Activating phpBB debugging

[dcz]

Hello,

phpBB3 has a (very) powerful debugging system that can display the eventual errors in php script sharing its code and to control the performance of the SQl queries they could make.
There are two levels of debugging, both being activated in config.php.
Your config.php file should be similar to this :

Code: Select all

<?php
// phpBB 3.0.x auto-generated configuration file
// Do not change anything in this file!
$dbms = 'db_type';
$dbhost = 'domain_or_socket_used_to_connect_to_the_db';
$dbport = 'db_connection_port';
$dbname = 'db_name';
$dbuser = 'db_user';
$dbpasswd = 'db_password';
$table_prefix = 'phpbb_table_prefix';
$acm_type = 'file';
$load_extensions = '';

@define('PHPBB_INSTALLED', true);
// @define('DEBUG', true);
// @define('DEBUG_EXTRA, true);
?>


The two lines we are interested into for debugging are :

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// @define('DEBUG', true);
// @define('DEBUG_EXTRA', true);     

The first level of debugging will be activated by replacing :

Code: Select all

// @define('DEBUG', true);     

with :

Code: Select all

@define('DEBUG', true);  

Doing so will activate display of the eventual errors in php scripts sharing phpBB's code. It will as well add page generation time in footer and, for admins, an extra "Explain" link right after the page generation time, which will lead to a page explaining all about the SQL performed on the current page.

The second level of debugging will add the ram used to generate the page in footer. It will work only if the first level is as well activated. Since phpBB3.0.5, it will additionally allow error in language files to be displayed (if any).
To activate it, replace :

Code: Select all

// @define('DEBUG_EXTRA', true);     

with :

Code: Select all

@define('DEBUG_EXTRA', true);  

Please Note It is not a good thing to activate debugging on a live site, because error display could provide some critical information, such as the phpBB absolute path or about a broken mod, that could later be used by some malicious mind to hack your forum more easily.

But it is a good thing to activate both on your local / test servers to make sure that no error occurs before you go online, and even more when installing mods.

[diederen]

Thanks man! I will try it and report back.

[thezodiac]

Thanks for sharing this I'm new to this board but I must say I read already a lot of useful tips thanks! About the debugging the best is making a back-up and do it local right? But what if my board is very big?

[adipa]

ok... nice info... thanks dcz

[Elev8]

This is very useful, thanks dcz!