user_guide_src/source/general/errors.rst

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Error Handling
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CodeIgniter lets you build error reporting into your applications using
the functions described below. In addition, it has an error logging
class that permits error and debugging messages to be saved as text
files.

.. note:: By default, CodeIgniter displays all PHP errors. You might
	wish to change this behavior once your development is complete. You'll
	find the error_reporting() function located at the top of your main
	index.php file. Disabling error reporting will NOT prevent log files
	from being written if there are errors.

Unlike most systems in CodeIgniter, the error functions are simple
procedural interfaces that are available globally throughout the
application. This approach permits error messages to get triggered
without having to worry about class/function scoping.

CodeIgniter also returns a status code whenever a portion of the core
calls ``exit()``. This exit status code is separate from the HTTP status
code, and serves as a notice to other processes that may be watching of
whether the script completed successfully, or if not, what kind of
problem it encountered that caused it to abort. These values are
defined in *application/config/constants.php*. While exit status codes
are most useful in CLI settings, returning the proper code helps server
software keep track of your scripts and the health of your application.

The following functions let you generate errors:

.. php:function:: show_error($message, $status_code, $heading = 'An Error Was Encountered')

	:param	mixed	$message: Error message
	:param	int	$status_code: HTTP Response status code
	:param	string	$heading: Error page heading
	:rtype:	void

	This function will display the error message supplied to it using
	the error template appropriate to your execution::

		application/views/errors/html/error_general.php

	or:

		application/views/errors/cli/error_general.php

	The optional parameter ``$status_code`` determines what HTTP status
	code should be sent with the error. If ``$status_code`` is less
	than 100, the HTTP status code will be set to 500, and the exit
	status code will be set to ``$status_code + EXIT__AUTO_MIN``.
	If that value is larger than ``EXIT__AUTO_MAX``, or if
	``$status_code`` is 100 or higher, the exit status code will be set
	to ``EXIT_ERROR``.
	You can check in *application/config/constants.php* for more detail.

.. php:function:: show_404($page = '', $log_error = TRUE)

	:param	string	$page: URI string
	:param	bool	$log_error: Whether to log the error
	:rtype:	void

	This function will display the 404 error message supplied to it
	using the error template appropriate to your execution::

		application/views/errors/html/error_404.php

	or:

		application/views/errors/cli/error_404.php

	The function expects the string passed to it to be the file path to
	the page that isn't found. The exit status code will be set to
	``EXIT_UNKNOWN_FILE``.
	Note that CodeIgniter automatically shows 404 messages if
	controllers are not found.

	CodeIgniter automatically logs any ``show_404()`` calls. Setting the
	optional second parameter to FALSE will skip logging.

.. php:function:: log_message($level, $message)

	:param	string	$level: Log level: 'error', 'debug' or 'info'
	:param	string	$message: Message to log
	:rtype:	void

	This function lets you write messages to your log files. You must
	supply one of three "levels" in the first parameter, indicating what
	type of message it is (debug, error, info), with the message itself
	in the second parameter.

	Example::

		if ($some_var == '')
		{
			log_message('error', 'Some variable did not contain a value.');
		}
		else
		{
			log_message('debug', 'Some variable was correctly set');
		}

		log_message('info', 'The purpose of some variable is to provide some value.');

	There are three message types:

	#. Error Messages. These are actual errors, such as PHP errors or
	   user errors.
	#. Debug Messages. These are messages that assist in debugging. For
	   example, if a class has been initialized, you could log this as
	   debugging info.
	#. Informational Messages. These are the lowest priority messages,
	   simply giving information regarding some process.

	.. note:: In order for the log file to actually be written, the
		*logs/* directory must be writable. In addition, you must
		set the "threshold" for logging in
		*application/config/config.php*. You might, for example,
		only want error messages to be logged, and not the other
		two types. If you set it to zero logging will be disabled.