Thanks Greg...I am aware of the allow_url_fopen/allow_url_include relationship. Your suggestion to look into curl was implemented and there still seems to be something else afoot. I created a simple set of curl functions which just printed a remote url to the browser window. This tested well on an alternate test site which has PHP 5 running. However back on the hosting client I'm having problems with, curl throws the following error message: CURLE_COULDNT_RESOLVE_HOST (6) Couldn't resolve host. The given remote host was not resolved. A second test script, uses the popular PayPal Instant Payment Notification scheme which opens up a socket connection with the paypal server. Even this method of remote communition was defeated. So I'm lead to believe there is some other PHP configuration (or server configuration) which is stopping PHP from connecting with remove services. Chris ""Greg Bowser"" <topnotcher@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:9ed554210803180719x2c0fca15g7806f80be8b6ca7a@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > The actual setting is allow_url_fopen. allow_url_include controls whether > or not you can use a remote URL as an include (however, if allow_url_fopen > is off, then allow_url_include will also be off.) > > The short answer to your question is: yes, there is a way. Several ways, > in > fact. You could use curl, or you could use an Http client written in php. > The latter involves using either the socket_ or the fsocket functions. > > > * http://scripts.incutio.com/httpclient/ > > On Tue, Mar 18, 2008 at 10:11 AM, Chris <cwilli14@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > >> I've encountered a situation where under PHP 5 the file_get_contents() >> function will not work properly (actually not at all) if the php.ini >> Filesystem configuration parameter, allow_url_include is set to OFF. >> According to the PHP documentation allow_url_include is intended to >> limiting PHP from accessing scripts on other servers. >> >> I have read posts that suggest setting allow_url_include to ON as >> a solution. Well that's great if you have the ability to modify your >> php.ini. But what if you have an account on a shared hosting system >> and the hosting company will NOT make the requested change? >> >> Is there a work around to this or how would one access remote web >> services >> if allow_url_include is OFF. This looks like a huge problem since many >> services, like PayPal's IPN and Google maps geocoding, rely on >> communication >> with their servers. >> >> Thanks, >> Chris >> >> >> >> -- >> PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) >> To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php >> >> > -- PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php