Uniform Server PHP IDE: IDE Overview: Difference between revisions

Uniform Server PHP IDE ‘s main component is Notepad++ this is an excellent text editor and well supported. There is a wide range of easily installed plugins for Notepad++ our IDE uses the following two plugings DBGp and NppExec. XDebug client DBGp interfaces to the PHP Debug module providing interactive control for debugging. An integrated console window and command scripting is provided by NppExec.

IDE user interface consists of three windows:

* Notepad++ runs and edit window is displayed. This is where you enter and save scripts.

* Click '''Debugger''' icon '''B)''' opens debug window

* Click '''Show Console Dialog''' icon '''D)''' opens console window

Resize and rearrange windows position as appropriate.

IDE uses four command scripts these perform the following functions

| '''''D'')''' '''Run Script On Server'''  ||Run currently displayed PHP web page on server. Script is first saved and default browser redirected to page on server. Page displayed in browser.

At first sight the debugger looks intimidating however it really is easy to use. Start the IDE by running '''Run_IDE.bat'''

** E) Click Add '''breakpoint button'''<br>''Marks line with a red dot''<br>''If clicked again toggles to off''  

** H) Step Into - Proceed into functios

** K) Run to cursor - Automatically adds a break point runs script up to the cursor.

** L) Run - Runs to next breakpoint or script end

'''''Note'':''' Script output and errors are displayed in the cosole window

* ''Step A)'' Click the '''Eval button''' this opens a pop-up

* ''Step B)'' In the pop-up enter a '''variable name''' and assign a '''new value'''. For example '''$a=222'''<br>Note you do not need to add a semicolon.

* ''Step C)'' Click '''OK''' this performs an evaluation and opens a pop-up   

* ''Step D)'' Pop-up displays result of evaluation. Unlike PHP's eval new value is immediately available to your script.<br>Script may update this variable as it runs.

List of variables displayed in the Local Context may become large masking a variable you want to constantly monitor.

Ideally you want to directly monitor a few variables this is achieved by using the Watches window. Add variables as appropriate to this window.

* ''Step B)'' Right click in this window and select '''Add watch''' opens Add Watch pop-up     

For debugging you must set at least one break point. Currently we have a default break point set when the debugger starts. This is set to break on first line of a script.

Generally this is suitable for most debugging applications however sometimes you want to start debugging in another page that is called from your main script.

For debugging to take place either manually set a break point in a page<br>or add the '''xdebug_break()''' function  

The batch file runs our test script '''debug_test.php''' any output or input is directed to the batch file command window. The script is debugged using Notepad++ however in this scenario the internal console window is not used.