Re: Is there a way to use an external header.php file for the admin section?
 

An outside source has nothing to do with the secure warnings. A lot of us include google JS code for analytics on our secure pages without a problem. In this case it has even less to do with secure warnings as its a server side include, not a client side include which are the includes that generate security warnings.

The header PHP code would need to generate appropriate href's for http & https to avoid secure warning messages but that's really a moot point. The error message indicates that PHP is configured to not allow includes via URL's - i.e. it only allows local includes. Most hosts do this as a security measure to limit hacker exploits from grabbing malicious code from external servers.

Re: Is there a way to use an external header.php file for the admin section?
 

I disagree. Call an image from http://anotherdomain.com and you WILL get a warning.

Re: Is there a way to use an external header.php file for the admin section?
 

That's because the Google Analytics code automatically switches to SSL when you're in SSL mode hence why you don't get the warning. I agree with balinor it causes problems and a lot of customers who are not well informed about security will be automatically turned off should they get a warning about "Insecure Content" on the page and a broken lock.

Re: Is there a way to use an external header.php file for the admin section?
 

External <> security errors.
Calling an external file wrong causes security errors.
You should call an external file using http when in not in secure mode and using https when in secure mode - thats easy to do and as I mentioned is done for google analytics.
But that's NOT what AgentBristow was trying to do. He was trying to include php code server side which is a whole different kettle of fish.

Re: Is there a way to use an external header.php file for the admin section?
 

True. Until the header code itself contains insecure external urls which may or may not be the case.