Tips on how to debug PHP forms

When degugging PHP forms there are many tools you can use to make sure that they are working the way that you want.

The fact is that debugging PHP forms is pretty much a trial-and-error process.

Just because a form is successful in submitting form entries when a "Submit" button is pressed it is not guarantee that the desire purpose is fulfilled. The key here is to test test test!

Even if the required data is collected and the action that you wanted was gathered, as in the case of a "feedback form" there may still be errors or warnings generated by your webserver.

The process:

This is an iterative process and it is unlikely that a script will perform in a manner that you require or expext. As such, if you are monitoring the accesses to your server you will probably want to use a "sand-box". Alternatively, you can upload pages without tracking and tell web robots not to index these test scripts/pages.

• Create original form - get a form that works in a basic manner - you cannot proceed unless the basic form does something.
• Test and adjust

PHP scripts and pages that contain PHP have to be tested on a server that supports PHP.

Form Validation

A major feature in form design is getting the appropriate validation of the entered data.

Hardening

Protecting your forms from hacking cannot be over-looked.

Security

If the data you are sending and receiving from the server secure? Get and Post Transactions, SSL.