Reason ForceType application/x-httpd-php on .htaccess not working at all

Question

I have tried to use:

.htaccess

<Files client>
 ForceType application/x-httpd-php
</Files>

client file

<?php 
     echo "FOO BAR";
?>

Just to test, but the server is not parsing the client file, it just serves it up as a file download. I tried SetHandler also without luck.

UPDATE

I'm using MediaTemple and the have there own way of doing things. I can't use ForceType bu I can use this.

<Files client>
     SetHandler php-script
</Files client>

Answer 1

ForceType requires AllowOverride of FileInfo

check your httpd.conf if this is set.