i noticed exceptions, cake render view/errors/error400(or 500).ctp , others discard default layout , render view/layouts/error.ctp
i know cases error layout gets rendered , why.
so far found this:
missing controller | view/errors/error
missing view | view/errors/error
missing table | view/layouts/error
fatal error | blank page
from looks of say, error500 layout. mean, view/errors/error500.ctp never rendered , seems not logical.
you can errors. set layout error. in appcontroller.php
function beforerender() { if ($this->name == 'cakeerror') { $this->layout = "error"; } } 