How to get snapshoot of variables, calls, etc. with disturbing output stream?

[HuntsvilleMan]

I need to debug a php program.  I've tried to use something like:

 

$debuginfo = var_dump(debug_backtrace());

 

and then write $debuginfo  to a text file for later review.

 

The problem I have is that this approach uses the output stream and my program also wants to write to the output stream.  Unfortunately, other programs are using the output stream and dumping dignostic data to the outputstream mesess with the state of the program.

 

Is there a way to get a snapshot of variables and calls without interfering with the output stream?

 

Thanks

 

Mike

 

[xyph]

Writing to a file shouldn't use the output stream.

 

What other programs?

[trq]

var_dump outputs to the output buffer (and returns nothing by the way), you want var_export instead.

[HuntsvilleMan]

Unfortunately var_dump goes stright to the output stream.  What I need is a function that does the same thing by storing to a variable I can then write to a file.

[trq]

Unfortunately var_dump goes stright to the output stream.  What I need is a function that does the same thing by storing to a variable I can then write to a file.

 

Did you actually read my reply?

[HuntsvilleMan]

Here is what I tried

 

      $a = 1;

      $b = 2;

      $c = 3;

      $snapshot = var_export();

      echo $snapshot;  // will write to file rather than echo when it works

 

 

I assumed I would see a list of variables  ($a, $b and $c) and their values in $snapshot but saw nothing displayed.

 

Keep in mind I may also need the previous program to know how the program got to the point of failure.

 

Thanks

     

[scootstah]

Did you even bother to look at the manual for var_export?

 

You need to pass the variable as the first argument and true as the second, to return the output instead of echo it.

[HuntsvilleMan]

Can't see how var_export does anything for me.  If I know a variable's name I can just write it to a file.  I started out thinking something like vr_dump(debug_backtrace()) might be what I needed. Just can't figure out how to get that data written to a file without mesing with the output stream.

[trq]

I'll spell it out then:

 

$backtrace = var_export(debug_backtrace(), true);
// some other code to write $backtrace to a file

[HuntsvilleMan]

That was a very helpful suggestion for keeping results from ending up in the output stream.

 

Still, I don't see how you came up with the suggestion to use True as an argument.  I'm using the documentation (version 5.3.6) of debug_backtrace() at:

 

        http://php.net/manual/en/function.debug-backtrace.php

 

Is there a better documentation I should have used?

 

What I'm getting now is understandable but all in one long unformatted string.  Is there an option to format it with some structure when sending the string to a text file?

 

Thanks

Mike

 

 

[scootstah]

Still, I don't see how you came up with the suggestion to use True as an argument.  I'm using the documentation (version 5.3.6) of debug_backtrace() at:

 

        http://php.net/manual/en/function.debug-backtrace.php

 

Is there a better documentation I should have used?

 

Take another look, the true argument is not in debug_backtrace(). It is in var_export(), and I already linked you to that documentation.

[trq]

Still, I don't see how you came up with the suggestion to use True as an argument.  I'm using the documentation (version 5.3.6) of debug_backtrace() at:

 

        http://php.net/manual/en/function.debug-backtrace.php

 

Is there a better documentation I should have used?

 

Take another look, the true argument is not in debug_backtrace(). It is in var_export(), and I already linked you to that documentation.

 

As did I in my very first reply.