PHP won't display errors - tried what Google offered

Tyree

I recently had my php and mysql upgraded to the latest versions...

Well, now php will not display errors. I just get blank pages or server 500 errors.

I have tried altering the php.ini file to enable error displaying, but to no avail. This either shows notices and warnings on all pages, or nothing at all depending on the error-reporting level I set. But, still, even with all errors turned on, it will not show an error if just one little semi-colon is missing in my code.

The way it used to be, before the upgrade, it would tell me I was missing something and on which line. Now, I get nothing.

Since I know enabling errors globally with the php.ini file is not-so-smart, I tried putting this on the page I'm working on instead:
ERROR_REPORTING(E_ALL & ~E_NOTICE);
ini_set("display_errors","1");

That didn't work either...same result as changing the php.ini file.

Is there somewhere else I need to go to get this working again? Debugging has been a nightmare lately!

Thanks!

halojoy

Best is if you set error_reporting E_ALL and display_errors in your php.ini
Remember! You have to restart your Apache server
in order for the new php.ini settings to come in effect.

To see what error level is set and other settings
you can see using function phpinfo();

There is also possibility to put error settings in one .htaccess file
and so control all php pages in a specific web-directory:

# general directive for setting php error level
php_value error_reporting integer
php_flag display_errors on

Where 'integer' is a number telling errror level. See second link below.
And the display errors php_flag can be 'on' or 'off'

bradgrafelman

You're correct in assuming that PHP errors shouldn't be turned on for a production server. Instead, you should be logging all error messages for later review.

Also note that if it is a parse error (e.g. a missing semicolon, as in your example), then using ini_set() or any other PHP functions/syntax in your code won't make any difference. The definition of a parse error is an error that occurred while the PHP interpreter was reading your PHP script and trying to make sense of it; since it couldn't do this, it's obviously not going to execute the ini_set() function that enables error reporting.

Besides, surely you don't develop and modify existing code in place on your production server but rather on a separate development server (mine is my own personal laptop), right? 😉

Tyree

Thanks for the reply...

I haven't gone the .htaccess route yet, but I've definitely set the php.ini and restarted apache many times. Just gives the results I mentioned before.

If there is any fatal error on the page, like a missing semi-colon, the entire page will just be blank or will give a 500 server error. Even with all errors turned on, I get nothing.
But with other pages with no fatal syntax errors, I get unsightly notice errors.

I would think the php.ini file would be the end-all/be-all as far as these settings go. If I can't get it to work by altering that, is there any hope of getting it to work elsewhere?

bradgrafelman

Out of curiosity, how is PHP integrated with Apache?

Also, if a 500 error is occurring then Apache should be logging something into your error log; can you show us these messages?

Tyree

Heh heh...of course I don't test on the production server....oh wait, yes I do.

Actually, I'm more of a glorified novice. Still learning. I didn't even know how to run php on my home pc 'til recently. Then I was fussing with it trying to get the same code to run the same on both servers. Which after a recent format and reinstall, I'm having trouble with AGAIN. Maddening! :-D

So, no, I definitely don't follow best practices...never claim to do that! But, I'm learning what the best practices are and I'm working toward it. Also, I only run my own, low-profile, sites on my server. So, not like facebook is going to grind to a hault because of my screw-ups. :-)

Heck, I still have yet to do a project using OOP! I'm chomping at the bit to get to that though! That's why I upgraded php to version 5!

Anyway...
Great point about the parse error not PARSING the error display code...again, glorified novice here. :-D

I'm having trouble getting it to do the 500 error again. I'm mostly just getting blank pages now. Even with error display turned on in php.ini.

Just looked through the error logs. Just a bunch of hits from hackers trying to find open phpMyAdmin installs! :-D I don't see ANY 500 errors that are from me.

NogDog

Run this to see if your settings are really taking hold, and if not, look at the phpinfo() output to make sure you are changing the correct php.ini file.

<?php
echo "<p>Display errors: " . ini_get('display_errors') . "</p>\n";
echo "<p>Error reporting: " . ini_get('error_reporting') . "</p>\n";
phpinfo(INFO_GENERAL);

bradgrafelman

Do you know how PHP is integrated with Apache? Is it via ISAPI DLL or the CGI binary?

Tyree

NogDog;10937377 wrote:
Run this to see if your settings are really taking hold, and if not, look at the phpinfo() output to make sure you are changing the correct php.ini file.

Ran the code...
Display errors: 1
Error reporting: 6135

Displayed phpinfo too. It's definitely the correct php.ini file, that's for sure. I can get errors to display on pages with no parse errors. But any page with a parse error just shows a blank page or occassionally a 500 error.

bradgrafelman wrote:
Do you know how PHP is integrated with Apache? Is it via ISAPI DLL or the CGI binary?

Not a clue.