Php startup: unable to load dynamic library ‘pdo_pgsql’

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When encountering the error message “PHP Startup: Unable to load dynamic library ‘pdo_pgsql'”, it means that PHP is unable to load the necessary dynamic library ‘pdo_pgsql’ for PostgreSQL database connections. This usually occurs when the extension is not correctly installed or configured.

Possible Causes and Solutions:

  1. Extension not installed: Verify if the required extension for connecting to PostgreSQL is installed on your server or machine. In this case, make sure the ‘pdo_pgsql’ extension is installed.
  2. Extension not enabled in php.ini: Even if the extension is installed, it may not be enabled in the PHP configuration file (php.ini). Locate your php.ini file and check if the following line is present:
    3.             extension=pdo_pgsql

    If the line is commented out (starts with a semicolon), remove the semicolon to enable the extension. After making this change, restart the web server to apply the modifications.

  3. Extension file not found: If the library file for the ‘pdo_pgsql’ extension is missing or located in the wrong directory, PHP won’t be able to find it. Ensure that the extension file ‘pdo_pgsql.so’ exists in the correct location. This location varies depending on your operating system and PHP installation.
  4. Incorrect extension directory: PHP configuration file (php.ini) might be pointing to the incorrect extension directory. Locate the line starting with ‘extension_dir’ in your php.ini file and ensure it points to the correct directory where extension files are located.

Example:

Suppose you are using a Linux-based server and have PHP installed with the ‘pdo_pgsql’ extension. To troubleshoot the issue, follow these steps:

  1. Check if the ‘pdo_pgsql’ extension is installed by running the following command in the terminal:
    2.             php -m | grep pdo_pgsql

    If the extension is not listed, install it using the package manager specific to your operating system. For example, on Ubuntu, use the following command:

                sudo apt-get install php-pgsql
  2. Once installed, open the php.ini file by running the command:
    3.             sudo nano /etc/php/{php_version}/apache2/php.ini

    Replace ‘{php_version}’ with the actual PHP version you are using (e.g., 7.4).

  3. Within the php.ini file, search for the line:
    4.             ;extension=pdo_pgsql

    Remove the semicolon at the beginning of the line to enable the extension:

                extension=pdo_pgsql
  4. Save the changes made to php.ini (press Ctrl + X, then Y, and Enter).
  5. Restart the Apache web server for the changes to take effect:
    6.             sudo service apache2 restart

These steps should resolve the issue and allow PHP to load the ‘pdo_pgsql’ extension successfully.

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