Setting up Squiz Labs code sniffer for PHPStorm on Windows

PHPStorm is a brilliant piece of software that's highly extensible. One of the extensions that's particularly useful is Squiz Labs' PHP Code Sniffer. It wasn't quite apparent from other documentation I found online that it's really simple to set up for Windows! So with the help of a co-worker I put together the following tutorial:

To install the code sniffer for PHPStorm:

• Download and install PHP for Windows
• Download https://squizlabs.github.io/PHP_CodeSniffer/phpcs.phar
• Create a file called phpcs.bat in the C:\php directory
  @echo off
  "C:\php\php.exe" -f "C:\PATH_TO_DOWNLOADED_PHAR\phpcs.phar" -- %*
• In PHPStorm
• Open File->Settings
• Select Languages & Frameworks->PHP
• Add a local interpreter that points to C:\php\php.exe
• Select Languages & Frameworks->PHP->Code Sniffer
• Update the local configuration to point to C:\php\phpcs.bat
• increase the Tool process timeout if you're working on remote code
• Click Validate to ensure that the code sniffer is loaded correctly
• Click Apply
• Select Editor->Inspections
• Select the checkbox for PHP Code Sniffer validation
• Select PHP Code Sniffer validation
• Set the coding standard (you'll probably want PSR2)
• To run the code sniffer
• Press CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + I
• Type "code sniffer" and press enter
• Select the current file

And there you go!