PHP Debugging

[technoczech]

Hi, Being new to osCommerce and PHP, I was wondering what methods or tools you all have found to be the most beneficial in debugging your oscommerce site?

 

Thanks!

[♥FWR Media]

Hi, Being new to osCommerce and PHP, I was wondering what methods or tools you all have found to be the most beneficial in debugging your oscommerce site?

 

Thanks!

 

PHP debugging can be many things ..

 

I view it as using professional tools to conduct runtime debugging and profiling.

 

Others will view it as simply having a decent IDE (like the free notepad++).

 

Bit too wide a question for me I'm afraid, but i hope the answer was at least "some help"

[technoczech]

Thanks so much for the quick reply. It's greatly appreciated!

 

To (hopefully) narrow things down a bit, here is my situation. Someone else installed and customized our site and because of a lapse in time on my part, they are unable to help me anymore at the moment. I've been able to make most of my "look and feel" changes on my own, but there are still a few more modifications I need to make, and I am having trouble finding the right files to make them in. I'm looking for a way to step through the code as I'm using the website to help pinpoint where the existing code is so I know where to make changes.

 

Thanks again - all advice is greatly appreciated!

[♥FWR Media]

Thanks so much for the quick reply. It's greatly appreciated!

 

To (hopefully) narrow things down a bit, here is my situation. Someone else installed and customized our site and because of a lapse in time on my part, they are unable to help me anymore at the moment. I've been able to make most of my "look and feel" changes on my own, but there are still a few more modifications I need to make, and I am having trouble finding the right files to make them in. I'm looking for a way to step through the code as I'm using the website to help pinpoint where the existing code is so I know where to make changes.

 

Thanks again - all advice is greatly appreciated!

 

Well that is not debugging .. that is understanding the structure of the osCommerce code .. there are multiple and various topics in this forum that cover this very topic .. there is no quick answer though .. you have to search .. read .. learn.

[technoczech]

Thanks again for another quick reply.

 

Searching the forums has given me a tremendous amount of valuable information, and I imagine I haven't even scratched the surface. I'm just still trying to get my mind wrapped around the whole thing, including the contribs that have been installed and how those changes fit in with what's posted in the forums. For instance, tonight I learned more about BTS, which my site has, and which may explain why many of the postings that I've been reviewing reference file changes that don't make sense in my environment.

 

Searching, reading, learning are pasttimes that I actually enjoy. I love to dig. But when digging for buried treasure you're more likely to find it when you have a map (some guidance) and a shovel (the right tools). So part of my searching right now is to find out if there's a tool that can help me find the information I need, specific to my site. If there's not one, that's ok too, I'll just keep digging with my toothpick. :)

[♥FWR Media]

Thanks again for another quick reply.

 

Searching the forums has given me a tremendous amount of valuable information, and I imagine I haven't even scratched the surface. I'm just still trying to get my mind wrapped around the whole thing, including the contribs that have been installed and how those changes fit in with what's posted in the forums. For instance, tonight I learned more about BTS, which my site has, and which may explain why many of the postings that I've been reviewing reference file changes that don't make sense in my environment.

 

Searching, reading, learning are pasttimes that I actually enjoy. I love to dig. But when digging for buried treasure you're more likely to find it when you have a map (some guidance) and a shovel (the right tools). So part of my searching right now is to find out if there's a tool that can help me find the information I need, specific to my site. If there's not one, that's ok too, I'll just keep digging with my toothpick. :)

 

But when digging for buried treasure you're more likely to find it when you have a map (some guidance) and a shovel (the right tools)

 

The shovel:

 

Do not search the forums using the native search as it doesn't work .. use google searching as follows: -

 

site:oscommerce.com <my search string>

The map

 

There are a lot of tutorial topics here so search for these using your new found shovel .. perhaps if you were looking for how to template oscommerce search terms like "templating" e.g.

Google search:

site:oscommerce.com templating tutorial

[technoczech]

You just gave me the single most valuable piece advice - how to search better! Thank you! I've been trying it this morning and I have been finding way more relevant information. I can't thank you enough!

[♥geoffreywalton]

I have listed all the threads and sources I found useful over time in my about us page on my profile.

 

Should be of use.

 

Enjoy

 

G

[technoczech]

That is a fantastic list Geoffrey - thanks so much! The relationships diagram is something I was hoping to find somewhere. And now of course I see the thread about searching the forums... if only they'd put a link to it on the search feature for those of us who don't know that the search doesn't work well...

 

One note - the link to the config files seems to not be valid, at least when I clicked it, it just took me to the main forum screen. (http://www.oscommerce.com/forums/index.php?sho...=193738&hl=). I'll try searching for it as soon as I get the chance, but thought you'd want to know since you refer to it.

 

Thanks again! It's incredibly helpful to have a list of links to start with.