- Dreamweaver's Previous Approach to PHP
- Shift Away from Automatic Code Generation
- Support for Content Management
- Vastly Improved PHP Code Hinting
- Autocompletion and Syntax Checking
- Final Thoughts
Like this article? We recommend
Like this article? We recommend
Like this article? We recommend
Autocompletion and Syntax Checking
Another helpful feature is the autocompletion of variables. As soon as you type a dollar sign ($), a list of all variables in your current script pops up. Just select the one you want, and press Enter/Return. No more worrying about getting the spelling or capitalization correct. Variables from related files are also listed, eliminating the danger of reusing the same variable for a different purpose. Dreamweaver CS5 even recognizes when a variable represents an object, and displays all its public methods and properties as soon as you type the -> operator.
Perhaps the biggest timesaver of all for beginners and experts alike is the real-time syntax checker. Dreamweaver CS5 constantly monitors your PHP code as you type, flagging syntax errors by displaying a red mark over the line numbers in Code view. It won't tell you what the error is, but indicating which line it's on avoids unnecessary roundtrips to the browser only to see a cryptic error message.