Debug Helper Extension for Extbase

by Steffen Müller on stmllr.net April 29, 2011

Extbase in TYPO3 4.5 LTS has no built-in possibility to debug model objects. Whenever you try to var_dump() a model object or log it to t3lib_div::devLog(), you'll probably end up in out-of-memory exceptions. This article introduces an extension as a temporary solution for that.

What's wrong with var_dump()?

Because of circular dependencies in Extbase, dumps made with var_dump() will contain hugh amounts of useless object data of various framework classes. Your memory will probaly be exhausted and an exception is thrown. And you probably do not expect that with 1 GB of RAM reserved for PHP, do you?

A solution was backported from FLOW3 by Felix Oertel but it is still pending in the bugtracker. So we probably won't see it in TYPO3 core until 4.6. To fill the gap between now and then, I merged the code into an extension and provide it for download.

Extension Download

The extension ext_debug can be downloaded. It is in early alpha state and not yet finished. This is why it is not yet available in forge or TER. Be patient.

Extension Usage

e.g. in BlogController.php

[...]
 public function indexAction() {
    $blogs = $this->blogRepository->findAll();
    foreach ($blogs as $blog) {
      Tx_ExtDebug::var_dump($blog);
    }
 }
 [...]

Result

Oops, an error occured!

Yes, I am aware of that. The debugger still needs some work. If you want to contribute, please do so and use the Extbase bugtracker on forge.

Comments

Manfred on July 07, 2011 at 19:23
Does not work for PHP 5.2...
Steffen on July 29, 2011 at 10:21
What exactly does mot work? Do you get any PHP errors in your logs?
ATM I have no PHP 5.2 system at hand.
Gernot on August 03, 2011 at 13:32
Fatal error: Call to undefined method Tx_Extbase_Reflection_PropertyReflection::setAccessible() in /home/[...]/public_html/typo3conf/ext/ext_debug/Classes/Error/Debugger.php on line 155
Andreas on October 20, 2011 at 23:26
Hi,

I get the very same error as Gernot.
Does anybody have a solution for this problem?

Many thanks in advance
Andreas
Andreas on October 21, 2011 at 00:18
Okay, this (http://php.net/manual/de/reflectionproperty.setaccessible.php) only works for PHP >= 5.3 :-(

Hopefully someone finds a workaround?
Steffen on October 21, 2011 at 10:15
I am sorry, I have no time to support legacy for PHP 5.2. Anyway, TYPO3 4.6 will be released in a few days and it depends on PHP 5.3.
Andreas K. on September 21, 2012 at 10:31
try {whatEverIsYourVariable} in your fluid template
Andreas K. on September 21, 2012 at 10:34
try <f:debug>{whatEverIsYourVariable}</f:debug> in your fluid template

change > to < :) because do not know how to escape code here! (DONE!)
Christian on February 23, 2013 at 15:50
Thanks for the extension. I run it on Typo 6.0.2 for extension development with fluid und extbase, but I'm not really a programmer. Using it in the ext_localconf it works properly. I go in the Backend to "Installation" and the debug window pops out.
But I want to use it in the action-classes, to test the variables there. But I don't get any output from there. Do you have a hint what I´m doing wrong.
Thanks ahead!
Christian
Steffen on February 23, 2013 at 20:56
Hi Christian, from TYPO3 4.7 and higher you don't need this extension.

Just use:

TYPO3\CMS\Extbase\Utility\DebuggerUtility::var_dump($variable);
Christian on February 24, 2013 at 21:26
Hi Steffen, thanks for your answer. I tried this function too, but I don't get an output of my variables in the action classes. It works only in the ext_localconf.php. Any idea, what I`m doing wrong?
Steffen on February 25, 2013 at 11:06
Hi Christian. I'd suggest to ask in the TYPO3 forum at http://forum.typo3.org/index.php/f/60/