Connecting PHP to MS SQL Server

php_sqlsrv.dll is the Database Driver for PHP for MS SQL Server, that has replaced php_mssql.dll (which no longer exists).

While the php_sqlsrv API is not the same as the php_mssql API, php_sqlsrv can be used through php_pdo_sqlsrv which provides the common PDO Database interface that can access MS SQL Server.

There is 1 official build of php_sqlsrv.dll by Microsoft that is provided for PHP 5.3. And several unofficial builds of php_sqlsrv.dll for PHP 5.6, 5.5, 5.3 (32 bit and 64 bit).

PHP 5.5 Driver for MS SQL Server

Download the unofficial builds maintained here:
http://robsphp.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/unofficial-microsoft-sql-server-driver.html

In the OneDrive folder, right-click on file “sqlsrv_unofficial_3.0.2.2.zip” and select “Download”.

Inside of file sqlsrv_unofficial_3.0.2.2.zip, extract these files out:

Into:
C:\WampDeveloper\Versions\Php\php-5.5.16.0-r2-win32-vc11-standard\ext\

Files:
php_pdo_sqlsrv_55_ts.dll
php_sqlsrv_55_ts.dll

Into:
C:\WampDeveloper\Versions\Php\php-5.5.16.0-r2-win32-vc11-standard-fcgi\ext\

Files:
php_pdo_sqlsrv_55_nts.dll
php_sqlsrv_55_nts.dll

* The above PHP versions are WampDeveloper Pro’s (v5.1.0.1) latest PHP 5.5 releases (regular PHP and FCGI-PHP).

Microsoft’s PHP 5.3 Driver for MS SQL Server

Download the official build maintained here:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=20098

Download file:
SQLSRV30.EXE

This file is not really an EXE (it’s a compressed CAB file), and if you try to run it Windows will display error message: “sqlsrv30.exe is not a valid win32 application”.

You will need to open (not run) SQLSRV30.EXE with either of these un/compression programs: WinRar, or 7-Zip (I use 7-Zip myself, it’s free and open source).

Inside of file SQLSRV30.EXE, extract these files out:

Into:
C:\WampDeveloper\Versions\Php\php-5.3.29.0-r2-win32-vc9-standard\ext\

Files:
php_pdo_sqlsrv_53_ts.dll
php_sqlsrv_53_ts.dll

Into:
C:\WampDeveloper\Versions\Php\php-5.3.29.0-r2-win32-vc9-standard-fcgi\ext\

Files:
php_pdo_sqlsrv_53_nts.dll
php_sqlsrv_53_nts.dll

* The above PHP versions are WampDeveloper Pro’s (v5.1.0.1) latest PHP 5.3 releases (regular PHP and FCGI-PHP).

Then via Components Tab, switch WampDeveloper from using Channel: Current (Apache 2.4 + PHP 5.5 + MySQL 5.6) to Stable (Apache 2.2 + PHP 5.3 + MySQL 5.5)…
http://www.devside.net/wamp-server/howto-switch-wampdevelopers-apache-php-mysql-branches

Load php_sqlsrv.dll

Rename the files under all PHP versions to:
php_pdo_sqlsrv.dll
php_sqlsrv.dll

Edit file php.ini, and insert the loading of “php_sqlsrv.dll”…

[PHP_SQLSRV]
extension=php_sqlsrv.dll
extension=php_pdo_sqlsrv.dll

Save file. Restart Apache.

Links

“Microsoft Drivers for PHP for SQL Server” project

http://sqlsrvphp.codeplex.com/

“Update For PHP 5.5″ discussion

http://sqlsrvphp.codeplex.com/discussions/441706

“Data Developer Center SQL Server Driver for PHP” page

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/data/ff657782.aspx

“Accessing SQL Server Databases from PHP”

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/1258.accessing-sql-server-databases-from-php.aspx