Enable Xdebug in MAMP

Uncomment the zend_extension line and modify the /Applications/MAMP/bin/php/php5.x/conf/php.ini file to look like this:-

[xdebug]
zend_extension="/Applications/MAMP/bin/php/php5.4.10/lib/php/extensions/no-debug-non-zts-20100525/xdebug.so"
xdebug.remote_enable=1
xdebug.remote_host=localhost 

; On my machine, the default port 9000 has already been taken by something else.
xdebug.remote_port=9099 

; Recommended when using Symfony
xdebug.max_nesting_level=250

Then restart the servers in MAMP.

Refs

http://danpolant.com/want-to-run-xdebug-mamp-is-the-easiest-way/

http://xdebug.org/docs/all_settings

Custom php.ini on shared hosting

• Find the default php.ini path. Mine is /usr/local/lib/php.ini

<?php phpinfo() ?>

• Copy the default php.ini to the user's home folder and customise it.

<?php copy("/usr/local/lib/php.ini", "/home/username/php.ini") ?>

• Create a .htaccess file in the user's home folder with the following content.

SetEnv PHPRC /home/username/php.ini
# The following lines are important if the php.ini file is put in the document root.
<Files php.ini>
order allow,deny
deny from all
</Files>

Refs

http://php.net/manual/en/function.copy.php

http://jesin.tk/using-custom-php-ini-files-on-shared-hosting/

https://drupal.org/node/290592