Let's say I am trying to find out why some file import did not happen. Running the job that is supposed to do it may yield an error. Maybe it was a file permission issue or something. There are other people watching the alerts. What they don't know is that I am running the code and looking at these errors in real time.

Since the errors were being sent to the log file, they were lost to the client/user on the other end left staring at their script wondering what went wrong. He ended up with a solution (a pretty simple one too) that uses posix_ttyname and posix_isatty. He includes the little snippet of code he puts in his prepend file that checks for errors then checks for a TTY. If both are there, it turns off logging the errors to the file and sends them direct instead.

The developers at Facebook have brought PHP developers a powerful REPL now ala-Python to round out a solid toolbox that PHP developers already have. The project is called phpsh and is written in Python.

He includes the commands you'll need to get it pulled from github and working, providing you with an interactive shell right on your local machine (more powerful than the built-in PHP shell). You can also grab a zip or gzipped archive for download. For complete details on the tool and how to use it, see phpsh.org.

symfony1 has generators for all those things, but until now, Symfony2 was not very good at generating code. Well, that's "fixed" now, thanks to the new GeneratorBundle. The bundle is included by default in Symfony SE (as of 2.0.0 RC1 which will be released on June 24th) and it knows how to generate bundles, forms, Doctrine entities, and simple CRUD controllers to get you started even faster.

A screencast is included in the post showing the process of running the new tool and generate all of the configurations you'll need for a bundle, a Doctrine2 entity, database creation and the CRUD interfaces for a Doctrine entity. You can grab the code for this new bundle from the Sensio github account.

Last night I created a prototype for an interactive debugger for PHP without the need of any IDE-plugin. In this post I'm going to show what I found. Unfortunately you will need some time to put the environment together, but I think it's worth doing it. My target was to create a way how you can view and modify your variables manually at runtime, only by inserting one line code.

He does mention that, because of the settings he uses, the debugger can only be loaded from a different domain than the application which can be restricted a bit simpler (i.e. its own https or .htauth). His setup uses an Apache2 web server and a few PHP/HTML scripts to get the job done. In the end you'll have something similar to this for you to run your code in.

We are seeking a team-oriented, skilled PHP Programmer to join Apollo in our Culver City office. This is a full-time position. Salary will be in line with candidate's experience, however please provide requirements in your cover letter. Likely candidates will have 2-4 years experience in similar position using PHP/MySQL. You will be part of an established team that is responsible for the development of new Web sites from inception to completion and for performing updates to existing Web sites. Ideal candidates have excellent code/commenting, are able to manage multiple projects, have good communication skills, and a solid understanding of the Web site development process.

Responsibilities:

• Program large, database-driven Web sites
• Requirements gathering and preparing functional/technical specifications
• Ability to communicate well with both staff and clients
• Work closely with Account Services, Creative, and Web Producers
• Self-motivator and good attitude
• Willingness to learn and apply new technologies as needed

Qualifications

• 4+ years programming in Agency or similar environment
• Must be able to create a functional Webpage using only Notepad or similar text editor
• Expert SQL Knowledge
• Strong understanding of Object Oriented Programming
• Good understanding of C#, JavaScript, XML and DHTML
• BS degree in CS (or similar)

Experience with the following is helpful but not required