Setting Up Debugging

Zend Server provides built-in components which allow developers to easily and securely debug and profile PHP applications in development and production environments using an IDE.

The following procedures describe how to configure Zend Server to allow local and remote PHP debugging and profiling of web applications using an IDE (e.g., Zend Studio, PhpStorm) and your selected server debugger (Zend Debugger or XDebug).

This procedure describes how to activate a debugger for debugging on Zend Server.

Note:

Only one debugger can be activated at the same time.

 

 

Instructions on how to complete a procedure

To activate a debugger:

  1. In the Zend Server UI, go to the Debugging | Debugger page.
  2. In the Active Debugger section, select a debugger:
    • Zend Debugger - The most advanced PHP debugger developed by Zend, and the ideal debugger to choose if you’re using Zend Studio.
    • XDebug - The most popular debugger extension in the PHP market. For more information on XDebug, go to: http://xdebug.org/
    • None - Both debuggers are disabled.
  3. Click .
    The debugger you selected is activated.

See additional and debugger-specific configuration settings below.

This procedure describes how to configure debugging on Zend Server with XDebug.

Note:

Make sure that before you configure these settings, you have activated XDebug. For more information, see Activating a Debugger above.

 

 

Instructions on how to complete a procedure

To configure XDebug:

  1. In the Zend Server UI, go to the Debugging | Debugger page.
  2. In the XDebug settings section, configure the following:
    • Enable remote - Enable debugging on Zend Server from an IDE hosted on a remote machine.
    • Remote handler - Enter the remote debugging handler.
    • Remote host - Enter the IP of the machine hosting your IDE.
    • Remote port - Enter the port to which XDebug tries to connect on the remote host.
  3. Click .

 

This procedure describes how to configure general debugging setting for integrating with your IDE.

Note:

This procedure is can only be performed for debugging with the Zend Debugger. Make sure the Zend Debugger is activated.

 

 

Instructions on how to complete a procedure

To configure IDE integration settings:

  1. In the Zend Server UI, go to the Debugging | Debugger page.
  2. In the IDE Integration Settings section, configure the following:
    • Break on first line - Stops debugging execution at the first line of code in the page.
    • Debug local copy - Debugs the files stored on your file system if they are available. If not, debus the files located on the web server.
  1. Click .

Note:

These settings are the default debugger settings, but can be overridden from your IDE.

This procedure describes how to define allowed hosts for debugging.

Note:

This procedure is can only be performed for debugging with the Zend Debugger. Make sure the Zend Debugger is activated.

Users define allowed hosts to create a list of IP addresses (of computers running an IDE) that have permission to debug the PHP code running on Zend Server.

 

 

Instructions on how to complete a procedure

To define allowed hosts for debugging:

  1. In the UI, go to Debugging | Debugger.

  2. In the Security section, configure the Allowed Hosts list:
    1. In the hyphen-separated fields, enter a valid IP address or enter a range by entering the beginning of an IP address and adding '0' instead of the rest of the number.
      To make sure you are using Wildcards (*) to specify a range of IPs select the pattern you want from the drop-down list.
    2. Click Add.
  3. Click .

The IP or range of IPs is allowed to connect to the server to debug PHP code with your IDE.

Important Note:

If your machine has several IP addresses (for example if you are using a wireless network connection on a laptop) verify that you have defined all the possible IP addresses as allowed hosts for debugging, or that the IP you want to use is first in the list of IPs in Zend Studio (In Window | Preferences | PHP | Debug | Installed Debuggers, verify that Zend Debugger is selected and click Configure in the Client Host/IP field.)

This procedure describes how to define denied hosts for debugging.

Note:

This procedure is can only be performed for debugging with the Zend Debugger. Make sure the Zend Debugger is activated.

Users define denied hosts to create a list of IP addresses (of computers running an IDE) that do not have permission to debug the PHP code running on Zend Server.

 

 

Instructions on how to complete a procedure

To define denied hosts for debugging:

  1. In the UI, go to Debugging | Debugger.

  2. In the Security section, configure the Denied Hosts list:
    1. In the hyphen-separated fields, enter a valid IP address or enter a range by entering the beginning of an IP address and adding '0' instead of the rest of the number.
      To make sure you are using Wildcards (*) to specify a range of IPs select the pattern you want from the drop-down list.
    2. Click Add.
  3. Click .

The IP or range of IPs is not allowed to connect to the server to debug PHP code with your IDE.

Note:

Do not add the same IP address to both the Allowed and Denied host lists. Pay attention when you specify a range of IP addresses: If you deny a range of addresses that includes an IP that was specified in the Allowed hosts, the host is not allowed to create a debug session.

This procedure describes how to configure the settings of the client running your IDE and initiating the debugging sessions on Zend Server.

Note:

This procedure is can only be performed for debugging with the Zend Debugger. Make sure the Zend Debugger is activated.

 

 

Instructions on how to complete a procedure

To configure IDE client settings:

  1. In the UI, go to Debugging | Debugger.

  1. In the IDE Client Settings section, select whether you wish Zend Server to automatically detect your IDE settings (On) or not (Off).
  2. If you select not to automatically detect IDE settings (Off), additional fields are displayed:

    • IDE IP address - Manually configure the IP address according to the settings in your IDE or use Auto Detect.

    • Use browser's IP Address check-box - Automatically selects the browser's IP Address.

    • IDE Debug Port - Manually configure the port according to the settings in your IDE or use Auto Detect.

    • Encrypt communication using SSL check-box - Increase the security protocol for communication.

  3. Click .