wddx_deserialize makes script abort/stop suddenly without errors

[nickleus]

i have this code:
[code]...
$templateSerialized = $DB_site->query_first("SELECT * FROM template");
$me = wddx_deserialize( $templateSerialized[ 'serialized' ] );
...
[/code]
when the script gets to the second line it just stops. i'm baffled. on a server running php 4.4.4 (serverRemote) where 'wddx_deserialize' does exist, the script stops when it reaches that line, but on another server running php 5.1.6 (serverLocal) where 'wddx_deserialize' doesnt exist, the script works fine!

the output of $templateSerialized is:
[quote]Array[/quote]
obviously, and the output of $templateSerialized[ 'serialized' ] (only see this on serverLocal) by itself is:
[quote]templateOrged[i]main[/i][/quote]

the actual value in the database for the field called [i]serialized[/i] is:[code]
<wddxPacket version='1.0'><header><comment>templateOrged</comment></header><data><struct><var name='type'><string>main</string></var><var name='data'><null/></var></struct></data></wddxPacket>[/code]

would really like to know what's going on and how to get this to work on php 4.4.4. thanks in advance for any help.

Update: i replaced wddx_deserialize with array and then i was able to get further, but i'm not sure if they have the same effect or not?? but then the script stops again at:
[code]wddx_serialize_value( $templateOrged, "templateOrged" );[/code]
this also might shed some light on why function_exists('wddx_deserialize') returns true (even though it doesn't work):
[URL=http://no2.php.net/function_exists]Note that a function name may exist even if the function itself is unusable due to configuration or compiling options[/URL]

and i'm not sure how to get past that one...