Useful recursive dumping function to simulate `print_r()` but limited by level.

print_r_level.php

<?php
/**
 * @copyright  Copyright (C) 2011 - 2014 SMS Taiwan, Inc. All rights reserved.
 * @license    GNU General Public License version 2 or later;
 */

/**
 * Recursive print variables and limit by level.
 *
 * @param   mixed  $data   The variable you want to dump.
 * @param   int    $level  The level number to limit recursive loop.
 *
 * @return  string  Dumped data.
 */
function printRLevel($data, $level = 5)
{
	static $innerLevel = 1;

	static $tabLevel = 1;

	$self = __FUNCTION__;

	$type       = gettype($data);
	$tabs       = str_repeat('    ', $tabLevel);
	$quoteTabes = str_repeat('    ', $tabLevel - 1);
	$output     = '';
	$elements   = array();

	$recursiveType = array('object', 'array');

	// Recursive
	if (in_array($type, $recursiveType))
	{
		// If type is object, try to get properties by Reflection.
		if ($type == 'object')
		{
			$output     = get_class($data) . ' ' . ucfirst($type);
			$ref        = new \ReflectionObject($data);
			$properties = $ref->getProperties();

			foreach ($properties as $property)
			{
				$property->setAccessible(true);

				$pType = $property->getName();

				if ($property->isProtected())
				{
					$pType .= ":protected";
				}
				elseif ($property->isPrivate())
				{
					$pType .= ":" . $property->class . ":private";
				}

				if ($property->isStatic())
				{
					$pType .= ":static";
				}

				$elements[$pType] = $property->getValue($data);
			}
		}
		// If type is array, just retun it's value.
		elseif ($type == 'array')
		{
			$output   = ucfirst($type);
			$elements = $data;
		}

		// Start dumping data
		if ($level == 0 || $innerLevel < $level)
		{
			// Start recursive print
			$output .= "\n{$quoteTabes}(";

			foreach ($elements as $key => $element)
			{
				$output .= "\n{$tabs}[{$key}] => ";

				// Increment level
				$tabLevel = $tabLevel + 2;
				$innerLevel++;

				$output  .= in_array(gettype($element), $recursiveType) ? $self($element, $level) : $element;

				// Decrement level
				$tabLevel = $tabLevel - 2;
				$innerLevel--;
			}

			$output .= "\n{$quoteTabes})\n";
		}
		else
		{
			$output .= "\n{$quoteTabes}*MAX LEVEL*\n";
		}
	}
	else
	{
		$output = $data;
	}

	return $output;
}

show.php

<?php
/**
 * Dump Array or Object as tree node. If you send multiple params in this method, 
 * this function will batch print it.
 * 
 * If last param is integer, it will set to be level limited. 
 * So make sure your last param is not integer if you want to print it.
 * 
 * Usage:
 * 
 * ``` php
 * show($array, $object, $anyVariable);
 * 
 * show($array, $objecy, 15);
 * ```
 *
 * @param   mixed  $data   Array or Object to dump.
 * @param   int    $level  The level number to limit recursive loop.
 *
 * @since   1.0
 *
 * @return  void
 */
function show($data)
{
	$args = func_get_args();

	$last = array_pop($args);

	if (is_int($last))
	{
		$level = $last;
	}
	else
	{
		$level = 4;

		$args[] = $last;
	}

	// Dump Multiple values
	if (count($args) > 1)
	{
		$prints = array();

		$i = 1;

		foreach ($args as $arg)
		{
			$prints[] = "[Value " . $i . "]\n" . printRLevel($arg, $level);
			$i++;
		}

		echo '<pre>' . implode("\n\n", $prints) . '</pre>';
	}
	else
	{
		// Dump one value.
		echo '<pre>' . printRLevel($data, $level) . '</pre>';
	}
}