How determine if run is complete?

[spr21hear]

Hi kind moderators...Yet another newbie set of questions: How do I determine if the "run" has been completed, and so, my code has no errors? That is (conversely): Does "Notice" statements mean that my code has run-time errors? And, similarly: Does "no result"; ie, a blank page* resulting from the run, mean that my code has no run-time errors ? (* this code has no "display"; eg, html commands, only php)
---> Please direct me to answers in your library/similar documentation, if existent.
Thanks so much, another grateful newbie )

[Altrea]

Hi,

Sounds like you are coming from compiler programming language like C++ or Java.

OK, let's see if i can answer some of your questions.

How do I determine if the "run" has been completed, and so, my code has no errors?

Because PHP does not need to get compiled there is nothing similar like the errors a compiler would throw.
PHP code is something similar to the intermediate language you get after compiling. So any errors still left in the code do only occur at the time or access.
How the error is presentes depends on the settings, so be sure to not hide your error messages or log them properly.

That is (conversely): Does "Notice" statements mean that my code has run-time errors?

There are multiple levels of error levels defined in PHP. Messages containing the Word Error (including Compile_Error, Core_Error, etc) are terminating your script, because PHP does not have a failback for those. All other levels (like warning, notice, strict, deprecated) are often the product of sloppy programming. Mostly PHP can handle them by a failback without issue, but sometimes the failback is not what the programmer wanted to achieve. So you can and should solve these messages, but of you hide the error messages your code will in most cases run.

And, similarly: Does "no result"; ie, a blank page* resulting from the run, mean that my code has no run-time errors ? (* this code has no "display"; eg, html commands, only php)

No. A blank screen (white screen of death) is often a bad sign in PHP, because in almost all cases you want to end in any type of screen response.

Be sure you display your errors on your development environment and hide them on production environments.

[spr21hear]

THANK YOU ever so much for your kind advice, Althea! While I contemplate your answers (some with relief, bc they mean that I'm not too far "off the beam" as a coder), an unrelated question: Are previous versions of xampp still OK to use? I've been using v 3.2.4 (June '19), and am "happy" with it; I absolutely dread uploading any new app for various reasons. But do you recommend me to do so here, bc of a "vast improvement" in performance? --- THANKS again! from a PC-fearful newbie, still trying to create,a and successful complete, a website from scratch (no wordpress, etc) )

[Altrea]

Are previous versions of xampp still OK to use?

XAMPP is designed as local test and development environment. So if you use it for this it is for sure okay to even use older versions, because your local development environment should be as near to your later production environment as possible. So if your production server is running an older PHP version, feel free to use an older XAMPP version.
But never use XAMPP as live/production environment and don't make it online available.

I've been using v 3.2.4 (June '19), and am "happy" with it

Just to clearify: v3.2.4 is a version number which is only related to the one single component "XAMPP control panel".
This control panel version is included in many many XAMPP released over the years.
So this does not tell anything about how up to date a XAMPP bundle is.
If you want to get more information about where to find the XAMPP version number, feel free to read this helper post: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=72518#p233616

I absolutely dread uploading any new app for various reasons. But do you recommend me to do so here, bc of a "vast improvement" in performance?

No, never touch a running system. Performance wise you will not get any advantage from changing.

[spr21hear]

~ Thanks again for your advice; very much appreciated, A ! -- If your group/department has a "coffee fund", pls inform; I'd like to contribute "a large cup"!
Have a great spring ) )