Apache won't set headers for PHP script

Question

This .htaccess file:

<IfModule mod_expires.c>
    ExpiresActive On
    ExpiresDefault "access plus 4 month"
</IfModule>
<IfModule mod_headers.c>
    Header merge X-ModHeaders "Yes, it is installed"
</IfModule>

... works as expected in my development box (Windows box, Apache/2.4.10, PHP running as Apache module), where "works" means that it generates the appropriates headers for all resources (static or dynamic).

However, in my production server (Linux box, Apache/2.2.31, PHP running as FastCGI with mod_fcgid/2.3.9) it only works for static assets, not for PHP scripts.

Am I right suspecting that difference comes from the PHP SAPI? Is there a way to fix it so I don't need to duplicate the code that generates HTTP headers?

Brahmanism

PHP can edit headers but that doesn't mean it will by default. You should still get these at any rate – Ferromagnesian

Think the answer here applies: serverfault.com/questions/383011/… ... didn't dig in too deep but read those bug reports it references. – Mccarter

Is your production box on shared hosting? This might prevent you from changing certain apache modules... – Gerrit

@Mccarter That's certainly my problem but the only answer so far claims it isn't a bug and links a ticket that talks about something else. Yuk.. – Thimerosal

@LucLaverdure - Yes, it's shared hosting. What exactly would I be able to change if it was a dedicated server? – Thimerosal

You'd be able to change everything on dedicated, what shared hosting do you have? There might be solutions looking for something specific to this hosting provider – Gerrit

Maybe Header always merge X-ModHeaders "Yes, it is installed"? – Assay

@Assay Sorry, I've tried all variations and it doesn't seem to be that. If the module generates any output, it's just wiped out. – Thimerosal

Answer 1

If PHP is running via mod_proxy_fcgi there might be no filesystem directory involved, hence no htaccess lookup can occur.

There is a more recent flavor of php+mod_proxy_fcgi now documented in the manual that uses SetHandler instead of ProxyPass -- that allows things like htaccess to be processed because the core actually looks up the URL in the filesystem as a first step.

Rifkin

Server is using "mod_fcgid/2.3.9" and .htaccess is certainly executed since other modules work as expected (e.g. mod_rewrite or the AddHandler directive to select the PHP version) and invalid directives cause a Status 500 response. – Thimerosal

BTW, I've updated the question with the actual CGI handler I'm using (it wasn't mod_fastcgi but mod_fcgid, my bad) – Thimerosal

For me this was the reason: I switched to the PHP Module on my shared hoster, and then Header set worked. – Prompt

I eventually got confirmation from HSP support than their mod_fcgid setup prevented custom headers set in .htaccess from working. (I'm terribly sorry for not reporting back at the time!) – Thimerosal

@ÁlvaroGonzález do you have more information on this please? You know what exactly they've fixed? I am having the exact same problem... – Pisciform

@AdrianFöder They haven't fixed anything as far as I know. My hosting provider's specific set up does not allow those directives to have effect on the files they process. But since the problem only affects PHP files it's trivial to write a PHP workaround using header(). – Thimerosal