title: Launch XDebug in Netbeans on an external request
body: <p>I'm using Netbeans 6.7 and XDebug to debug a PHP site on my machine, launching the request from within Netbeans (Project->Debug).  This works fine, and is very useful.</p>
  
  <p>My question is:  Is it possible to attach the debugger to any request that comes in, rather just those I launch from within Netbeans?</p>
  
  <p>ie, instead of clicking "Debug", put Netbeans into a mode whereby the debugger is launched and attaches to the next request that comes in.</p>
  
  <p>I have a feeling this may be a stupid question, but if it is possible, that'd be great.</p>
  
  <p><strong>Edit:</strong> A bit more information</p>
  
  <p>My system (Ubuntu 9.04) is set up as follows:</p>
  
  <p>Contents of <code>/etc/php5/conf.d/xdebug.ini</code></p>
  
  <pre><code>zend_extension=/usr/lib/php5/20060613/xdebug.so
  
  xdebug.remote_enable=on
  xdebug.remote_handler=dbgp
  xdebug.remote_mode=req
  xdebug.remote_host=localhost
  xdebug.remote_port=9000
  xdebug.idekey=netbeans-xdebug
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Netbeans PHP debugging options are at the defaults:</p>
  
  <pre><code>Debugger Port: 9000
  Session ID: netbeans-xdebug
  Stop at the First Line: ticked
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>My <code>/etc/hosts</code> file redirects <code>www.mywebsite.com</code> to <code>localhost</code></p>
  
  <p>If I click on the debug button in Netbeans, then Firefox is launched with the address <code>http://www.mywebsite.com?XDEBUG_SESSION_START=netbeans-xdebug</code>, and the debugger works as expected.</p>
  
  <p>But if I just browse to <code>http://www.mywebsite.com?XDEBUG_SESSION_START=netbeans-xdebug</code>, this doesn't start the debugger in Netbeans.</p>
  
  <p>I've also tried setting <code>xdebug.remote_host=www.mywebsite.com</code> , but that makes no difference.</p>
  
  <p>Also, I've enabled <code>xdebug.remote_log</code>, and that's showing information for when I start from within netbeans, but nothing for external requests.  So I don't think XDebug is seeing the external requests at all.</p>