PHP IDE Feature Query

[eluser]Rolly1971[/eluser]
ok so i have this thing burning inside my head.

Currently i use Aptana Studio 2 for my CI development and it is a great free tool for php dev.

However, if one was to say, create a PHP IDE fully centered around CodeIgniter what features would you all like to see, outside of the basics like intellisense and such?

just an idea burning in my head like i said.

[eluser]theprodigy[/eluser]
1. Available on Linux, not just Windows.

2. Fully customizable text expansion
(I type in 'pubfun' and hit tab, and it replaces it with 'public function', but also ability to create my own outside of defaults).

3. Ctrl+Left click
(Hitting Ctrl and Left clicking on a function call takes me to function declaration (opening source file if not in same file))
(Would be nice to work for loading of classes too. If I have $this->load->library('users') and I ctrl+click on users, it takes me to the constructor of the users library. Same for views, models, etc, etc).

4. FULL support for CodeIgniter. When I create a new project and I select CodeIgniter project, have it create a copy of system and app folders in the chosen workspace (whether currently stored version, or possibly download on command from EllisLabs :-P )

5. Integrated CodeIgniter User Guide (similar to many IDE's PHP manual stuff).

Heh, not exactly easy stuff to code, but you asked for it. lol

[eluser]Rolly1971[/eluser]
i did ask for it. And the points you made are exactly what i want to see.

your first point,

[AVAILABLE ON LINUX AND WINDOWS]

currently the only way i could achieve this, and it is important, is to develop it on one of two different platforms:

1) Dot Net Framework Version 2.0 (Linux Mono Compatible .net version)
2) VisualWebGui - .net app converted and compiled into a java app if i am correct.

one point that i will fully agree with you and more so:

3. Ctrl+Left click
(Hitting Ctrl and Left clicking on a function call takes me to function declaration (opening source file if not in same file))
(Would be nice to work for loading of classes too. If I have $this->load->library(‘users’) and I ctrl+click on users, it takes me to the constructor of the users library. Same for views, models, etc, etc).

the above point really irks my ass. Currently no PHP ide that i have used (and that is alot) supports this type of feature. and it bugs the crap outa me. So yeah i agree with you here fully, support for dynamically loaded files and there functions via a $this-> construct. this feature alone would be a selling point for me.

4. FULL support for CodeIgniter. When I create a new project and I select CodeIgniter project, have it create a copy of system and app folders in the chosen workspace (whether currently stored version, or possibly download on command from EllisLabs tongue laugh )

I can see the point here, it would be a great feature to have some type of Mercurial SVN built in would be a cool feature. One that would from time to time and/or by user request check the Mercurial for new versions of files.

5. Integrated CodeIgniter User Guide (similar to many IDE’s PHP manual stuff).

This is an important thing. Having quick easy access to documentation on the framework is critical. Especially for new users. This is solved easily however.


all in all good suggestions. and ones that i see missing , especially a few aspects of point 3. and as you mentioned, not a simple 1-2-3 thing to implement but one i think allot of php developers would like in a IDE.

Cheers mate, thanks for your feed back.

[eluser]gyo[/eluser]
Would it be an option to code it using RealBasic for multi-platform?
It would be great to have a Mac version...

From a design point of view, I think I've never used an editor that beats TextMate on OSX.
At work I use Windows, and there's nothing compared to TextMate.

Thanks, I'm willing to see this!

[eluser]codecreator2010[/eluser]
I work now in Codelobster PHP Edition.
It's very comfortable and free PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript editor.
The last version become Portable, that allows to install it on the flash drive
and use it on any computer
Want to mark the presence of PHP debugger, that make this editor valuable PHP IDE.

+it have special plugins for autocomplete and context help for
Drupal, Joomla, JQuery, Smarty, WordPress, Facebook, CakePHP and CodeIgniter.
http://www.codelobster.com

[eluser]Josh Holloway[/eluser]
[quote author="codecreator2010" date="1294763159"]I work now in Codelobster PHP Edition.
It's very comfortable and free PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript editor.
The last version become Portable, that allows to install it on the flash drive
and use it on any computer
Want to mark the presence of PHP debugger, that make this editor valuable PHP IDE.

+it have special plugins for autocomplete and context help for
Drupal, Joomla, JQuery, Smarty, WordPress, Facebook, CakePHP and CodeIgniter.
http://www.codelobster.com[/quote]

I too use codelobster - very good for codeigniter as you can setup a project based on CodeIgniter.

However, it lacks in it's projects when you refresh it completely collapses the tree structure.Still, it's one of the best I've found for CodeIgniter.

[eluser]Daniel Moore[/eluser]

2. Fully customizable text expansion
(I type in ‘pubfun’ and hit tab, and it replaces it with ‘public function’, but also ability to create my own outside of defaults).

I've got that, but not by hitting tab. If I hit tab, I want a tab, because I use tabs in my programming. I've programmed a hot key and user script that will allow me to create my own replacements. But more than that, I've got scripts in my IDE that will allow me to "create a controller, create a model, create a library" and it will prompt me for the class name, and will automatically fill in the skeletal information I need, name the class, construct it, put in the end of file comments, everything, then save it to the proper codeigniter directory.

3. Ctrl+Left click
(Hitting Ctrl and Left clicking on a function call takes me to function declaration (opening source file if not in same file))

Again, using my IDE, I have a user tool that will do this, via a right click and "locate function declaration" in the context menu. It will then search the function index of the project files (a special index file created that keeps track of the functions and their locations, as files are changed this index file is updated) then it opens that file to the location of the function declaration.

(Would be nice to work for loading of classes too. If I have $this->load->library(‘users’) and I ctrl+click on users, it takes me to the constructor of the users library. Same for views, models, etc, etc).

I could program the same there, just didn't think about it. It's possible with my IDE, however, with a bit of tweaking a user script.

4. FULL support for CodeIgniter. When I create a new project and I select CodeIgniter project, have it create a copy of system and app folders in the chosen workspace (whether currently stored version, or possibly download on command from EllisLabs tongue laugh )

Again, when I start a new CodeIgniter project, I am able to use the SVN utility built into the IDE to export my local working copy directly to the project directory.

5. Integrated CodeIgniter User Guide (similar to many IDE’s PHP manual stuff).

Putting up help was easy. It is a simple matter of compiling the HTML help provided by EllisLab and configuring my IDE to use it. I right click on what I need help on, and select "CodeIgniter Manual", "PHP Manual", "CSS Manual", "JavaScript Manual", etc. An extra step, but quite easy to adapt to.

Problem is, my IDE has a scaled down editor version available for Linux, but the IDE itself is only on Windows. That's not a problem for me, as I code exclusively for Windows. I've used Linux, and the tools there weren't up to par for what I needed. I've used Mac, and while TextMate is quite good, it just can't compare to the IDE that I use.

Another downside for the IDE I user for many is that it cost money. It isn't free. Most people want a free application. I think you need the right too for the job, however, and if I earn a good living doing something, I can afford to pay for the tools I need. This is not a Java applet, not a .NET application, not a RealBasic, nor any other type of interpreted language. Much of it is programmed in assembly, and the rest in C#. It's fast, and I wouldn't use an editor programed in one of those other languages, as you can tell the difference in speed, and I like it snappy.

I use UEStudio, by IDM Computer Solutions. Since it allows me to customize unlimited user tools, I can do pretty much anything I need with any environment. And, since I also do Desktop programming and not just web stuff, it's the best at that as well.

Built-in PHP debugging, built-in style sheet designer, right click and encode/decode URI, right click and convert to/from HTML Entities, versioning support and on and on. I can't possibly tell you what all this does for my productivity.

[eluser]veritascs[/eluser]
[quote author="codecreator2010" date="1294763159"]I work now in Codelobster PHP Edition.
It's very comfortable and free PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript editor.
The last version become Portable, that allows to install it on the flash drive
and use it on any computer
Want to mark the presence of PHP debugger, that make this editor valuable PHP IDE.

+it have special plugins for autocomplete and context help for
Drupal, Joomla, JQuery, Smarty, WordPress, Facebook, CakePHP and CodeIgniter.
http://www.codelobster.com[/quote]

I like the built in CI features. Does it have SVN plugins? Does it allow viewing two files side by side?

[eluser]wascko[/eluser]
[quote author="gyo / suashi" date="1285697874"]Would it be an option to code it using RealBasic for multi-platform?
It would be great to have a Mac version...

From a design point of view, I think I've never used an editor that beats TextMate on OSX.
At work I use Windows, and there's nothing compared to TextMate.

Thanks, I'm willing to see this![/quote]

FYI: i am working on a windows and i'm using E-texteditor (the power of textmate on windows)
http://www.e-texteditor.com/
i am rather pleased witht it, but still ... thinking about switching to an IDE- only question is: which one..

[eluser]Jagar[/eluser]
[quote author="codecreator2010" date="1294745159"]I work now in Codelobster PHP Edition.
It's very comfortable and free PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript editor.
The last version become Portable, that allows to install it on the flash drive
and use it on any computer
Want to mark the presence of PHP debugger, that make this editor valuable PHP IDE.

+it have special plugins for autocomplete and context help for
Drupal, Joomla, JQuery, Smarty, WordPress, Facebook, CakePHP and CodeIgniter.
http://www.codelobster.com[/quote]

Thank you codecreator2010 for the link, I have just downloaded code lobster, it is what I was looking for.

Best Regards