failure to start .php files

[ianpitter]

I have just installed xampp but cannot get any .php files in hdocs to start with localhost/*.php. If I change the file extension to .html they start but do not call up any .php files in the program.
I would be grateful for any advise; I haven't changed anything in the installation.

[Wiedmann]

I have just installed xampp

The demopages are working?

but cannot get any .php files in hdocs to start

Instead you get what?

with localhost/*.php

"localhost/*.php" is not a valid URI.