Working with the Debugger

Purpose and Usage

Debugging Local PHP Files (PHP Scripts)

Debugging PHP Applications (PHP Web Pages)

This procedure demonstrates how to debug a file using the internal debugger or your server's debugger:

1. Create a PHP file, called "debug", and copy-paste the example code into it. (Click here to see the code.)

2. Set a breakpoint at line 103 by double-clicking the marker bar to the left of the editor window.
   A blue ball will appear.

3. Save the file.

4. Click the arrow next to the debug button on the toolbar and select Open Debug dialog -or- select Run | Open Debug dialog from the main menu -or- right-click the file in PHP Explorer view and select Open Debug dialog.
   A Debug dialog will appear.

5. Double-click the PHP Script option to create a new debug configuration.

6. Enter a name for the new configuration.

7. To debug the file using Studio's PHP Executable debugger, select the PHP Executable option in the Debugger Location category.
   -Or- To debug the file using your server's Debugger, select the PHP Web Server option under the Debugger Location category and select your server from the drop-down list.
   If you have not configured a server, click the PHP Servers link to be taken to the PHP Servers Preferences page.

8. Under PHP File, click Browse and select the "debug" file.

9. Ensure that the 'Break at First Line' Breakpoint checkbox is selected.

9. Click Apply and then Debug.

10. Click Yes if asked whether to open the PHP Debug Perspective.

11. A number of views will open with information about your script.

12. The Debug View is where the debug stack trace is displayed and the debugging process can be monitored and controlled.

The debugging process will currently have stopped where your first <?php label appears.

13. Click the Resume icon to continue to the breakpoint.

14. Click Step Into . The Debugger goes into the function defined in line 103 and advances to line 77.

15. The Variable view will now display various information about the relevant variables and parameters through which the function was reached.

16. In the editor window, place and hold the cursor over $worker_name, $worker_address, and $worker_phone. A tooltip appears displaying the variable values.

17. Click Step Return. The cursor returns to line 103.
    The Debug Output view will display the HTML output created up until the breakpoint, while the Browser Output view will show the current output to a browser.

18. In the Debug view, click Resume  until the debugging process is terminated.
    Notice that as the debugging process progresses, the Debug Output and Browser Output displays are updated.

19. The console view will display any errors or warnings about your script. In this case, it will display a Notice about an undefined variable on line 105.

20. Click on the PHP Perspective icon to return to normal editing mode.

21. To run the debugging process again, click the arrow next to the debug icon on the toolbar and select your configuration -or- select Open Debug Dialog and double-click your configuration from the Debug dialog.
    Clicking the debug icon will debug the last executed launch configuration.

This procedure demonstrates how to debug a file remotely:
(If you have already created the file following steps 1 - 3 under "Debugging a PHP File Locally", above, skip to step 4.)

1. Create a PHP file, called "debug", and copy-paste the example code into it (click here to see the code).

2. Set a breakpoint at line 103 by double-clicking the marker bar to the left of the editor window.
   A blue ball will appear.

3. Save the file.

4. Click the arrow next to the debug button on the toolbar and select Open Debug Dialog -or- right-click the file in PHP explorer or within the file's editor window and select Debug As | Open Debugb Dialog.
   A Debug dialog will appear.

5. Double-click the PHP Script option to create a new debug configuration.

6. Enter a name for the new configuration.

7. In your new configuration window, select PHP Web Server under the Debugger Location category.

8. Click PHP Servers to add your server.
   If you already have a server configured, skip to step 12.

9. In the PHP Servers dialog, click New.

10. Enter the server's name and its document root URL.

11. Click Finish and OK to add your server and return to the debugging dialog.

12. Select your server from the drop-down list.

13. Under PHP File, click Browse and select the "debug" file.

14. Mark both checkboxes under the Breakpoint category.

15. Click Apply and Debug.
    The Debug Perspective will open.

16. In the Debug view, click Resume until the debugging process is terminated.

17. The output in the views will provide the following information:

• Debug View – Here you can control (stop, pause, and resume) the debugging process. You can also decide whether to step into, step over or step return (step out off) certain functions.

• Variables – Will display the various variables in your script.

• Breakpoints – Will display the breakpoints you have entered

• Parameter Stack – Will display the parameters through which functions are reached.

• Editor Window – will display the code at the relevant sections, according to which line is selected in the Debug View window.

• Debug Output – Will show the textual output of the script. This will be updated as the debugging process continues.

• Browser output - Will show the output of the script to a browser. This will be updated as the debugging process continues.

• Console View – Will display any error and warning messages.

• Tasks – If you had added any tasks to your script, these would be displayed here.

18. Click on the PHP Perspective icon to return to normal editing mode.

19. To run the debugging process again, click the arrow next to the debug icon on the toolbar and select your configuration -or- select Debug and double-click your configuration from the Debug dialog.

This procedure demonstrates how to debug applications on a server:

1. Create a new PHP file, called "form1", with the following code:

<html>

<body>

<form action="welcome.php" method="post">

Name: <input type="text" name="name" />

Age: <input type="text" name="age" />

<input type="submit" />

</form>

</body>

</html>

2. Create a second PHP file, called "welcome", with the following code:

<html>

<body>

Welcome <?php echo $_POST["name"]; ?>.<br />

You are <?php echo $_POST["age"]; ?> years old.

</body>

</html>

3. Save both files and copy them to your server.

4. Click the arrow next to the debug button  on the toolbar and select Open Debug dialog -or- right-click the file in PHP explorer or within the file's editor window and select Debug as | Open Debug dialog.
   A Debug dialog will appear.

5. Double-click on the PHP Web Page option to create a new debug configuration.

6. Enter a name for the new configuration.

7. Select the Zend Debugger from the Server Debugger drop-down list.

8. Select your server from the drop-down list.
   If you have not configured a server, click the PHP Servers link to be taken to the PHP Servers Preferences page.

10. Under the File/Project category, click Browse and select the "form1" file. This will be the file from which the debugger will start debugging (the 'debug target'.)

11. Ensure that the URL pointing to the file location is correct.
    If this is not correct, unmark the Auto Generate checkbox and manually change the URL.

Note:

You can choose whether the file content will be taken from the local copies of the files or from the files located on your server. To select the file's Source Location, select the 'Advanced' tab and select the relevant option under the 'Source Location' category.

12. Click Apply and then Debug.

13. Click Yes when asked whether to open the PHP Debug Perspective.

14. The Debug Perspective will open with several views relevant to the debugging process (See 'PHP Debug Perspective' for more information on the different views.)

15. In the editor view, you will see the code for the "form1" file.

16. In the Debug view, click Resume to resume the debugging process.

17. The browser output will display a form asking you to enter your Name and Age.

18. Select the browser view (tabbed with the editor window). This will display the output of your script in a browser in 'real time'.
    Note that this is different from the Browser Output window.

19. In the browser view, enter your Name and Age and click Submit Query.

20. Another editor tab will open, with the script from the welcome.php file.

21. In the Debug view, click Resume to resume the debugging process.

22. The browser output and browser views will display the final result of your application:
    "Welcome [Name].
    You are [Age] years old."

23. The debugging process will have terminated.

24. Click on the PHP Perspective icon to return to normal editing mode.

25. To run the debugging process again, click the arrow next to the debug icon on the toolbar and select your debugging configuration.

Related Links:

Debugging

Using the Debugger

Debugging a PHP Script

Debugging a PHP Web Page

Debugging a URL

PHP Debug Perspective

Debug Preferences

Running and Analyzing Debugger Results