Davor's PHP Constructor - User Documentation

Setting System Options

Changes to System Options become valid as soon as you close the dialogue pressing "OK" button. Press Cancel button to avoid unwanted changes to system options.

System Options are divided in following sections:
General - Editor - PHP Special - PHP/HTML Syntax Coloring - Code Templates - User Information

General

Project Handling

Save Desktop - if you set this option (set by default), IDE will save information about every open project, file and editor window. When you start Davor's PHP Constructor next time, all projects and files will be loaded and desktop windows arranged as they were when you left them - including file cursor positions. This saves time to reopen projects and files and helps you remember at which point you interrupted your work last time.
Accept Project File Name as Parameter - Davor's PHPConstructor can load a project whose name is sent to .exe as a parameter; this allows association of ".PRJ" file type with DPHPB.exe to enable opening projects via OS shell double-click
Create Backup of Saved Files - if set, Code Editor will make a copy of saved file, adding '~' to it's extension so that the file can be recovered if something goes wrong during save or if you simply want to revert to prior version

Site/Page viewer

Internal or External - specifies which previewer to use; IDE includes an internal IE-compatible Web Browser. If you want to use external previewer, you must specify its executable with a full path (you can use "browse" button next to the external previewer name which appears when you set "External" option), for example "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE"
PHP Interpreter - set full path and file name to your version of PHP interpreter (php.exe), for example "C:\php\php.exe"; interpreter will be needed to check scripts for syntax or interpret them
Preview Single Files (Ignore URL, use physical directory) - if this option is set, pressing Ctrl+F9 or starting single file preview will load a physical file (for example "C:\myprojects\myweb\page1.html"), not trying to access it through Web Server. Note that PHP and other scripts may not work correctly when previewes this way
Warning on "Save Files" Before Preview - when starting complete project preview, changed files must be saved; this option tells IDE to display warning about saving files before starting a preview

Editor

You can set fonts, colors and other advanced editor options on this page, and yet set another three Special Editor Functions:

Completion Proposal - pressing Ctrl+Space will show you the list of common PHP Keywords and Functions to let you insert them by pressing 'enter' key, rather than typing whole word; typing a few letters narrows the set of functions/keywords proposed
Auto Complete - if you type in a part of code, for example "class" or "function", or start marker for code segment and press Shift+Space, a part of code will be completed (if defined)
Highlight Parenthesis Scope on Cursor Entry With Special Colors -
If you set this option, whenever you place caret (cursor) in edited text either on opening or closing bracket (includes HTML tag brackets), editor will try to find matching bracket and highlight text between them with color you specify below. Although this function can be a little slow depending on complexity of script you are editing, it can be very helpful to find a way in complex expressions. When this option IS NOT set, editor uses specified colors to highlight matching brackets, without marking entire scope

Keyword and Function lists used for completion proposal and function paremater hints are stored inside two .DAT files, "phpkw.dat" and "phpfu.dat". Structures for code completion are stored inside "phpac.dat" file. These files can be edited to suite everyone's needs.

PHP Special

Show "PHP Variables" when '$' key pressed in Editor - When you press '$' key in editor and this option is active, Code Editor will display Handling PHP Variables dialogue; this only works while editing PHP-type files (INC, PHP and without extension if next options is set)
Handle Undefined File Types as PHP by Default - if a file has no extension, it will be treated as PHP script by default when this option is set, and therefore properly highlighted; useful for some UNIX and other systems which "don't like" file extensions
Use Custom Highlighting for PHP File Types - if you check this option, you will get editable Keywords and Functions list. These keywords and functions will be highlighted in PHP type files. Please note that custom highlighting is not so accurate as standard built-in PHP highlighting method.

PHP/HTML Syntax Coloring

Use options on this page to set color attributes for PHP/HTML/JavaScript Syntax coloring. These attributes are used for HTML and PHP file types and Code Editor will try to colorize all possible recognized segments using specified attributes.
To allow correct highlighting in mixed files (e.q. mixed HTML, PHP and JavaScript code), please always surround all code segments with appropriate markers (like HTML and PHP start/end markers).

Code Templates

You can define unlimited number of Code Templates (code lines) which you can pick from a pull-down menu on editor's toolbar, or from a popup-menu pressing Alt+C while editing code. Selected template is inserted at current cursor position.

In upper list, define description (appears in selection list) and unique name for your templates. For active template, write the code in editor box below. You can enter code of any length. The code can consist of simple sequences such as some html tags, or whole functions or whatever you desire to insert quickly without typing.

User Information

When you register your copy of Davor's PHP Constructor, you must enter valid user information on this page. Only correct combinations of owner's name and e-mail, serial number and control code will be accepted when you press "OK" button. Entering valid registration information activates all functions of IDE otherwise disabled in demo versions.