Site Error: The File Requires the ionCube PHP Loader I/O
A properly configured Web server will prevent an end user from seeing any PHP source code, because the server will execute but not send PHP files. However, since PHP is interpreted and not compiled, a PHP developer has to provide the entire application source code to every customer who purchases it. Some PHP developers use encryption software to obfuscate, or encode, part of the source code. This helps protect intellectual capital and prevent unlicensed use. ionCube is a commercially available encryption software for PHP. To run a program encrypted by ionCube, you have to load the ionCube Loader to your Web server or you will receive an error stating that the ionCube PHP Loader is required.
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Compiled vs. Interpreted
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Most desktop programs are written in a programming language that is compiled. A program called a compiler translates the programming language into machine language that runs on a specific operating system. It's not possible to reconstruct the source code from a compiled program. PHP, however, is a Web scripting language that is interpreted, not compiled. This means that, to run a PHP script, a Web server has to have the entire PHP source code for the application. The PHP script is executed in real time, which makes it more dynamic than a compiled language.
Protecting Source Code
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Imagine what would happen if every time Microsoft sold a copy of Excel, it also had to give the source code for Excel to the customer. In no time, there would be Excel clones on the market that did everything Excel did for less money. Some users would copy the source code rather than purchase the program. License keys would be nearly impossible, because a programmer could edit the source code and remove the protection. With a PHP application, the entire source code for a PHP application has to be provided to a customer, because PHP is interpreted, not compiled. To make it more difficult for customers to gain access to the source code, some developers encrypt PHP code in order to protect their investments, trade secrets and copyright.
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ionCube
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ionCube is a widely used PHP source code encryption tool. A developer runs PHP code through the ionCube engine and it produces obfuscated code that is scrambled and encrypted. A customer who purchases the PHP application has to load an ionCube loader on his Web server, and the ionCube loader decrypts the source code so it can be interpreted. When you attempt to run a PHP script that requires the ionCube loader without having it installed on your Web server, you receive an error message stating that the file requires the ionCube PHP Loader.
ionCube Loader
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To resolve the error, navigate to the download page on the ionCube website that has the ionCube loaders for different operating systems' compressed formats. The site is at "http://www.ioncube.com/loaders.php." Click to download the ionCube loader for your operating system, which should be listed under the "Loader Packages" header. Unpack the downloaded file based on the format you chose. Run the loader wizard script to install the ionCube PHP loader file on the server. Run the original PHP script that gave the error message to make sure the error has been resolved.
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