Learning cakePHP debugging

Hello,

I am learning to trace through my code to debug results that I don't
understand.
I have the following setup (in part):
(And apologies for running on in my attempt to describe the
situation.)

in app_controller.php:
var $uses = array('User');
var $components = array('Acl', 'Auth', 'Session');

function beforeFilter() {
// Configure AuthComponent
$this->Auth->autoRedirect = false;
$this->Auth->authorize = 'actions';
$this->Auth->loginAction = array('controller' => 'users', 'action'
=> 'login');
$this->Auth->allowedActions = array('display', 'login', 'logout');

// Remember user who is logged in
$activeUser = $this->User->find(array($this->Auth->user('id')));
$this->set('activeUser', $activeUser);
} // end beforeFilter()
. . .

in users_controller.php:
function login() {
if( $this->Auth->user() ) {
$this->redirect( array('controller' => 'pages', 'action' =>
'start') );
}
} // end login()
. . .

I have introductory content in home.ctp with a link to login.ctp which
on success redirects to start.ctp. This 'start' page is where I am
trying to setup different menus depending on the users access
privileges.

In start.ctp:
// Debugging info begin
$oldDebug = Configure::read('debug');
Configure::write('debug', 3);
Debugger::dump(isset($activeUser));
Debugger::dump($activeUser);
Debugger::dump($activeUser['User']);
Debugger::dump($activeUser['Group']);
Configure::write('debug', $oldDebug);
// Debugging info end

if(isset($activeUser)) {
switch ($activeUser['Group']['id']):
case 1: // user is in administrator group
echo $this->element('adm_menu');
break;
case 2: // moderator group
echo $this->element('mod_menu');
break;
case 3: // user group
echo $this->element('usr_menu');
break;
default: // guest group
echo $this->element('gst_menu');
endswitch;
}
. . .

The dump calls output:
Debugger::dump(isset($activeUser));
true

Debugger::dump($activeUser);
array(
"User" => array(),
"Group" => array()
)

Debugger::dump($activeUser['User']);
array(
"id" => "1",
"username" => "xxx",
"first" => "xxx",
"last" => "xxx",
"password" => "xxx",
"group_id" => "1",
"created" => "2009-08-27 14:51:52",
"modified" => "2009-08-27 14:51:52"
)

Debugger::dump($activeUser['Group']);
array(
"id" => "1",
"name" => "Administrator",
"created" => "2009-08-27 14:50:33",
"modified" => "2009-08-27 14:50:33"
)

All acceptable, however my question is: How can I dump the full
contents of $activeUser with sub components in a way that I do not
have to call the 'User' and 'Group' arrays separately? Or extended to
work on a variable where I don't have to know it's full structure.

Many thanx in advance, McS

--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "CakePHP" group.
To post to this group, send email to cake-php@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cake-php+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/cake-php?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---