Frontend debugging tips

This page details tips about debugging Savannah frontend (PHP code and such).

It is highly recommended to debug new features on a dedicated FrontEndDevelopmentSite or when RunningSavaneLocally. Avoid meddling with the real public website as much as possible.

PHP debugging

Print messages to Apache log

In the PHP code, call trigger_error ("hello world"); to send the message to Apache log. It will be the error log or PHP log, depending on your configuration. See details below.

To print a variable, call trigger_error (error_print_r ($VAR));.

Mailing error reports

Error reports can be sent to email addresses specified in savane.conf.php. See the doc/cc-error file in Savane source.

Dedicated development site

For website setup according to FrontEndDevelopmentSite, the relevant locations are:

  • access log: /home/[USER]/savannah/var/[USER].access.log.
  • error log (STDERR): /home/[USER]/savannah/var/[USER].error.log.
  • PHP error messages: /home/[USER]/savannah/var/[USER].php-error.log.
  • group registration submissions: /home/[USER]/savannah/var/www/submissions_uploads.
  • tracker file attachments: /home/[USER]/savannah/var/lib/savane/trackers_attachments.

  • mail logs: /var/log/mail.log (Same as the real system, see MailSystem). See FrontEndNotificationEmails for information about setting up email notifications during development.

  • cron jobs: (FIXME)

Local Savane site

The locations can be customized both in configure time and after the installation; a list of default locations follows.

  • access log: $prefix/var/lib/savane/log/apache/access.log.
  • error log: $prefix/var/lib/savane/log/apache/error.log.
  • PHP error messages: $prefix/var/lib/savane/log/apache/sv.php-error.log.
  • group registration submissions: $prefix/var/lib/savane/submissions_uploads.
  • tracker file attachments: $prefix/var/lib/savane/submissions_uploads/trackers_attachments.

Public website

The following files and directories are used by the public website (which serves https://savannah.gnu.org).

  • access log: /var/log/apache2/access.log.
  • error log (STDERR): /var/log/apache2/error.log (FIXME: verify).
  • PHP error messages: same as error log (no separate PHP log for public website).
  • group registration submissions: /var/www/submissions_uploads.
  • tracker file attachments: /var/lib/savane/trackers_attachments.
  • mail logs: /var/log/mail.log (see MailSystem).
  • cron jobs: /etc/cron.d/savane