Gzip just randomly stopped working

[jake66]

I was using this method for quite some time:

output_buffering = On
output_handler = ob_gzhandler
zlib.output_compression = Off

in my website's public_html folder inside php.ini

The other night, it stopped gzipping content. I have a phpbb on the same directory and it is still gzipped (via the built in gzipping in phpbb's scripts).

On the root part of the website I cannot use the same method of gzipping for some reason.. just doesn't work. htaccess gzipping doesn't work either, I get a 500 error.

What would cause it to just stop working through my php.ini?

I do have root access to my server. Is there something I may have accidentally disabled in httpd.conf?

[TheMadScientist]

Yes, it appears you could have changed a mod_deflate setting, which would change your ability to use compression.

Apache Mod_Deflate [httpd.apache.org]

[edited by: TheMadScientist at 3:15 pm (utc) on May 8, 2008]

[jake66]

Thank you!

I tried adding:

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/html text/plain text/xml

to my .htaccess, but got a 500 error.

Is this a setting that must be edited in the httpd.conf file? If so, what is the value I should change?

[TheMadScientist]

Actually, I think all settings need to be in the httpd.conf. You can use VirtualHost settings, containers, matching patterns, etc. to specify which site(s), directory(s), file type(s) you would like to compress.

I think there are some good examples in the section on enabling compression, and if you are using 'virtual host' containers, you should be able to adjust settings individually per container.

[jake66]

How can I tell if I am using anything to match containers or patterns?

I don't recall setting anything with these names before, I just loaded my php.ini one day and it worked.. then all of a sudden didn't.. so I'm not entirely sure how to update these values.

I've modified the httpd.conf file before, but no values with names similar to what you posted.. I'm a bit lost. :)

[jake66]

For any other newbies like myself reading this that had problems..

I opened up SSH and:

pico /usr/local/lib/php.ini

Changed: output_buffering from Off to On

then I moved down to:
;output_handler =

Changed to:
output_handler =ob_gzhandler

Saved.. then tested my site. gzip is now on.

Should also mention: this enables gzip on the SERVER. So if you're running phpbb (who has it enabled via script), you have to disable their gzip to get rid of the warning.