Warning: exec() has been disabled for security reasons in /var/zpanel/hostdata/c

Hey Caleb,

Looks like exec() has been disabled in your hosts version of php. This can happen when you’re on a shared hosting provider.

We’ll update the plugin so it gracefully handles the case when exec isn’t enabled. In the mean time, this warning should only appear once on activation.

Let us know if you’re continuing to see it and we’ll help you work through the issues.

Hey thanks, I looked in /etc/php5/apache2/php.ini and SafeMode is disabled. I run the server on linux. I actually own the Dell PowerEdge, I would appreciate any help ??

Hey Caleb,

Are you still unable to activate the plugin? Depending on which version of PHP you have, it is possible that safe mode could still trip you up.

Have you checked if you have safe mode enabled somewhere else and have a restriction on the WordPress folder perhaps using something like safe_mode_exec_dir with safe mode on? Or perhaps have disabled exec in the PHP setting disable_functions?

You could take a look at the settings that are actually in use in your WordPress installation by using the phpinfo() command in a php file in the WordPress folder and calling the file directly from your browser.
Example file called test.php to generate a page displaying PHP/server configuration:

<?php
phpinfo();

It will generate a page of information including the state of any safe mode related settings. Obviously this is not something to leave on a public website so please delete the file when done.

Here is the list. Also are you going to make the plugin without the exec() function? I appreciate it!
System Linux ubuntu 3.5.0-34-generic #55~precise1-Ubuntu SMP Fri Jun 7 16:25:50 UTC 2013 x86_64
Build Date Mar 11 2013 14:15:21
Server API Apache 2.0 Handler
Virtual Directory Support disabled
Configuration File (php.ini) Path /etc/php5/apache2
Loaded Configuration File /etc/php5/apache2/php.ini
Scan this dir for additional .ini files /etc/php5/apache2/conf.d
Additional .ini files parsed /etc/php5/apache2/conf.d/curl.ini, /etc/php5/apache2/conf.d/gd.ini, /etc/php5/apache2/conf.d/imap.ini, /etc/php5/apache2/conf.d/mcrypt.ini, /etc/php5/apache2/conf.d/mysql.ini, /etc/php5/apache2/conf.d/mysqli.ini, /etc/php5/apache2/conf.d/pdo.ini, /etc/php5/apache2/conf.d/pdo_mysql.ini, /etc/php5/apache2/conf.d/suhosin.ini, /etc/php5/apache2/conf.d/xmlrpc.ini, /etc/php5/apache2/conf.d/xsl.ini
PHP API 20090626
PHP Extension 20090626
Zend Extension 220090626
Zend Extension Build API220090626,NTS
PHP Extension Build API20090626,NTS
Debug Build no
Thread Safety disabled
Zend Memory Manager enabled
Zend Multibyte Support disabled
IPv6 Support enabled
Registered PHP Streams https, ftps, compress.zlib, compress.bzip2, php, file, glob, data, http, ftp, phar, zip
Registered Stream Socket Transports tcp, udp, unix, udg, ssl, sslv3, tls
Registered Stream Filters zlib.*, bzip2.*, convert.iconv.*, string.rot13, string.toupper, string.tolower, string.strip_tags, convert.*, consumed, dechunk, mcrypt.*, mdecrypt.*

Hey Caleb,

It looks like it is using the php.ini file you mentioned, so safe mode should be disabled.

However, to double check if it really is disabled, look a little further down the output on that screen and you will see a section called ‘Core’. In there you will see the following settings:
PHP Version
and:
safe_mode
safe_mode_exec_dir
safe_mode_include_dir

No need to paste the whole section, but take a look at those settings to see if they are set, and if so to what values.

In answer to your question about removing the exec command, that is something we are working on for an upcoming release.

safe_mode Off Off
safe_mode_exec_dir no value no value
safe_mode_gid Off Off
safe_mode_include_dir no value no value

this is what i saw? I am running this on a hosting account so it runs through zpanel on my server? So could it be a setting on the account?

Hey Caleb,

You had said that you owned the box – is it a dedicated host maintained by a hosting service? If so then I would contact them and ask if they have somehow disabled exec().

It is in my house on the 1st floor. If you wanted I could possibly setup vnc or ssh and give you temp access. How soon until I should expect the new plugin update without exec()? thanks!

Hi Caleb,

Probably the faster way to get you up and running is for you to disable the exec call in the code. It’s pretty straightforward – open the file third-party/mixpanel/mixpanel.php in the Placester plugin and look for

function track($event, $properties=array()) {
        $params = array(

and change it to:

function track($event, $properties=array()) {
        return;
        $params = array(

You can do this either using a text editor and going to the file in:
<path to your WordPress installation>/wp-content/plugins/placester/third-party/mixpanel/mixpanel.php

Or, (depending on how restrictive you have set the file permissions on your WordPress installation) you can do it from within WordPress itself by going to the admin menu Plugins->Editor, then select ‘Real Estate Website Builder’ from the drop down labelled ‘Select plugin to edit’ and clicking the ‘Select’ button. Below the drop down a list of all the plugin’s files will appear. Select placester/third-party/mixpanel/mixpanel.php, make the change and save.