How do I install ionCube on an Azure Web Site?

Question

I am trying to follow the instructions under Using Custom PHP Extensions in Windows Azure Web Sites to enable the ionCube extension for PHP running within an Azure Web Site. Here's what I did:

1. Downloaded the Windows VC9 (Non-TS) (x86) loader from the ionCube loader download page.
2. Created a directory at /site/wwwroot/bin
3. FTP'd ioncube_loader_win_5.3.dll to that directory.
4. Under "app settings" in the Azure portal for the web site I added PHP_EXTENSIONS with value bin/ioncube_loader_win_5.3.dll.
5. I loaded http://my.azure.website/info.php and verified that the Environment table included PHP_EXTENSIONS = bin/ioncube_loader_win_5.3.dll. It also contains APPSETTING_PHP_EXTENSIONS = bin/ioncube_loader_win_5.3.dll.
6. When I try to load the site I get the message "The page cannot be displayed because an internal server error has occurred" and no additional information.

Is there something I forgot or is ioncube not supported on Azure? Did I set up the directory properly?

I also tried the Zend Guard Loader extension (ZendLoader.dll) in the same manner. I don't get an error message, but the extension doesn't show up in phpinfo() either.

Answer 1

I posted an article explaining How to configure ZendGuard on Windows Azure Web Sites

Answer 2

You shall not put the module in the root of the ftp site. The DLL module must reside in a folder below the APPLICATION ROOT, which is site/wwwroot/ So, you have to create either site/wwwroot/bin or anything of your choice (i.e. site/wwwroot/phpext), and then map PHP_EXTENSIONS again to bin/ioncube... (or phpext/iocube...), whatever is the name of your folder underneath site/wwwroot/!

However I am having trouble running any php page when the mentioned module is enabled. I don't know whether this is because my files are not ionCube encrypted, or because of some issue with the ionCube itself. So if you have a ionCube encrypted file, you have the chance to test.

Answer 3

ionCube is a Zend Extension, so according to an answer on windows azure forums:

The correct way to do it would be to create the /site/wwwroot/bin directory and upload ioncube_loader_win_5.4.dll there then add under the portal App Settings a PHP_ZENDEXTENSIONS setting with bin\ioncube_loader_win_5.4.dll as its value.

I confirm, but my tests was done in /site/phpext with an App Setting on ..\phpext\ioncube_loader_win_5.4.dll.