Individual php.ini files for PHP FCGI and PHP CGI

[Miraenda]

Since I figured these might be helpful to people running either FCGI or CGI handlers on PHP, I'm going to post my guides that I have on my own forum here. If this is in the wrong spot for such guides, please feel free to move them. I hope these will be helpful

PHP FCGI Individual php.ini File

The following steps will allow a custom php.ini file on an account when using FCGI as the PHP handler.

Copy and Edit default php.ini

cd /home/user/public-html/cgi-bin
cp /usr/local/lib/php.ini /home/user/public_html/cgi-bin
vi php.ini

As a test change one of the variables like register_globals from:

register_globals = Off

To:

register_globals = On

If yours was On, then do the reverse. This is simply to test it changes from the global php.ini file.

Create php.fcgi file to load custom php.ini

vi php.fcgi

Please note that you should still be in /home/user/public_html/cgi-bin location.

Put into file:

#!/bin/sh
export PHP_FCGI_CHILDREN=1
export PHP_FCGI_MAX_REQUESTS=10
exec /usr/local/cpanel/cgi-sys/php5

Please note the path to php5 is due to using PHP5 on this system. If you are using php4, it might be /usr/local/cpanel/cgi-sys/php4 or some other path. Check /etc/httpd/conf/php.conf to see what it shows for cgi-sys path for your version of PHP.

Save file, then made executable:

chmod +x /home/user/public_html/cgi-bin/php.fcgi

Change ownership of files to correct user:

chown -R user:user /home/user/public_html/cgi-bin/

Edit .htaccess to point to php.fcgi wrapper

cd /home/user/public_html
vi .htaccess

Put at top of file:

AddHandler php5-fastcgi .php
Action php5-fastcgi /cgi-bin/php.fcgi

Again, here php5 is listed.

Add paths to php.conf file

Add the following lines to /usr/local/apache/conf/php.conf file:

Action php5-fastcgi /cgi-bin/php.fcgi
AddType application/x-httpd-php .php

Yours will probably look similar to the following after those lines are added:

# Fastcgi configuration for PHP5
LoadModule fcgid_module modules/mod_fcgid.so
MaxRequestsPerProcess 500
AddHandler fcgid-script .php5 .php4 .php .php3 .php2 .phtml
Action php5-fastcgi /cgi-bin/php.fcgi
AddType application/x-httpd-php .php
FCGIWrapper /usr/local/cpanel/cgi-sys/php5 .php5
FCGIWrapper /usr/local/cpanel/cgi-sys/php5 .php4
FCGIWrapper /usr/local/cpanel/cgi-sys/php5 .php
FCGIWrapper /usr/local/cpanel/cgi-sys/php5 .php3
FCGIWrapper /usr/local/cpanel/cgi-sys/php5 .php2
FCGIWrapper /usr/local/cpanel/cgi-sys/php5 .phtml

Distill and rebuild Apache, then restart Apache

Run these commands:

/usr/local/cpanel/bin/apache_conf_distiller --update
/scripts/rebuildhttpdconf
/etc/init.d/httpd restart

Load phpinfo page on account

cd /home/user/public_html
vi php.php

In file put:

<?php
phpinfo();
?>

Change ownership to the user:

chown user:user php.php

Load the file at http://domain.com/php.php to see the results.

Your phpinfo file should now show register_globals changed as well as have this at the top defining the new php.ini path:

Loaded Configuration File /home/user/public_html/cgi-bin/php.ini

-----
PHP CGI Individual php.ini File

The following steps will allow a custom php.ini file on an account when using CGI as the PHP handler.

Copy and Edit default php.ini

cd /home/user/public-html/cgi-bin
cp /usr/local/lib/php.ini /home/user/public_html/cgi-bin
vi php.ini

As a test change one of the variables like register_globals from:

register_globals = Off

To:

register_globals = On

If yours was On, then do the reverse. This is simply to test it changes from the global php.ini file.

Create php.cgi file to load custom php.ini

vi php.cgi

Please note that you should still be in /home/user/public_html/cgi-bin location.

Put into file:

#!/bin/sh
/usr/local/cpanel/cgi-sys/php5 -c /home/user/public_html/cgi-bin/

Please note the path to php5 is due to using PHP5 on this system. If you are using php4, it might be /usr/local/cpanel/cgi-sys/php4 or some other path. Check /etc/httpd/conf/php.conf to see what it shows for cgi-sys path for your version of PHP.

Save file, then made executable:

chmod +x /home/user/public_html/cgi-bin/php.cgi

Change ownership of files to correct user:

chown -R user:user /home/user/public_html/cgi-bin/

Edit .htaccess to point to php.cgi wrapper

cd /home/user/public_html
vi .htaccess

Put at top of file:

Action application/x-httpd-php5 /cgi-bin/php.cgi

Again, here php5 is listed. If your PHP is different, use the Action listed for your version of PHP in /etc/httpd/conf/php.conf file.

Load phpinfo page on account

cd /home/admin/public_html
vi php.php

In file put:

<?php
phpinfo();
?>

Change ownership to the user:

chown user:user php.php

Load the file at http://domain.com/php.php to see the results.

Your phpinfo file should now show register_globals changed as well as have this at the top defining the new php.ini path:

Loaded Configuration File /home/user/public_html/cgi-bin/php.ini

[lanquest-it]

Almost a year on and I cannot believe this is still an issue when installing or upgrading this product.

I've just posted a link to this workaround here Sorry! Fusion can't be installed - Checking if magic quotes GPC is disabled | Kayako Community Forums

With PHP 5 evolving, why are we still going through this pain?.

[cPanelTristan]

I don't understand the request being made. Kayako isn't a cPanel product, so if this concerns Kayako and what it requires, then this would need to be taken up with their support system. Likewise the fact CGI and FCGI do not default allow individual php.ini files would not be the fault of cPanel itself, but the very essence of how these PHP handlers work. Any system using CGI or FCGI PHP handlers (not just cPanel) will have to configure individual php.ini files in a similar manner. Now, the options I provided to enable individual php.ini files under CGI or FCGI do work provided the hosting provider hasn't restricted them from being used.

There are many hosts who use suPHP, which has a more lax system for allowing individual php.ini files, so you could certainly try to find a server using suPHP instead.

Also, of note, when I say "I provided" above, this thread was originally made using my non-staff account at the time, so I was the original poster (to avoid any confusion).

[Pooch]

Thanks for the guide. Very helpful. One thing worth mentioning... if you have suExec enabled it's particular about the permissions of the cgi-bin directory and scripts. Do a chmod -R 755 cgi-bin. If you get a 500 error like I did, check your permissions, and remember to check your logs too.

[juliovedovatto]

Great artcile, contratz.

You know what would be great? A guide discribing how to make cpanel create these files automatically when a New Account or Subdomain was created in CPanel. This will avoid problems like this:

Not Found

The requested URL /cgi-bin/php.fcgi/foo.php was not found on this server.

This error is generated because I created New Account and not created the specified fastcgi files.

Where I can find a way to make the creation of php.fcgi/php.ini into user's cgi-bin directory automated?