Is there a limit like max_input_vars in versions before 5.3.9?

Question

It seems like there is a problem with older PHP versions and more than 1000 input fields in one form (see this question).

If I run a webserver with an older PHP vers

Answer 1

I think your problem is not the number of yourform fields, I think the total data you are sending is to much.

There is an php.ini directive that limits how much data you totally can send on a post request (check: post_max_size).

But you can not change post_max_size while runtime (because this value is checked before the first line of you php files during input phase of php).

Your have several ways to change this value:

1. In Webserver Config
2. in a htaccess file

with the following code:

php_value post_max_size 512M # set maximum post data to 512 MB

1. in your global php.ini
2. in your users.ini (if it's configured)

with the following code:

post_max_size = 512M

Answer 2

It seems there is confusion:

http://www.flowstopper.org/2012/12/my-php-wtf-of-day-maxinputvars.html

Although the docs say: "Available since PHP 5.3.9."

http://php.net/manual/en/info.configuration.php

If I had to guess I would say there was always a limit, and it just got pulled out into the config/documentation in 5.3.9

Answer 3

There seems to be a bug in older versions:

https://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=65778

although you can alter the directive in php.ini and the change is shown correctly in phpinfo(), it has no effect.

Behaviour: all variables exceeding 1000 are ignored

tested in PHP 5.3.3-7+squeeze17 without suhosin module

A possible workaround: compact all form-data with javascript