===== Overview =====


The OCI8 extension for Oracle Database can be linked with Oracle's client libraries called "Oracle Instant Client".

===== Installation =====

  - Download the Oracle 10gR2 Instant Client "basic" and "sdk" zip files from Oracle.
  - Unzip the "basic" package and rename the directory as ''lib/instantclient''
  - Unzip the "sdk" package and rename the directory as ''include/instantclient''
  - Build with the ''--with-oci8'' option, e.g. ''--with-oci8=shared''.  You can also pass the Instant Client path, for example ''--with-oci8=F:\instantclient_10_2\sdk,shared''
  - Build with the ''--with-oci8-11g'' option, e.g. ''--with-oci8-11g=shared''.  You can also pass the Instant Client path, for example ''--with-oci8=F:\instantclient_11\sdk,shared''
  - Move the generated ''php_oci8.dll'' (or ''php_oci8_11g.dll'') to the extensions directory and edit ''php.ini'', setting ''extension_dir'' to that path. Enable the extension in ''php.ini'' with ''extension=php_oci8.dll''  (or ''php_oci8_11g.dll'')

It is not possible to build statically oci8 and oci8_11g at the same time (a configure check checks it).

===== Getting Instant Client =====

Instant Client is free and has a permissive license, allowing development, deployment and distribution of the Oracle libraries.

Download: [[http://www.oracle.com/technology/software/tech/oci/instantclient/index.html|Oracle Instant Client]]

License: "OTN Development and Distribution License Agreement for Instant Client" (Viewable as a Javascript popup prior to downloading).

===== History =====


The php_oci8.dll released with PHP 5.1 and 5.2 used Oracle Instant Client 10gR2 (aka 10.2). PHP 5.3 uses Instant Client 10g and 11g.