Description: ------------ We use open_basedir to prevent users accidentally sharing cookies and temporary files between websites. Each site has their own temporary dir nearer their docroot. This works really well, apart from with Spreadsheet_Excel_Writer. The problem is here: function _initialize() { // Open tmp file for storing Worksheet data $fh = tmpfile(); if ($fh) { // Store filehandle $this->_filehandle = $fh; } else { // If tmpfile() fails store data in memory $this->_using_tmpfile = false; } } There are two problems. The default value for _using_tmpfile, at the beginning of the class, is ignored. The value will always be true. Allowing a check for the method _using_tmpfile first would solve this: function _initialize() { if ($this->_using_tmpfile == false) { return; } // Open tmp file for storing Worksheet data $fh = tmpfile(); if ($fh) { // Store filehandle $this->_filehandle = $fh; } else { // If tmpfile() fails store data in memory $this->_using_tmpfile = false; } } The second problem is specific to sites which use a shared filesytem for thee data. Because tmpfile() will return something under "/tmp/", and "/tmp/" is disallowed by open_basedir, php kills the script before it gets a chance to work. Switching from tmpfile() to tempnam() fixes this. OLE/PPS/File.php also does this.