Move Class Dialog

Refactor | Move
F6

The dialog box opens when you position the cursor at the name of the class in the editor and invoke the refactoring.

PhpStorm supposes that the namespaces in your project are arranged in compliance with the PSR0 standard and enforces you to retain the folder structure and the namespace hierarchy in accordance with this standard when moving classes among namespaces.

When you specify a namespace to move a class to, PhpStorm automatically updates the Target Destination Directory field, which shows the path to the folder where the file that implements the class in question will be stored.

Item	Description
Move class <class name> to namespace	When the dialog box opens, this field shows the namespace to which the class belongs. Specify the fully qualified name of the target namespace. Depending on your use case, this can be: A new namespace under the current namespace in the format `<current namespace>\<new namespace>`. Another subordinate namespace under the current parent in the format `<path to immediate parent namespace>\<namespace to move the class to>`. An existing or a new namespace under another parent namespace in the format `<path to another root namespace>\<namespace to move the class to>`. Use only backslashes (`\`) as namespace separators.
Target destination directory	When the dialog box opens, the field shows the path to the folder where the file that implements the class to move is currently stored. The path is displayed in the format `...\<project root folder>\<path to the current namespace folder relative to the project root>`. The path is updated automatically as you specify the namespace to move the class to. However, if you are going to move a class to a non-existing namespace under another parent namespace, PhpStorm will not suggest the proper folder unless you appoint a root folder for your namespace structure by marking the relevant folder as Sources on the Directories page of the Settings dialog box. See Directories for details. Do one of the following: Accept the preselected path displayed in the field. Choose another path from the list. All of them are evaluated from the namespace root or from the current directory, so it is safe to choose any of them. Click and select a folder in the dialog box that opens. Press `F2` and edit the preselected path. Keep in mind that this may cause problems with automatic loading in the future.
Search in comments and strings	If this check box is selected, PhpStorm will look for references to the class to be moved within comments and string literals in source code files.
Search for text occurrences	If this check box is selected, PhpStorm will look for references to the class to be moved within documentation, HTML, JSP, various configuration files (for example `.yml`), and other files included in your project.

Examples of Moving PHP Classes

Moving a Class to a New Namespace under the Current Namespace

Suppose, your project move_class has a namespace namespace1 with one class Class1 implemented in the file Class1.php.

Let's create a subordinate namespace namespace1\ns1 and move Class1 to it.

Open Class1.php in the editor, position the cursor at Class1, and press F6. The Move Class dialog box opens.
The Move class Class1 to namespace field shows the current namespace namespace1. Change it to namespace1\ns1.
As you type, the Target destination directory read-only field is updated automatically from ...\move_class\namespace1 to ...\move_class\namespace1\ns1.
Press Refactor. As a result, PhpStorm creates a new subfolder ns1 and moves the file Class1 to it. Accordingly, the class Class1 is moved to the namespace1\ns1 namespace:

Moving a Class between Two Namespaces under the Same Parent

Suppose, your project move_class has a namespace namespace1 with two subordinate namespaces namespace1\ns1 and namespace1\ns3. These subordinate namespaces have Class1 Class3 respectively. In accordance with the PSR0 standard, these classes are implemented in the files Class1.php and Class3.php that are stored in the folders ...\move_class\namespace1\ns1 and ...\move_class\namespace1\ns3 respectively.

Let's move Class3 from namespace1\ns3 to namespace1\ns1.

Open Class3.php in the editor, position the cursor at Class3, and press F6. The Move Class dialog box opens.
The Move class Class3 to namespace field shows the current namespace namespace1\ns3. Change it to namespace1\ns1.
As you type, the Target destination directory read-only field is updated automatically from ...\move_class\namespace1\ns3 to ...\move_class\namespace1\ns1.
Press Refactor. As a result, PhpStorm moves the class Class3 from namespace1\ns3 to namespace1\ns1. Accordingly, the file Class3 is moved from folder ...\move_class\namespace1\ns3 to folder ...\move_class\namespace1\ns1:

Moving a Class to an Existing Namespace under Another Parent Namespace

Suppose, your project move_class has two parent namespaces namespace1 and namespace2 with subordinate namespaces namespace1\ns1 and namespace2\ns2. Class2 is defined in namespace2\ns2, and in accordance with the PSR0 standard the file Class2.php that implements it is stored in ...\move_class\namespace2\ns2.

Let's move Class2 from namespace2\ns2 to namespace1\ns1.

Open Class2.php in the editor, position the cursor at Class2, and press F6. The Move Class dialog box opens.
The Move class Class2 to namespace field shows the current namespace namespace2\ns2. Change it to namespace1\ns1.
As you type, the Target destination directory read-only field is updated automatically from ...\move_class\namespace2\ns2 to ...\move_class\namespace1\ns1.
Press Refactor. As a result, PhpStorm moves the class Class2 from namespace2\ns2 to namespace1\ns1. Accordingly, the file Class2 is moved from folder ...\move_class\namespace2\ns2 to folder ...\move_class\namespace1\ns1:

Moving a Class to a New Namespace Outside the Immediate Parent Namespace

Let's move Class2 from namespace2\ns2 to a new namespace namespace3 that does not exist yet. To meet the PSR0 requirements, a new folder ...\move_class\namespace3 for the namespace3 namespace should be also created.

When starting the refactoring we should keep in mind that the new namespace is to be created outside the immediate parent namespace of our class's namespace, therefore PhpStorm will not suggest a proper folder for it. So we can either specify the target folder manually or appoint a root folder for namespaces which will be the starting point for PhpStorm to calculate the folder for the new namespace.

Open Class2.php in the editor, position the cursor at Class2, and press F6. The Move Class dialog box opens.
The Move class Class2 to namespace field shows the current namespace namespace2\ns2. Change it to namespace3. The result depends on whether you have appointed the root folder for your namespaces or not.
- If no root folder is specified, the Target destination directory field still shows the path to ...\move_class\namespace2\ns2 because PhpStorm cannot calculate the path to the folder for the new namespace namespace3 to be created:
  
  To solve the problem, press F2 and type the path manually:
  ...\move_class\namespace2\ns2
- Alternatively, specify the root folder for your namespaces by marking the ...\move_class\ folder as Sources as described in Configuring Folders Within a Content Root. Note that this should be done before you start the refactoring, so if you have already opened the Move Class dialog box, close it first.
  After you have appointed the ...\move_class\ folder as the root for your namespaces, PhpStorm will calculate the folder for the new namespace and update the Target Destination Directory field automatically:
- Press Refactor. As a result, PhpStorm moves the class Class2 from namespace2\ns2 to namespace3. Accordingly, the file Class2 is moved from folder ...\move_class\namespace2\ns2 to folder ...\move_class\namespace3:

Last modified: 28 November 2017

Procedures:

Move Refactorings

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