[plug] PHP/GIF problem (OT?)

[Bernard Blackham]

List,

I'm trying to write some PHP scripts, one of which I would like to
generate an image dynamically and output as a GIF file. Using the Debian
2.2 package of php4 and php4-gd, it does not have GIF support, or even
JPEG support. The latest version of the gd libraries (1.8.3) have
completely dropped gif support due to patenting issues with Unisys and
they recommend to use jpeg or PNG format.

The main reason for using GIF is for transparencies. I know PNG can do
them but I can't view them with my Netscape 4.75, and the manual says that
Netscape doesnt handle transparent PNGs at all.

The php-gd libraries are installed, loaded and working, just not liking
the imagegif() function or the imagejpeg() function. I've tried installing
libgd-gif, but I think there's something more that simply doing that.

Downloading the latest PHP source and trying them spews the different
message that GIF and JPG support is not included in the PHP build. What
arguments am I to give to configure or am I missing something incredibly
simple? It seems like a simple task, which has an entire section in the
PHP manual on it. What am I missing?


Bernard.

--
 Bernard Blackham
 dagobah at mad.scientist.com