This post describes how to set up, run, and debug PHP code with Visual Studio Code running on Windows.

What do we need?

Compared to some other popular programming languages for the Web, PHP is missing some tools, so I created a shopping list to make the experience more complete.

Basically what we need is:

• the PHP runtime itself,
• a modern code editor with syntax highlighting,
• a debugger connected to our code editor,
• and a (development) webserver.

Runtime (PHP)

We start with the PHP runtime. The PHP runtime will pars en execute our .php files and outputs the HTML (or anything you want) back to you.

CaveRace is a classic maze-based video game I developed back in 1997 with some other students. Inspired on a game, I played on my Commodore Amiga, called Dyna Blaster (Bomberman).

Forest level	Winter level	Lava level

Download

You can download the 16-bit MS-DOS version of CaveRace (version 1.2) here.

There are many libraries and services to generate PDF files for asp.net core web applications. There are excellent commercial solutions out there, but if you need a free solution, it gets harder. Some libraries are hard to use, or others are limited in functionality. I need a free, easy to use, and quick solution to generate PDF files on an Azure Web App.

Can a View retrun a PDF?

What I need is a View that returns a PDF and not HTML what it usually does. The beauty of using a standard View is that I can use my web and asp.net core knowledge to design the View. In this case, I need to generate invoices.

When connecting to the UniFi Cloud Key Controller, you need to know the IP-address and port number (default 8443). In my situation, the IP-address is 192.168.1.64

If you do not know your Cloud Key IP-address, use the Ubiquiti Device Discovery Tool.

The connection is using https (that’s good), but there is no domain name, so the default SSL certificate triggers a security warning in your web browser because it can’t be verified. Also, the web browser will not remember your login credentials for the next login.

Most websites don’t need a dynamically generated page for every visitor; it is slow, expensive, and requires continuous updates to be secure. A static site is fast and reliable. I hear you thinking; this is old school, most websites are interactive and are using a CMS in some kind to manage their content.

Headless CMS

The solution for a static website is to make use of a headless CMS, like Hugo or Jekyll. Basascly, you generate a static site from content and a template, similar to what this blog is doing.

In my last blog post, I talked about my Home and Office Network Setup and explained that the default modem/router/Wi-Fi device you get from your ISP is not the best thing to have in your network. In this blog post, I explain what I did to directly connect my KPN fiber connection to my Ubiquiti Security Gateway (USG).

Ziggo When using a cable connection, a modem is needed to modulate the signal to be useful as TCP/IP. In this case, the only option you have is to set up the modem in Bridge mode. When your modem is in Bridge mode, it will give you a public IPv4 address, and all other functions like Wi-Fi and firewall are disabled. Note, IPv6 is currently not supported in Bridge mode.

Working from home, I use Microsoft Teams for online meetings. Some of my colleges and customers have an unreliable Internet connection at their homes. Most of the time, the problems are with their Wi-Fi what results in audio or video dropouts during online meetings. In this blog post, I outline my home and office network and Internet setup for a fast and rock-solid connection.

Internet

In the Netherlands we are blessed with fast and affordable internet, we have options like cable, fiber, and VSDL. For my home and office, I use a 500/500 Mbit fiber connection from my local ISP (KPN). Running Speedtest and Fast (from Netflix) gives me a good understanding of how fast it is.