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The cPanel PHPRC PHP Patch for EasyApache 4

Last modified: 2024 August 23

Overview

We created a PHP patch that forces an EasyApache 4 system to read its php.ini files in the same order as an EasyApache 3 system.

Patch behavior

Your system’s PHP handler determines how your system behaves with this patch and which global values the system uses.

If you use the CGI or DSO PHP handler, the system uses the global values that the /opt/cpanel/ea-php##/root/etc/php.ini or the /opt/cpanel/ea-php##/root/etc/php.d/*.ini files define.

If your system uses the suPHP PHP handler, the system loads PHP INI directives in a specific order.

Your PHP handler determines your system’s behavior.

Note:

The system no longer uses local.ini files. If a local.ini file exists on your system, run the following command to migrate your file to the system’s primary php.ini file:

/usr/local/cpanel/scripts/migrate_local_ini_to_php_ini --run

CGI or DSO

The system only uses the values that the /opt/cpanel/ea-php##/root/etc/php.ini file or the .ini file in the /opt/cpanel/ea-php##/root/etc/php.d/ directory specifies.

SuPHP

The system loads PHP INI directives in the following order. The system uses the first instance of a directive that it finds.

Warnings:
  • We strongly recommend that you allow your system to load the .ini files and directives as it finds them. This guarantees the most predictable results.
  • We strongly recommend that you do not specify a location for your .ini file with the [phprc_paths] section of the suphp.conf file, the suPHP_ConfigPath directive, or set the PHPRC environmental variable. Unexpected behavior may occur.
  1. The .user.ini file that exists in the same directory as the PHP script.
    Important:
    • Do not set the user_ini.filename directive.
    • If the system does not find a .user.ini file, it searches up the directory tree until it finds one and uses that file as if it existed in the PHP file’s directory. In PHP 7 and later, the system will search below the domain’s document root.
    • The system ignores directives that are not allowed in .user.ini files.
  2. The php.ini file that exists in the same directory as the PHP script.
  3. The .ini files in the PHP version’s /opt/cpanel/ea-php##/root/etc/php.d/ directory.
    Note:

    PHP scans the files in alphabetical order. To see the files that PHP loaded, you can run the php_ini_scanned_files() command or run PHP with the -- ini option.

  4. The PHP version’s global php.ini file.
  5. The PHP default setting.

If you specified a location for your .ini file, the system does not load configurations in the /opt/cpanel/ea-php##/root/etc/php.d/ directory. Instead, it loads the settings in the php.ini file that the directive specifies. We strongly recommend that you do not specify the location of a php.ini file.

The presence of one of the following sets the location of .ini file that the system reads:

  • The suPHP_ConfigPath directive.
  • The [phprc_paths] section of the suphp.conf file.
  • If you set a file location with the PHPRC environmental variable.
Important:
  • We strongly recommend that you do not set the [phprc_paths] section, the suPHP_ConfigPath directive or set the PHPRC environmental variable. Unexpected behavior may occur.
  • If you specify the location of an .ini file, you must provide a complete .ini file. Run the following command to ensure that your users receive a complete php.ini file:
    cat /opt/cpanel/ea-php##/root/etc/php.ini /opt/cpanel/ea-php##/root/etc/php.d/*.ini > /path/to/specified/php.ini

Additional Documentation