A more pretty/informative Var_dump alternative in PHP? [closed]

Answer 1

A complete example of what I use ...

<pre>

<?php


//*********** Set up some sample data

$obj = new stdClass;
$obj->a=123;
$obj->pl=44;
$obj->l=array(31,32);

$options = array(
  'Orchestra'=>array(1=>'Strings', 8=>'Brass', 9=>$obj, 3=>'Woodwind', 16=>'Percussion'),
  2=>'Car',
  4=>'Bus',
  'TV'=>array(21=>'Only Fools', 215=>'Brass Eye', 23=>'Vic Bob',44=>null, 89=>false));


//*********** Define the function

function dump($data, $indent=0) {
  $retval = '';
  $prefix=\str_repeat(' |  ', $indent);
  if (\is_numeric($data)) $retval.= "Number: $data";
  elseif (\is_string($data)) $retval.= "String: '$data'";
  elseif (\is_null($data)) $retval.= "NULL";
  elseif ($data===true) $retval.= "TRUE";
  elseif ($data===false) $retval.= "FALSE";
  elseif (is_array($data)) {
    $retval.= "Array (".count($data).')';
    $indent++;
    foreach($data AS $key => $value) {
      $retval.= "\n$prefix [$key] = ";
      $retval.= dump($value, $indent);
    }
  }
  elseif (is_object($data)) {
    $retval.= "Object (".get_class($data).")";
    $indent++;
    foreach($data AS $key => $value) {
      $retval.= "\n$prefix $key -> ";
      $retval.= dump($value, $indent);
    }
  }
  return $retval;
}


//*********** Dump the data

echo dump($options);

?>
</pre>

Outputs ...

Array (4)
 [Orchestra] = Array (5)
 |   [1] = String: 'Strings'
 |   [8] = String: 'Brass'
 |   [9] = Object (stdClass)
 |   |   a -> Number: 123
 |   |   pl -> Number: 44
 |   |   l -> Array (2)
 |   |   |   [0] = Number: 31
 |   |   |   [1] = Number: 32
 |   [3] = String: 'Woodwind'
 |   [16] = String: 'Percussion'
 [2] = String: 'Car'
 [4] = String: 'Bus'
 [TV] = Array (5)
 |   [21] = String: 'Only Fools'
 |   [215] = String: 'Brass Eye'
 |   [23] = String: 'Vic Bob'
 |   [44] = NULL
 |   [89] = FALSE

Answer 2

I wrote small class that is similar to Krumo, but much easier to embed to app.

Here is link: https://github.com/langpavel/PhpSkelet/blob/master/Classes/Debug.php

And here sample output: http://langpavel.php5.cz/debug_sample.html

Answer 3

TVarDumper

This is a great tool which is intended to replace the buggy PHP function var_dump and print_r, since it can correctly identify the recursively referenced objects in a complex object structure. It also has a recursive depth control to avoid indefinite recursive display of some peculiar variables.

See: TVarDumper.php.

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For other alternative solutions which provides more advantages over var_dump and print_r and can support circular references, please check: Using print_r and var_dump with circular reference.

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For more ideas, check also: How do you debug PHP scripts?

Answer 4

Here is a chrome extension that I wrote to solve this problem.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/varmasterpiece/chfhddogiigmfpkcmgfpolalagdcamkl

Answer 5

A full year of time and labor after asking this, I've finally open sourced my version of var_dump, Kint. Read about it in the project page, or directly in github.

Here's a screenshot:

Sorry for the plug :)

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EDIT: I'd just like to remind the commenters, that this is not a support forum, if you're having problems/want a feature, please file an issue. Support requesting comments will be flagged for deletion.

Answer 6

My (partial) solution for this is the simply add a function like this (using Google Chrome):

<?
function console_dump($value)
{ 
?>
<script>
    console.log(<? echo json_encode($value); ?>);
</script>
<?
}
?>

Press Ctrl + Shift + J (opens up the console), and you can find there the JSON structure. Even more useful for a pretty print of JSON responses ofcourse.