Apache or PHP problem?

Question

Here is my problem. Sorry if the subject was discussed before, but I didn't find it. Also, sorry if the place for my question is not here.

I have a website on a server using Apache 2.04 and PHP 5. During website navigation, a script creates a .xml file with 755 rights and apache:apache owner. The problem is that this file created is not accessible from a .swf file neither from a different browser window - trying to access it directly by typing it's absolute path.

I discovered that changing owner to root:root, the .xml file became accessible in both situations. Trying to change owner or rights using PHP function, no changing happened.

Please help me and tell me what can I do in order to fix this problem. It is a PHP configuration?

Thank you in advance.

Answer 1

it's not a php configuration problem or apache problem. just a programming pitfall.

While uploading or creating new files with PHP, it always will use default "umask". if you did not provide correct umask or CHMOD of file, it may not be accessable by other applications even apache. (because it's made by your code)

here is link for umask & chmod.
http://php.net/manual/en/function.umask.php
http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.chmod.php

Try to solve the problem with php code. like: just after you upload or create new file, change chmod of file.

chmod("/somedir/somefile", 0644); 

this way is better, efficent, compatible.

Answer 2

Maybe a directory in the full path of xml file is not readable by apache user.

Check permissions of every directory of xml path file, you can try to read directory content:

sudo -u apache ls -l /GRAPHICS/

sudo -u apache ls -l /GRAPHICS/video/

sudo -u apache ls -l /GRAPHICS/video/files/

Maybe you should add apache user to the proper group, but it depens by you user rights on this directory.

Answer 3

It's possible you're server permissions require 644 for PHP scripts, assuming it gives an Internal Server Error