A nice feature of NetBeans is the support for `code templates`: abbreviations that expand into snippets of code when the TAB key is pressed after typing the a shortcut in the editor.

You can type fn TAB and have it expand to

function blabla () {

}

That’s very convenient for long and often needed code phrases.

`Surround with` code templates

Another very useful feature is the `surround with` code snippet. It isn’t very well documented on the Netbeans PHP pages, well more or less not at all, but you can add your own snippets for `surround with` too.

If your using Mustache templates with the Kohana framework, you will find the next snippet extremely useful, when you’re updating your templates multilingual. Mustache templates are very clean and elegant template files that work with a myriad of languages like PHP, Python and Javascript. Also they escape code automatically, so I really can recommend them. No more logic in the HTML template files, well just the most basic.

For example you have this Mustache template:

<h2>Recipes</h2>
<ul>
{{#recipes}}
	<li>{{name}}</li>
{{/recipes}}
</ul>

To make it multilingual for use with Kostache we have to change it to:

<h2>{{#__}}Recipes{{/__}}</h2>

To do that in Netbeans add this to the code templates: tools -> options -> editor -> tab `Code templates` -> new

It doesn’t matter what you choose for abbreviation, because were not gonna use it as code completion with shortcut TAB, but surround with is triggered with SHIFT ENTER.

Choose something like translation, then paste this:

{{#__}}${selection allowSurround}{{/__}}

Now go back to your template, select Recipes, and press SHIFT ENTER or click the yellow light-bulb. That will offer the extra command `surround with` your snippet.

Not documented on the Netbeans PHP wiki, but extremely useful.

The needed PHP function in your view class:

public function __() {
return array('i18n', 'get');
 }

There is all about CSS vendor prefixes at the moment. PPK doesn’t like them at all, the W3C is afraid that webkit might rule the world, developers seem to find that webkit is the only mobile browser around.

Agreed, the CSS vendor prefixes make verbose code. It’s ugly, and sometimes it’s a lot of typing. But they pinpoint a real problem, browsers need them, and although maybe obsolete in the future, if you want your code cross browser now and future-proof you simply have to use them. No matter if they’re going to be abolished or not. No matter what solutions is to be found tomorrow.

But what most people fail to notice, that it’s actually an IDE/deployment problem. If IDE can spellcheck and code-complete why can’t they extend CSS prefixed rules.

Well they can. So we created a macro for Netbeans. Netbeans is our favourite PHP-IDE.  The macro recorder in Netbeans is easy and fast, so it suits.

Just add  a Macro in Netbeans: tools -> options ->  editor -> macros -> new.

Paste this

copy-selection-else-line-down copy-selection-else-line-down copy-selection-else-line-down copy-selection-else-line-down copy-selection-else-line-down caret-up caret-up caret-up caret-up caret-begin-line caret-forward delete-next "moz" caret-down caret-begin-line caret-forward selection-forward "ms" caret-down caret-backward selection-backward "webkit" caret-down caret-backward caret-backward caret-backward caret-backward caret-backward selection-backward "khtml" caret-down caret-backward caret-backward caret-backward delete-previous delete-previous delete-previous

And give it a proper shortcut CTRL + ] is free.

Then start writing your code for the least popular browser, but it has the shortest prefix vendor: Opera.

-o-transition: opacity 1s ease-in 1s;

Put your cursor soemwhere in the line and press CTRL + ]

You get this result

-o-transition: opacity 1s ease-in 1s;
 -moz-transition: opacity 1s ease-in 1s;
 -ms-transition: opacity 1s ease-in 1s;
 -webkit-transition: opacity 1s ease-in 1s;
 -khtml-transition: opacity 1s ease-in 1s;
 transition: opacity 1s ease-in 1s;

Probably khtml can be skipped, I don’t know the market share, but let’s try to support everything.

Has become hell a heaven. No but it isn’t that bad any more. Are they’re caveats. Sure, like different implementations, but that should be corrected by hand.

Important thing is, the rule without a prefix should end the list.