IE is Dumb can't parse PHP files

**Victorinox** · Oct 6, 2011 07:33

Do you have separate .php and .html versions of this page on your server so that we can compare them? Changing the extension from .php to .html or .htm in my browser throws a 404 error.

Please post both URLs in your reply, along with IE7 screenshots of each (including the address bar showing the URL).

**SiberianHuskey** · Oct 6, 2011 15:27

PHP Version of the Page
HTML Versionof the Page

View and Compare

**SteveS1951** · Oct 6, 2011 15:45

Originally Posted by SiberianHuskey

PHP Version of the Page
HTML Versionof the Page

View and Compare

If you remove the following lines from the htm version, then it will render the same in firefox and IE.

PHP Code:


<?php
session_start(); //This should always be near the top
$logging = true;
?>

For some reason, IE does not like UN-parsed PHP code before the <html> tag.

Actually, if you place anything before the DOCTYPE, such as

Code:

<!-- This is a test -->

Then IE will not recognize the doc type.

**Victorinox** · Oct 6, 2011 16:05

The PHP version renders in IE7 similarly to later versions of IE and other modern browsers, with some differences of which you are probably already aware e.g. the h1 being partially hidden behind #header.

The HTML version is messed up in IE7. This is because your server is not parsing the PHP code and the unparsed PHP code at the top of the document is throwing IE7 into Quirks Mode.

This is confirmed if I view the PHP version (which looks OK in IE7) in IE9, and use the IE Developer Tools to render it in IE7 Browser Mode and switch the Document Mode to Quirks. The page looks messed up, like the HTML version. Switching Document Mode back to Standard makes it render OK again.

So the problem is with the settings on your web server.

Either the .htaccess configuration you have used to allow PHP to be parsed in .htm or .html files is in error, or perhaps your web host does not support it.

Do you really need the file to have a .htm extension? If so, why?

**SiberianHuskey** · Oct 6, 2011 16:55

Steve that was it, I knew it had to do with the PHP.

The PHP version renders in IE7 similarly to later versions of IE and other modern browsers, with some differences of which you are probably already aware e.g. the h1 being partially hidden behind #header

The H1 is not hidden ?

The HTML version is messed up in IE7. This is because your server is not parsing the PHP code and the unparsed PHP code at the top of the document is throwing IE7 into Quirks Mode.

Correct, that code at the top was the problem.

This is confirmed if I view the PHP version (which looks OK in IE7) in IE9, and use the IE Developer Tools to render it in IE7 Browser Mode andswitch the Document Mode to Quirks. The page looks messed up, like the HTML version. Switching Document Mode back to Standard makes itrender OK again.

Looks OK in IE7 what don't you like ?

So the problem is with the settings on your web server.

Either the .htaccess configuration you have used to allow PHP to be parsed in .htm or .html files is in error, or perhaps your web host does not support it.

Do you really need the file to have a .htm extension? If so, why?

It parses the PHP to HTML correctly now ! I have to test one other thing, so far it's good. I don't need to it's not important, but I prefer it.

**Victorinox** · Oct 6, 2011 17:20

Originally Posted by SiberianHuskey

The H1 is not hidden ?

In IE7, only the bottom of letters in the h1 text ("Contact") are visible, where they extend beneath #header.

Looks OK in IE7 what don't you like ?

You seem to misunderstand. I've simply described my method of testing, not voiced any like or dislike.

It parses the PHP to HTML correctly now !

Are you sure? If your server was parsing PHP in files with a .htm extension then the code you removed would not have appeared in the source of the HTML in the first place.

Does the page actually contain any PHP code now? Perhaps you could post the full code for us to see.

**SiberianHuskey** · Oct 6, 2011 18:30

In IE7, only the bottom of letters in the h1 text ("Contact") are visible, where they extend beneath #header.

It doesn't look like that on my end.

Are you sure? If your server was parsing PHP in files with a .htm extension then the code you removed would not have appeared in the source of the HTML in the first place.

Does the page actually contain any PHP code now? Perhaps you could post the full code for us to see.

A link to a PHP file no PHP code directly.

**Victorinox** · Oct 7, 2011 04:17

If your reluctance to post the PHP code is due to secrecy or security, then this represents a good reason not to rely on parsing HTML as PHP. If your .htaccess file should ever be accidentally changed or deleted then the PHP code would be displayed in the page for the world to see.

What is your objection to using a .php extension?

Here's a shot of IE7.

cs_ie7_standards.png

**SiberianHuskey** · Oct 7, 2011 05:45

What is your objection to using a .php extension?

I prefer too

My screen cap of IE7. There is a difference it's not cut off.
IECapture.JPG

**Victorinox** · Oct 7, 2011 08:42

Whether viewed with the IE9 Developer Tools using IE7 document and browser mode, in IETester on both Windows 7 and XP, or a native IE7 on XP, the h1 is always partly hidden.

Maybe you're viewing in IE9 Development Tools with IE7 browser mode and IE8 or 9 document mode.

This has moved away from PHP so I'll leave it there.