Does the functions.php file ever get called during an AJAX call? Debug AJAX

admin-ajax.php loads wp-load.php:

/** Load WordPress Bootstrap */
require_once( dirname( dirname( __FILE__ ) ) . '/wp-load.php' );

wp-load.php loads wp-config.php, and there wp-settings.php is loaded.

And here we find this:

// Load the functions for the active theme, for both parent and child theme if applicable.
if ( ! defined( 'WP_INSTALLING' ) || 'wp-activate.php' === $pagenow ) {
    if ( TEMPLATEPATH !== STYLESHEETPATH && file_exists( STYLESHEETPATH . '/functions.php' ) )
        include( STYLESHEETPATH . '/functions.php' );
    if ( file_exists( TEMPLATEPATH . '/functions.php' ) )
        include( TEMPLATEPATH . '/functions.php' );
}

So, yes, the theme’s functions.php is loaded.

---

There is one exception in wp-settings.php:

// Stop most of WordPress from being loaded if we just want the basics.
if ( SHORTINIT )
    return false;

When SHORTINIT is defined as TRUE earlier, the theme will not be loaded.

So check if SHORTINIT is TRUE for some reason.

---

Another common error is the wrong usage of is_admin(). This is always TRUE in admin-ajax.php, so the following will fail:

if ( ! is_admin() )
    // register or execute AJAX stuff

---

Debugging AJAX

One method as primitive as efficient is using HTTP header to debug AJAX.

Here is a simple helper function:

function send_debug_header( $msg )
{
    static $counter = 1;
    header( "X-Debug-Ajax-$counter: $msg" );
    $counter += 1;
}

And this plugin shows how to use it:

<?php # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
/**
 * Plugin Name: Debug AJAX per HTTP
 * Description: Look at the HTTP headers in your browser's network console
 */

// The constant is already defined when plugins are loaded.
// Prove we have been called.
if ( defined( 'DOING_AJAX' ) && DOING_AJAX )
    send_debug_header( 'File "' . __FILE__ . '" was called on an AJAX request.' );

function send_debug_header( $msg )
{
    static $counter = 1;
    header( "X-Debug-Ajax-$counter: $msg" );
    $counter += 1;
}

add_action( 'wp_ajax_debug_test',        't5_debug_test' );
add_action( 'wp_ajax_nopriv_debug_test', 't5_debug_test' );

function t5_debug_test()
{
    $in = is_user_logged_in() ? '' : 'not ';
    send_debug_header( 'Function "' . __FUNCTION__ . '" was called and the user is ' . $in . 'logged in.' );
    print_r( debug_backtrace() );
    die(1);
}

add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 't5_enqueue_jquery' );

function t5_enqueue_jquery()
{
    wp_enqueue_script( 'jquery' );
}
add_action( 'wp_footer', 't5_debug_ajax_test_button', 0 );

function t5_debug_ajax_test_button()
{
    ?>
<input type="submit" id="t5debugajax" value="Debug AJAX">
<script>
jQuery( function($){
    var sendFeedBack = function( response ){
        console.log( response );
    };
    $("#t5debugajax").on("click", function(){
        $.post(
            "<?php echo admin_url( 'admin-ajax.php' ); ?>",
            {
                action: "debug_test"
            },
            sendFeedBack
        );
    });
});
</script>
    <?php
}

It will add a button to the front end that triggers an AJAX request when clicked. The open your browser’s network console and look at the response headers for the request: