One of my favorite OS X utilities has just been update. I was lucky enough to find this tool just a few days after converting from being a long time Windows user to the Mac platform.

Being a web developer and using primarily PHP as my language of choice I had at my disposal a few desktop tools to assist in my development. I mostly used UltraEdit as my editor for PHP code on Windows. Along with the PHP compiled Help files for looking up PHP functions I couldn’t recall off the top of my head. On the Mac the support for compiled help (.chm) barely there. Sure there are a few chm viewers like Chamonix and Chmox. What is lacking however in these utilities for Mac is the display of comments. Sometime it’s the user comments that make all the difference when using a new PHP function or library.

Somehow I came across a link to the ARTisSoftware site. I don’t really remember. I just know I’ve used the little PHP function index ever since.

It comes with a script to use as part of BBEdit. Once installed I just move my cursor to a word to lookup. Then invoke the tool via alt-apple-period. The PHPfi window will open to the listing for the given PHP function I’m interested in. PHPfi also comes with a similar script to be invoked from TextMate. The index is built from the PHP HTML help files you download from php.net. Just unzip them into a folder on your mac. Then tell PHPfi to build the index.

What I would like to see is this engine used for other languages like Ruby or even some common tool like WordPress. Still given it works very well for PHP I consider it a steal for $8.50.

So give it a try. PHPfi version 2.1 is the latest. http://www.artissoftware.com/phpfi/