I'm trying to use PhpED with a web application - both are new to me. The web app and Apache are installed on my PC.

I can get PhpED to debug correctly when I use the separate IE browser controlled by the browser's PhpED toolbar buttons. I can also use the application in the embedded IE browser with no debugging. However when I try and debug the app in the embedded browser I encounter application problems - it looks like data is not being set correctly by the app.

Being new to both, I'm wondering if the DBGSESSID info in the URL is messing up the application - it seems like this method isn't being used when I use the external IE browser, instead it uses cookies. Is there any way to make the embedded browser not munge the URL (eg by using cookies)? Or is there something else I'm missing?

FWIW here's the debugger section of php.ini (v4.4.3):
[debugger]
debugger.enabled=on
debugger.profiler_enabled=on
debugger.hosts_allow=localhost 127.0.0.1
debugger.hosts_deny=ALL
debugger.ports=7869, 10000/16

In other words, it looks like your application is trying to interpret DBGSESSID passed in the URL and does not work correct but debugger works fine, right?
If so, let the debugger power help you nail down the problem

Regarding the 2nd question, right cookies are used when debug session is initiated with the debugger toolbar. It can be used with embedded browser as well, see Debug This Page in the browser's popup menu.