OK so I set up php on Debian 7 following the Linux user guide which works perfectly except that no errors get written to the php error log. I have edited php.ini exactly as set out in the guide which is here:

https://library.linode.com/hosting-webs ... linode-1gb

and sets the following parameters:

max_execution_time = 30
memory_limit = 128M
error_reporting = E_COMPILE_ERROR|E_RECOVERABLE_ERROR|E_ERROR|E_CORE_ERROR
display_errors = Off
log_errors = On
error_log = /var/log/php.log
register_globals = Off

I have restarted apache after entering these parameters. PHP works fine but I need to debug a script from the error log. There is no php.log file in the directory /var/log

As I have set up apache and php according to the guide, I'm surprised that the error log is not working. Any suggestions gratefully received.

Maybe you need to create the php.log file first manually and give write permissions to whoever PHP is running as.
It might not have permissions now to create a file in /var/log/

I personally create the directory /var/www/php and chown it to www-data and point the error logs to there. You can have one per FPM pool/Apache vhost

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Thanks for the replies. I followed the advice of obs as follows:

1 edit php.ini to redirect logs to /var/www/php/php.log
2 restarted apache
3 chowned /var/www/php to www-data
4 triggered an error in php

This worked immediately so many thanks. I think maybe the guide should be amended to avoid this problem.

I've poked them to update it.

_________________
Paid support
How to ask for help
1. Give details of your problem
2. Post any errors
3. Post relevant logs.
4. Don't hide details i.e. your domain, it just makes things harder
5. Be polite or you'll be eaten by a grue