# Lint tool

Lint allows you to check syntax of templates (XML well-formedness) without running them. It is useful to run after [upgrade](Upgrading) of PHPTAL to ensure that everything still works. You can also use it in SVN pre-commit hook to prevent ill-formed templates from being committed to your repository.

[Download latest phptal_lint.php](https://svn.motion-twin.com/phptal/trunk/tools/phptal_lint.php)

## Installation

### Unix & Mac OS X

You can copy `phptal_lint.php` to directory in your path (e.g. `/usr/local/bin`). Run `echo $PATH` to see which directories you have in path.

Or you can run it by always specifying full path to the `phptal_lint.php` file (most terminals support drag'n'drop, so just drop `phptal_lint.php` file into terminal window instead of typing entire path).

If you're getting errors that `phptal_lint.php` is not executable:

`chmod a+rx /full/path/to/phptal_lint.php`

If you're getting errors about missing interpreter, then use:

`php /full/path/to/phptal_lint.php`

to run the tool.

### Windows

C:\path\to\php.exe C:\path\to\phptal_lint.php

Running of this tool from `%PATH%` requires writing DOS batch file that passes arguments appropriately.

## Usage

phptal_lint.php \[-e extensions\] \[-i php_file_or_directory\] file_or_directory_to_check ...

``` 
  * **''-e''** comma-separated list of file extensions you use for templates
  * **''-i''** path to PHP file or directory of PHP files to include (this is needed to check against your [[http://phptal.org/manual/en/split/custom-modifiers.html|custom TALES modifiers]])
```

## Examples

phptal_lint.php .

Scan current directory for all templates (templates are recognized by popular file extensions). [TALES modifiers](http://phptal.org/manual/en/split/custom-modifiers.html) (as in `${mycustommodifier:foo/bar}`) will be ignored.

phptal_lint.php -e xhtml,zpt,tal,phtml -i myproject/includes/phptalmodifiers.php myproject/templates/

Checks only `*.xhtml`, `*.zpt`, `*.tal` and `*.phtml` files in `myproject/templates/`. Will load `myproject/includes/phptalmodifiers.php` file first assuming it defines all TALES modifiers used by the templates.