# Not existant files passed to php backend

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369>\
**Category:** NGINX\
**Created:** [August 20, 2008, 11:43am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369 "2008-08-20T11:43:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Reinis_R)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 11:43am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/1 "2008-08-20T11:43:14Z")

</div>

Hello,  
I have a little problem with 0.7.11 (could be it a bug or config error  
or is  
it expected?).  
Nginx passes \*.php (matching the regexp) files to the fastcgi backend  
even  
they dont exist and instead of the specified error\_page displays “No  
input  
file specified.” (which prolly comes from the php).

The response header is correct 404 though but it is still pased over to  
php  
backend :

Here is the difference between requesting a simple file and \*.php…

wget -S [http://127.0.0.1/notexists.htm](http://127.0.0.1/notexists.htm)  
–2008-08-20 12:20:40-- [http://127.0.0.1/notexists.htm](http://127.0.0.1/notexists.htm)  
Connecting to 127.0.0.1:80 … connected.  
HTTP request sent, awaiting response…  
HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found  
Server: nginx/0.7.11  
Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:20:40 GMT  
Content-Type: text/html  
Content-Length: 383  
Connection: close  
2008-08-20 12:20:40 ERROR 404: Not Found.

wget -S [http://127.0.0.1/notexists.php](http://127.0.0.1/notexists.php)  
–2008-08-20 12:20:44-- [http://127.0.0.1/notexists.php](http://127.0.0.1/notexists.php)  
Connecting to 127.0.0.1:80… connected.  
HTTP request sent, awaiting response…  
HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found  
Server: nginx/0.7.11  
Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:20:44 GMT  
Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8  
Connection: close  
2008-08-20 12:20:44 ERROR 404: Not Found.

The not existant php request doesnt appear also on errorlog.

The config:  
…  
http {  
include mime.types;  
default\_type application/octet-stream;  
access\_log off;  
sendfile on;  
keepalive\_timeout 0;  
server {  
listen 80;  
server\_name localhost;

```
    root /data/web/root;
    index index.php index.htm;

    error_page 404 /404.html;
    error_page 502 503 504 /404.html;

    location ~ \.php$ {
        fastcgi_pass 127.0.0.1:1026;
        fastcgi_index index.php;
        include fastcgi_params;
    }
}

```

}

So is there a workarround to this ?

wbr  
Reinis R.

---

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**Author:** ![Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Reinis_R)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 4:36pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/2 "2008-08-20T16:36:22Z")

</div>

> Nginx passes \*.php (matching the regexp) files to the fastcgi backend even  
> they dont exist and instead of the specified error\_page displays “No input  
> file specified.” (which prolly comes from the php).

Igor can you give a comment on this?  
Is this expected or am I gone wrong with the config?

rr

---

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**Author:** ![Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Reinis_R)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 4:44pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/3 "2008-08-20T16:44:00Z")

</div>

On Wednesday 20 August 2008, Reinis R. wrote:

> > Nginx passes \*.php (matching the regexp) files to the fastcgi backend  
> > even they dont exist and instead of the specified error\_page displays “No  
> > input file specified.” (which prolly comes from the php).
> 
> Igor can you give a comment on this?  
> Is this expected or am I gone wrong with the config?
> 
> rr

it is expected

if you don’t like php’s 404 page  
set fastcgi\_intercept\_errors to on

---

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**Author:** ![Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Reinis_R)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 5:02pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/4 "2008-08-20T17:02:09Z")

</div>

On Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 05:21:57PM +0300, Reinis R. wrote:

> > Nginx passes \*.php (matching the regexp) files to the fastcgi backend even  
> > they dont exist and instead of the specified error\_page displays “No input  
> > file specified.” (which prolly comes from the php).
> 
> Igor can you give a comment on this?  
> Is this expected or am I gone wrong with the config?

Yes, this is expected behaviour.

---

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**Author:** ![Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Reinis_R)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/5 "2008-08-20T17:18:01Z")

</div>

> it is expected
> 
> if you don’t like php’s 404 page  
> set fastcgi\_intercept\_errors to on

I see.

Just switching from lighty where the default behaviour is first to check  
the  
local file ( lighttpd has an extra setting ‘check-local’ where you can  
specify to look for the file on local disk rather than blindly  
forwarding to  
request on the fastcgi backend )

Although this is handy in case of remote fastcgi backends isnt the  
majority  
setups where the nginx and php (and other fastcgi processes) are on the  
same  
box? And as the php is the slowest component wouldnt it be more  
efficient  
from the performance point of view for the nginx throw the error first  
rather than intercepting the error later (and maybe add a  
setting/feature  
(mimic to lighty) to disable the local file check)…

Anyways thx for the hint.

rr

---

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**Author:** ![Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Reinis_R)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 5:47pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/6 "2008-08-20T17:47:23Z")

</div>

On Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 05:29:00PM +0200, Roxis wrote:

> > specify to look for the file on local disk rather than blindly forwarding
> > 
> > rr
> 
> you can use ngx\_http\_rewrite\_module
> 
> if (!-f $request\_filename) {  
> return 404;  
> }  
> fastcgi\_pass …
> 
> but it’s not recommended

Although I generally do not recommend to use “if (!-f  
$request\_filename)”,  
it’s mostly related to complex directive inside “if” block, something  
like:

```
  if (!-f $request_filename) {
      fastcgi_pass ...
  }

```

but simple “return 404” in “if” block is OK.

---

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**Author:** ![Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Reinis_R)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 6:12pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/7 "2008-08-20T18:12:35Z")

</div>

Does multiple complex directive inside “if” block impact the  
performance ?  
If so, how much ?

2008/8/20 Igor S. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid):

---

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**Author:** ![Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Reinis_R)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 5:37pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/8 "2008-08-20T17:37:24Z")

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On Wednesday 20 August 2008, Reinis R. wrote:

> to request on the fastcgi backend )  
> rr  
> you can use ngx\_http\_rewrite\_module

if (!-f $request\_filename) {  
return 404;  
}  
fastcgi\_pass …

but it’s not recommended

---

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**Author:** ![Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Reinis_R)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 6:13pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/9 "2008-08-20T18:13:10Z")

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On Thu, Aug 21, 2008 at 12:01:42AM +0800, Delta Y. wrote:

> Does multiple complex directive inside “if” block impact the performance ?  
> If so, how much ?

No, they does not impact the perfomance, but they has many limits  
and drawbacks.

---

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**Author:** ![Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Reinis_R)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 6:22pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/10 "2008-08-20T18:22:36Z")

</div>

> Although I generally do not recommend to use “if (!-f $request\_filename)”,  
> it’s mostly related to complex directive inside “if” block, something  
> like:
> 
> ```
> if (!-f $request_filename) {
> fastcgi_pass ...
> }
> 
> ```
> 
> but simple “return 404” in “if” block is OK.

Thx…  
Made a simple/generic benchmark with ‘ab’ - with  
fastcgi\_intercept\_errors  
the 404 could squeeze only like ~5k req/sec but with the if() approach  
the  
req/sec have gone up to arround ~15k rq/sec…

It’s not like on a regular bases someone would request non-existing  
\*.php  
files then again the backend has a a load of stuff to do for itself to  
waste  
cpu-clicks on this 🙂

rr

---

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**Author:** ![Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Reinis_R)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 6:28pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/11 "2008-08-20T18:28:28Z")

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On Aug 20, 2008, at 12:04 PM, Igor S. wrote:

> On Thu, Aug 21, 2008 at 12:01:42AM +0800, Delta Y. wrote:
> 
> > Does multiple complex directive inside “if” block impact the  
> > performance ?  
> > If so, how much ?
> 
> No, they does not impact the perfomance, but they has many limits  
> and drawbacks.

Such as?

Our entire setup is built around these right now.

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**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 6:33pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/12 "2008-08-20T18:33:09Z")

</div>

Does the following config work?  
If it does, is it reasonable in your opinition?

location / {

if($geo ) {  
proxy\_pass [http://upstream2](http://upstream2);  
}

if( $request\_uri ~ .css$){  
expire 3d;  
}

if( $request\_uri ~ .gif$ ) {  
expire 1d;  
}  
…  
if( $request\_uri ~ .jpeg$ ) {  
expire 2d;  
}

if( $request\_uri ~ /admin/ ) {  
auth\_basic “Restricted”;  
auth\_basic\_user\_file conf/htpasswd;

}

proxy\_pass [http://upstream](http://upstream);

}

2008/8/21 Igor S. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid):

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**Author:** ![Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Reinis_R)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 7:05pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/13 "2008-08-20T19:05:22Z")

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On Wednesday 20 August 2008, Reinis R. wrote:

> if there is such in config and also on disk?
> 
> rr

after internal redirect by ngx\_http\_index\_module  
$request\_filename will contain index file

simple don’t use “if (!-f $request\_filename)” in “location /” block

---

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**Author:** ![Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Reinis_R)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/14 "2008-08-20T18:43:07Z")

</div>

> No, they does not impact the perfomance, but they has many limits  
> and drawbacks.

Seems like stumbled on one of those - if (!-f $request\_filename) { …  
doesnt take in note index directive files…

Eg if you open [http://domain.com](http://domain.com) instead of the index.php the if() is  
hit  
and in my case 404 returned ☹

Is this also expected that $request\_filename doesnt containt the index  
file  
if there is such in config and also on disk?

rr

---

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**Author:** ![Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Reinis_R)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 7:37pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/15 "2008-08-20T19:37:31Z")

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Roxis wrote:

> On Wednesday 20 August 2008, Reinis R. wrote:
> 
> > if there is such in config and also on disk?
> > 
> > rr
> 
> after internal redirect by ngx\_http\_index\_module  
> $request\_filename will contain index file
> 
> simple don’t use “if (!-f $request\_filename)” in “location /” block

Yup just place it in your php location block.  
location ~ .\*.php$ {  
if (!-f $request\_filename) {  
return 404;  
}  
fastcgi\_pass 127.0.0.1:10000;  
fastcgi\_index index.php;  
}  
this is how i have been handling this without issues for sometime.

---

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**Author:** ![Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Reinis_R)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/16 "2008-08-20T19:58:04Z")

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On Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 07:28:58PM +0300, Reinis R. wrote:

> if there is such in config and also on disk?  
> Yes, “if” (rewrite module) runs before index module, therefore “if”  
> tests “/”.  
> But if you place “if” inside “location \*~ .php$” (as it was already  
> suggested), then “if” will test already internally redirected  
> “/index.php”.

---

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**Author:** ![Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Reinis_R)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 8:26pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/17 "2008-08-20T20:26:55Z")

</div>

Igor S. wrote:

> On Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 07:28:58PM +0300, Reinis R. wrote:
> 
> > if there is such in config and also on disk?  
> > Yes, “if” (rewrite module) runs before index module, therefore “if”  
> > tests “/”.  
> > But if you place “if” inside “location \*~ .php$” (as it was already  
> > suggested), then “if” will test already internally redirected  
> > “/index.php”.

Hi Igor, just curious i am not a regex expert or anything. What is the  
difference between the one you have listed here “location _~ .php$" and  
then one i am currently using "location ~ ._.php$”?  
Thanks

---

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**Author:** ![Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Reinis_R)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/18 "2008-08-20T20:04:32Z")

</div>

> Yup just place it in your php location block.  
> location ~ .\*.php$ {  
> if (!-f $request\_filename) {  
> return 404;  
> }  
> fastcgi\_pass 127.0.0.1:10000;  
> fastcgi\_index index.php;  
> }  
> this is how i have been handling this without issues for sometime.

Thx… Works as expected.

rr

---

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**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/19 "2008-08-20T20:02:10Z")

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On Thu, Aug 21, 2008 at 12:24:29AM +0800, Delta Y. wrote:

> expire 3d;  
> if( $request\_uri ~ /admin/ ) {  
> auth\_basic “Restricted”;  
> auth\_basic\_user\_file conf/htpasswd;
> 
> }
> 
> proxy\_pass [http://upstream](http://upstream);
> 
> }

No, it will not work as you expect. This is the reason why I do not  
recommend to use complex “if” blocks: it simply does not work as one may  
expect due to internal implementation.

This was my big mistake when I had allowed some directives inside  
“if” blocks. It was better to postpone it before good “if”  
implementation.

And one note again: never use

if( $request\_uri ~ .jpeg$ ) {

there is the best replacement:

location ~ .jpeg$ {

---

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**Author:** ![Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/47e85d/32.png) [@Reinis\_R](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Reinis_R)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2008, 9:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/not-existant-files-passed-to-php-backend/146369/20 "2008-08-20T21:06:06Z")

</div>

On Wed, Aug 20, 2008 at 08:26:55PM +0200, Rob S. wrote:

> Hi Igor, just curious i am not a regex expert or anything. What is the  
> difference between the one you have listed here “location _~ .php$" and  
> then one i am currently using "location ~ ._.php$”?

There is no diffference between “.php$” and “.\*.php$” regexs.  
The former probably more optimal, but I’m not sure: PCRE may optimize  
the later and produce the same code as for the former.

As to “location _~" vs “location ~”, the "_~” is case-insensetive regex.

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