How to Turn on the MSSQL API Module?

If you want to access SQL Server database with PHP scripts, the first thing you need to do is to turn on the MSSQL API Module as shown in this tutorial:

1. Prepare a single line script to test the MSSQL API Module:

<?php
  mssql_connect('LOCALHOST','sa','FYIcenter');
?>

Run the script, you should get:

Fatal error: Call to undefined function mssql_connect()
in C:\test\fyi-center.php on line 2

2. If you C:\php\php.ini does not exist, copy C:\php\php.ini-dist to C:\php\php.ini. Open C:\php\php.ini and remove (;) on the extension=php_mssql.dll setting:

;extension=php_mssql.dll
extension=php_mssql.dll

Run the script again, you may get:

PHP Warning:  PHP Startup: Unable to load dynamic library 
'C:\php5\php_mssql.dll' - The specified module could not 
be found.
 in Unknown on line 0

Fatal error: Call to undefined function mssql_connect()
in C:\test\fyi-center.php on line 2

3. Open C:\>\php\php.ini and change the extension_dir setting. The default setting is "./", but all extension module DLL files are in ./ext.

; Directory in which the loadable extensions (modules)...
; extension_dir = "./"
extension_dir = "./ext"

Run the script again, you may still errors. But it is not related to MSSQL API Module any more.

Warning: mssql_connect(): Unable to connect to server:
LOCALHOST in C:\test\fyi-center.php on line 2

⇒ ntwdblib.dll - SQL Server Client Library DLL

⇐ Requirements for Connecting PHP to MS SQL Server

⇑ SQL Server FAQs - PHP MSSQL Functions - Connections and Query Execution

⇑⇑ SQL Server Connection Tutorials