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"Weird PHP/ftp folder problem?"

Not sure why, but I'm getting some weird characters appear in a data file stored online: "ÿþ"

The file is storing a password, but I'm fopening and echoing it for testing and it wasn't working as it should, which is why I noticed it. Anyone experienced this before? Is it a common problem, and is there a way around it? Can't really finish the site if I'm going to get funny letters appear in the data files generated - my client won't be happy with that!

I've sorted it now (I think) and, booger me, it was permissions! the folder the files were in was about 5 folders deep, and I'd forgotten to make one of them how it needed to be. D'oh - such a simple solution, and it had been bugging me for a while!

Er.. http headers? Clutching at straws here. May we see this in action?

Oh, it's with someone else. I never have any beef when I host with you lot, which is why I keep coming back. But this was for a mate/client who wanted non-dial-up access to the ftp folder.

Is this hosted with us or another host?

I've downloaded the .data file, renamed it as .txt, opened it, and it's as it should be, which means it's happening somewhere between 'fopen' and the browser displaying it. Puzzling indeed.

I'm not to sure whats up but I don't remember ÿþ being a valid ascii character although I could be wrong.

ASCII, because it's a text file, it always will be. Did I mention it's a Linux server? A mate of mine was telling me about some database log files that were sent to his work from a Linux server, and they returned funny, so maybe it's a common problem. I've left a note on their emergency forum bit, but whether they reply or not remains to be seen.

Odd, it is putting the data in ascii format and not binary?

At the moment it's just a text file that I've changed to .data, and checked all the boxes off to make it writeable. But later I'll be creating .data files on the fly. I've never had a problem with this before, but I am using a different host to my normal one, so it was bound to go wrong.

I've even copied the data file back, changed it to .txt, and it's fine, whoch means it's something in how the page is displayed.

Where's the data that you're putting in to this file coming from?