How to use ionCube Loader with different PHP versions
How to use ionCube Loader with various PHP versions is covered in this post. PHP script files that have been encoded can be decoded and executed at runtime using the ionCube Loader extension.
Whether or not CageFS is used by your hosting account will determine which steps and procedures you need to follow in this tutorial. Please refer to this post to find out if CageFS is enabled for your account.
Using ionCube on CageFS servers
If the server where your account resides has CageFS enabled, ionCube for the standard PHP version—currently PHP 5.5—is already loaded. Your account’s matching ionCube loader is automatically configured when you modify the active PHP version. Using ionCube on your account with different PHP versions does not require any extra actions on your part.
Using ionCube on non-CageFS servers
In the event that your account is hosted on a server without CageFS enabled, ionCube is pre-loaded for the PHP version that is default (5.3.29). But if you are using a different version of PHP, you will need to manually download and install the relevant ionCube Loader.
It should be possible to use different PHP versions with ionCube Loader, but please be aware that we are unable to support these setups.
To do this, follow these steps:
- Use your web browser to go to http://www.ioncube.com/loaders.php.
- Download the zip file for the stable release of the Linux (64 bits) platform to your local computer.
- Using FTP or the cPanel File Manager, upload the zip file to the home directory of your Hostvento Hosting account.
- Using the command line or the cPanel File Manager, extract the contents of the zip file. After the file is unzipped, there should be an ioncube directory that contains several files.
- If you have not already done so, create a php.ini file in your public_html directory.For information about how to set up a custom php.ini file, please see this article.
- Add the following line to the php.ini file. Replace username with your Hostvento Hosting account username, and replace X.Y with the PHP version you are using:zend_extension=”/home/username/ioncube/ioncube_loader_lin_X.Y.so”For example, if your username is example, and you are running PHP 5.5, you would type the following:zend_extension=”/home/example/ioncube/ioncube_loader_lin_5.5.so”
- Save your changes to the php.ini file. The new configuration is now active.
To verify the new configuration, you can create a PHP file that runs the phpinfo() function. Load the file in your web browser, and then search for the text ionCube Loader. It should appear in the Additional Modules section.
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