Super Globals Plus for Zen Cart 2.1.0 and Later

Version 3.0.0 by paulm, torvista and lat9

Current Support Thread at Zen Cart Forums: https://www.zen-cart.com/showthread.php?74800-Superglobals-Plus&p=478114

Copyright (C) Vinos de Frutas Tropicales 2011-2025

Paul Mathot, Haarlem, the Netherlands, September 2007 (beterelektro.nl) :: lat9 (vinosdefrutastropicales.com), 2011-2025. Released under the Gnu General Public License (see included LICENSE.TXT)

What it does

Super Globals Plus is a developers' tool that makes evaluating variables easy. It produces a clear overview of the contents of strings, arrays, constants, objects, arrays within object, objects within arrays or whatever. Because the amount of information given by this tool was overwhelming to most new users of the Super Globals Plus script, version 1.24 and later only shows $_POST and $_SESSION by default.

Features:

• Show all GLOBALS, or just the Superglobals you need to evaluate.
• Show all defined constants (v1.2).
• Show a list of included files (v1.22).
• Show Superglobals either in a javascript popup window or at the end of each rendered page. (v1.4)
• Optionally hide HTTP_ variables when showing all globals.
• Show the whole content of each variable, including all objects and arrays etc!
• Recursion protection (optional: recursion level/off)
• Show the variable type (array, string, object, integer, NULL, boolean, resource).
• Converts strings into their htmlentities before output (v1.0)
• Clear output (see screenshot to the right).
• Optional IP address protection.
• Admin switches for all options.

How to use it

After you have logged into your store's admin and installed the plugin, you will see the Configuration :: Superglobals selection. Within that selection are the values that you can use to control the plugin's display.

Installation and Removal

This plugin is now encapsulated and has no core-file overwrites. Installation and removal are simplified.

Installing Super Globals

1. Unzip this distribution's zip-file; you'll see a zc_plugins directory, and inside it a SuperGlobals directory, and inside that another directory with a version number.
2. Copy the plugin's SuperGlobals directory to your site's file-system's zc_plugins directory.
3. Log into your Zen Cart admin and navigate to Modules :: Plugin Manager. Click on Super Globals, then click Install and confirm by clicking Install.
4. You'll see a Superglobals element under the admin's Configuration tab; proceed to the configuration step, see below.

Note: These files are automatically removed when v3.0.0 or later of this plugin is installed:

1. /includes/auto_loaders/config.SuperGlobals.php
2. /includes/classes/observers/SuperGlobalsObserver.php
3. /includes/functions/extra_functions/superglobals.php
4. /includes/templates/template_default/css/superglobals.css
5. /YOUR_ADMIN/includes/auto_loaders/config.SuperGlobalsAdmin.php
6. /YOUR_ADMIN/includes/functions/extra_functions/superglobals.php
7. /YOUR_ADMIN/includes/languages/english/extra_definitions/superglobals.php

Un-install

Navigate to your Zen Cart admin's Modules :: Plugin Manager, highlight the entry associated with Super Globals and click the Un-Install button.

Version History:

• v3.0.0 (lat9), 2025-01-21
  • CHANGE: The plugin is now released as a Zen Cart encapsulated one.
• v2.2.2 (lat9), 2022-07-07
  • BUGFIX: Only 'unset' $languageLoader if its developer-testing isn't active.
  • The following files were changed:
    1. /includes/functions/extra_functions/superglobals.php
• v2.2.1 (lat9/torvista), 2022-05-02
  • BUGFIX: Correcting PHP fatal error when running under PHP 8.1+.
  • The following files were changed:
    1. /includes/functions/extra_functions/superglobals.php
• v2.2.0 (lat9), 2021-05-13
  • CHANGE: 'unset' the $languageLoader variable, introduced in zc158, since it causes recursion errors.
  • CHANGE: Load styling only if the Super Globals display is enabled.
  • The following files were changed/added/removed:
    1. /includes/functions/extra_functions/superglobals.php
    2. /includes/templates/template_default/css/superglobals.css
    3. /includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/css/stylesheet_superglobals.css
    4. /YOUR_ADMIN/includes/stylesheet_superglobals.css
• v2.1.0 (lat9), 2019-09-29
  • CHANGE: Use notifiers, possibly added, instead of inline code.
  • The following files were changed/added:
    1. /includes/auto_loaders/config.SuperGlobals.php (Added)
    2. /includes/classes/observers/SuperGlobalsObserver.php (Added)
    3. /includes/functions/extra_functions/superglobals.php
    4. /YOUR_ADMIN/includes/auto_loaders/config.SuperGlobalsAdmin.php (Added)
• v2.0.2 (lat9, dbltoe), 2019-08-24
  • BUGFIX: Check for setting presence prior to use, corrects missing constant warning.
  • The following files were changed:
    1. /includes/functions/extra_functions/superglobals.php
• v2.0.1 (lat9, torvista), 2019-06-13
  • BUGFIX: Correct to-be-added snippets for Installing Super Globals, step 3, and Admin Home-Page Installation.
  • BUGFIX: Correct PHP Notice: Only variables should be passed by reference.
  • The following files were changed:
    1. /includes/functions/extra_functions/superglobals.php
• v2.0.0 (lat9), 2019-01-07
  • BUGFIX: Future-proofing; need to check that an object is "countable" before using sizeof or count!
  • CHANGE: Core and template-override are no longer distributed. Please follow the installation instructions to add the required changes to your store's admin and storefront files.
  • The following files were changed or removed from this distribution:
    1. /includes/functions/extra_functions/superglobals.php
    2. /includes/templates/YOUR_TEMPLATE/common/tpl_main_page.php
    3. /YOUR_ADMIN/includes/footer.php
    4. /YOUR_ADMIN/includes/stylesheet.css
• v1.6.5 (lat9), 2017-06-28
  • BUGFIX: Re-instate pop-up functionality; mistakenly removed in v1.6.4.
• v1.6.4 (lat9), 2017-05-30
  • BUGFIX: Correct CSS "location" on storefront pop-up display.
  • CHANGE: Remove deprecated mysql function usage.
• v1.6.3 (lat9), 2016-12-04:
  • BUGFIX: Really correct the index-0 non-display issue.
  • CHANGE: Use Zen Cart 1.5.5b as the change-basis for all core-file changes. The installation instructions have been updated to make a distinction between initial installs, based on the Zen Cart version.
• v1.6.2 (lat9), 2015-12-30:
  • BUGFIX: Correct issue (introduced in v1.6.1) where the information associated with index-0 of an array was no longer output.
  • CHANGE: Use Zen Cart v1.5.5 as the change-basis for all core-file changes.
• v1.6.1 (lat9), 2015-12-06:
  • BUGFIX: Correct validation issues.
  • BUGFIX: Correct processing of Super Globals Exclusions so that the associated data elements are bypassed rather than removed.
• v1.6.0 (lat9), 2014/06/07:
  • BUGFIX: SQL uninstall script doesn't check for a cgi of 0.
  • Identify support for Zen Cart v1.5.3.
  • Remove SQL install scripts, auto-install instead.
  • Move ADMIN_OPTIONAL elements (supporting admin-based Superglobals) into the base install, removing an additional installation step.
  • Removed (unused) /includes/stylesheet_superglobals.css
  • Included Zen Cart v1.5.3 changes to /YOUR_ADMIN/index.php
  • Added a configuration field (Super Globals Exclusions) so that you can identify a list of variables to exclude from the Super Globals variable display. These variables are usually large arrays that don't convey meaningful information.
• v1.5.0 (lat9), 2013/11/30, Include downwardly-compatible Zen Cart v1.5.2 changes in the /YOUR_ADMIN_OPTIONAL files.
• v1.4.4 (torvista, lat9), 2013/02/27
  • Corrected validation errors (empty <strong> tags and popup display) — torvista
  • Added "future proofing" around call to mysql_fetch_array call (deprecated in PHP 5.5) — lat9
• v1.4.3 (lat9), 2013/01/23. *BUGFIX* Updated /includes/functions/extra_functions/superglobals.php so that index 0 of an indexed array is properly output; the problem was introduced by me in the previous release.
• v1.4.2 (lat9), 2012/11/23
  • Updated installation SQL files to correct problem documented by swguy here.
  • Added new configuration value for v1.5.0 and later SQL values to control whether or not the queryCache object is shown. This object can be huge and takes a while to process. Changes made to the superglobals.sql file as well as /includes/functions/extra_functions/superglobals.php. Note that the queryCache object was introduced in Zen Cart v1.5.1; changing this configuration value on a v1.5.0 installation will have no effect.
• v1.4.1 (lat9), 2012/10/13
  • Modified htmlentities calls to include ENT_COMPAT and the CHARSET, for compatibility with PHP v5.4
  • Added htmlspecialchars wrapper around value outputs that were causing HTML validation errors
• v1.4 (paulm and lat9), 2011/09/12
  • Added capability (and admin option) to display the Superglobals information either in a javascript popup window or at the end of each rendered page.
• v1.31 (lat9), 2011/08/15
  • Corrected v1.5.0+ install/uninstall SQL, per this thread.
• v1.30 (lat9), 2011/08/07
  • Corrected invalid HTML output caused by empty resources
  • Added install/uninstall SQL for Zen Cart 1.5.0 and later
  • Restructured zip-file directory, so that installation is simpler.
• v1.24
  • Minor readme.txt edits
  • Minor sql file edits (texts and some default settings) + added removal of old configurations
  • Added extras folder which contains two ready made files so you can even skip the two simple file edits in most cases.
• v1.22-1.23
  • Minor layout fix and some readme.txt edits
• v1.21
  • Added get_ included_ files()
• v1.2
  • Added defined CONSTANTS display.
  • Fixed bugs in admin superglobals function (admin superglobals would only display when shop was in root and when catalog superglobals were enabled).
  • Modified readme for 1.3.5 compatibility
• v1.12
  • fixed typo (which caused XHTML validation errors)
• v1.11
  • Fixed "Enable Superglobals" switches (error in 1.1)
• v1.1
  • (re)Added output buffering
  • Added HTTP_ filter:
    

    if (!(strstr($toplevel_key,'HTTP_') == $toplevel_key)) {

• v1.0, First public non beta version.
  • Removed the "Show single var" feature, since it did not make much sense after all.
  • Shows the var type for every var now (before only arrays and objects where identified as such, now int, string, etc etc are too).
  • Added htmlentities function for strings.
  • Cleaned up code (replaced if else structure by switch() case)
  • Added feature to echo $GLOBALS
  • Combined catalog and admin script into one
  • Improved HTML source formatting
  • Added recursion level counter (and a maximum recursion level setting)
  • Renamed functions, again (hopefully the function names do make a little more sense now)
  • Added CSS color for resources (blue)
• v0.99
  • Renamed to 0.99 ;-) (not 1.00 because I did not get to cleaning up the code yet)
  • Some (other) small changes to this readme.
• v0.97
  • If the supervar_echo() function is being used, the output will be displayed in the HTML body (while it was displayed "on the spot" in previous versions).
  • Added option to print the data at the top or bottom of the page.
• v0.91
  • Fixed HTML validation
  • Improved styles
• v0.9, Added admin version and the possibility to view the contents of other (than global) variables/constants/array's/objects.
• 0.81, Added sql to remove the settings from the database.
• v0.8, First public version