Ubuntu PHP5/Apache2 - Displaying 500 error instead of error message

Question

The following script is not outputting error messages to the browser. Instead it results in an HTTP Error 500 response.

<?php
error_reporting(E_ALL);
ini_set('display_errors', 'On');

phpinfo();

echo "test" asdf // This should error
?>

Ideas? This is a basic php5/apache2 install on ubuntu. httpd.conf is blank, no .htaccess file.

The error.log file displays the error message:

syntax error, unexpected T_STRING, expecting ',' or ';'

which is correct.

Does this give you any more errors ini_set(‘display_startup_errors’, ‘On’);? — alex
– alex, Commented Mar 10, 2011 at 5:09
delete the error.log file and run it again. I suspect your php install isn't working..... if it is then the error.log file will be regenerated. the fact that your httpd.conf file is blank could be an issue too — Jason
– Jason, Commented Mar 10, 2011 at 5:45
Did you figure this out? I have the same problem now, any and all PHP errors cause 500 internal server error. — Redsandro
– Redsandro, Commented Feb 1, 2013 at 3:31

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-04-13 12:13:38Z

3

<?php
error_reporting(-1);
ini_set('display_errors', 1);
ini_set('display_startup_errors', 1);

phpinfo();

echo "test" asdf // This should error
?>

In error_reporting -1 shows even more than E_ALL and for display_errors I used the value 1 instead of On.

Edit: I got the answer!

If the script has a parse error that prevents it from running, this also prevents it from > changing a PHP setting.

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered Mar 10, 2011 at 5:25

Daniel K

7,1012 gold badges29 silver badges35 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

3 Comments

I'm still getting the same result.

if the script doesn't run, the php.ini changes do not get commited... see edit

Ok, I understand now... Looks like the solution is to just turn on errors via the ini file then. Thanks!