How to debug PHP application using Eclipse PDT (xdebug and zend debugger)

Question

I'm working on one application.

I am using Eclipse php Helios IDE for developing php application.

I wanted to know below things related to this IDE, so that i can implement PHP application instantly as well as very efficiently :

1) How to do remote debugging using Eclipse PHP Helios IDE

2) What is the pros and cons of xdebug and zend debugger

3) Which debugger should we use from xdebug, zend debugger.

4) Is there any other debugger available apart from above two mentioned.

Below links i refered for above mentioned debugger.

1) http://devzone.zend.com/article/2930-Debugging-PHP-applications-with-xdebug

2) http://www.eclipse.org/pdt/documents/XDebugGuideForPDT2.0.pdf

3) http://www.xdebug.org/

I am not getting exact information in above URL's, as I mentioned specific query above those are needed.

Is anyone know any reference, please suggest me.

Thanks !!

-Pravin

Answer 1

I use the Galileo release, rather than the later Helios release, but I suspect they're very similar in this regard... The answers to your questions would fill quite a reasonable chapter in a book, so instead I'll point you towards some excellent links on the topics;

2) This article is a great post on the pro's and con's of each with Eclipse; Eclipse debugging with Xdebug and Zend Debugger comparison. Personally I always use xdebug since it has additional features I like, and as I don't use Zend I am not interested in any integration benefits it may offer.

3 + 1) However, there's nothing to stop you installing both and switching between them using different "server setup" configurations inside Eclipse. This post shows you how to set them up on different ports to allow this; Debugging PHP using Eclipse and PDT

There is a small catch (to either debuggers) in that if you use apache mod_rewrite (or similar) for pretty URLs, you have to be really careful to ensure the rule still passes the debug parameter as a GET value in the URL. I'm not personally aware of any way around this (e.g. via cookies).

4) Not that I'm aware of under Eclipse.

Happy reading....