How to install and configure PEAR packages

PEAR (PHP Extension and Application Repository) packages are reusable PHP code libraries that can greatly simplify web site development. There are PEAR packages for interacting with databases, handling e-mail, processing XML, and much more.

Install a PEAR package

Make that a PEAR package is not already installed before attempting to install it. For instance, a number of PEAR packages are already pre-installed on our shared hosting servers. Enter the following command to view the PEAR packages that are currently accessible for your web account after logging in via SSH:

Copypear list

If the PEAR package that you want is not listed, then you can install it using one of the following methods.

Hostvento Hosting does not support installation of PECL (PHP Extension Community Library) modules in our shared hosting environment. PECL modules can only be installed on VPS and Dedicated hosting accounts.

Method #1: Use cPanel

If your Hostvento Hosting account includes cPanel, you can use it to install PEAR packages. For information about how to install PEAR packages using cPanel, please see this article.

After the PEAR package is installed, you must configure the PHP include path. To do this, follow this procedure.

Method #2: Submit a support ticket

If you have installed PEAR packages before on other systems, you may have used the pear install command. However, this command requires superuser access, which is not available on shared hosting accounts. If you are unable to install a PEAR package using cPanel, an Hostvento Hosting administrator can install it for you. If you need further assistance, please open a support ticket with our Guru Crew on the Customer Portal at https://hostvento.com.

After the PEAR package is installed, you must configure the PHP include path. To do this, follow this procedure.

Configure the PHP include path

You need to set up the PHP include path after installing a PEAR package for the first time using one of the aforementioned techniques. If not, the PEAR packages you installed will not be found by your PHP script files. You will not have to set up the PHP include path again for installations of PEAR packages after you have done it once.

If you are using pre-installed systemwide PEAR packages in your code, you do not need to follow this procedure. This procedure only applies to PEAR packages that you have installed yourself.

To configure the PHP include path:

1. If you do not already have a custom php.ini file in the directory where your script file is located, set one up now. For information about how to set up a custom php.ini, please see this article.
2. Open the php.ini file and locate the line that starts with:include_path
3. Add the PHP extension path. For example, if the existing line is:
   include_path = “.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php”Change the line to:include_path = “.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php:/home/USERNAME/php”
4. You can now include the PEAR package in script files located in the same directory.