People often write to support or post in the forum asking us why their php.ini files aren’t working. Well, php.ini is a unix/linux file, so it doesn’t work on Windows servers. The next question is always, “So how do I control php settings?” To which we have always had to answer, “Sorry, you can’t.”
Until now.
With the introduction of PHP 5.3.10, we have provided you with the ability to upload your own user.ini file, in order to specify php settings you wish to change for your account. If you’ve used a php.ini file on a linux server, this is the same concept. You simply create a text file named user.ini in the root of your account. The file can include php settings such as:
upload_max_filesize = 200M
date.timezone = “Europe/London”
These settings will be changed for your site only. While most of these settings are safe to change, the user.ini file does give you a lot of control over how php works for your site, so use your best judgement as to what you change.
If you are the experimental type and wind up making a change that causes problems with your site, simply remove the line(s) causing trouble and re-upload the file. Note that there is a five minute server cache for user.ini changes, so you may not see your changes until a few minutes after uploading.
We’re excited to be able to offer the php flexibility that you’ve been asking for. As always, we want Winhost to be the best host on the planet, so we’re listening to you and working hard to meet your needs every day. Thanks for working with us!