TYPO3 queryBuilder, how to let PhpStorm recognise methods? - typo3

Question

For example
$connectionPool = GeneralUtility::makeInstance(ConnectionPool::class);
$queryBuilder = $connectionPool->getQueryBuilderForTable($table);
$statement = $queryBuilder
->select('uid')
->from($table)
->orderBy('start_date', 'DESC')
->where(
$queryBuilder->expr()->lte('start_date', $queryBuilder->createNamedParameter($startDate, \PDO::PARAM_INT)),
$queryBuilder->expr()->neq('uid', $queryBuilder->createNamedParameter($currentUid, \PDO::PARAM_INT))
)
->setMaxResults(1)
->execute();
while ($row = $statement->fetch()) {
$prevs[] = $row;
}
How can one let PhpStorm recognise the methods select, expr, createNamedParameter, fetch etc.

Answer 1

PhpStorm doesn't automatically know what class $connectionPool is and so can't know what class everything derived from that is. You can tell PhpStorm what class $connectionPool is by adding an annotation:
/** #var ConnectionPool $connectionPool */
$connectionPool = GeneralUtility::makeInstance(ConnectionPool::class);

Answer 2

If you use the TYPO3 Plugin for PhpStorm, it's able to get the correct information from makeInstance() (and many more features).
https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/9496-typo3-cms-plugin

Answer 3

You can do 2 steps to help PhpStorm recognise functions outside of your project:
Annotate the variables with their respective namespace:
/** #var $queryBuilder \TYPO3\CMS\Core\Database\Query\QueryBuilder **/
$queryBuilder = $connectionPool->getQueryBuilderForTable($table);
You can shorten the above when used multiple time with declaring:
use \TYPO3\CMS\Core\Database\Query\QueryBuilder;
at the top of your file, the you would just need
/** #var $queryBuilder QueryBuilder **/
As a second step include the Typo3 sources to your project (if they are not inclued in your project files already) so PhpStorm will be able to index them

Answer 4

I find that adding annotations for the variable type is unnecessary and just clutters up the source code.
In general, for PhpStorm to find the classes, methods etc. you have to include the TYPO3 source in your project.
You can create a PHP project which includes your entire web root (typically "public" folder), but excludes directories like filadmin, uploads, typo3temp etc. It is important to exclude these directories so PhpStorm does not unnecessarily scan them. (In particular if you run the core functional tests this is very much recommended.) I find this is the most practical approach and also useful for debugging and core development
You can create a PhpStorm project for your extension and include your TYPO3 source as well. Don't know about this off the top of my head, but should be possible.
Once you do this and PhpStorm scanned your files, it should be possible to do any of the following:
Auto-expand class and function names
Add use statements automatically (see PhpStorm help for more)
etc.
See also DynamicReturnType plugin and other plugins recommended for TYPO3 core development. The DynamicReturnType plugin along with the file dynamicReturnTypeMeta.json shipped with the core should give PhpStorm enough information for return type of classes instantiated with makeInstance for example.