Question Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere in Technology Q&A

PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

justin_willey — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 11:03:05 GMT

The question of a PHP v8 driver for SQL Anywhere is becoming very urgent.

The latest version for which a SQL Anywhere driver is available (here) is PHP v 7.4. Active support for this finished in November last year and Security Support finishes in November this year. The current support PHP version is 8.1 - details are here

We tried to compile a new version of the SQL Anywhere driver from source but without success. The main issue between v7.4 & v8.x relates to the thread safe behaviour and the removal of the Zend module from PHP. There also seem to be significant changes to the error handling. We tried to adapt the code to cope with these differences but were unable to make it work.

We have several customers who use PHP with SQL Anywhere who currently have no way forward.

Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

justin_willey — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 11:04:16 GMT

apohl asked about this last year but there was no reply: https://sqlanywhere-forum.sap.com/questions/37078

Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

Oleksandr_Kushnirov — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 02:14:14 GMT

I support. The lack of a driver stops the development of new solutions. SAP solve this problem

Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

chris_keating — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 15:06:29 GMT

A prebuilt PHP 8.0 driver has been posted and can be accessed at The SAP SQL Anywhere PHP Module.

Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

justin_willey — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 16:34:50 GMT

That's brilliant. Thanks

Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

justin_willey — Thu, 05 May 2022 06:28:08 GMT

Hi Chris - would it be possible to updated the posted source code. We could then have a go at producing an 8.1 version?

Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

chris_keating — Thu, 05 May 2022 08:50:31 GMT

This is in progress and will be posted shortly. If you have SQL Anywhere 17.0 Build 6230 or newer, the source code can be found in %sqlany17%\\sdk\\php.

Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

justin_willey — Thu, 05 May 2022 09:41:48 GMT

Thanks Chris

Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

chris_keating — Thu, 05 May 2022 16:45:16 GMT

I have updated the source code download today and it should now be available for download.

Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

VolkerBarth — Fri, 06 May 2022 04:38:09 GMT

Chris, I rarely use SQL Anywhere with PHP but I'm somewhat surprised that

the adaption to PHP 8 has already been made in June 2021 according to the code,
and has been part of the software since a version released in December 2021 as of your comment,

but SQL Anywhere has not informed customers (or at least within this forum), although there were open requests for such an update?

That's too much "stealth marketing" in my opinion.

(I'm fully aware that this is not your task, so please do not take this personally in any way.)

Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

VolkerBarth — Fri, 06 May 2022 04:43:24 GMT

That being said, in my 17.0.11.6933 install, the %sqlany17%\\sdk\\php directory still does contain the older code (2.0.18 / Support for PHP v7.3).

Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

chris_keating — Fri, 06 May 2022 09:56:07 GMT

Volker, I was also surprised to learn that php 8 was available since March 2021. I am currenting trying to understand why this support was not documented in a release note. The source in 6933 is current and equal to what I posted except the CHANGE file was not updated. I have corrected that for the next SP.

Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

VolkerBarth — Fri, 06 May 2022 11:33:00 GMT

Thanks for the feedback, Chris.

FWIW, are there plans to add the PHP driver's code to https://github.com/sqlanywhere like (some of) the other interfaces?

Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

VolkerBarth — Fri, 06 May 2022 11:52:22 GMT

I stand corrected - the files are version 2.0.19 (i.e. with PHP8 support), however copyright still refers to 2019, and for whatever reason, file modification dates tell "2019-02-21" for most of the files (except sqlanywhere.c), so I concluded they were not updated. After a file compare with the download, they actual are current.

As Chris has confirmed, the "changes" file is actually old, i.e. relates to 2.0.18.

Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

former_SQLA_member1695096 — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 06:17:49 GMT

Can we have the drivers for PHP 8.1 and 8.2 please?

PHP 8.0 will no longer be supported from Nov 23. Time is passing, PHP versions are going out of support...

Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

RADical_Systems — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 13:03:01 GMT

I've been chasing this for a while for one of our large publicly listed companies who can't use the source code as their auditors require the supplier of the software to provide it pre-compiled. I am told it is on the list but no time frames. Like you I want 8.1 and probably 8.2 now.

Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

RADical_Systems — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 05:19:39 GMT

Update for everyone. The 8.1 and 8.2 dll's are available from SAP but apparently they can't be added to the dll page, (maybe someone lost the login)! Anyway for those in need here are the links:

Linux:
8.1
8.2

Windows:
8.1
8.2

Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

VolkerBarth — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 07:00:18 GMT

Hm, if someone requires DLLs officially provided by SAP because of auditing, I'm not sure these links will do - but thanks for the info and links anyway!

Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

Oleksandr_Kushnirov — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 08:01:06 GMT

Thanks Justin! Version 8.1 Thread Safe for Windows works great! Version 8.2 will try later

Re: PHP 8.x driver for SQLAnywhere

RADical_Systems — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 05:37:22 GMT

Volker - that's very true but it's a step closer! I have passed them to my client and hoping that my support trail with SAP gives them the confidence but you're right that it may not help greatly for those with access to such. |Hoping SAP can post them to the relevant page at some point.