Runtime syntax check for php

Ever wanted to just check your php script to see if it had any syntax errors? Similar to perl -c?. You could always do it by doing php -l, with this little macro, you can do it in your buffer.

Just add the following line in your vimrc, and whenever you want to test, press ctrl-b

map <C-B> :!php -l %<CR>

Comments[ ]

• phpErrorMarker.vim plugin implementing this tip
• checksyntax.vim A generalized syntax checker plugin

Use

:compiler php

Which will :set makeprg=php -lq, plus it will set your default error format. Then, check for syntax errors by typing

:make %

To improve on this great tip, here's how to check PHP syntax without having to save first:

map <C-B> :w !php -l<CR>

I would prefer to invoke the command via :make.

:set makeprg=php\ -l\ %

If you also set 'autowrite' to true the file is automatically written when calling :make

See also:

• :help :make
• :help 'autowrite'
• :help 'makeprg'

Setting this:

autocmd QuickFixCmdPre make w

will auto-save the buffer when :make is invoked. (useful if you don't want autowrite on for other commands)

Having this will make Vim jump to the first error occurred during compilation afterwards:

set errorformat=%m\ in\ %f\ on\ line\ %l

Well I'm using this to test php syntax pressing <C-P> in normal mode, if there are errors it automatically opens the error window (you should put the following code into a file that is sourced when editing a php file)

function! PHPsynCHK()
 let winnum =winnr() " get current window number
 silent make -l %
 cw " open the error window if it contains error
 " return to the window with cursor set on the line of the first error (if any)
 execute winnum . "wincmd w"
endfunction
:setl makeprg=php
:set errorformat=%m\ in\ %f\ on\ line\ %l
" Map <CTRL>-P to check the file for syntax
:noremap <C-P> :call PHPsynCHK()<CR>

all of these tips have one drawback...they force you to write the file first. I wanted a check before the write happens. So i modified the things a little.

au! BufWriteCmd *.php call PHPsynCHK()
if !exists('*PHPsynCHK')
 function! PHPsynCHK()
 ccl
 let winnum = winnr() " get current window number
 silent execute "%!php -l -f /dev/stdin | sed 's/\\/dev\\/stdin/".bufname("%")."/g' >.vimerr; cat"
 silent cf .vimerr
 cw " open the error window if it contains error
 " return to the window with cursor set on the line of the first error (if any)
 execute winnum . "wincmd w"
 silent undo
 silent cf
 if 1 == len(getqflist())
 w
 endif
 endfunction
endif
set errorformat=%m\ in\ %f\ on\ line\ %l

I used to do :!php -l %. The previous tip has by far worked the best for me since that. I made a small modification to return the cursor to the previous position if there were no errors; as it was above sent the cursor to the first line when successfully saved.

if !exists('*PHPsynCHK')
 function! PHPsynCHK()
 ccl
 let winnum = winnr() " get current window number
 let linenum = line('.')
 let colnum = col('.')
 silent execute "%!php -l -f /dev/stdin | sed 's/\\/dev\\/stdin/".bufname("%")."/g' >.vimerr; cat"
 silent cf .vimerr
 cw " open the error window if it contains error
 " return to the window with cursor set on the line of the first error (if any)
 execute winnum . "wincmd w"
 silent undo
 silent cf
 if 1 == len(getqflist())
 w
 call cursor(linenum, colnum)
 endif
 endfunction
endif

if you are having problems with make and file paths, try using lmake instead