Features Releases

Custom postfix completion templates

Postfix code completion is a handy feature that lets you transform an existing expression into a different one, based on a postfix you specify after the dot.

For example, to iterate over an object, use the fe  postfix after your expression:

Postfix template

Postfix completion has existed in PhpStorm since version 9, but has only provided a limited number of predefined templates. In PhpStorm 2018.2, you can create postfix completion templates yourself, tailoring them for your project and your coding style.

To start creating a new postfix template, navigate to Preferences | Editor | General | Postfix Completion, click + , and select PHP:

create_postfix_template_1

Inside your template, use the $EXPR$ and the $END$ variables. The former will capture the expression before the dot, while the latter will define the position of the caret after the template is expanded:

create_postfix_template_2

Let’s apply the created template:

Postfix template

As you can see, PhpStorm has detected two expressions that are applicable for the template, so it has prompted us to choose one. If you need to always apply your template to the entire expression without selecting the scope for it every time, enable the Apply to the topmost expression option when creating a template. This way, the topmost applicable expression will be selected automatically.

Please look at the overview of all PhpStorm 2018.2 features and download the Public Preview build from the PhpStorm website.

If you have any feedback to share with us, please leave your comments to this blog post or in our public issue tracker. Stay tuned as the PhpStorm 2018.2 release is just around the corner!

Your JetBrains PhpStorm Team
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