This page contains information about magic_quotes_gpc and the warning you may receive about this feature when running RackForms.

>> Why Do I Get This Warning Message When RackForms Loads?

We get this message because your server is running with a language option called magic_quotes_gpc enabled. magic-quotes-gpc (often shortened to just 'Magic Quotes') is a dangerous and now depreciated/removed language function in PHP. That is, this functionality is depreciated in PHP 5.3 and removed as of PHP 5.4.

The irony is magic_quotes_gcp was added to PHP to make your code more secure; in reality it only provides a false sense of security. Of course this begs the question of why?, and so this page helps explain why magic_quotes was added in the first place.

Despite this status many web hosts will be running older versions of PHP for quite some time, in particular PHP 5.2. This means the possibility of this feature being enabled will exist for quite some time. If you receive a warning message in RackForms your host is one such example.

>> What Does The Warning Message Mean For RackForms?

In RackForms we try and be as forward looking as possible, as well as encourage safe coding practices where we can. The important point however is RackForms will run and create forms just fine even with this setting enabled. The only part that will not work is the ability to enable Designer Mode, which is a feature for creating a simplified work environment.

In short you need not worry about anything 'breaking' if this setting is enabled, though it's still very much advisable to do what you can to have the host correct this issue.

>> How Can I Address And Prevent This Warning Message?

The best way to resolve this situation is to contact your web host and let them know their servers are running with a dangerous and now defunct feature. Most hosts will be receptive to this request, as disabling it on your hosting account is usually quite simple.

I would like to add one comment about the disabling process, as it may help: If your host is running PHP 5.2 it's a common 'default' option for many shared plans, and so having it disabled, while hopefully possible, may be an issue.

However, as of PHP 5.3 magic_quotes_gpc is depreciated, and so if your host is running PHP 5.3 and they still have magic_quotes turned on this usually means the host is, to put it bluntly, wildly reckless. This is rare of course, though many of the lowest price hosting plans will be a victim of such practices.

As of build 753 if you wish to disable this warning message open the file: app/config.php and change the line:

define('MAGIC_QUOTES_CHECK', 1);

to be:

define('MAGIC_QUOTES_CHECK', 0);

 

Of course you can always contact us to get additional help, so please feel free to do so!