Is there a way to optain php files b4 they are processed by the server ?

There is a way. If you have a download script installed on the server, then you can "trick" that script into downloading the PHP file that you want located on the server. (Not saying how.)

Also, if a server somehow doesn't parse the PHP file, it will just output the code.

Oh, and of course by FTP!

Other than those ways, I don't know...