[ms4w-users] regression in phpmapscript in latest ms4w release?

[Oliver Christen]

Hi,

I have observed some kind of regression in the way the php_mapscript
function "pasteImage" behave in a php_mapscript compiled for Mapserver 5.0.2
/ PHP 5.2.5 (typicaly the one available in the latest MS4W package)

In this version, the pasteImage only handle the transparency correctly for
8bit images (as it is clearly stated in the documentation "Note" at the
bottom
http://mapserver.gis.umn.edu/docs/reference/phpmapscript-class/classes/imageobj)

BUT, until before these versions of php/mapserver, the transparency worked
fine with 16bit images (jpeg for example)
The latest working version I have is a php_mapscript compiled for Mapserver
5.0.2 / PHP 5.2.0

So, my questions are:

was it really normal for the pasteImage function to handle transparency for
16bit images until recently ? because the "Note" seems to imply it is not.

was there any recent code modification in php mapscript's function
pasteImage ?

what could have possibly changed between php 5.2.0 and 5.2.5 that would
change the behaviour of the pasteImage function ?
I looked at php's changelog but couldnt find any clue beside the fact libGD
was updated to 2.0.35 in PHP 5.2.2, but again I couldnt notice any
significant info in libGD changelog.

I know this is not specificaly a MS4W problem but the problem was observed 
using it and any help would be welcome.

thanks in advance

Oliver Christen