SysTools

PHP: tiny helper dump log function

<?php

/*
  tiny helper dump log function - dumps values to the log file
  helps a lot when debugging and understanding large projects
  it's a good idea to place it in some PHP file which always included
  as example - this code may be put in some config.php / init.php / etc.

  // few examples of usage

  // just dump something
  dumptemp(time());
  // dump to use it later
  dumptemp($_POST, true);
  // check where the code execution goes
  if (intval(date('H')) <= 12) {
    dumptemp('goes to AM branch');
    // some code here
  } else {
    dumptemp('goes to PM branch');
    // some code here
  }
  // check that this place can be reached
  dumptemp('AM/PM branch done');

*/

function dumptemp($value, $usable = false) {
  if (defined('__DUMPTEMP__')) {
    $mode = 'a';
  } else {
    // log file will be recreated for the each script run
    $mode = 'w';
    define('__DUMPTEMP__', true);
  }
  // replace log file name and path here
  $fl = @fopen('/tmp/dumptemp', $mode);
  if ($fl) {
    // if usable not false - serialize value so it's contents can be easily used later
    fwrite($fl, (($usable !== false) ? serialize($value) : print_r($value, true)).PHP_EOL);
    fclose($fl);
  }
}

2016.08.05