How-to use php5 alongside php4 on shared servers - php4 hosting & php5 hosting

[JPC-Masood]

This applies once php5 is available on your server (shared, semi-dedicated, reseller). List of servers is provided below.

How to use notes:

1. By default when php5 is installed on your server, it will be accessible using .php5 extension to php files. No action is required on your end for it. Just have the php script named something.php5 and viola it will be processed by php5.
   
2. To use php5 for all *.php files as default in your entire account, you need to edit ~/public_html/.htaccess file and add this directive:
   
   AddHandler application/x-httpd-php5 .php .php4 .php3 .phtml
   
   This will make the server process all files named .php or .php4 or .php3 or .phtml (and .php5 is already handled) by php5.
   
   After this change, no files under public_html will be processed by old php4.
   
   If you want to use both php4 and php5, you can create a subfolder in public_html say "test5" and add the above mentioned directive in .htaccess there. This way php5 will be used only under that "test5" folder and the folder tree under it, and rest of your account will continue to use php4.
   
3. To make changes to php configuration, you will need to install php.ini in public_html folder. We have placed a typical default php.ini file for php5 here: http://www.jaguarpc.com/support/php5.txt (or you can download one from your control panel if you are JaguarPC shared hosting client)
   
   Please rename it to php.ini
   
   For example via ssh:
   
   cd ~/public_html/
   wget http://www.jaguarpc.com/support/php5.txt
   mv php5.txt php.ini
   
4. register_globals is off by default and will remain off. It is said that php6 will not have register_globals, so it is a good time to fix your scripts not to depend on it. But if you need to turn it on, you can do that using your php.ini file.
   
5. You can not use your own php.ini from the shared secure link such as https://securexx.nocdirect.com/~userid/some.php. You will need to get your own SSL certificate setup if you want to use your own php.ini with php5.
   

To post feedback or issues, please use this thread: php5 available now

[JPC-Masood]

All new shared/sdx/reseller servers will have php5 available as per the details above.