CODING_NOTES.php.txt

Some guidelines for web development with php.
-----------------------------------------------------
* Unix Line Breaks Only, NO windows breaks please.
* Tabs set at 4 spaces either as tabs or spaces.
* no accidental _<?php space before, within or after a file
* every php file starts and end with <?php ?> no spaces before or after
* error_reporting(E_ALL|E_STRICT) , yep php5
* Magic quotes is gone in php6, get used to it now. config = magic_quotes_gpc() Everything must be quoted
* Don't use ereg,split and other old function -> gone in php 5.4 or 6 (different information on php.net) http://www.php.net/manual/en/migration53.deprecated.php
* Don't use shorttags. A Shorttag is <? and that is confusing with <?xml -> always <?php
* Column names in database tables and database table names are in lowercase
* Classes for the interface are located in interface/lib/classes/ and loaded with $app->uses() or $app->load() functions.
* Classes for the server are located in server/lib/classes/ and loaded with $app->uses() or $app->load() functions.

please mark any section that need review or work on with
// TODO 
* Add documentation about access levels (public, private, protected).
* Make function / var names on the following way, first word lower, next word(s) first letter upper like. getFirstResult();

Pear coding guidelines

//*****************************************************************************
// Commenting style
//*****************************************************************************
phpdoc is used for creating and autogenerating the documentation, this means that
some of the comments can be formatted to be included in documentation.
ie the source files are scanned then processed and html docs are created. 

The comments break down into the following types
// is uses for removing lines and debug dev etc
//** and //* are used as "sub comments"
/* 
    is used to comment out blocks
*/
/** is used to create documentaion
* thats over 
* lines
*/

If you need to block out a section then use
/*
function redundant_code(){
    something here
}
*/

To block out single lines use // and all // are assumed to be redundant test code and NOT comments

// print_r($foo);

For inline comment use //** and //* eg

//** Decide what do do
switch($decide){
    //* blow it up
    case 'baloon':
        $foo->gas(+1);
        // test_pressure(); << inline comment
        break;

    //* Do default action
    default:
        do_land();
        get_gps();
        //* following grant greaceful exit
        //basket_exit_crash();
        basket_exit();

}

Do not use the phpdoc on every function, eg 

/**
* Login a user
* @param string user  username
* @param string password of user
*/
>>
function login($user, $pass){
.......
}
<<
as this function explains its self, the following clean code will suffice
>>
function login($user, $pass){
.......
}

If you do need to explain a function then put un the summary syntax eg

/** Pass an array of values where third param is bar
* $foo['bar'] = 1; // allow a user
* $foo['bar'] = 2; // destroy user
* $foo['bar'] = -1; // recreate
*/
public function do_something($x, $y, $foo){
... do something interesting    
}

//*****************************************************************************
// Where to store custom settings
//*****************************************************************************

-- Interface settings

The recommended place to store global interface settings is the ini style global config system 
(see system.ini.master file in install/tpl/ to set defaults). The settings file 
gets stored inside the ispconfig database. Settings can be accessed with the function:

$app->uses('ini_parser,getconf');
$interface_settings = $app->getconf->get_global_config('modulename');

where modulename corresponds to the config section in the system.ini.master file.
To make the settings editable under System > interface config, add the new configuration
fields to the file interface/web/admin/form/system_config.tform.php and the corresponding
tempalte file in the templates subfolder of the admin module.

-- Server settings

Server settings are stored in the ini style server config system (see server.ini.master template file)
The settings file gets stored inside the ispconfig database in the server table. Settings can be 
accessed with the function $app->getconf->get_server_config(....)

Example to access the web configuration:

$app->uses('ini_parser,getconf');
$web_config = $app->getconf->get_server_config($server_id,'web');


//*****************************************************************************
// Learn about the form validators
//*****************************************************************************
There are form validators in interface/lib/classes/tform.inc.php to make validating forms easier.
Read about: REGEX,UNIQUE,NOTEMPTY,ISEMAIL,ISINT,ISPOSITIVE,ISIPV4,CUSTOM