newly uploaded php scripts not executing

[mefaward]

We have been running our php/MySQL-based site on bluehost for the past year with no problems, and made several changes to the php files over that time. Our current live site, which is working correctly, is at http://www.mefawards.net/MEFA2007/

We now have another change to make to the way the site functions and have been trying to upload the changed files to a test site at http://www.mefawards.net/mefa2007_t_branch/.

I have uploaded the files by FTP and they appear to have uploaded correctly, but the URL gives a blank page, with the source code <!-- SHTML Wrapper - 500 Server Error -->.

I have successfully FTPd exactly the same files to a different host at http://mefawards.fancrone.net/mefa2007/ and they work correctly.

I also tried exporting the files from our CVS, which again appeared to export the files correctly but gave the same "blank page" error, and have also used the File Manager in the Bluehost cpanel to upload some of the files with the same result.

I could FTP a very simple "Hello World" php file to http://www.mefawards.net/mefa_t_test/ which works correctly.

I have also checked the permissions for the files (as suggested during a live chat with Bluehost support) and they are identical for the live (working) site and the test (non-working) site.

The Bluehost support person seemed completely stumped and suggested we post here. Does anyone have any idea why we're having these issues and how we can resolve them?

[felgall]

It is just about impossible to say when all we can see is the final HTML.

I might be able to work it out from looking at the actual PHP.

[Basil]

You're sure the file hasn't been corrupted somehow, and that it is in fact an exact copy of the working version?

Have you tried literally copying the working folder to another directory on the site and seeing if it works, then uploading over it with the new files?

[mefaward]

Thanks for the input. We've now resolved the issue.

You're sure the file hasn't been corrupted somehow, and that it is in fact an exact copy of the working version?

Have you tried literally copying the working folder to another directory on the site and seeing if it works, then uploading over it with the new files?

The copies on the two different servers were definitely the same files, and one worked and one didn't - obviously the other (not bluehost) server was more tolerant of whatever issue was going on.

However, it does look like our code repository on the bluehost server had got corrupted in some way. We had the same thought as you and downloaded a copy of the working live site and reuploaded it, and that worked. So we reimplemented the changes we wanted to make (fortunately not extensive) and were able to upload that successfully, and then force an update of the code in the repository.

I'm not sure we'd have stood any chance of working out which of the several hundred files in the site was the "problem" one, but it's certainly been an interesting experience to discover that code can run happily on one server while throwing a complete fit on another.