Question

I have finally created a very simple “Hello World” style PHP Extension dll on windows, after immeasurable hassle. However, although I have successfully created a DLL, and put it in the extensions folder, and told php.ini about it, now I get this:

PHP Warning: PHP Startup: \x81\xc2\xc0\x03L&\xc0\x03: Unable to initialize module\nModule compiled with module API=16777522\nPHP compiled with module API=20090626\nThese options need to match\n in Unknown on line 0

Warning: PHP Startup: ÂÀL&À: Unable to initialize module
Module compiled with module API=16777522
PHP compiled with module API=20090626
These options need to match
in Unknown on line 0

It seems that my PHP_API_VERSION is 20090626, but for some reason my DLL thinks it’s PHP_API_VERSION is 16777522.

The tutorial below was some help in compiling an extension dll:
http://www.talkphp.com/vbarticles.php?do=article&articleid=49&title=creating-custom-php-extensions

Having written it myself, I have access to all of the source code for the php extension in question – But, where is it that I control the PHP_API_VERSION that ends up in the DLL?

I am compiling the dll successfully with Borland C++ Builder v5.5, not Visual Studio.

Here is the complete source, in case it matters:

// Needed to make following two #includes compatible with borland header files
void __fastcall __assume(int t) {
  return;
}
typedef unsigned int socklen_t;
typedef enum BOOL
{
  false=0,
  true
} bool;
// end Borland compatibility code

#include "php.h"
#include "zend_config.w32.h"
ZEND_FUNCTION(fetch_LinkGrammar_links);

zend_function_entry LinkGrammar_ext_functions[] = {
    ZEND_FE(fetch_LinkGrammar_links, NULL)
    {NULL, NULL, NULL}
};

zend_module_entry LinkGrammar_ext_module_entry = {
    STANDARD_MODULE_HEADER,
    "LinkGrammar Extension",
    LinkGrammar_ext_functions,
    NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL,
    "1.0",
    STANDARD_MODULE_PROPERTIES
};

ZEND_GET_MODULE(LinkGrammar_ext);

ZEND_FUNCTION(fetch_LinkGrammar_links)
{
    bool World = false;
    char *RetVal= "";
    if (zend_parse_parameters(ZEND_NUM_ARGS() TSRMLS_CC, "|b", &World) == FAILURE)
    {
        RETURN_STRING("Missing Parameter", true);
    }
    if (World == true)
    {
        RetVal= "Hello World";
    }
    else
    {
        RetVal= "Hello";
    }

    RETURN_STRING(RetVal, true);
}

What can I change to eliminate the PHP Startup Error that the API must match?

Answer 1

It turns out it was the “Data Alignment” – My DLL was being compiled using “Word” alignment and it needed to be double-word.