Using a DLL With PHP for Dummies

Question

I have a project that needs to access a DLL with PHP. The server is a Windows machine and the Apache server is provided by XAMPP.

I read multiple answers on the web like

• Use DLL in PHP?
• php communication with dll?
• calling dll through php
• http://ca.php.net/manual/en/class.com.php
• http://ca2.php.net/manual/en/book.w32api.php
• http://www.talkphp.com/absolute-beginners/3340-php-how-load-com-dll-file.html

Here is how I call the DLL in HTA / Javascript:

<object style="display:none" id="SOME_ID" classid="clsid:SOME_CLASS_ID" codebase="./somePath.dll"></object>

Does someone have a working example?

Here is what I tried so far in PHP:

$obj = new COM('pathTo.dll');

Information on the DLL:

1. Compiled using Delphi
2. It is (of course) home made
3. I get the following error the DllRegister Server entry point was not found when I try to register the DLL with regsvr32

Can it be used without registering it with regsvr32?

Answer 1

When you create your DLL file, you need to use a module definition file. It will contain something similar to this:

;
;contains the list of functions that are being exported from this DLL
;

DESCRIPTION     "Simple COM object"

EXPORTS
                DllGetClassObject       PRIVATE
                DllCanUnloadNow         PRIVATE
                DllRegisterServer       PRIVATE
                DllUnregisterServer     PRIVATE

That definition allows regsvr32 to find the DllRegisterServer entry point.

Another option you can try is to pass the /n flag to regsvr32.

Regsvr32 [/u] [/n] [/i[:cmdline]] dllname

/u - Unregister server

/i - Call DllInstall passing it an optional [cmdline]; when used with /u calls dll uninstall

/n - do not call DllRegisterServer; this option must be used with /i

/s – Silent; display no message boxes (added with Windows XP and Windows Vista)

Ultimately, before you try to make a DLL work with PHP, you need to be sure your DLL works in general.