#22839 [Bgs->Opn]: Error messages go to STDOUT instead of STDERR

ID: 22839 User updated by: gk at proliberty dot com Reported By: gk at proliberty dot com -Status: Bogus +Status: Open Bug Type: CGI related Operating System: linux RH 7.2 PHP Version: 4CVS-2003-03-24 (stable) New Comment: This is not about where errors be LOGGED, but about what output stream to write DISPLAY output to. I am arguing that if display_errors is enabled, then this output should go to /dev/stderr, not to /dev/stdout. sniper@php.net describes a workaround that co-opts use of error_log file from its intended purpose (logging errors to a file, for archival purposes) in order to redirect display output. Most well-behaved programs distinguish between 'normal' display output and 'errors' and use /dev/stdout and /dev/sterr appropriately, in this regard. PHP breaks this convention by displaying errors on /dev/stdout instead of /dev/stderr UNLESS you employ the workaround of setting /dev/stderr as the logfile. If sniper's workaround is employed, however, then this prevents logging errors to a file. The behavior of PHP appears confused. PHP should offer two clearly separated output mechanisms to the programmer: 1. echo() - for sending 'normal' output to /dev/stdout 2. trigger_error() - for sending 'errors' to /dev/stderr In my case, I am running php scripts via cron. I always want to maintain a historical record, via error_log, but I also need cron to email any true errors immediately - I don't want to set error_log = /dev/stderr and lose the historical error_log record in order to accomplish this simple task that would be a no-brainer if my script was written in bash instead of php. Previous Comments: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2003-03-24 06:33:07] sniper@php.net Works fine when you have set it correctly in php.ini: # php -d log_errors=1 -d error_log=/dev/stderr -r "f();" 1>/dev/null ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2003-03-24 02:14:59] gk at proliberty dot com Error messages should go to /dev/stderr instead of /dev/stdout Example: redirect STDOUT to /dev/null; notice error message does not appear below: [root@p3 php4-STABLE-200303210630]# sapi/cli/php -r "f();" 1>/dev/null [root@p3 php4-STABLE-200303210630]# This is what you should see on /dev/stderr: [root@p3 php4-STABLE-200303210630]# sapi/cli/php -r "f();" Fatal error: Call to undefined function: f() in Command line code on line 1 The problem is due to the default error handler; if you install a custom error handler function with set_error_handler() then you can work around the problem for errors except the following which CANNOT be handled with set_error_handler() function: E_ERROR, E_PARSE, E_CORE_ERROR, E_CORE_WARNING, E_COMPILE_ERROR and E_COMPILE_WARNING. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- Edit this bug report at http://bugs.php.net/?id=22839&edit=1