ALeX

This extension is a productivity tool for ALeX developers.

Features

Main extension features:

• Upload PHP actions and XML fragments with a single key stroke.
• Snippets to speed up configuration authoring.

For more details see:

• Commands
• Snippets

The extension is activated once an XML or PHP file is opened.

Commands

ALeX: Upload

Ctrl+Alt+U Cmd+Alt+U

Use ALeX: Upload to upload PHP action files or fragments of you XML configuration to ALeX with a single key stroke.

For PHP files it uploads PHP action definition to ALeX server.

For XML files it uploads the current XML fragment to ALeX server.

The current XML fragment comprises all the current selections or, if nothing is selected, the <alex-update> block surrounding the current cursor position. You can use both multiple cursor positions to select several blocks.

Command requires a configuration file with ALeX endpoint details. Use command ALeX: Configuration: Select to select one.

ALeX: Configuration: Select

Use ALeX: Configuration: Select to select configuration ini file that defines IS ALeX end point. IS ALeX endpoint is defined with

• url - ALeX base URL, e.g. http://localhost/ALeX/current
• db - ALeX database name
• user - ALeX user name, dbowner or another powerful user is a good choice
• password - Optional password, define it for development environments only!

Configuration ini file example:

url="http://localhost/ALeX/current"
db="alex"
user="root"
; Never store password for produciton systems.
;pass="mysecretpassword"

The command searches the path from the directory of the active document to the root folder looking for .*.ini and *.ini files. User is offered the list of configuration files to select one.

Once you select a configuration file, its endpoint details are printed to output. The selected configuration file is then used for all commands that talk to ALeX server (like ALeX: Upload).

ALeX: Compile XML fragment

Ctrl+Alt+K Cmd+Alt+K

Use ALeX: Compile XML fragment command to compile the current XML fragment (see ALeX: Upload for XML fragment definition) and save the result to a file.

Compiled XML is saved to build/part.file.compiled.xml if called from file.xml.

Command does NOT upload anything to ALeX server.

ALeX: Compile XML file

Use ALeX: Compile XML file command to compile the whole current file.

Compiled XML is saved to build/file.compiled.xml if called from file.xml.

Command does NOT upload anything to ALeX server.

ALeX: Info

Use ALeX: Info command to print the current ALeX endpoint details to output.

ALeX: Set password

Use ALeX: Set password to set password if one is missing in configuration file. Once password is set VSCode remembers it until workspace is closed or a different configuration file is selected.

If password is set and configuration file contains password too, the one set in VSCode is used.

ALeX: Reset password

Use ALeX: Reset password to unset password set with ALeX: Set password.

Snippets

Document initialization

<alex-update> blocks

Universal blocks

Parameter group blocks

Parameter blocks

Rights blocks

PHP

Requirements

This extension requires command alex to be installed.

Extension Settings

If alex CLI command is on path, there is no need to configure this extension.

If alex CLI command is NOT on path, set path to it in settings.json:

{
    "alex.path": "/path/to/bin/alex"
}

Known Issues

No issues ;-)

Release Notes

Users appreciate release notes as you update your extension.

0.0.6

• Documentation

0.0.5

• Set/Reset password
• XML snippets
• Documentation

0.0.4

• Key alex.path in settings.json to configure path to alex CLI command
• Multiple selections compilied always in document order
• Command message displayed in status bar upon command start
• XML snippets
• Modified keybindings

0.0.1

• Initial release of ALeX extension