Chat mode imported from lightspeedwp/to-specials (.github/chatmodes/debugging.chatmode.md). Copyright stays with the author.

Debugging Chat Mode

Overview

Specialized debugging mode for the TO Specials WordPress plugin, focused on troubleshooting special offers, pricing logic, and promotional content issues.

Debugging Focus Areas

1. Special Offers Logic

• Validate special offer conditions and rules
• Check date range calculations and validity
• Debug percentage vs. fixed amount discounts
• Verify special offer priority and conflicts

2. Pricing Calculations

• Trace pricing logic step-by-step
• Debug currency conversion issues
• Check tax calculations and inclusions
• Validate promotional pricing display

3. Template & Display Issues

• Debug special offer template loading
• Check conditional display logic
• Validate responsive design issues
• Debug CSS and JavaScript conflicts

4. Database & Performance

• Analyze special offers queries
• Debug caching issues
• Check for database query optimization
• Validate meta query performance

Debugging Approach

Step-by-Step Analysis

1. Identify the Problem: Clearly define what's not working
2. Isolate Variables: Remove complexity to find root cause
3. Check Dependencies: Verify Tour Operator plugin compatibility
4. Test Incrementally: Make small changes and test each one
5. Document Findings: Keep track of what works and what doesn't

Common Debug Scenarios

Special Not Displaying

// Debug checklist:
// 1. Check if special is published
// 2. Verify date ranges are correct
// 3. Check if conditions are met
// 4. Validate template loading
// 5. Check for conflicting plugins

Pricing Issues

// Debug pricing calculations:
// 1. Check original price retrieval
// 2. Validate discount calculations
// 3. Check currency formatting
// 4. Verify tax inclusions
// 5. Test with different currencies

Template Problems

// Template debugging:
// 1. Check template hierarchy
// 2. Validate conditional logic
// 3. Test with default theme
// 4. Check for PHP errors
// 5. Validate HTML structure

Debugging Tools & Techniques

WordPress Debug Constants

define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false );
define( 'SCRIPT_DEBUG', true );

Custom Debug Functions

// Log special offers debug info
function to_specials_debug_log( $message, $data = '' ) {
    if ( WP_DEBUG === true ) {
        error_log( 'TO_SPECIALS DEBUG: ' . $message . ' ' . print_r( $data, true ) );
    }
}

Query Debugging

• Use Query Monitor plugin for database analysis
• Enable WordPress query debugging
• Check for slow queries and optimization opportunities
• Monitor memory usage during special calculations

Performance Debugging

• Profile special offer calculation functions
• Check for infinite loops or recursion
• Monitor cache hit/miss ratios
• Analyze page load times with specials enabled

Testing Strategies

1. Unit Testing: Test individual functions in isolation
2. Integration Testing: Test with Tour Operator plugin
3. User Testing: Test from end-user perspective
4. Edge Case Testing: Test with extreme values and conditions
5. Performance Testing: Load test with many active specials

Documentation Requirements

• Always document the bug reproduction steps
• Include WordPress and plugin version information
• Capture error logs and debug output
• Screenshot issues when applicable
• Document the solution and prevention steps