schlitt.info - php, photography and private stuff
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:Author: 		Tobias Schlitt
:Date:			Mon, 28 Jan 2013 09:16:14 +0100
:Revision: 		2
:Copyright:		CC by-nc-sa


====================================
Comfortable PHP Editing With VIM -8-
====================================

:Description:
    As promised, I'm explaining my new VIM setup in some more detail, staring
    with the collection of plugins I use by now to enhance my VIM experience. I
    already have some in mind which I need to try out, but I would be happy to
    know which additional plugins you can recommend in relation to PHP
    programming (and beyond). Please leave a comment!
:Abstract:
    `As promised`__, I'm explaining `my new VIM setup`__ in some more detail,
    staring with the collection of plugins I use by now to enhance my VIM
    experience. I already have some in mind which I need to try out, but I would be
    happy to know which additional plugins you can recommend in relation to PHP
    programming (and beyond). Please leave a comment!

    __ /opensource/blog/0739_comfortable_php_editing_with_vim_7.html
    __ https://github.com/tobyS/toby.vim

`As promised`__, I'm explaining `my new VIM setup`__ in some more detail,
staring with the collection of plugins I use by now to enhance my VIM
experience. I already have some in mind which I need to try out, but I would be
happy to know which additional plugins you can recommend in relation to PHP
programming (and beyond). Please leave a comment!

__ /opensource/blog/0739_comfortable_php_editing_with_vim_7.html
__ https://github.com/tobyS/toby.vim

**TLDR**:

- Vundle__ (plugin manager)
- UltiSnips__ (TextMate like snippets, but better)
- PDV__ (generate doc blocks)
- Skeletons__ (new file templates)
- Powerline__ (awesome ruler bar)
- Syntastic__ (static code analysis results in VIM)
- Solarized__ (awesome, readable color scheme)
- Whitespacetrail__ (mark and remove trailing whitespaces)
- Rename__ (rename edited files)
- Easymotion__ (fancy motions)
- `VIM Pasta`__ (adjust indent on paste)

__ https://github.com/gmarik/vundle
__ https://github.com/SirVer/ultisnips
__ https://github.com/tobyS/pdv
__ https://github.com/tobyS/skeletons.vim
__ https://github.com/Lokaltog/vim-powerline
__ https://github.com/scrooloose/syntastic
__ https://github.com/altercation/vim-colors-solarized
__ https://github.com/jakobwesthoff/whitespacetrail
__ https://github.com/danro/rename.vim
__ https://github.com/Lokaltog/vim-easymotion
__ https://github.com/sickill/vim-pasta

------
Vundle
------

Vundle__ is a VIM plugin manager and builds the basis for the setup. It takes
care of installing, updating, removing and including other VIM plugins (and
itself). For that, it supports plugins located on Github__ or `vim.org`__.
Using Vundle is as easy as adding some line like

__ https://github.com/gmarik/vundle
__ https://github.com
__ http://www.vim.org

::

    Bundle "tobyS/skeletons.vim"

to your ``.vimrc`` and running

::

    :BundleInstall

inside your VIM.

---------
UltiSnips
---------

TextMate made the functionality provided by this tool popular: UltiSnips__
allows you to define small, re-usable text (or code) snippets that contain
placeholders.  These snippets can the be bound to autocomplete-functionality,
reacting on certain trigger strings and a trigger key. When both occur in your
typing, the corresponding snippet is inserted and you can jump through the
placeholders, which might be already pre-configured with sensible defaults.

__ https://github.com/gmarik/vundle

For example, the following snippet::

    public function ${1} (${2})
    {
        ${3:return ${4};}
    }

could be bound to ``pub<tab>``, automatically leaving you with a method stub
and sensible jump marks (1. function name, 2. parameters, 3. statements with a
return statement as its default.

UltiSnip can even do more powerful stuff like obtaining its default values
from scripts and so own. I originally had SnipMate__ as my snippet engine, but
that one is sadly unmaintained since some time now and UltiSnip offered the
functionality I needed to use it in PDV__ and Skeletons__ out of the box.

__ https://github.com/msanders/snipmate.vim
__ https://github.com/tobyS/pdv
__ https://github.com/tobyS/skeletons.vim

---
PDV
---

PDV (phpDocumentor for VIM) allows you to generate doc blocks from your PHP
code (classes, methods, attributes) and tries to *guess* as much information
for you as possible, filling out sensible defaults.

In this brand new version (which ships even with automated tests \o/) you can
use Vmustache__ templates to define how your doc blocks should look like. That was
pretty hard in the previous version.

__ https://github.com/tobyS/vmustache

Even better, the new version supports snippets out of the box, using
UltiSnips__. What that means is that you can provide jump marks in your doc
templates and pre-fill them with the values guessed by PDV. So

__ https://github.com/SirVer/ultisnips

::

    /**
     * ${1:{{name}}}
     *
     * @var ${2:{{type}}{{^type}}mixed{{/type}}}
     */

Could be your template for attributes (thats the default snip template shipped
with PDV). The first jump mark (1) will be pre-filled with the name of the
property, you will most likely overwrite that. The second jump mark (2) is
right after the ``@var``. If PDV was able to guess a type (by a default value
in the code), it will have that value pre-filled. This raises the chance that
you can just skip over it (e.g. for scalars). If PDV could not guess a type, it
fills our ``mixed``, which you will most likely want to overwrite when tabbing
on it.

---------
Skeletons
---------

My old VIM setup contained a little hack to paste some template text when I
created a new PHP file (mainly the opening ``<?php`` and some empty lines). I
liked that functionality but always wanted to extend it quite a bit, to give me
even more convenience. The result is the little Skeletons__ plugin.

__ https://github.com/tobyS/skeletons.vim

Skeletons allows you to create skeleton files per file type (VIM FT detection),
which are pasted as you create a new file. However, these skeletons can again
be UltiSnips_ snippets, which can again contain default values generated by
embedded VIM script. As a result, when I now start editing a new file
``src/main/Qafoo/Some/Cool/Class.php`` (PSR-0), I get the following default
content::

    <?php

    namespace Qafoo\Some\Cool;

    class Class
    {
        
    }

Additionally, I have jump marks on the namespace, the class name and finally in
the class content, that directly guide me to editing the important areas, if
needed.

---------
Powerline
---------

The VIM status line is already quite powerful, if you configure it in the right
way. However, Powerline__ is mind blowing. I shouldn't say much more, but simply
direct you to the Powerline website for screenshots. Go, install it!

__ https://github.com/Lokaltog/vim-powerline

---------
Syntastic
---------

I still have the habit of typing ``:make`` everytime I saved a PHP file, which
triggered a ``php -l`` on that file in my old setup, telling me if I had any
compile errors. But these times are gone thanks to Syntastic__. This little gem
runs code analysis on your files whenever you save them, displaying markers
directly on the lines where issue occured. And even better: It does not only
support linting, but also `PHPMD`__ and `PHP_CodeSniffer`__. Awesome!

__ https://github.com/scrooloose/syntastic
__ http://phpmd.org/
__ http://pear.php.net/package/PHP_CodeSniffer

--------------------
VIM Colors Solarized
--------------------

The Solarized__ color scheme (available in a dark and light version) has been
crafted especially for readability and has also extremely pleasing colors. I
still wonder how I can live without it in some places of my system.

__ https://github.com/altercation/vim-colors-solarized

---------------
Whitespacetrail
---------------

This `little tool`__ takes care of showing me trailing whitespaces in my source
code files and even for stripping them automatically, as they are occasionally
created.

__ https://github.com/jakobwesthoff/whitespacetrail

------
Rename
------

So simple, but so problem solving. Rename__ provides the ``:Rename`` command
which allows you to rename the currently edited file on disk. How often do you
start writing a class and after some editing decide to change its name? Save
each time ~3 commands with this plugin.

__ https://github.com/danro/rename.vim

----------
Easymotion
----------

VIM text objects are a powerful tool for moving around in text files. However,
I never got used to using them. Easymotion__ takes a differnet approach. Bound to
a leader command (``<,><w>`` for me), all coloring of your text vanishes and
potential jump marks appear where you might want to go, alphabetically
numbered. Just hit the corresponing key to jump to that place. TLDR; take a
look at the Easymotion__ website for a video how that works.

__ https://github.com/Lokaltog/vim-easymotion
__ https://github.com/Lokaltog/vim-easymotion

---------
Vim Pasta
---------

Moving code around often requires you to adjust its indentation. For example if
you extract code into a dedicated method to make code more readable. The
Pasta__ plugin attempts to take this job over for you.

__ https://github.com/sickill/vim-pasta

..
   Local Variables:
   mode: rst
   fill-column: 79
   End: 
   vim: et syn=rst tw=79


Trackbacks
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Comments
========

- Toby at Mon, 28 Jan 2013 23:19:23 +0100

  After a remark to my setup, I replaced ":Rename" with
  https://github.com/tpope/vim-eunuch, which provides the same command + some
  more cool shell commands.

- Ilya at Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:47:41 +0100

  I think you need to add some imagess or/and videos. It will be cool.

- Michael at Fri, 01 Feb 2013 07:49:08 +0100

  Have fun coding like it's 1970.

- Toby at Fri, 01 Feb 2013 07:51:53 +0100

  Well, I do. :) I once tried migrating to an IDE last year, but failed after
  a month. IDEs are just not made for what I do the largest amount of my time
  when coding: Editing text. They are so bloody inefficient with that.

- Samfrank at Sat, 06 Apr 2013 14:28:05 +0200

  Lovely work! I'm definitely going to visit the blog frequently.

  I tried the ctags command and this does seem to do exactly the same thing.
  You're right on that :)

  VIM is pretty damn cool. will take a look at NERDTree later.

- Juliet at Sat, 04 May 2013 07:45:43 +0200

  Thanks for this information and keep up the good work in this website.
  Cheers!