&reftitle.runtime; &extension.runtime;

Make sure that the Informix environment variables INFORMIXDIR and INFORMIXSERVER are available to the PHP ifx driver, and that the INFORMIX bin directory is in the PATH. Check this by running a script that contains a call to `phpinfo` before you start testing. The `phpinfo` output should list these environment variables. This is true for both CGI php and Apache mod_php. You may have to set these environment variables in your Apache startup script.

The Informix shared libraries should also be available to the loader (check LD_LIBRARY_PATH or ld.so.conf/ldconfig).

## Some notes on the use of BLOBs (TEXT and BYTE columns)

BLOBs are normally addressed by BLOB identifiers. Select queries return a "blob id" for every BYTE and TEXT column. You can get at the contents with "string_var = ifx_get_blob($blob_id);" if you choose to get the BLOBs in memory (with: "ifx_blobinfile(0);"). If you prefer to receive the content of BLOB columns in a file, use "ifx_blobinfile(1);", and "ifx_get_blob($blob_id);" will get you the filename. Use normal file I/O to get at the blob contents.

For insert/update queries you must create these "blob id's" yourself with "`ifx_create_blob`;". You then plug the blob id's into an array, and replace the blob columns with a question mark (?) in the query string. For updates/inserts, you are responsible for setting the blob contents with `ifx_update_blob`.

The behaviour of BLOB columns can be altered by configuration variables that also can be set at runtime:

configuration variable: ifx.textasvarchar

configuration variable: ifx.byteasvarchar

runtime functions:

ifx_textasvarchar(0): use blob id's for select queries with TEXT columns

ifx_byteasvarchar(0): use blob id's for select queries with BYTE columns

ifx_textasvarchar(1): return TEXT columns as if they were VARCHAR columns, so that you don't need to use blob id's for select queries.

ifx_byteasvarchar(1): return BYTE columns as if they were VARCHAR columns, so that you don't need to use blob id's for select queries.

configuration variable: ifx.blobinfile

runtime function:

ifx_blobinfile_mode(0): return BYTE columns in memory, the blob id lets you get at the contents.

ifx_blobinfile_mode(1): return BYTE columns in a file, the blob id lets you get at the file name.

If you set ifx_text/byteasvarchar to 1, you can use TEXT and BYTE columns in select queries just like normal (but rather long) VARCHAR fields. Since all strings are "counted" in PHP, this remains "binary safe". It is up to you to handle this correctly. The returned data can contain anything, you are responsible for the contents.

If you set ifx_blobinfile to 1, use the file name returned by ifx_get_blob(..) to get at the blob contents. Note that in this case YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DELETING THE TEMPORARY FILES CREATED BY INFORMIX when fetching the row. Every new row fetched will create new temporary files for every BYTE column.

The location of the temporary files can be influenced by the environment variable "blobdir", default is "." (the current directory). Something like: putenv(blobdir=tmpblob"); will ease the cleaning up of temp files accidentally left behind (their names all start with "blb").

## Automatically trimming "char" (SQLCHAR and SQLNCHAR) data

This can be set with the configuration variable

ifx.charasvarchar: if set to 1 trailing spaces will be automatically trimmed, to save you some "chopping".

## &null; values

The configuration variable ifx.nullformat (and the runtime function `ifx_nullformat`) when set to &true; will return &null; columns as the string "&null;", when set to &false; they return the empty string. This allows you to discriminate between &null; columns and empty columns.

# Informix configuration options

&Name; | &Default; | &Changeable; | &Changelog;
ifx.allow_persistent | "1" | PHP_INI_SYSTEM | Removed in PHP 5.2.1.
ifx.max_persistent | "-1" | PHP_INI_SYSTEM | Removed in PHP 5.2.1.
ifx.max_links | "-1" | PHP_INI_SYSTEM | Removed in PHP 5.2.1.
ifx.default_host | NULL | PHP_INI_SYSTEM | Removed in PHP 5.2.1.
ifx.default_user | NULL | PHP_INI_SYSTEM | Removed in PHP 5.2.1.
ifx.default_password | NULL | PHP_INI_SYSTEM | Removed in PHP 5.2.1.
ifx.blobinfile | "1" | PHP_INI_ALL | Removed in PHP 5.2.1.
ifx.textasvarchar | "0" | PHP_INI_ALL | Removed in PHP 5.2.1.
ifx.byteasvarchar | "0" | PHP_INI_ALL | Removed in PHP 5.2.1.
ifx.charasvarchar | "0" | PHP_INI_ALL | Removed in PHP 5.2.1.
ifx.nullformat | "0" | PHP_INI_ALL | Removed in PHP 5.2.1.

&ini.php.constants; &ini.descriptions.title;

`ifx.allow_persistent` `boolean`

- Whether to allow persistent Informix connections.

`ifx.max_persistent` `integer`

- The maximum number of persistent Informix connections per process.

`ifx.max_links` `integer`

- The maximum number of Informix connections per process, including persistent connections.

`ifx.default_host` `string`

- The default host to connect to when no host is specified in `ifx_connect` or `ifx_pconnect`. Doesn't apply in &safemode;.

`ifx.default_user` `string`

- The default user id to use when none is specified in `ifx_connect` or `ifx_pconnect`. Doesn't apply in &safemode;.

`ifx.default_password` `string`

- The default password to use when none is specified in `ifx_connect` or `ifx_pconnect`. Doesn't apply in &safemode;.

`ifx.blobinfile` `boolean`

- Set to &true; if you want to return blob columns in a file, &false; if you want them in memory. You can override the setting at runtime with `ifx_blobinfile_mode`.

`ifx.textasvarchar` `boolean`

- Set to &true; if you want to return TEXT columns as normal strings in select statements, &false; if you want to use blob id parameters. You can override the setting at runtime with `ifx_textasvarchar`.

`ifx.byteasvarchar` `boolean`

- Set to &true; if you want to return BYTE columns as normal strings in select queries, &false; if you want to use blob id parameters. You can override the setting at runtime with `ifx_textasvarchar`.

`ifx.charasvarchar` `boolean`

- Set to &true; if you want to trim trailing spaces from CHAR columns when fetching them.

`ifx.nullformat` `boolean`

- Set to &true; if you want to return &null; columns as the literal string "&null;", &false; if you want them returned as the empty string "". You can override this setting at runtime with `ifx_nullformat`.