3DES and TripleDES

[Anon]

Hello,

I have a few questions:

1. Is 3DES and TripleDES the same de/encrypt-method?
2. If not, how can I install the 3DES? with the "--with-mcrypt"
   parameter? It doesn't install the 3DES only TripleDES
3. The key with which I am supposed to encrypt and decrypt the
   data is a binary file ('key.key'). Can anyone tell me how to
   use a binary file as an encryption key? Here is what I have tried:

$key = implode("", file("key.key"));
$input = "blablabla";
$encrypted_data = mcrypt_ecb(MCRYPT_3DES, $key, $input, MCRYPT_ENCRYPT);

This doesn't work. What am I doing wrong?

thanks for your help

barn