# The Encoding/Encryption System Many of the SnippetMaster program files are "encoded" (encrypted) with either Ioncube Encoder or Zend Encoder/Safeguard. (Unfortunately, this encryption is necessary because several people stole the source code from me previously when I left it "open", and now I must encrypt it to protect myself from thieves. Sorry!) A common error you might encounter when trying to run SnippetMaster for the first time is if your server is not yet set up with the ability to "decode" (unencrypt) the files. A typical error might look something like this: Ioncube The file /path/to/snippetmaster/index.php has been encoded with the ionCube PHP Encoder and requires the free ioncube_loader_xyz_4.3.so ionCube PHP Loader to be installed. Zend Fatal error: Unable to read 887 bytes in /home/username/public_html/snippetmaster/index.php on line 0 If you see this sort of error, then it means you must "install" the required "loader" file and then everything will start to work. Note: I am only going to explain how to get the Ioncube encoding system working here. The Zend version will have to wait. (But be sure you're uploading the files in BINARY mode.) What is an "ioncube loader" file? The "loader" file is the file that has all the decryption commands for your server's operating system and version of PHP. The problem is that there are dozens of different operation systems and versions of PHP, and each combination needs a different "loader" file. Loader files for the most popular operating systems and PHP versions are already included inside the /snippetmaster/ioncube/ folder, but if you have a "less-common" operating system or PHP version then you might need to visit the ioncube website and download the necessary "loader" file. ### It's Easy! The first place to start is by going to the following file with your web browser: http://www.yourdomain.com/snippetmaster/ioncube/ioncube-loader-helper.php www.yourdomain.com = your own domain name snippetmaster = the name of the program folder where the SnippetMaster files are located This will run a quick diagnostic and probably tell you the required "loader" is not installed. There are several options to install the required file, but the easiest is to use "run-time loading". You should look for the text that says something like this: If you do not have access to the php.ini file, please follow the run-time loading installation instructions. Now you should click the run-time loading installation instructions link and follow the instructions indicated. Typically, you will need to go to the ioncube.com website, download a specific "loader file" (for your operating system and version of PHP), and then upload it into your /snippetmaster/ioncube folder. ### Need help? No problem. You can find information on how to obtain help here.