Windows share is mounted, I can’t access the folder using MC (it is the same behavior for PHP, only that for some people it also happens for other folders, like /data and /system or /sdcard).
It seems to be a bug in the opendir function that doesn’t call the 64 bit stat method, but the old 32 bit one.
I will fix it as soon as possible ..
dh J
Thanks great post. possibly, Is there a way? install(or run) without mounting /system partition as RW.
MietekN
@dh J – http://paw-android.fun2code.de/
Rick
Hi there, I got this message in my device,
I have run it as a root :
sh: ./lihgttpd-static: cannot execute – Permission denied
Any ideas ?
thanks
Love PHP
Hi All. I’m using arm-none-linux-gnueabi from code sourcery to compile php and success get a binary file in sapi/cgi/php-cgi
But if I running script php to exec(), system(), pasthru() not working.
What should I do to work?
I saw above should be changed /bin/sh to /system/bin/sh, but I do not know where/which file should I change?
I hope my friends here can help solve my problem.
Thanks.
Love PHP
@vulian:
Do you have try compile it with code sourcery which cross compiler is arm-none-linux-gnueabi-
I compile php-cgi with it, but function gethostbyname(), file_getcontent(), and etc which need call to internet not work, I have put file resolv.conf to /system/etc/ and /etc/ but still not work.
Can you tell me how to fix it step by step.
I have download and try your binary, it success and no problem, but my binary not work.
Please tell me step by step.
Thanks.
Love PHP
Hi all I have resolved function system, exec, pasthru with compile glibc new, but before compile glibc new I search on all file with grep /bin/sh intead #!/bin/sh and change to /system/bin/sh.
So now my problem just gethostbyname, gethostbyaddr, etc.
Thanks for advance.
viulian
Congrats for the /bin/sh fix π as far as I remember, the trouble is with the built in PATH variable which points to /bin instead of /system/bin .. but if it works, is perfect.
About get host by name, I think there’s nothing to fix, it should work by default – I did not touch anything related to that …
What glibc are you using ? I’ve used buildroot 09/11 ..
Love PHP
@Vulian: Ohhh I see. May I request file .config.log.old for your buildroot, Because I want to use your configuration buildroot.
Thanks vulian.
Love PHP
@Vulian: I have success make menuconfig for configure buildroot, I choose target arm-litleendian and target variant is generic_arm And in Filesystem Image I just select Tar. And after that I run make, I has been wait about 4/5 hours, So after I make, How I must to do for get PHP.
Love PHP
@Vulian: I have success compile php, but it not static, and how to I change solved to path /bin/sh in order to solved function exec, shell_exec, etc.
Thanks,
viulian
@Love PHP
Congrats! Please check the ucLibc source code for the method exec – and you will see there is a PATH variable which is checked to find the “sh” executable, and the path only contains /bin folder. You will need to add there /system/bin also.
About static, you don’t need to change anything, just check in the configure of PHP how to build it static …
Love PHP
Hi vulian, I has been solved with exec, but If I use function file_getcontent, etc which call to internet it’s very long time, about 10-15 second, My connection very stable, Can you help me once again π
Thanks
Love PHP
Finally, I cannot success compile, I get error segment fault π
MietekN
@Vulian: May I request file .config from Your buildroot (probably buildroot-2011.05)?
viulian
Here’s the a tar.gz containing the .config file for buildroot:
buildroot-201105.config.tar.gz
MietekN
Thank You very much. I compiled php-5.4.2 for arm-generic and found the error. In order to function properly proc_open function You should also improve the proc_open.c twice “/bin/sh” to “/system/bin/sh”.
MietekN
Here is my php-cgi for tests: http://www.2shared.com/file/tbJ1Xt-7/php-cgi.html
MietekN
Here are my manula, configuration and patches: http://www.2shared.com/file/3PNFHZ43/php-androidtar.html
MietekN
Both files are now available on the server 4shared”
http://www.4shared.com/archive/UJF-3s_5/php-cgi-542.html
and
http://www.4shared.com/file/X0yHbgyS/php-androidtar.html
Love PHP
Hi @Vulian.
I’ve given up with compile php π . it’s very difficult, now I want to ask how the details to compile lighttpd for android.
Thank you.
MietekN
@Love_PHP here is php compile instruction: http://www.4shared.com/file/X0yHbgyS/php-androidtar.html
21@sd95
Hi,
Thank you so much for this π
Altought I have one question, I can’t use imagettfbbox() which requies gd plugin, it seems that gd plugin works, exept this one command? any ideas?
or is there any other way to implement gd? like in linux with gd.so module?
thankyou for answers and feedback
aite.me
http://anmpp.net/(chinese)
Android Nginx MySQL PHP-FPM PostgreSQL
MietekN
PHP Plug-in for the PAW server containing my compilation of PHP 5.4.2 compiled for ARM processors and also for x86 processors (PHP-5.4.2_arm, PHP-5.4.2_i386): http://www.4shared.com/zip/WU0_AIzW/paw_php_plugin.html
yermin
hi, all
I got a “500 – Internal Server Error” after about 400-600 requests, and the “/system/bin/php” process exit.here is lighttpd log:
2013-07-20 00:21:23: (src/log.c.166) server started
2013-07-20 00:23:38: (src/mod_fastcgi.c.2566) unexpected end-of-file (perhaps the fastcgi process died): pid: 0 socket: tcp:127.0.0.1:9001
2013-07-20 00:23:38: (src/mod_fastcgi.c.3354) response not received, request sent: 1036 on socket: tcp:127.0.0.1:9001 for /index.php?, closing connection
2013-07-20 00:23:38: (src/mod_fastcgi.c.2566) unexpected end-of-file (perhaps the fastcgi process died): pid: 0 socket: tcp:127.0.0.1:9001
2013-07-20 00:23:38: (src/mod_fastcgi.c.3354) response not received, request sent: 1036 on socket: tcp:127.0.0.1:9001 for /index.php?, closing connection
2013-07-20 00:23:38: (src/mod_fastcgi.c.2566) unexpected end-of-file (perhaps the fastcgi process died): pid: 0 socket: tcp:127.0.0.1:9001
2013-07-20 00:23:38: (src/mod_fastcgi.c.3354) response not received, request sent: 1036 on socket: tcp:127.0.0.1:9001 for /index.php?, closing connection
2013-07-20 00:23:38: (src/mod_fastcgi.c.2566) unexpected end-of-file (perhaps the fastcgi process died): pid: 0 socket: tcp:127.0.0.1:9001
2013-07-20 00:23:38: (src/mod_fastcgi.c.3354) response not received, request sent: 1036 on socket: tcp:127.0.0.1:9001 for /index.php?, closing connection
2013-07-20 00:23:38: (src/mod_fastcgi.c.2904) establishing connection failed: Connection refused socket: tcp:127.0.0.1:9001
2013-07-20 00:23:38: (src/mod_fastcgi.c.2910) backend is overloaded; we’ll disable it for 1 seconds and send the request to another backend instead: reconnects: 0 load: 1
2013-07-20 00:23:38: (src/mod_fastcgi.c.3595) all handlers for /index.php? on .php are down.
2013-07-20 00:23:40: (src/mod_fastcgi.c.2852) fcgi-server re-enabled: tcp:127.0.0.1:9001
my php file:
<?php
session_start();
if(isset($_SESSION['views']))
$_SESSION['views'] = $_SESSION['views']+1;
else
$_SESSION['views'] = 1;
echo $_SESSION['views'];
echo '’;
echo ‘hello world, now is ‘;
echo date(“Y-m-d H:i:s”);
echo ”;
echo ‘current path is ‘;
system(‘pwd’);
echo ”;
echo ‘proc:’;
echo “”;
echo system(‘top -n 1’);
echo ”;
echo ‘dir /:’;
echo “”;
echo system(‘ls /’);
echo ”;
?>
cloud
I setted /etc/resolv.conf to 0755 permission and file_get_contents worked… I’m running paw server…
The contents of resolv.conf is:
nameserver 8.8.8.8
nameserver 8.8.4.4
dinakaran
OS:centos I need to cross compile lighttpd server for ARM platform using scratchbox, While compiling, it shows the following packages were not installed, pcre,zlib,bzip2 but I have already those packages in my system. then i use –without-pcre,zlib,bzip2, but while deploying in android it shows mod_indexfile.so is missing. any solution?
viulian
Have you tried to statically build everything ?
Love PHP
How to compile lighttpd to be static for android?
I looking for at google, untill now not success.
viulian
Hello,
What is the error that you get for lighttpd ? The process is rather tedious since they use scons to compile as far as I remember, and you have to spend a while to read about it.
Love PHP
Hello @viulian.
Please give me your config file “SConstruct” at root lighttpdsource and file “SConscript” at src folder lighttpdsource.
Thank you