understanding actinic_main.php behaviours

[gabrielcrowe]

I'm aware that this file is to include php, but what does actinic do when its not there, or broken?

If i make a mistake or syntax error in this file, actinic wont open. It crashes with some error. I'd like very much for you to trap this error, and display it. At the very least. Its a nightmare extending Actinic, if i have this to worry about. I'm quite happy to develop tools and addons, but I need more help when some bungles. Please, in the next V9 patch, trap the error and pop a message box.

In XP, this file behaves as it should, mostly, but in vista, i have a terrible time editing it. the uac (on or off) causes havoc. Caching a copy of the file in some mad folder. changes dont stick and the file wont recognise. Not only that, but if i delete the file, actninc starts fine. leading me to believe that there is something seriously awry.

Watching the process of actinic, i notice that it also attempts to load a file called: 'siteincludes.php'. Is this a site specific includes? is this documented somewhere? I couldnt find it.

So, if someone with some knowledge of how this file behaves could drop me a line, telephone, forum or otherwise, then i'd be able to develop and enhance actinic MUCH faster.

thanks.

[NormanRouxel]

There's something in V9's Change Log about siteincludes.php.

Personally, I use

include_once 'mybitsofcode.php';

in my layout code and the file mybitsofcode.php can then be in the individual Site folder.

UPDATE:

The V9 Advanced Guide doesn't mention siteincludes.php but has a section Creating PHP Functions that recommends using include_once.

[TraceyG]

Hi,

I've passed your comments to the development team. I'll get back as soon as I get something from them.

[gabrielcrowe]

norm:
thanks for that tip, it might help

traceyg:
thanks, any input would be appreciated.

[TraceyG]

Hi Gabriel,

What version of 8 are you using? The release notes for 8.5.2 show:

PHP Site specific library

Designers may now add there own site wide PHP functions to be used in Actinic. If required, the file needs to be named ‘siteincludes.php’ and stored in the Site folder. This file, if present, will be included in the site snapshot.

If PHP encounters errors while parsing either actinic_main.php or siteincludes.php then the error will be written to PHPErrors.log in the sites folder.

.

Does this help?

[fergusw]

Boom! It works.

Error log is reasonably descriptive as well. A selectable PHP error log popup akin to the Coding error window would be nice though.

written to PHPErrors.log in the sites folder

For the record, I get phperror.log in my site folder, not PHPErrors.log in sites folder.

[fergusw]

also, Tracey, can you confirm, changes to the siteincludes.php are only picked up after closing and reopening Actinic? I assume, therefore, that the contents are held in memory when Actinic loads?

[TraceyG]

I'll just check with the developers for you Fergus (I'm afraid that I don't know anything about php at all )

[gabrielcrowe]

thats right ferg. it loads as actinic loads, compiles and then keeps in memory.

you have to restart actinic to get new contents. sadly.

but i had no idea about that error log. omg, its so useful.

[fergusw]

One for the wishlist

Just in case it got lost in the above

A flagable On/Off PHP error log popup akin to the Actinic Coding error window would be nice

[TraceyG]

Originally Posted by fergusw
A flagable On/Off PHP error log popup akin to the Actinic Coding error window would be nice

Noted and passed to the development team.

[gabrielcrowe]

include_once 'mybitsofcode.php';

well, under vista, this happens:

Warning: Unknown(mybitsofcode.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in main on line 1 Warning: (null)(): Failed opening '../mybitsofcode.php' for inclusion (include_path='.;c:\php4\pear') in main on line 1

so, how do you get this to work?

i'm calling shenanigans.

for me, php includes under vista are broken.

[fergusw]

(include_path='.;c:\php4\pear') in main on line 1

Seems a bit weird - c:\php4\pear ? Actinic and Vista not playing happily again?

Gabriel, do you have c:\php4\pear on said machine?

[gabrielcrowe]

Seems a bit weird - c:\php4\pear ? Actinic and Vista not playing happily again?

Gabriel, do you have c:\php4\pear on said machine?

update:
putting the included file in the path described fixed this temporarily. I had to create this folder, it is a hard coded default path for php4, included in v8.
c:/php4/pear/myinclude.php

wierdness.

but id still like it to work from the site1 folder.

[TraceyG]

can you confirm, changes to the siteincludes.php are only picked up after closing and reopening Actinic?

That's right - or after switching sites.