PHP Editors

with built in environment

[fish_eye]

Thought about posting this in the WYSIWYG section but I'm after an editor that specifically handles php includes and commands etc.

I've recently started getting a bit more serious about php and I'm sick of uploading my pages simply to test a one line change.

I've also considered rebuilding my laptop with Linux / Windows and installing PHP (I'm currently running XP SP2).

But, before I do, what options do I have for an editor that provides:

1. colour highlighting for php, (x)html and css (can be context sensitive or constant but prefer to have that as configurable)
   
2. realtime syntax helper (does not have to be autocomplete but "tool tips" or whatever they're called would be nice)
   
3. syntax checking
   
4. basic php stuff (ie. pulls in includes, and executes self-contained functions);
   
5. (nice to have) slightly more complex development environment (eg. executes functions from other files and passes control to another file and executes that etc).
   
6. (nice to have) reads a php.ini file or some such. I host on two different servers and they are configured slightly differently.
   

It does not have to support databases (yet) but I guess I'll get there at some stage (MySQL).

I guess Zend Standard is one option and also PHPEdit .... any others (including ones that have but point 5)..... or a comparison of the two above?

PS. I've had experience with:

1. Dreamweaver MX - I like the way it updates all references to filenames / images names etc if I change a change a name (but it's really annoying me at the moment [webmasterworld.com] and only goes part the way - and I do not use anywhere near all the features to justify the cost);
   
2. TextPad (free version) (but it does not have the development environment stuff as far as I can see);
   
3. I used to use PHPEdit (when it was free - and I used to like it even though it threw up the odd error message in French!).
   

[compose]

Hi,

Try DjSoft PHP Editor or PHP Designer[free]. PHP designer is much better editor. My experience with this is very nice.

Try It..

Vineet

[fish_eye]

Cool - Danish error messages rather than French - I'll be able to understand "syntactically malformed statement" (or words to that effect) in many languages by the time I die.

Many thanks, I'll check it out.

[Looks like I need to install PHP in order to get the 4, 5 and 6 addressed (and perhaps 3) but they will be addressed none the less - and for free and, even though for me it will be Windows not Linux it's a nice option for simple debugging, and a nice editor if all else faile. Thanks.]

[dreamcatcher]

Check out PHP Editor Review for a list of text editors:

[php-editors.com...]

dc

[killroy]

note that for a development install, u don't need to install the full pache and php and so on. After running my own servers for many years, it's been a VERY long time that I actually did an install. I jsut copy ONLY the neccessary files and config lines now.

My apache/php install is only about 8 files and a few log lines. This is running several complex high traffic sites for years now.

So don't be afraid to run apache/php on a development computer, jsut don't think u have to do a full install... copying a few files can be enough.

SN