[iOliverC]

Hi guys,

I'm building the second version of my web editor Tag, and I'm looking to incorporate some PHP features.

I've integrated PHP into Live Preview, allowing you to render PHP, and I've also added the ability to check your PHP syntax. As I'm not very experienced and don't use PHP very often, I'm finding it hard to think of any more features. So basically, throw any features you like relating to PHP and how it works, and I'll try and add it.

Thanks,
Oliver

[madmacgames]

php coding hints that Dreamweaver MX has are nice. It was a big turn off for BBedit that it did not have them. Saves time going to php.net every time you need to lookup the order of entry in a function.

Also, just a small note, but be sure it handles all PHP comments correctly. When I tried BBedit version 7, it did not, and that was bye-bye BBedit. I cannot believe after 7 versions they still could not get syntax highlighting rendering of some PHP comments correct. I sent them a notice that the syntax highlighting could not handle PHP comments in certain situations. Seems they have fixed it in version 8, but sure took them long enough.

Also, you might already have this, but I notice many smaller editors will not syntax highlight both PHP and HTML at the same time. i.e, in a PHP document that mixes PHP & HTML, the HTML is all the same color, and not highlighted as it would be in an HTML document.

Thats all I can think off the top of my head.

[skalie]

One annoyance that I found with my current default text editor is that (as far as I know) you have to save a file as a php file before you see any colour highlights. it would be nice if it coloured as php by default. This is also a min point when viewing source code, to check javascript for example.

There was also a thread not so long ago looking for an editor that collapsed functions, a la homesite, would be cool.

And, er, save to FTP, is rather essential when working server side.

[skalie]

......."TAG" is rather difficult to pin down with Google btw, especially when combined with words like "text editor" or "web editor". Maybe you could consider a less common search term with your next version, like "tag2" or "megatag" or something.

[madmacgames]

Originally posted by skalie:
There was also a thread not so long ago looking for an editor that collapsed functions, a la homesite, would be cool.

Yes that would definitely be cool... and very handy for projects with files that contain nothing more than functions.

Would also be handy for classes. Sometimes I want to compare something a function at the top of the class with something in a function I have added later down the code. Have to scroll back and forth. Ability to collapse the functions to one line would make doing things like this much more efficient.

PS. I would be willing to be a beta tester for the php features, if and when you are looking for testers.

[Simon Mundy]

Originally posted by madmacgames:
Yes that would definitely be cool... and very handy for projects with files that contain nothing more than functions.

Would also be handy for classes. Sometimes I want to compare something a function at the top of the class with something in a function I have added later down the code. Have to scroll back and forth. Ability to collapse the functions to one line would make doing things like this much more efficient.

PS. I would be willing to be a beta tester for the php features, if and when you are looking for testers.

Wouldn't that be a better case for a split-window pane?

The biggest thing I would love to see is a php-source-rewrite, like 'Tidy' does for HTML. You could have built-in styles like PHP Beautifier does.

[madmacgames]

Originally posted by Simon Mundy:
Wouldn't that be a better case for a split-window pane?

I'm on a 12" powerbook. I hate split window panes in coding apps. I always turn them off as the screen is not really big enough to utilize a split window efficiently when coding.

[madmacgames]

Originally posted by Simon Mundy:
The biggest thing I would love to see is a php-source-rewrite, like 'Tidy' does for HTML. You could have built-in styles like PHP Beautifier does.

I would like to say that while this may be good for some, it should be able to be turned off. I hate it as it is when programs rewrite my HTML (why I only use a program that lets you turn it off). I sure don't want one rewriting my PHP.

[Simon Mundy]

No problems, I'll just crawl back into my cave then...

[makes mental note never to suggest anything useful to madmacgames]

[madmacgames]

Originally posted by Simon Mundy:
No problems, I'll just crawl back into my cave then...

[makes mental note never to suggest anything useful to madmacgames]

If you are referring to the suggestion to re-write PHP code, I never said it would not be useful. In fact I said that this feature "may be good for some." But that doesn't mean everybody is going to want their code to be rewritten. I know I don't. Hence my suggestion to make a feature like this optional (able to turn on or off) if implemented.

If you are referring to splitting the window pane, yes this is useful, but not on a 12" screen. Splitting the coding window leaves only about 10-15 lines of code viewable in each pane. I never said it was not useful; it can be if you have the real estate for it to be efficient. But it is just not all that practical to do on a 12" 1024x768 screen. Hence why I don't use it and turn it off, if it is turned on by default.

[ameat]

I second the code hinting, especially for php considering its function rich API: autocomplete function name, and then throw in a snippet with parameter placeholders, ready for input...

And not a PHP feature, but if we're talking requests, i've been looking for this in an osx editor: a real file/ftp browser in the same panel (see jEdit or Homesite for this). could be a drawer, could be part of the window, but i've never liked bbedit's method of having a separate window for the file browsers...might as well have the finder or an ftp client open.

Anyways, i must admit that i haven't used tag much at all, so pardon if these features exist already...

[ameat]

...so after having just downloaded Tag and playing with it, my requests above seem contrary to the design and simplicity of Tag. FTP features would be certainly nice. Also, the autocomplete function/tag popup is nice, but it would be nice if you could set triggers for certain selections to print more (like the function/method stubs), or have the list also pull up items in your snippets collection (i guess this would be similar to bbedits glossary). another nice feature (pulled from jedit...can you tell i like jedit? if only the key-bindings were mac-like) would be to autocomplete a closing xml tag after typing '</'. also, it seems awkward to have to select the autocomplete and syntax modes...it should default to something based on the file extension and context within the file...

anyways, no php related requests (sorry), but this is a nice looking little app and could grow into a wonderful tool...

[skalie]

Originally posted by ameat:
...so after having just downloaded Tag

How did you find it?

[ameat]

Originally posted by skalie:
How did you find it?

...v1.1, not the beta version.

[iOliverC]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the suggestions, all are noted, especially code hinting.

I am currently working on 2.0 which will include a lot of new features, so much new features infact, that it won't be ready for a while. It should include anything a web developer needs .

Thanks,
Oliver