Re: [tlug] Recommendations for PHP debuggers?

[Jim Tittsler <jwt-tlug@example.com>]

On Aug 21, 2006, at 16:26, Dave M G wrote:

> Jim said:
> > The Komodo IDE can be used to locally or remotely debug PHP
> I forgot to mention Komodo earlier, but I had looked at it. I  
> discounted
> it because it has a very odd way of handling forms and sessions. If  
> you
> create a web form, and then want to debug the script that handles the
> $_POST data, you don't simply execute the form and have Komodo trap  
> the
> user data. Instead you have to input the user data via a manual
> interface within Komodo. I know I'm not explaining it well, but that's
> part of the problem.

I'm not familiar with the method you are describing.  Why not just  
set a breakpoint after your script has received the form variables  
from your web browser and examine the values there?  That is the  
whole reason why a remote debugger[1] that communicates over a  
channel other than the HTTP exchanges going on between your web  
server and web browser is useful.  Komodo takes advantage of the  
Xdebug network connection and allows you to see what values variables  
have, set breakpoints, etc.  You get to see the script run on the  
server, with its normal inputs as they come over the web and passed  
on by your web server... without having to fake incoming variables,  
sessions, cookies, etc.  You are snooping and probing the real  
environment.

Xdebug and Komodo are *much* heavier than the old PHP3 network  
interface, but way easier to use in an expressive way.

I've not used the Eclipse scheme you mentioned, but it sounds like it  
must take advantage of the same technique.


[1] I'm used to calling it a tethered debugger, but I've spent way  
too much time with embedded systems.


--
Jim Tittsler  7J1AJH/AI8A                            GPG: 0x01159DB6
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