PHP pcntl extension (Process Control Extension) is required by MetaFox script. In some cases that the PHP pcntl extension isn't available on the default PHP build or is restricted to web server, you might have to compile this PHP extension pcntl from the source manually. This guide will walk you through the process of compiling and installing the pcntl extension on an Ubuntu server using the command line.
If you're using CentOS or Red Hat Enterprise Linux, the process is similar. Instead of using apt-get, use yum for package installation, and follow the steps accordingly.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, make sure you have the following:
- An Ubuntu server with root or sudo privileges.
- PHP and the necessary build tools installed on your server.
Step 1: Install Build Dependencies
To compile the pcntl extension, you'll need the necessary build tools and development packages. Open a terminal and run the following command to install them:
sudo apt-get install php-dev build-essential
Step 2: Download PHP Source Code
To compile the extension, you'll need the PHP source code corresponding to the PHP version you're using. Follow these steps to download the source code:
Check PHP Version: Determine your PHP version by running the following command:
php -v
Note down the PHP version for later use.
Download PHP Source: Visit the PHP website's downloads page and download the source code for your PHP version. Alternatively, you can use the following command to download it directly:
wget https://www.php.net/distributions/php-X.Y.Z.tar.gz
Replace X.Y.Z with your PHP version (e.g., 8.1.22).
Extract Source Code: Extract the downloaded archive:
tar -xzf php-X.Y.Z.tar.gz
Step 3: Compile the pcntl Extension
Navigate to Extension Directory: Change into the directory containing the PHP source code:
cd php-X.Y.Z/ext/pcntl
Compile the Extension: Use the following commands to compile the pcntl extension:
phpize ./configure make
Step 4: Install the Extension
After successfully compiling the extension, you can proceed to install it:
Install Extension: Run the following command to install the compiled extension:
sudo make install
Step 5: Enable the Extension
To enable the pcntl extension, follow these steps:
Create .ini file for PHP extension: Create the PHP configuration file in a text editor (e.g., nano):
sudo nano /etc/php/X.Y/fpm/conf.d/20-pcntl.ini
Replace X.Y with your PHP version (e.g., 8.1)
Add Extension: Add the following line to enable the pcntl extension. Add it under the "Dynamic Extensions" section:
extension=pcntl.so
Save and Exit: Save the file and exit the text editor.
Step 6: Restart services PHP-FPM and Web server (Apache)
Restart PHP-FPM:
If you are using PHP-FPM, run following command to restart PHP-FPM service
service phpX.Y-fpm restart
Restart Apache:
If you are using webserver with Apache, run following command to restart
service phpX.Y-fpm restart