Archive for PHP

Sep
19

Get Out Of The PHP Memory Error Rut With WordPress

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We’ve all been there: You drag yourself out of bed in the morning, crawl to your computer, and boot up the oh-so-familiar blog space. But instead of finding your lovingly crafted website, complete with self-made logos and beautiful banners, all you find is this error:

“Fatal error: Allowed memory size of ######## bytes exhausted (tried to allocate ## bytes) in /home/user/public_html/wp-includes/phpfile.php on line 80.”

Before you start swearing at your monitor or worse—we’re thinking that stapler looks appropriately weighted for some hefty hucking—know that this issue is easily fixed, and doesn’t have to be the day-wrecker you feel it might be.

It’s worth noting that your exact error message may vary, but as long as it says something about your memory being more worn out than an obese man at a 10k, you’re golden: The issue has to do with available computing space, and you’re still reading the right tutorial.

The likely issue is that you’ve just installed a new plug-in or extension, and now WordPress is acting like an estranged lover. There are a couple of ways to correct the issue. The easiest is to disable any recently installed extensions and see if that corrects the problem. However, this is certainly less than desirable, as you likely want that new piece of code. With that in mind, you might try to expand the available memory space for your site. This can be accomplished in the following way:

Essentially, you’ll need to change the amount of memory available for PHP. This can be done in a number of ways, and it might be that there’s only one that works for your server. Always query your web host first—or if you’re feeling gung-ho, locate your php.ini file and do this to it!

Locate the following line:

memory_limit = 32M ; Maximum amount of memory a script may consume

Change “32M” to “64M,” and then cross your fingers. Some hosts limit the amount of memory you can delegate yourself to PHP, so if this doesn’t correct the issue, therein may lie your problem. If you can’t acquire access to php.ini, you might try adding the same line to the .htcaccess file in your WordPress main installation folder.

If none of those are possible, then you’re in a sticky boat, Pilgrim: Call up the tech-support you’re paying for and get them to do one of the things we just discussed.

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Sep
14

Linux Web Hosting – What Makes it Click?

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Linux Web Hosting is appropriately named.  Websites built using the Linux operating systems are said to be hosed on Linux, as simple as that! Some features of Linux web hosting make it a great choice for people looking to develop web sited to establish their presence in the expansive online markets. Linux allows users access to some really useful technologies such as PHP, MySQL, Python and XML, all of which are open source.

Linux hosting derives a lot from the Unix system. Over the past few years Linux has grown to be recognized as an attractive budget hosting platform. Users get ample breathing space to experiment and expand the scope of their online businesses through Linux web hosting packages. The subsequent part of this article discusses a couple of the differentiating features associated with Linux Web Hosting.

Open Source

Linux based web hosts rely on the open source Linux OS to power their servers. An integrated structure defines the Linux web hosting plans, and this is generally referred to as LAMP which signifies the coming together of the Linux operating system, Apache server software, MySQL database and PHP scripting into a unified constructive backbone. Linux based hosts connect you to scores of wonderful open source applications and scripts that let you literally expand in all dimensions as far as the utility of your web pages goes. Some of the more popular open source technologies you would find interesting and useful include CGI, Perl and PHP. Bugs and glitches are not nightmares any more with Linux web hosting, as the open source community often has solutions ready promptly.

Great Services At Affordable Price

Another factor is the affordable costs of Linux based web hosting packages, making the proposition sounds a lot more worthwhile than an ordinary Windows based hosting package. Linux hosts outrun their Windows based counterparts on many grounds. For instance, Linux servers allow you the flexibility to work with Telnet whereas Windows servers would leave you high and dry if such a need arrives. And then, there is concrete evidence that Linux web hosting makes your website a lot more agile. Add to it the fact that there are applications such as Evolution, GNOME Desktop and Open Office to complement your web business with Linux hosting, and there is hardly anything that would inhibit you from trying it out.

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WordPress is far and away the most popular content management system (CMS) on the web.  It’s for good reason, but like anyone holding the claim of first place, it still has its critics.  If you are working with PHP and want a good content management system for your site, you have a gaggle of options.  We’re going to run down a few of them here, and go over their advantages and disadvantages.

Geeklog

One of the most popular of the WordPress alternatives, Geeklog is a feature-full CMS that can use mySQL, PostgreSQL or Microsoft SQL server for its databases.  It includes among its features content syndication, forums, calendars, polls multi-language support and mass user deletion.  If you need help, it actually uses a wiki for its official documentation.  Popular sites Groklaw and Mac OS X Hints have used it for years.

concrete5

Open-source CMS concrete5 has attracted attention for its ease of use.  Not only is there easy editing of individual pages without having to go through an administrative interface of some kind, but even images can be edited from directly within its interface.  It includes among its features search engine optimization, a tracker to check for latest software revisions, and a page history so that you can revert to any previous version of any page on your site.  It’s among the newer CMSs so 3rd party content and themes are still catching up, but it appears that this is happening quickly.

Drupal

Drupal might be the largest and most far-reaching CMS outside of WordPress. In fact, one estimate has one in 66 web sites using it, including the governmental web sites for both the US and the UK.  It has about as much compatibility as any software out there, running on any operating system using PHP and working with just about every main database software in existence.  Among its arm-length long list of features are multi-user file editing, multiple security restriction methods, support for multiple sites, and support from communities in multiple languages (“multiple” seems to be the central word here).  The gigantic community, in fact, seems one of Drupal’s main selling points: the Drupal web site lists more than 11,000 user-created modules.

PHP-Fusion

For something with a lot of miles on it but still simple and lightweight there is PHP-Fusion.  It comes with most of the basic features like themes, forums, picture gallery support, spam protection and an in-site search, and it has support sites in 20 countries.  It is considered one of the most stable and reliable CMSs out there.

Joomla!

Also, with strong community support is the open-source Joomla!  Using object-oriented programming, Joomla!’s features include RSS feeds, polls, search capability, and language internationalization.

WordPress’s reputation is well-earned, but don’t fear the alternatives.  One of the advantages of the information era is that there’s almost always more than one right way.  If your web host uses them, take a closer look.  You’ll find a lot of them to be of a high enough quality to make you not miss the biggest names.

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Jan
25

4 Crucial Aspects to Consider When Choosing a Web Hosting Plan

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With new web hosting businesses being born every day, and the web hosting industry (one of most competitive industries in the world) expanding at a rapid rate, it is becoming increasingly difficult to sift through the mountains of advertising material and sales pages effectively. Fortunately, if you use the right set of criteria in the proper order of operations, choosing the right web hosting plan or provider can still be a relatively simple process.

Knowing which aspects of web hosting plans are most important can help you save time when comparing the most essential attributes and features of each plan. The following four crucial aspects should be considered when examining any prospect of a web hosting provider or plan.

Web Hosting Platform

First and foremost, it is important to decide whether you need access to a web server that utilizes the Linux/UNIX operating system or the Windows operating system. This decision should be based on your individual website needs and the development technology you use(d) to design and create your web pages. Websites that are developed using Microsoft technologies such as ASP and VB will require access to a Windows server to function, while the majority of other open-source programming technologies such as PHP, Python, and Perl can function optimally on Linux-based operating systems.

Web Hosting Features

After deciding which web hosting platform would be most suitable, it’s best to begin comparing the most essential features between each plan. Some of the most important features to compare include the amount of disk space, bandwidth, databases, e-mail accounts, and domains allowed with each plan. As mentioned, it is also important to consider which programming languages and platforms the web hosting plan is compatible with. It is also important to look for features such as uptime and money back guarantees, as well as server redundancy and scheduled server backups.

Plan Affordability

After establishing your web hosting needs and narrowing the list of prospective plans, it’s time to begin comparing the prices of each plan. Unfortunately, the majority of novice webmasters choose to carry out these steps in the opposite order, choosing a plan based on price rather than establishing their server needs and comparing features and platforms first. If you want to ensure optimal performance and the highest rate of success for your websites, then you should never choose a web hosting provider based on price alone. Only begin comparing the prices of similarly sized plans after you have narrowed your list based on the two aforementioned aspects.

Customer Service and Support

Most people overlook the importance of having access to responsive, friendly, and knowledgeable customer service. That is, until something malfunctions and suddenly your websites are off-line or all of the pages are loading slowly. When this happens, you’ll need access to 24-hour support that is competent enough to handle any administrative tasks, regardless of what time of day or night it is. Thus, it is best to test the responsiveness of each web hosting provider’s customer support staff by calling them at random times and seeing how long it takes, and in which way they answer all of your inquiries.

Dec
10

Linux Hosting – From Corporation to Consumer

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Every web site on the internet is hosted on a web server that is managed through the use of an operating system, similar to how you control your computer through the operating system. This aspect of web hosting is quite often overlooked, and a lot of novice webmasters don’t even know what kind of operating system their hosting plan uses. Nowadays, if you don’t know what operating system your hosting plan uses, there is a very good chance that it runs on Linux. This is because the Linux operating system is the default choice for nearly every web hosting provider.

The cheapest and most reliable web hosting plans usually have Linux as their operating system because it is a free open source software that is easy to service and install. However, Linux wasn’t always so convenient or popular, and at one point it was only used by corporations with IT departments and in-house residents. Over the years, Linux developed into many flavors that are friendly to even the most novice user. The following are some of the most cited reasons for using Linux hosting instead of Windows.

Open Source Compatibility

As an open source software, Linux is compatible with virtually any programming platform other than those that are native to Windows or Microsoft technology. Some of the programming languages that Linux is compatible with that are incredibly popular are the three Ps -  PHP, Perl and Python. Since the operating system is open source, new programming languages can be developed around the Linux base to ensure future compatibility, and existing languages can be amended to accommodate the Linux software. This allows hosting companies to provide instant support and continue expanding their technological capabilities within an open source platform. With a Windows server, hosting companies have to wait on updates from Microsoft, and they cannot add custom developments to the operating system.

Stability and Security

Surprisingly, even though the operating system is free, it is generally much more reliable than the Windows operating system because anyone can perform maintenance on the software without waiting for the operating systems manufacturer. This makes Linux a stable solution that can be maintained by anyone with the knowledge and willpower to do so. Linux is also one of the most secure operating systems, which is another reason why so many people use it for web hosting in an industry which security is of the utmost concern. The Linux operating system effectively keeps your web site free from worms, intrusion and third party viruses that can compromise the safety of your online business. This reliable protection minimizes downtime and keeps your site up and running without any problems more than 99.9 percent of the time.

Limited Limitations

The Linux operating system is not without its limitations however, as it is not compatible with some Microsoft based software that are commonly used by bigger businesses. For example, Microsoft Sharepoint could not be installed on a Linux server without virtualization software. Fortunately, if you’re experienced enough, you can install a visualization software and urn Windows within the Linux operating system, completely eliminating such limitations. Thus, there are very few limitations within the Linux operating system, and it is easy to see why it has progressed from a private to a public solution in the past two decades.

Oct
07

The cPanel Software/Services Area

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The cPanel Software/Services area of the software is one that allows the user to install Perl and PHP packages, view the PHP information and plenty more. The section tends to focus more on the programming aspect of your website in conjunction with the behind the scenes actions of the web hosting environment.

The section is broken down into eight areas. These include:

  • CGI Center
  • Site Software
  • PHP PEAR Packages
  • PHP Configuration
  • Perl Modules
  • Optimize Website
  • Ruby on Rails
  • RubyGems

The CGI Center is short for Common Gateway Interface and allows a web server to run small segments of software code called scripts. cPanel’s CGI Center provides pre-loaded scripts that can be extremely beneficial to a website. Some commonly used scripts include, creating a guestbook, hit counter, clock and banner ads. These spruce up websites and make them more functional and attractive.

The Site Software area allows for the addition of useful software to a website. The web hosting provider offers different types of software for necessary functions. The PHP PEAR package can help users add and manage various types of PHP packages. Similarly, the PHP Configuration area contains functions that allow the user to view information regarding the server’s PHP configuration.

The Perl Modules mini-section provides an easy-to-use interface to add and manage Perl modules to any site. The Optimize Website area has settings which can automatically compress a website when specific content is accessed by visitors. This allows for a much quicker transfer of information from server to guest due to a smaller file transfer which most customers and visitors will greatly appreciate.

The Ruby on Rails is a unique area that is a document tutorial on how to create and install a Ruby on Rails application to a website. Finally, the RubyGems area is a package manager for the Ruby programming language. It creates a standard format to distribute programs and libraries, manage gems and provides a server for distribution.

The Software/Services is a tremendously vital section that is not commonly found in competing control panels. These small areas with so much functionality and customization are the primary reason cPanel is the most widely used, popular control panel available to web hosting providers. As cPanel continues to grow and expand, they will find new functions to add which will help users be more efficient in their website creations.

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