Are mysql and mysqli exclusive?

[wsanders]

I am trying to build 5.2.5 on a RHEL system with the RHEL Mysql4 rpms. It will work with --with-mysqli=/usr/bin/mysql_config but not with --with-mysql (It can't find libmysqlclient - I am posting another thread about that.)

Anyway, I am trying to get MediaWiki to work - the PHP I build with --with-mysqli doesn't seem to work, MediaWiki complains about not having a Mysql-capable PHP, so apparently there is a difference.

Is a PHP built with mysqli supposed to be backward compatible with an application looking for mysql?

Thanks,

--w

[laserlight]

Is a PHP built with mysqli supposed to be backward compatible with an application looking for mysql?
They are two different PHP extensions to access the same relational database management system software.

[wsanders]

Thanks - I figured they were very different but unsure whether mysqli was backward-compatible. Love that OSS.

Odd that the configure script for PHP will let you specify mysql_config to --with-mysqli but not --with-mysql.

[bradgrafelman]

Odd that the configure script for PHP will let you specify mysql_config to --with-mysqli but not --with-mysql.Actually, it's not odd at all - they are completely different extensions with completely different client libraries.

I would think that a popular software as a Wiki would know better than to use deprecated libraries such as the mysql extension, though...

[NogDog]

Actually, it's not odd at all - they are completely different extensions with completely different client libraries.

I would think that a popular software as a Wiki would know better than to use deprecated libraries such as the mysql extension, though...
Ideally it would use something like PEAR MDB[2] or PDO in order to support many different databases/interfaces. :)