Zend ?

ejwf

First things first. I'm a newbie - sorry - so be gentle with your answers please !!!

Zend - What does it actually do. I have been on their site to have a look and I'm sure if it will be of any real use to me....
let me explain a bit more.

I have been given the task of creating a website involves a lot of user feedback, and needs information presented to the user that comes from a database (this mysql database already exists). This information will be in the form of tables of information with user entry text fields, check boxes etc. to input more data into the database.

Like I say I'm a newbie, only been php-ing for 3 weeks now, and have asked many, many questions on these boards and whilst I am comfortable with the very basics of php I find it hard to know the correct commands to make the code do what I want it to.
I have got a couple of books I am using for reference, but they sometimes confuse more than they explain.

Do you reckon Zend Studio will be of any help to me in creating this website, or if not can you suggest any tools that would help.
In an ideal world I'd like a tool that writes php for you like Dreamweaver writes HTML for you - what do you think !!!???!!!

midget

I'm sure Zend Studio is the very best IDE at this moment...

It's a flexible and intuitive interface and is great for people like me comming from vi, kate, on linuxes and HomeSite (before macromedia) under windowz.

Now I can work from any OS using Zend Studio (thanks to Java) 🙂

Simply great.

I prefer not to say a thing about Dreamweaver... are you programmer or 'designator' 😃

Good luck

midget

Tea_J

in noobie terms (noob to zend studio), think of Zend studio like a notepad. a powerful notepad that is.

This notepad can highlight PHP syntaxes (functions are green, strings are orange). It can also complete your syntaxes for you as you type. It also enables you to test the script for errors just by hitting the debug button. No more save and publish routines just to test!

These and a lot more. I use it and i can't go on coding the speedy way that i do without it. 🙂

I suggest you get it if you can afford it.. it took me about 3 projects before i could afford it, but it's worth it

Tea

jlewis

These posts are awfully old.

So I am looking for a new view on the app. I am currently working with Microsoft Visual Studios .NET and feel it is a spectacular IDE. I have toyed with PHP in the past and am seriously considering an Apple laptop and a FreeBSD server. If I made this huge change, I would be migrating away from the Microsoft world (not a totally horrible thought in my mind 😃 ) and would have to find a new IDE. I perused the Zend site and the app looks similar to VS.NET but a little clunky. Looks are not as important to me and function is so functionally is it the best or does anyone feel there is a better option available?

Tea_J

hi.. for me it's the best...

i've used lots from UltraEdit to a lot of other things...

i must say that, Zend Studio is the best i tried so far..

I've not even began to study its other vast functions.. i just know that the features i like most and reasons for sticking with it is:

AutoComplete Feature

-debugs and runs scripts right from the authoring environment
-different output windows for me to check on (warning, objects, output, etc)
-a quick link to the php manual on every function you type!!!
-customize your functions
-lots more

Lemme explain about some of the above... everytime you type a function and stuff, you are persented with an autocomplete options... type "str" and you're presented with a list of all the functions that starts with "str".. also, with the list presented, there's also a link to the PHP manual regarding the function.. you can point the manual on the php.net website, or save a local copy on your disk and point ZEND IDE there.. And one of the coolest part is, you can set your own functions and add descriptions to it.... just like it were a real php function.

eg:

function shout ($what){
echo "i shouted $what";
}

now, everytime i start typing "sh" i am presented with my "shout" function..

just give ZEND IDE it a try, see if it fits you.

The only things I hate with it is, it's FU**IN EXPENSIVE, and it takes morethan 3 seconds to launch (slow startup)

tea

piersk

Theres a really great article on Zend Studio 3.0 located here.

The one gripe I have with it is that it's quite memory hungry. When I wrote the review I was only running something like 128MB. I've just got more memory, so I'm going to give it another go...

Tea_J

yeah.. it starts slow and eats so much memory... i usually have my DreamWeaver, Flash, Zend, and PhotoShop open at the same time when developing.. and it sucks.. had to get more memory.. 512 MB is good

weekender

I suggest you get it if you can afford it.. it took me about 3 projects before i could afford it, but it's worth it

its free if used only for personal use... just download it, and after 30 days it reverts to personal edition, and you can continue using both server and client

adam

piersk

Originally posted by Tea_J
i usually have my DreamWeaver, ..., Zend,

Just out of question, why do you have both of these open? Surely they both do the same job...

Also, Zend is written in Java (IIRC) and I'm pretty sure that DW uses a lot of Java (hence why it's a little slow sometimes) so having both these open is a bit of a memory overkill

Tea_J

hi,

first of all DW is not a fully pledged PHP authoring environment like ZEND (or is it?)

I've not explored DW's side on PHP development, but although them PHP syntax highlighting is cool, i need more than just that.. i need also things which zend cant offer:

1) code completion
2) code seletion (type in the first few letters of the code and u are presented with all the functions that starts with the letters you've tyed

3) Variable completion as well as selection (similar to 1 and 2 but also for Variables!)
4) Userdefined functions are included in code completion options automatically!
5) debugging

etc etc

I know DW uses java, but it's not as heavy as ZEND. as you can notice, even the "open file" or "save" dialogues/windows uses java type UI, instead of just using the regular windows explorer.

Tea
Tea

piersk

Originally posted by Tea_J
i need also things which zend cant offer:

1) code completion
2) code seletion (type in the first few letters of the code and u are presented with all the functions that starts with the letters you've tyed

3) Variable completion as well as selection (similar to 1 and 2 but also for Variables!)
4) Userdefined functions are included in code completion options automatically!
5) debugging

huh??

Surely you mean you need things in Zend that DW can't offer. They both do code completion, the both do code selection and they both do debugging (zend is better tho)

However, DW does NOT do userdefined function or variable completion (well, up to MX it doesn't, haven't tried 2004) whereas Zend definately does.

Tea_J

huh? isnt that what i said? lolz

yeah, i do need things in ZEND which DW cant offer..

about code completion, DW does this only after you type the first "(" open parentheses.. then it shows you that parameters for that function.. zend completes ur code even as u type the 3rd letter...

debugging.. i have to be honest.. i never tried debugging with DW.. i dont even know where that is.. is it when you test/publish, and provided that you set up a "local server"?

Well, i've always considered coding heavy codes in ZEND..

Tea

PS
Im using DW MX2004 and it still doesnt have code completion like zend and variable completion at all. including customized.

piersk

Originally posted by Tea_J
huh? isnt that what i said? lolz

yeah, i do need things in ZEND which DW cant offer..

I thought thats what you meant. Was just checking 😃

about code completion, DW does this only after you type the first "(" open parentheses.. then it shows you that parameters for that function.. zend completes ur code even as u type the 3rd letter...

True, although for some reason it tries to autocomplete the

<?php

bit which I find quite annoying, specially as its not the first one on the list and generally it means I have to go back and change it.

debugging.. i have to be honest.. i never tried debugging with DW.. i dont even know where that is.. is it when you test/publish, and provided that you set up a "local server"?

You don't have to set up a "local" server. Any webserver (including your production one if you're brave like me) can be the test server.

Im using DW MX2004 and it still doesnt have code completion like zend and variable completion at all. including customized.

Bummer. You would have thought they'd have put this in by now, cos I know that I'd like it to do that, not just in PHP! Maybe thats the reason that they don't do it cos it might bloat the code somewhat 😕

piersk

Just a quick update. I've put more memory into my laptop to bring the total to a wopping 376 MB and Zend is running very nicely now.

Tea_J

i got 512 SD Ram on my XP Desktop PC. it's cool. but not when you have all them apps open
(Flash, DW, Fireworks, ZEND) <-- the least!

sigh

piersk

I still don't understand why you would need both DW and zend open. I suggest that you pick one and stick with it.

Tea_J

lolz@piersk,

well, like i said mate, there are just some features that i really really need that arent in DW. function descriptions, and debuggin right from the authoring environment are just a few to mention..

Yeah DW can debug though my locally installed server, but it has to export it.. also, it doesnt have output windows and PHP warnings and all like ZEND does.

And ZEND can't make web pages like DW.. lolz..

so they gota be both open.

ALso, you know when you try to out put HTML formatting from your php codes? Well, i usually compose the table, boarder, designs etc from DW so i can plan it perfectly with design and all. Then i copy and paste that particular area in my PHP's "echo" function. Ofcourse i do a str_replace function to fill in the table datas first.

Tea

piersk

Originally posted by Tea_J
well, like i said mate, there are just some features that i really really need that arent in DW. function descriptions, and debuggin right from the authoring environment are just a few to mention..

So don't use DW, just stick with the one

Yeah DW can debug though my locally installed server, but it has to export it.. also, it doesnt have output windows and PHP warnings and all like ZEND does.

Again, just use Zend...

And ZEND can't make web pages like DW.. lolz..

Yes it can. I can design as good a site in DW as I can in Zend. But then I assume you are talking about the fact that Zend doesn't have any WYSIWYG functionality - although to me this is a plus point since DW MX can't cope with style sheets

ALso, you know when you try to out put HTML formatting from your php codes? Well, i usually compose the table, boarder, designs etc from DW so i can plan it perfectly with design and all. Then i copy and paste that particular area in my PHP's "echo" function. Ofcourse i do a str_replace function to fill in the table datas first.

Why not take the time to learn how to code all the styles and so on by hand? You'll feel much better about the sites that you create.

I've just read what I've written and it may seem like I'm trying to persuade you to use Zend. I'm not. I'm just trying to get you to see that you will probably code much much better if you simply use one tool rather than two because then you won't be flipping between the two which probably uses a fair bit of memory and it's this that is probably slowing you down somewhat.

Tea_J

thanks for your concern mate.

however, i do know how to hard code html, xml, and a little of dhtml. i've been hardcoding my websites since forever.. i never trusted any WYSIWYG PAGEBUILDERS.. but since i tried DW, it's really professional. Now i'm not afraid of its outcomes. No it cant cope with all html stuffs like the full extent of style sheets, but i tell you one thing, the things supported is enough. I need not complicate things and delay project development.. DW is a professional tool indeed, finally, not just some company hype.

So yeah, going back to ZEND for website HTML design is just ridiculous.. why spend hours hard coding when you can achieve what you want in DW - with a little hardcoding help.

Hardcoding HTML is worst than flipping through ZEND and DW.. it's more like,

" code, preview your design, woops, a little off to the left... code again, preview again, hmm. howout this color.. look up rgb code for desired color.. type in.. preview in html again.. "..

and it goes on.. nope not me. I love hard coding and yes it feels good to hard code things, i admit, but it's just not practical anymore for HTML.. even DHTML since there are DHTML builders that are really good already.

On the other hand, PHP is something that's still to be hardcoded. there are a lot of PHP coding applications out there like AppGini, APWAB, and CodeCharge, but I tried them all, it's still not the same as hard coding. every situation is just so unique that sometimes using these software complicates the code more - sooo hard to debug.

well, we all have our personal preferences.... but for me, ZEND is for PHP and DW is for HTML.

Tea