AlternatePHP is a batch file for Windows environments that can make different versions of php available. It is inspired by phpenv / rbenv which is available on other operating systems.

Goals:

• Simply execute your script with another version of php
• Quick "install" of a new version

Current default PHP version: 7.0.15

• php -v or php <script.php> <arguments> calls current default php version
• php <version> -v or php <version> <script.php> <arguments> calls the same on given php version (format: e.g. 5.6.27)
• php xdebug -v or php xdebug <script.php> <arguments> calls current default php version with xdebug
• php <version> xdebug -v or php <version> xdebug <script.php> <arguments> calls the same on given php version with xdebug

• php --version and php -v outputs version AlternatePHP before original output
• php help and php /? outputs help information for AlternatePHP
• php install installs current default php version
• php install <version> installs given php version (format: e.g. 5.6.27)
• php versions lists all currently installed versions
• php global <version> configure default version (like phpenv)
• php rename <version> <version> for support custom version alias
• php license for output of LICENSE
• php self-update download latest release of AlternatePHP from GitHub
• php [<version>] [xdebug] composer <command> run latest composer.phar

• php local <version> configure version for current folder (like phpenv)
• php configure <version> ... is planned for some php.ini modifications (interface/arguments not planned yet)
• php enable-xdebug <version> directly add correct php_xdebug.dll to given version and add extension to php.ini
• php disable-xdebug <version> remove extension from php.ini

• bitsadmin (for downloading binaries from https://windows.php.net/download)
• unzip (if not available yet, please download from https://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/unzip.htm and put unzip.exe to your PATH)

There should be no global installed PHP-Environment-Variables (like PHPRC) or other php.exe within PATH

It is recommended to add AlternatePHP (directory where php.bat is located) to your PATH

1. Download zip (latest release or from current master)
2. unzip to a folder
3. optional: put unzip.exe to the same folder, if not available on the system
4. add that folder to path
5. optional: use php global <version> to specify your version (if not set, the default is used)
6. call php install to download and unzip that php version

It is recommended to set a global version, because after next update another php version can be set as default.

You should use php self-update (available with v1.1) to update your installation. Without self-update: download zip and unzip over existing installation.

$ git clone https://github.com/glady/AlternatePHP.git
$ cd AlternatePHP
$ php versions

$ php help
[...]

$ php install
[... downloads default php version ...]
[... unzips downloaded version ...]
[... copy php.ini-production to php.ini ...]

$ php versions
7.0.12

$ php -v
glady/AlternatePHP v1.0.0
PHP 7.0.12 (cli) (built: Oct 13 2016 10:47:49) ( ZTS )
Copyright (c) 1997-2016 The PHP Group
Zend Engine v3.0.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2016 Zend Technologies

$ php install 5.6.27
[... downloads php 5.6.27 ...]
[... unzips downloaded version ...]
[... copy php.ini-production to php.ini ...]

$ php versions
5.6.27  7.0.12

$ php -v
glady/AlternatePHP v1.0.0
PHP 7.0.12 (cli) (built: Oct 13 2016 10:47:49) ( ZTS )
Copyright (c) 1997-2016 The PHP Group
Zend Engine v3.0.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2016 Zend Technologies

$ php 5.6.27 -v
glady/AlternatePHP v1.0.0
PHP 5.6.27 (cli) (built: Oct 14 2016 10:23:05)
Copyright (c) 1997-2016 The PHP Group
Zend Engine v2.6.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2016 Zend Technologies

$ php 7.0.12 -v
glady/AlternatePHP v1.0.0
PHP 7.0.12 (cli) (built: Oct 13 2016 10:47:49) ( ZTS )
Copyright (c) 1997-2016 The PHP Group
Zend Engine v3.0.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2016 Zend Technologies

When php_xdebug.dll (named like this) is available within ext folder of current php folder, then a script can be called by php xdebug script.php for loading xdebug within that process.

$ php xdebug -v
glady/AlternatePHP v1.0.0
PHP 7.0.12 (cli) (built: Oct 13 2016 10:47:49) ( ZTS )
Copyright (c) 1997-2016 The PHP Group
Zend Engine v3.0.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2016 Zend Technologies
    with Xdebug v2.4.1, Copyright (c) 2002-2016, by Derick Rethans

$ php 7.0.12 xdebug -v
glady/AlternatePHP v1.0.0
PHP 7.0.12 (cli) (built: Oct 13 2016 10:47:49) ( ZTS )
Copyright (c) 1997-2016 The PHP Group
Zend Engine v3.0.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2016 Zend Technologies
    with Xdebug v2.4.1, Copyright (c) 2002-2016, by Derick Rethans