Win32 api extension for php

Win32API extension for PHP Cool Windows Stuff for PHP

Aren’t Desktop Apps Dead?
People aren’t always online
Some applications would be bandwidth prohibitive
Some data is too sensitive to be passed on the wire
Embedded OS’s don’t always work well with websites
Browsers are just Quirky (I’m looking at you, IE6)

PHP Advantages
No Compiling
Instant Changes
No learning curve for a new language
Plug into PHP extensions
Easy to Use
Fast to Write

PHP Disadvantages
Speed
Additional Extensions/Libraries needed
Speed
Distribution (phar is helpful there)
Speed
Security
(do you see a theme?)

So what are your options?
PHP-GTK2
PHP-QT
PHP-WxWidgets (vaporware)
Winbinder (so not thread safe)
Win32API – Win::Ui
Who is your audience?

Things to Decide
OS support (only PHP-GTK2 is truly cross-platform at the moment – you can even run it on Solaris if you’re insane)
Distribution mechanism (you need to distribute PHP, your extension, plus your code)
Upgrading
Security
Size

What has gone Before
What *nix has that we don’t
Semaphores
Shared Memory (not shmop)
IPC Functions
Process Control Functions

What’s Hiding in PECL
Win32Std – resource files as streams, basic dialog boxes, registry access
Win32service – services control
Win32scheduler – windows scheduled tasks
Win32ps - PSAPI (Process Status Helper) to get information
IISfunc - Provides IIS functions

Reinventing the Wheel
Problems with Winbinder
Thread safety issues
PHP4 style API
No BC breaks allowed
Few developers
Differences in Direction

So what works?
PHP 5.3 target (we will release when they do)
NAMESPACES
Intelligent, easy to use message handling using callbacks
Locking CLI into a loop (modal process)
Garbage Collection!!

Beyond Thunderdome
Goal is ALL (and I do mean all) of the win32api
An extension system (similar to PHP’s extensions) that allow only the “modules” of the API you intend to use
Low level system items (such as threads, processes, IPC) are the “core” and available in all SAPIS
Some features (Win::Ui) are specific to certain SAPI’s (embed, CLI)

Resources
http://svn.bluga.net/win32api
Subversion repository
http://gtk.php.net
PHP-GTK2 Extension
http://php-qt.org
PHP-QT Extension
http://perisama.net
Windows Builds for all kinds of PHP stuff (win32api binaries to play will be here)

Win32 api extension for php

by Elizabeth Smith on Jan 09, 2012

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Win32 api extension for php — Presentation Transcript