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 Using PHPLint with NetBeans

Last updated: 2016-01-25

NetBeans is a powerful multi-platform IDE originally born to write Java programs, but it also supports several other languages though specialized plug-ins, and PHP is among these.

NetBeans main window on Linux (click to enlarge).

The image above shows the PHPLint project opened in the main window of NetBeans with the PHP plug-in enabled. This plug-in parses all the sources from the opened project and collects all the informations about the defined items: constants, variables, functions and classes will be at your fingertips! And it is very smart, as it parses all the DocBlocks and does a deep flow analysis on the source, so it knows exactly which type a variable really is and may suggest what you can do with it.

Tips and tricks with NetBeans

And here is a list the tips and tricks I use with NetBeans:

• Select the PHP version 5.6 or higher and UTF-8 source encoding. From File → Project properties → Source select the PHP version your sources will be compatible with, so that NetBeans will check the syntax accordingly.

  Project properties dialog box, Sources (click to enlarge).

• Exclude the modules folder. In the File → Project properties → Ignored Folders add the modules' directory: the PHP files it contains are not actual PHP code, and may make the suggestions quite confusing with duplicated entries.
• Keep the formatting of your sources uniform and consistent. Under File → Project properties → Source you may choose between global and project specific formatting options. The globals options are set from the Tools → Options → Formatting menu. I always choose "globals" too keep the formatting of all my sources uniform and consistent:

  Formatting options (click to enlarge).

  Smart guys always use tabs: choose the number of spaces per each indentation (used by the formatting tool) which normally must match the number of spaces per tab (applied when you press the tab key). Do not forget to also select "PHP" from the menu then check "Use All Languages Settings" to inherit these setting from the global ones.

• Keeps DocBlocks updated. It is very important to keep your DocBlock in synch with the actual source because NetBeans parses them and uses the informations it collects to perform static analysis on the source and give you the correct suggestions. The fastest way to add a DocBlock to a function or method is to set the cursor just before the function keyword and type /** then press enter: NetBeans will magically create the skeleton of the DocBlock, sometimes also guessing the correct types of the parameters and return type for you. Here is a simple example of DocBlock:

  /**
   * @param Person[int] $persons
   * @return void
   */
  function showNames($persons) { ... }
  		

  Note that NetBeans recognizes the array syntax Person[int] so it knows that $persons[$i]-> is an object of type Person and may suggest the corresponding class members while you are typing.

• Give the right name to things. Click on any constant, variable, function, parameter, class or property, either in the source or in a DocBlock and type control-R to "refactor": NetBeans will rename any occurrence of that item in the sources and DocBlocks. But beware: this task can only be performed with success if the source has already been well documented with proper and updated DocBlocks.
• Direct access to the PHP manual. Click anywhere inside the name of a function name, class name or method name, then click on the PHP icon in the tools bar to open the corresponding manual page in your preferred browser as set in File → Project properties → Browser.
• Spell checking of the comments. Unfortunately, spell-checking un PHP sources is performed only on the text portion of the source, not inside the source itself. But there is a simple trick: add a space inside the <?php tag so that it reads < ?php; in this way, all the source becomes bare text an gets checked, including comments and DocBlocks. Alt-Return on a bad word for suggestions and options. Add missing words to your private dictionary.
• Install the QuickOpener plug-in. These icons are from that plug-in:

  Icons set by the QuickOpener plug-in.

  which respectively: 1. Open a terminal window on the same directory of the currently selected folder or source. 2. Opens the file manager on the currently selected folder or folder containing the current source file. 3. Copy the path of the current folder or source, you may then paste in the embedded terminal window with Ctrl-Shift-V. 4. My preferred: launches an arbitrary command with the path of the current folder or source as parameter; here you may define the call to phplint.tcl, which is a very useful companion of NetBeans:

  QuickOpener custom commands (click to enlarge).

• Try the Help menu for more about NetBeans.

References

• netbeans.org.

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