PhpStorm 2024.1 Help

Tutorial: Use Live Templates in TODO Comments

Let's explore an advanced PhpStorm's facility to create a live template for the TODO items' text. Why do we need it at all? For example, you want your teammates to create unified TODO items, with the username automatically filled in, followed by some arbitrary text.

This is how it's done.

Creating TODO pattern and filter

Open the Settings dialog, and under the Editor section, click TODO.

Create pattern review. To do that, click in the Patterns section:

TODO_create_pattern.png

Define color in the Color Picker - in this case, it's pink.

Next, let's create a filter. To do that, click in the Filters section, and define the filter:

TODO_create_filter.png

Creating live template and variables

Next, back In the Settings dialog (Ctrl+Alt+S) , under the Editor section, click Live Templates.

TODO_live_template1.png

Note that the new template is added to the automatically created group user.

Next, pay attention to the red note at the bottom. It says that the new template lacks context, where it should apply. So let's click the link Define, and allow all possible contexts. And finally, let's define the body of the template itself: in the area Template text, type the following:

REVIEW[$WHO$] $TEXT$

We have two undefined variables here: $WHO$ and $TEXT$. The variable $TEXT$ will be used just as an input field, while the variable $WHO$ should be filled in automatically. To define this variable, click the button Edit variables:

TODO_live_template2.png

Next, in the Edit Template Variables dialog, select an expression for the variable $WHO$:

TODO_live_template3.png

Using the REVIEW items

Now let's make sure it works. Back in the editor, create a line comment Ctrl+/, type rv, and press Tab:

TODO_live_template4.png

Note that a right-gutter stripe next to the TODO comment is also added to the editor. As you see, the live template rv has automatically populated the user name, leaving us with the task of just entering some meaningful comment:

TODO_live_template5.png

Now, when you opt to show REVIEW comments only, use the filter. To do that, click Filter and select the filter review to show those TODO comments only, that have the keyword REVIEW.

Last modified: 26 May 2024