How important is the location of DLL files like php_mysql.dll in relation to the PHP configuration and system directories?

The location of DLL files like php_mysql.dll is crucial for PHP to properly load the extension. These DLL files should be placed in the "ext" directory within the PHP installation directory. Additionally, the path to the PHP installation directory should be added to the system's PATH environment variable to ensure PHP can locate the DLL files.

// Example PHP code snippet to add PHP installation directory to system PATH
$path = "C:\path\to\php";
$oldPath = getenv('PATH');
putenv("PATH=$path;$oldPath");