Inspect PHP variables

Word Count: 758
  • Post category:Codings
  • Post last modified:2020-09-27

The cu-debug-functions.php contains two functions which can inspect variables in php codes.

  • data_console( mixed $var, String $label = null );
    • To display the result in the browser console.
  • data_echo( mixed $var, String $label = null )
    • To echo the result on the web page.

The variable to be inspected can be of type object, array or plain variable.

Usage:

  • Include_once the “cu-debug-functions.php” in the php program. For WordPress, use the functions.php to include this file.
  • At the appropriate location of the program, add the above command.
<?php

function data_console($data, $label=null) {

	/**^ Output $data to console for inspection.  
	 * $data can be any variable types. 
	 * 
	 * For wordpress, 'include' this file in functions.php of the theme.
	 * 
	 * @param mixed $data   The variable to be inspected.
	 * @param string $label The name of the variable. Optional.	 * 
	 * 
	 * */


    echo("<script> console.log('Var Name: ". $label. "'); </script>"); 

    /*Output the data type  */
    $datatype = gettype($data);
    $result = "Data type: ". $datatype;
    echo("<script> console.log('". $result. "'); </script>"); 
    

    if(is_object($data)){

    /*Output class name  */
        if(class_exists(get_class($data), true)) {
            $result = "Class Name: ". get_class($data);
            echo("<script> console.log('". $result. "'); </script>");       
        } 

        $reflection = new ReflectionClass(get_class($data));

    /* Output the methods  */
        $methodArr = $reflection->getMethods();        
        $i = 0;
        foreach ($methodArr as $key=>$value) {
            $i ++;

            // avoid console.log breaking, escape ' char by replacing it with ~.
            $esc_value = str_replace("'", "~", $value);

            $output = json_encode($esc_value);
            echo("<script> console.log('------------------'); console.log('Method ". $i. ": '); console.log('". $output. "'); </script>");        
        }

        echo("<script> console.log(' '); </script>");        

    /* Output properties  */
        $vars = $reflection->getProperties();
        $i = 0;
        foreach($vars as $key => $value){
            $i ++;
            $esc_value = str_replace("'", "~", $value);  
            $output = json_encode($esc_value);
            echo("<script> console.log('------------------'); console.log('Property ". $i. ": '); console.log('". $output. "'); </script>");        
        }

    /*Output var_dump of object  */
        ob_start();  //start the output buffer.
        print_r($data);
        $result = ob_get_clean();

        $search = array("'", "\n", "\r");
        $replace = array("~", "=?=", "=?=");
        $output = str_replace($search, $replace, $result, $count); 

      // $output = str_replace("'", "~", $result);
      //  $output = preg_replace("/[\n\r]/", "", $output);

        echo("<script> console.log('------------------'); console.log('". $label. " var_dump[replaced ". $count. "]:'); </script>");        
        $propArr = explode("=?=", $output);
        
        foreach($propArr as $prop) {
            echo("<script> console.log('". $prop. "'); </script>");    
        }
        
        //echo("<script> console.log('". $output. "'); </script>");   

    } else {
        // if $data is not an object, do the followings.
        $value = str_replace("'", "~", $data);  
        $output = json_encode($value);
        echo("<script> console.log('". $output. "'); console.log(''); </script>");             
    }
} // end data_console()




function data_echo($data, $label=null) {

	/**^ Echo $data to page for inspection.  
	 * $data can be any variable types. 
	 * 
	 * For wordpress, 'include' this file in functions.php of the theme.
	 * 
	 * @param mixed $data   The variable to be inspected.
	 * @param string $label The name of the variable. Optional.	 * 
	 * 
	 * */

    echo "<b>Var Name: $label<br>"; 

    /*Output the data type  */
    $datatype = gettype($data);
	echo "Data Type: $datatype </b><br>";
    

    if(is_object($data)){

		/*Output class name  */
		if(class_exists(get_class($data), true)) {
			$result = "Class Name: ". get_class($data);
			echo "<b>$result </b><br><br>";       
		}
	

		/*Output the object  */
		ob_start();  //start the output buffer.
		var_export($data);
		$result = ob_get_clean();

		$search = array("\n", "\r", "),");
		$replace = array("<br>", "<br>", "),<br>");
		$output = str_replace($search, $replace, $result, $count); 
		
		echo "<b>======================================</b><br>";
		echo "<b>Object Properties: </b><br><br>";
		echo "$output <br><br>";
	

        $reflection = new ReflectionClass(get_class($data));

		/* Output the methods  */
	
		echo "<b style='text-decoration:underline;'>Class Methods: </b><br><br>";
        $methodArr = $reflection->getMethods();        
        $i = 0;
        foreach ($methodArr as $key=>$value) {
            $i ++;
		 
			$search = array(" *", "*/", "`", "] {");
			$replace = array("<br>*", "*/<br>", "'", "]<br>{");
			$output = str_replace($search, $replace, $value);		
			echo "<b>Method $i : </b><br>"; 
			echo "$output <br><br>";  
        }


	/* Output properties  */
	
		echo "<b style='text-decoration:underline;'>Class Properties: </b><br><br>";

        $vars = $reflection->getProperties();
        $i = 0;
        foreach($vars as $key => $value){
			$i ++;

            $output = str_replace('\n', '', $value);  			
			
			echo "<b>Property $i : </b><br>"; 
			echo "$output <br><br>"; 
		}
		


    } else {
        // if $data is not an object, do the followings.

		ob_start();  //start the output buffer.
		var_export($data);
		$result = ob_get_clean();	
		
		$output = str_replace(')),', ')),<br>', $result);

		echo "<br>$output <br>";
		             
	}  // end if-else

	echo "<br><b>=== Finished ===</b><br><br>";

	
} // end data_echo()



?>
Tags: ,