Apache 2.4, .htaccess and php directive error

Question

I have upgraded to Centos 8, and find myself having to cope with the changes in Apache 2.4. I’ve started to get it working, but I have a perplexing error with a simple setting in .htaccess:

#   .htaccess
#   PHP Time Zone
    php_value date.timezone Australia/Melbourne

I get the dreaded error:

The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request.

There’s no point contacting the server administrator because that’s me.

The error_log file has this:

Invalid command 'php_value', perhaps misspelled or defined by a module not included in the server configuration

This has always worked in the past on Apache 2.4, and also works when I use Apache 2.4 on XAMPP. So obviously there is something in some other configuration, possibly in httpd.conf which causes it to crash.

What setting am I missing, or should I change?

Update

As answered by @Chi.C.J.RajeevaLochana below, the solution lies in using the correct MPM. In my case, in the file 00-mpm-conf:

Comment out

LoadModule mpm_event_module modules/mod_mpm_event.so
Uncomment

LoadModule mpm_prefork_module modules/mod_mpm_prefork.so

For further information, see:

See the error_log file. And just paste some of the latest output here. — Example person, Apr 29 '20 at 04:32
Why not? It’s just there as a default, and the problem isn’t with the time zone setting itself. — Manngo, Apr 29 '20 at 04:33
You could just set it in the php.ini file anyways. See the error_log file. And just paste some of the latest output here. — Example person, Apr 29 '20 at 04:35
Are you using php as a apache module? If you are using something like PHP-FPM you'll need to use php.ini files. — Enrico Dias, Apr 29 '20 at 04:35
@EnricoDias You are right. I was about to say that https://www.php.net/manual/en/configuration.changes.php — Example person, Apr 29 '20 at 04:36
php_value is not working. Because PHP is not apache module in your case. — Example person, Apr 29 '20 at 04:37
@EnricoDias I thought it was running as an Apache Module. Certainly it reads the `.htaccess` file, because when I comment out the directive, the problem goes away. — Manngo, Apr 29 '20 at 04:38
You know, like mod_mpm_worker, mod_mpm_prefork, mod_mpm_event? — Example person, Apr 29 '20 at 04:39
@Chi.C.J.RajeevaLochana This is the line from 00-mpm-conf: `LoadModule mpm_event_module modules/mod_mpm_event.so` — Manngo, Apr 29 '20 at 04:42
When you are using either mod_mpm_event or mpm_mpm_worker instead of mod_mpm_prefork, you will not be able to use the PHP Module. — Example person, Apr 29 '20 at 04:44
@Chi.C.J.RajeevaLochana That appears to have fixed it. Can you put the comment about `mod_mpm_prefork` into an answer so that I can accept it? — Manngo, Apr 29 '20 at 04:49

Example person · Accepted Answer · 2020-12-16T03:11:07.210

3

When you are using either mod_mpm_event or mod_mpm_worker instead of mod_mpm_prefork, you will not be able to use the PHP Module. This is because mod_mpm_event and mod_mpm_worker are threaded modules. And the PHP module is not thread safe.

If you are unsure how to do this, check out Soufiane ELH's tutorial which should be above/below this answer.

edited Dec 16 '20 at 03:11

answered Apr 29 '20 at 05:18

Example person

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When I build httpd-2.4.46 I do not have the either `mod_mpm_event.so` or `mod_mpm_prefork.so` in the modules folder. Does this mean the build went wrong? Supposed to build from `prefork.c` in the server folder correct? – Brian Wiley Dec 15 '20 at 00:28
@Brian Wiley, What was your configure command? – Example person Dec 15 '20 at 03:14
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/65219046/how-to-install-apache-2-4-46-from-source-on-ubuntu/65219058#65219058, see this answer, it might help you in someway – Example person Dec 15 '20 at 05:03
So I tried this first `./configure --prefix=/usr/local --with-module=mpm-prefork --with-mpm=prefork` which should have worked based on the documentation [here](http://httpd.apache.org/docs/current/install.html) and configure -h but then it had issue making 'mpm-prefork' (supposed to remove mod_ and replace underscores with -). But it does work if you just remove `--with-module=mpm-prefork`. So this should work for anybody else `./configure --with-mpm=prefork` – Brian Wiley Dec 15 '20 at 07:34
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I am sure `--with-module=mpm-prefork` is invalid... Good job you fixed your issue. – Example person Dec 15 '20 at 07:37
Enable all mods to "reallyall" could work also probably. I saw that option in the help also – Brian Wiley Dec 15 '20 at 07:38
I usually always use `sudo ./configure --prefix=/usr/local/apache2 --enable-mods-shared="reallyall" --enable-mpms-shared="all"` which I have mentioned on the link I sent two hours ago. This gives me the flexibility to edit and disable any modules any time. – Example person Dec 15 '20 at 07:39

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 15 '20 at 17:44

1

the event module is enabled by default on centos 8 .. to check wich module you have :

#sudo httpd -V | grep -i mpm

if you have enent module enabled, disable it, and enable the prefork module:

Edit the /etc/httpd/conf.modules.d/00-mpm.conf file
Comment out the line for the event module
uncomment the line for the prefork module
restart apache

check again the module enabled by apache and you will find prefork :

# sudo httpd -V | grep -i mpm
Server MPM:     prefork

answered Dec 15 '20 at 17:44

Soufiane ELH

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Nice job on providing the tutorial. – Example person Dec 16 '20 at 03:10
Please note that it is the same tutorial for the worker module btw. – Example person Dec 16 '20 at 03:13

Apache 2.4, .htaccess and php directive error

2 Answers2