From Vim Tips Wiki

Tip 692 Previous Next Created: April 6, 2004 Complexity: basic Author: vid luther Version: 6.0

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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>

[edit] Comments

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>

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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'

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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)

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

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

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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>

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