I have a local LAMP server set up on my Ubuntu laptop for testing various PHP scripts.
Sometimes, when I do something wrong, instead of getting an error, the script I'm testing is offered for download. Why is that and how can it be fixed?
asked Jun 13, 2009 at 13:20
The server does not recognize the script as something to execute locally, and as such it offers it as a file instead.
These lines should be present in your Apache config. Note that the path may need to be changed for the .so modules, depending on your configuration:
# -- if you're using PHP 5, uncomment this line to activate it #LoadModule php5_module libexec/libphp5.so # -- if you're using PHP 4, uncomment this line to activate it #LoadModule php4_module libexec/libphp4.so AddType application/x-httpd-php .php .phtml AddType application/x-httpd-php-source .phpsFollow up with a restart of the Apache service and php should load into Apache to run just fine.
answered Jun 13, 2009 at 13:44
Avery PayneAvery Payne
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Some reasons I have found that this happens:
- if php is not configured correctly on the server
- if the file doesn't have the correct .php extension
- if it is in a directory that does not allow execution
- if the script takes too long to execute.
One test I use is to make a file in the same directory (verify.php) that contains:
<?php phpinfo(); ?>If that file executes in my browser, it the first 3 points are ok
answered Jun 13, 2009 at 14:04
Brent Brent
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I would agree with Avery, that's the usual cause. However, you specifically say it's only sometimes. Any chance you are changing the content type header?
answered Jun 13, 2009 at 13:50
KyleKyle
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A usual error is to print something to the page before the headers get sent.
answered Jun 13, 2009 at 13:55
NifleNifle
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Also note that if you have a .htaccess file in the same folder as your php script, it could be the reason for some execution problems.
For example, if you got a copy of the site files from another server, your htaccess file could have a line like:
But in your actual server you may be running another version of PHP. So it would not excecute right.
answered Mar 10, 2013 at 8:03
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PHP files downloading instead of executing.
My account was recently downgraded from a dedicated account to a VPS account. I've just discovered that the primary domain on my account (circa75.co) is having issues with with PHP files. Instead of PHP files executing, they are downloading. I've uploaded a test index.php file for testing purposes.
Duplicates 1
index.php downloading instead of opening in browser
My website is working fine, apart from the fact that when ever I try to open domain/rss instead of the browser opening the feed, it tries to download it.
I tried fixing it by altering .htaccess, but that didn't seem to work.
Has something changed on the server side that would account for this problem?
Chris
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