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+ title: v0.3.5 documentation
+ link_to_home: true
+--
+
+<h2 skip="true">Documentation v0.3.5</h2>
+
+<div style="margin-bottom: 1em;">$index</div>
+
+**lessphp** is a compiler that generates CSS from a superset language which
+adds a collection of convenient features often seen in other languages. All CSS
+is compatible with LESS, so you can start using new features with your existing CSS.
+
+It is designed to be compatible with [less.js](http://lesscss.org), and suitable
+as a drop in replacement for PHP projects.
+
+## Getting Started
+
+The homepage for **lessphp** can be found at [http://leafo.net/lessphp/][1].
+
+You can follow development at the project's [GitHub][2].
+
+Including **lessphp** in your project is as simple as dropping the single
+include file into your code base and running the appropriate compile method as
+described in the [PHP Interface](#php_interface).
+
+ [1]: http://leafo.net/lessphp "lessphp homepage"
+ [2]: https://github.com/leafo/lessphp "lessphp GitHub page"
+
+## Installation
+
+**lessphp** is distributed entirely in a single stand-alone file. Download the
+latest version from either [the homepage][1] or [GitHub][2].
+
+Development versions can also be downloading from GitHub.
+
+Place `lessphp.inc.php` in a location available to your PHP scripts, and
+include it. That's it! you're ready to begin.
+
+## The Language
+
+**lessphp** is very easy to learn because it generally functions how you would
+expect it to. If you feel something is challenging or missing, feel free to
+open an issue on the [bug tracker](https://github.com/leafo/lessphp/issues).
+
+It is also easy to learn because any standards-compliant CSS code is valid LESS
+code. You are free to gradually enhance your existing CSS code base with LESS
+features without having to worry about rewriting anything.
+
+The following is a description of the new languages features provided by LESS.
+
+### Line Comments
+
+Simple but very useful; line comments are started with `//`:
+
+ ```less
+ // this is a comment
+ body {
+ color: red; // as is this
+ /* block comments still work also */
+ }
+ ```
+
+### Variables
+Variables are identified with a name that starts with `@`. To declare a
+variable, you create an appropriately named CSS property and assign it a value:
+
+ ```less
+ @family: "verdana";
+ @color: red;
+ body {
+ @mycolor: red;
+ font-family: @family;
+ color: @color;
+ border-bottom: 1px solid @color;
+ }
+ ```
+
+Variable declarations will not appear in the output. Variables can be declared
+in the outer most scope of the file, or anywhere else a CSS property may
+appear. They can hold any CSS property value.
+
+Variables are only visible for use from their current scope, or any enclosed
+scopes.
+
+If you have a string or keyword in a variable, you can reference another
+variable by that name by repeating the `@`:
+
+ ```less
+ @value: 20px;
+ @value_name: "value";
+
+ width: @@value_name;
+ ```
+
+### Expressions
+
+Expressions let you combine values and variables in meaningful ways. For
+example you can add to a color to make it a different shade. Or divide up the
+width of your layout logically. You can even concatenate strings.
+
+Use the mathematical operators to evaluate an expression:
+
+ ```less
+ @width: 960px;
+ .nav {
+ width: @width / 3;
+ color: #001 + #abc;
+ }
+ .body {
+ width: 2 * @width / 3;
+ font-family: "hel" + "vetica";
+ }
+ ```
+
+Parentheses can be used to control the order of evaluation. They can also be
+used to force an evaluation for cases where CSS's syntax makes the expression
+ambiguous.
+
+The following property will produce two numbers, instead of doing the
+subtraction:
+
+ ```less
+ margin: 10px -5px;
+ ```
+
+To force the subtraction:
+
+ ```less
+ margin: (10px -5px);
+ ```
+
+It is also safe to surround mathematical operators by spaces to ensure that
+they are evaluated:
+
+ ```less
+ margin: 10px - 5px;
+ ```
+
+Division has a special quirk. There are certain CSS properties that use the `/`
+operator as part of their value's syntax. Namely, the [font][4] shorthand and
+[border-radius][3].
+
+ [3]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en/CSS/border-radius
+ [4]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en/CSS/font
+
+
+Thus, **lessphp** will ignore any division in these properties unless it is
+wrapped in parentheses. For example, no division will take place here:
+
+ ```less
+ .font {
+ font: 20px/80px "Times New Roman";
+ }
+ ```
+
+In order to force division we must wrap the expression in parentheses:
+
+ ```less
+ .font {
+ font: (20px/80px) "Times New Roman";
+ }
+ ```
+
+If you want to write a literal `/` expression without dividing in another
+property (or a variable), you can use [string unquoting](#string_unquoting):
+
+ ```less
+ .var {
+ @size: ~"20px/80px";
+ font: @size sans-serif;
+ }
+ ```
+
+### Nested Blocks
+
+By nesting blocks we can build up a chain of CSS selectors through scope
+instead of repeating them. In addition to reducing repetition, this also helps
+logically organize the structure of our CSS.
+
+ ```less
+ ol.list {
+ li.special {
+ border: 1px solid red;
+ }
+
+ li.plain {
+ font-weight: bold;
+ }
+ }
+ ```
+
+
+This will produce two blocks, a `ol.list li.special` and `ol.list li.plain`.
+
+Blocks can be nested as deep as required in order to build a hierarchy of
+relationships.
+
+The `&` operator can be used in a selector to represent its parent's selector.
+If the `&` operator is used, then the default action of appending the parent to
+the front of the child selector separated by space is not performed.
+
+ ```less
+ b {
+ a & {
+ color: red;
+ }
+
+ // the following have the same effect
+
+ & i {
+ color: blue;
+ }
+
+ i {
+ color: blue;
+ }
+ }
+ ```
+
+
+Because the `&` operator respects the whitespace around it, we can use it to
+control how the child blocks are joined. Consider the differences between the
+following:
+
+ ```less
+ div {
+ .child-class { color: purple; }
+
+ &.isa-class { color: green; }
+
+ #child-id { height: 200px; }
+
+ &#div-id { height: 400px; }
+
+ &:hover { color: red; }
+
+ :link { color: blue; }
+ }
+ ```
+
+The `&` operator also works with [mixins](#mixins), which produces interesting results:
+
+ ```less
+ .within_box_style() {
+ .box & {
+ color: blue;
+ }
+ }
+
+ #menu {
+ .within_box_style;
+ }
+ ```
+
+### Mixins
+
+Any block can be mixed in just by naming it:
+
+ ```less
+ .mymixin {
+ color: blue;
+ border: 1px solid red;
+
+ .special {
+ font-weight: bold;
+ }
+ }
+
+
+ h1 {
+ font-size: 200px;
+ .mixin;
+ }
+ ```
+
+All properties and child blocks are mixed in.
+
+Mixins can be made parametric, meaning they can take arguments, in order to
+enhance their utility. A parametric mixin all by itself is not outputted when
+compiled. Its properties will only appear when mixed into another block.
+
+The canonical example is to create a rounded corners mixin that works across
+browsers:
+
+ ```less
+ .rounded-corners(@radius: 5px) {
+ border-radius: @radius;
+ -webkit-border-radius: @radius;
+ -moz-border-radius: @radius;
+ }
+
+ .header {
+ .rounded-corners();
+ }
+
+ .info {
+ background: red;
+ .rounded-corners(14px);
+ }
+ ```
+
+If you have a mixin that doesn't have any arguments, but you don't want it to
+show up in the output, give it a blank argument list:
+
+ ```less
+ .secret() {
+ font-size: 6000px;
+ }
+
+ .div {
+ .secret;
+ }
+ ```
+
+If the mixin doesn't need any arguments, you can leave off the parentheses when
+mixing it in, as seen above.
+
+You can also mixin a block that is nested inside other blocks. You can think of
+the outer block as a way of making a scope for your mixins. You just list the
+names of the mixins separated by spaces, which describes the path to the mixin
+you want to include. Optionally you can separate them by `>`.
+
+ ```less
+ .my_scope {
+ .some_color {
+ color: red;
+ .inner_block {
+ text-decoration: underline;
+ }
+ }
+ .bold {
+ font-weight: bold;
+ color: blue;
+ }
+ }
+
+ .a_block {
+ .my_scope .some_color;
+ .my_scope .some_color .inner_block;
+ }
+
+ .another_block {
+ // the alternative syntax
+ .my_scope > .bold;
+ }
+ ```
+
+#### `@arguments` Variable
+
+Within an mixin there is a special variable named `@arguments` that contains
+all the arguments passed to the mixin along with any remaining arguments that
+have default values. The value of the variable has all the values separated by
+spaces.
+
+This useful for quickly assigning all the arguments:
+
+ ```less
+ .box-shadow(@x, @y, @blur, @color) {
+ box-shadow: @arguments;
+ -webkit-box-shadow: @arguments;
+ -moz-box-shadow: @arguments;
+ }
+ .menu {
+ .box-shadow(1px, 1px, 5px, #aaa);
+ }
+ ```
+
+In addition to the arguments passed to the mixin, `@arguments` will also include
+remaining default values assigned by the mixin:
+
+
+ ```less
+ .border-mixin(@width, @style: solid, @color: black) {
+ border: @arguments;
+ }
+
+ pre {
+ .border-mixin(4px, dotted);
+ }
+
+ ```
+
+
+#### Pattern Matching
+
+When you *mix in* a mixin, all the available mixins of that name in the current
+scope are checked to see if they match based on what was passed to the mixin
+and how it was declared.
+
+The simplest case is matching by number of arguments. Only the mixins that
+match the number of arguments passed in are used.
+
+ ```less
+ .simple() { // matches no arguments
+ height: 10px;
+ }
+
+ .simple(@a, @b) { // matches two arguments
+ color: red;
+ }
+
+ .simple(@a) { // matches one argument
+ color: blue;
+ }
+
+ div {
+ .simple(10);
+ }
+
+ span {
+ .simple(10, 20);
+ }
+ ```
+
+Whether an argument has default values is also taken into account when matching
+based on number of arguments:
+
+ ```less
+ // matches one or two arguments
+ .hello(@a, @b: blue) {
+ height: @a;
+ color: @b;
+ }
+
+ .hello(@a, @b) { // matches only two
+ width: @a;
+ border-color: @b;
+ }
+
+ .hello(@a) { // matches only one
+ padding: 1em;
+ }
+
+ div {
+ .hello(10px);
+ }
+
+ pre {
+ .hello(10px, yellow);
+ }
+ ```
+
+Additionally, a *vararg* value can be used to further control how things are
+matched. A mixin's argument list can optionally end in the special argument
+named `...`. The `...` may match any number of arguments, including 0.
+
+ ```less
+ // this will match any number of arguments
+ .first(...) {
+ color: blue;
+ }
+
+ // matches at least 1 argument
+ .second(@arg, ...) {
+ height: 200px + @arg;
+ }
+
+ div { .first("some", "args"); }
+ pre { .second(10px); }
+ ```
+
+If you want to capture the values that get captured by the *vararg* you can
+give it a variable name by putting it directly before the `...`. This variable
+must be the last argument defined. It's value is just like the special
+[`@arguments` variable](#arguments_variable), a space separated list.
+
+
+ ```less
+ .hello(@first, @rest...) {
+ color: @first;
+ text-shadow: @rest;
+ }
+
+ span {
+ .hello(red, 1px, 1px, 0px, white);
+ }
+
+ ```
+
+Another way of controlling whether a mixin matches is by specifying a value in
+place of an argument name when declaring the mixin:
+
+ ```less
+ .style(old, @size) {
+ font: @size serif;
+ }
+
+ .style(new, @size) {
+ font: @size sans-serif;
+ }
+
+ .style(@_, @size) {
+ letter-spacing: floor(@size / 6px);
+ }
+
+ em {
+ @switch: old;
+ .style(@switch, 15px);
+ }
+ ```
+
+Notice that two of the three mixins were matched. The mixin with a matching
+first argument, and the generic mixin that matches two arguments. It's common
+to use `@_` as the name of a variable we intend to not use. It has no special
+meaning to LESS, just to the reader of the code.
+
+#### Guards
+
+Another way of restricting when a mixin is mixed in is by using guards. A guard
+is a special expression that is associated with a mixin declaration that is
+evaluated during the mixin process. It must evaluate to true before the mixin
+can be used.
+
+We use the `when` keyword to begin describing a list of guard expressions.
+
+Here's a simple example:
+
+ ```less
+ .guarded(@arg) when (@arg = hello) {
+ color: blue;
+ }
+
+ div {
+ .guarded(hello); // match
+ }
+
+ span {
+ .guarded(world); // no match
+ }
+ ```
+Only the `div`'s mixin will match in this case, because the guard expression
+requires that `@arg` is equal to `hello`.
+
+We can include many different guard expressions by separating them by commas.
+Only one of them needs to match to trigger the mixin:
+
+ ```less
+ .x(@a, @b) when (@a = hello), (@b = world) {
+ width: 960px;
+ }
+
+ div {
+ .x(hello, bar); // match
+ }
+
+ span {
+ .x(foo, world); // match
+ }
+
+ pre {
+ .x(foo, bar); // no match
+ }
+ ```
+
+Instead of a comma, we can use `and` keyword to make it so all of the guards
+must match in order to trigger the mixin. `and` has higher precedence than the
+comma.
+
+ ```less
+ .y(@a, @b) when (@a = hello) and (@b = world) {
+ height: 600px;
+ }
+
+ div {
+ .y(hello, world); // match
+ }
+
+ span {
+ .y(hello, bar); // no match
+ }
+ ```
+
+Commas and `and`s can be mixed and matched.
+
+You can also negate a guard expression by using `not` in from of the parentheses:
+
+ ```less
+ .x(@a) when not (@a = hello) {
+ color: blue;
+ }
+
+ div {
+ .x(hello); // no match
+ }
+ ```
+
+The `=` operator is used to check equality between any two values. For numbers
+the following comparison operators are also defined:
+
+`<`, `>`, `=<`, `>=`
+
+There is also a collection of predicate functions that can be used to test the
+type of a value.
+
+These are `isnumber`, `iscolor`, `iskeyword`, `isstring`, `ispixel`,
+`ispercentage` and `isem`.
+
+ ```less
+ .mix(@a) when (ispercentage(@a)) {
+ height: 500px * @a;
+ }
+ .mix(@a) when (ispixel(@a)) {
+ height: @a;
+ }
+
+ div.a {
+ .mix(50%);
+ }
+
+ div.a {
+ .mix(350px);
+ }
+ ```
+
+#### !important
+
+If you want to apply the `!important` suffix to every property when mixing in a
+mixin, just append `!important` to the end of the call to the mixin:
+
+ ```less
+ .make_bright {
+ color: red;
+ font-weight: bold;
+ }
+
+ .color {
+ color: green;
+ }
+
+ body {
+ .make_bright() !important;
+ .color();
+ }
+
+ ```
+
+### Selector Expressions
+
+Sometimes we want to dynamically generate the selector of a block based on some
+variable or expression. We can do this by using *selector expressions*. Selector
+expressions are CSS selectors that are evaluated in the current scope before
+being written out.
+
+A simple example is a mixin that dynamically creates a selector named after the
+mixin's argument:
+
+ ```less
+ .create-selector(@name) {
+ (e(@name)) {
+ color: red;
+ }
+ }
+
+ .create-selector("hello");
+ .create-selector("world");
+ ```
+
+Any selector that is enclosed in `()` will have it's contents evaluated and
+directly written to output. The value is not changed any way before being
+outputted, thats why we use the `e` function. If you're not familiar, the `e`
+function strips quotes off a string value. If we didn't have it, then the
+selector would have quotes around it, and that's not valid CSS!
+
+Any value can be used in a selector expression, but it works best when using
+strings and things like [String Interpolation](#string_interpolation).
+
+Here's an interesting example adapted from Twitter Bootstrap. A couple advanced
+things are going on. We are using [Guards](#guards) along with a recursive
+mixin to work like a loop to generate a series of CSS blocks.
+
+
+ ```less
+ // create our recursive mixin:
+ .spanX (@index) when (@index > 0) {
+ (~".span@{index}") {
+ width: @index * 100px;
+ }
+ .spanX(@index - 1);
+ }
+ .spanX (0) {}
+
+ // mix it into the global scopee:
+ .spanX(4);
+ ```
+
+### Import
+
+Multiple LESS files can be compiled into a single CSS file by using the
+`@import` statement. Be careful, the LESS import statement shares syntax with
+the CSS import statement. If the file being imported ends in a `.less`
+extension, or no extension, then it is treated as a LESS import. Otherwise it
+is left alone and outputted directly:
+
+ ```less
+ // my_file.less
+ .some-mixin(@height) {
+ height: @height;
+ }
+
+ // main.less
+ @import "main.less" // will import the file if it can be found
+ @import "main.css" // will be left alone
+
+ body {
+ .some-mixin(400px);
+ }
+ ```
+
+All of the following lines are valid ways to import the same file:
+
+ ```less
+ @import "file";
+ @import 'file.less';
+ @import url("file");
+ @import url('file');
+ @import url(file);
+ ```
+
+When importing, the `importDir` is searched for files. This can be configured,
+see [PHP Interface](#php_interface).
+
+### String Interpolation
+
+String interpolation is a convenient way to insert the value of a variable
+right into a string literal. Given some variable named `@var_name`, you just
+need to write it as `@{var_name}` from within the string to have its value
+inserted:
+
+ ```less
+ @symbol: ">";
+ h1:before {
+ content: "@{symbol}: ";
+ }
+
+ h2:before {
+ content: "@{symbol}@{symbol}: ";
+ }
+ ```
+
+There are two kinds of strings, implicit and explicit strings. Explicit strings
+are wrapped by double quotes, `"hello I am a string"`, or single quotes `'I am
+another string'`. Implicit strings only appear when using `url()`. The text
+between the parentheses is considered a string and thus string interpolation is
+possible:
+
+ ```less
+ @path: "files/";
+ body {
+ background: url(@{path}my_background.png);
+ }
+ ```
+
+### String Format Function
+
+The `%` function can be used to insert values into strings using a *format
+string*. It works similar to `printf` seen in other languages. It has the
+same purpose as string interpolation above, but gives explicit control over
+the output format.
+
+ ```less
+ @symbol: ">";
+ h1:before {
+ content: %("%s: ", @symbol);
+ }
+ ```
+
+The `%` function takes as its first argument the format string, following any
+number of addition arguments that are inserted in place of the format
+directives.
+
+A format directive starts with a `%` and is followed by a single character that
+is either `a`, `d`, or `s`:
+
+ ```less
+ strings: %("%a %d %s %a", hi, 1, 'ok', 'cool');
+ ```
+
+`%a` and `%d` format the value the same way: they compile the argument to its
+CSS value and insert it directly. When used with a string, the quotes are
+included in the output. This typically isn't what we want, so we have the `%s`
+format directive which strips quotes from strings before inserting them.
+
+The `%d` directive functions the same as `%a`, but is typically used for numbers
+assuming the output format of numbers might change in the future.
+
+### String Unquoting
+
+Sometimes you will need to write proprietary CSS syntax that is unable to be
+parsed. As a workaround you can place the code into a string and unquote it.
+Unquoting is the process of outputting a string without its surrounding quotes.
+There are two ways to unquote a string.
+
+The `~` operator in front of a string will unquote that string:
+
+ ```less
+ .class {
+ // a made up, but problematic vendor specific CSS
+ filter: ~"Microsoft.AlphaImage(src='image.png')";
+ }
+ ```
+
+If you are working with other types, such as variables, there is a built in
+function that let's you unquote any value. It is called `e`.
+
+ ```less
+ @color: "red";
+ .class {
+ color: e(@color);
+ }
+ ```
+
+### Built In Functions
+
+**lessphp** has a collection of built in functions:
+
+* `e(str)` -- returns a string without the surrounding quotes.
+ See [String Unquoting](#string_unquoting)
+
+* `floor(number)` -- returns the floor of a numerical input
+* `round(number)` -- returns the rounded value of numerical input
+
+* `lighten(color, percent)` -- lightens `color` by `percent` and returns it
+* `darken(color, percent)` -- darkens `color` by `percent` and returns it
+
+* `saturate(color, percent)` -- saturates `color` by `percent` and returns it
+* `desaturate(color, percent)` -- desaturates `color` by `percent` and returns it
+
+* `fadein(color, percent)` -- makes `color` less transparent by `percent` and returns it
+* `fadeout(color, percent)` -- makes `color` more transparent by `percent` and returns it
+
+* `spin(color, amount)` -- returns a color with `amount` degrees added to hue
+
+* `fade(color, amount)` -- returns a color with the alpha set to `amount`
+
+* `hue(color)` -- returns the hue of `color`
+
+* `saturation(color)` -- returns the saturation of `color`
+
+* `lightness(color)` -- returns the lightness of `color`
+
+* `alpha(color)` -- returns the alpha value of `color` or 1.0 if it doesn't have an alpha
+
+* `percentage(number)` -- converts a floating point number to a percentage, e.g. `0.65` -> `65%`
+
+* `mix(color1, color1, percent)` -- mixes two colors by percentage where 100%
+ keeps all of `color1`, and 0% keeps all of `color2`. Will take into account
+ the alpha of the colors if it exists. See
+ <http://sass-lang.com/docs/yardoc/Sass/Script/Functions.html#mix-instance_method>.
+
+* `rgbahex(color)` -- returns a string containing 4 part hex color.
+
+ This is used to convert a CSS color into the hex format that IE's filter
+ method expects when working with an alpha component.
+
+ ```less
+ .class {
+ @start: rgbahex(rgba(25, 34, 23, .5));
+ @end: rgbahex(rgba(85, 74, 103, .6));
+ // abridged example
+ -ms-filter:
+ e("gradient(start=@{start},end=@{end})");
+ }
+ ```
+
+## PHP Interface
+
+The PHP interface lets you control the compiler from your PHP scripts. There is
+only one file to include to get access to everything:
+
+ ```php
+ <?php
+ include "lessc.inc.php";
+ ```
+
+To compile a file to a string (of CSS code):
+
+ ```php
+ $less = new lessc("myfile.less");
+ $css = $less->parse();
+ ```
+
+To compile a string to a string:
+
+ ```php
+ $less = new lessc(); // a blank lessc
+ $css = $less->parse("body { a { color: red } }");
+ ```
+
+### Output Formatting
+
+Besides the default output formatter, **lessphp** comes with two additional
+ones, and it's easy to make your own.
+
+The first extra formatter is called `compressed`. It compresses the output by
+removing any extra whitespace.
+
+We use the `setFormatter` method set the formatter that should be used. Just
+pass the name of the formatter:
+
+ ```php
+ $less = new lessc("myfile.less");
+
+ $less->setFormatter("compressed");
+
+ $css = $less->parse();
+ ```
+
+The second formatter is called `indent`. It will indent CSS blocks based on how
+they were nested in the LESS code.
+
+#### Custom Formatter
+
+The easiest way to customize is to create your own instance of the formatter
+and alter its public properties before passing it off to **lessphp**. The
+`setFormatter` method can also take an instance of a formatter.
+
+For example, let's use tabs instead of the default two spaces to indent:
+
+ ```php
+ $formatter = new lessc_formatter;
+ $formatter->indentChar = "\t";
+
+ $less = new lessc("myfile.less");
+ $less->setFormatter($formatter);
+ $css = $less->parse();
+ ```
+
+For more information about what can be configured with the formatter consult
+the sourcecode.
+
+### Compiling Automatically
+
+Often, you want to write the compiled CSS to a file, and only recompile when
+the original LESS file has changed. The following function will check if the
+modification date of the LESS file is more recent than the CSS file. The LESS
+file will be compiled if it is. If the CSS file doesn't exist yet, then it will
+also compile the LESS file.
+
+ ```php
+ lessc::ccompile('myfile.less', 'mystyle.css');
+ ```
+
+`ccompile` is very basic, it only checks if the input file's modification time.
+It is not of any files that are brought in using `@import`.
+
+For this reason we also have `lessc::cexecute`. It functions slightly
+differently, but gives us the ability to check changes to all files used during
+the compile. It takes one argument, either the name of the file we want to
+compile, or an existing *cache object*. Its return value is an updated cache
+object.
+
+If we don't have a cache object, then we call the function with the name of the
+file to get the initial cache object. If we do have a cache object, then we
+call the function with it. In both cases, an updated cache object is returned.
+
+The cache object keeps track of all the files that must be checked in order to
+determine if a rebuild is required.
+
+The cache object is a plain PHP `array`. It stores the last time it compiled in
+`$cache['updated']` and output of the compile in `$cache['compiled']`.
+
+Here we demonstrate creating an new cache object, then using it to see if we
+have a recompiled version available to be written:
+
+
+ ```php
+ $less_file = 'myfile.less';
+ $css_file = 'myfile.css';
+
+ // create a new cache object, and compile
+ $cache = lessc::cexecute('myfile.less');
+ file_put_contents($css_file, $cache['compiled']);
+
+ // the next time we run, write only if it has updated
+ $last_updated = $cache['updated'];
+ $cache = lessc::cexecute($cache);
+ if ($cache['updated'] > $last_updated) {
+ file_put_contents($css_file, $cache['compiled']);
+ }
+
+ ```
+
+In order for the system to fully work, we must save cache object between
+requests. Because it's a plain PHP `array`, it's sufficient to
+[`serialize`](http://php.net/serialize) it and save it the string somewhere
+like a file or in persistent memory.
+
+An example with saving cache object to a file:
+
+ ```php
+ function auto_compile_less($less_fname, $css_fname) {
+ // load the cache
+ $cache_fname = $less_fname.".cache";
+ if (file_exists($cache_fname)) {
+ $cache = unserialize(file_get_contents($cache_fname));
+ } else {
+ $cache = $less_fname;
+ }
+
+ $new_cache = lessc::cexecute($cache);
+ if (!is_array($cache) || $new_cache['updated'] > $cache['updated']) {
+ file_put_contents($cache_fname, serialize($new_cache));
+ file_put_contents($css_fname, $new_cache['compiled']);
+ }
+ }
+
+ auto_compile_less('myfile.less', 'myfile.css');
+ ```
+
+`lessc:cexecute` takes an optional second argument, `$force`. Passing in true
+will cause the input to always be recompiled.
+
+### Error Handling
+
+All of the following methods will throw an `Exception` if the parsing fails:
+
+ ```php
+ $less = new lessc();
+ try {
+ $less->parse("} invalid LESS }}}");
+ } catch (Exception $ex) {
+ echo "lessphp fatal error: ".$ex->getMessage();
+ }
+ ```
+### Setting Variables From PHP
+
+The `parse` function takes a second optional argument. If you want to
+initialize variables from outside the LESS file then you can pass in an
+associative array of names and values. The values will parsed as CSS values:
+
+ ```php
+ $less = new lessc();
+ echo $less->parse(".magic { color: @color; width: @base - 200; }",
+ array(
+ 'color' => 'red';
+ 'base' => '960px';
+ ));
+ ```
+
+You can also do this when loading from a file. If the first argument of `parse`
+is an array it will be used an array of variables to set.
+
+ ```php
+ $less = new lessc("myfile.less");
+ echo $less->parse(array('color' => 'blue'));
+ ```
+
+### Custom Functions
+
+**lessphp** has a simple extension interface where you can implement user
+functions that will be exposed in LESS code during the compile. They can be a
+little tricky though because you need to work with the **lessphp** type system.
+
+An instance of `lessc`, the **lessphp** compiler has two relevant methods:
+`registerFunction` and `unregisterFunction`. `registerFunction` takes two
+arguments, a name and a callable value. `unregisterFunction` just takes the
+name of an existing function to remove.
+
+Here's an example that adds a function called `double` that doubles any numeric
+argument:
+
+ ```php
+ <?php
+ include "lessc.inc.php";
+
+ function lessphp_double($arg) {
+ list($type, $value) = $arg;
+ return array($type, $value*2);
+ }
+
+ $myless = new myless();
+ $myless->registerFunction("double", "lessphp_double");
+
+ // gives us a width of 800px
+ echo $myless->parse("div { width: double(400px); }");
+ ```
+
+The second argument to `registerFunction` is any *callable value* that is
+understood by [`call_user_func`](http://php.net/call_user_func).
+
+If we are using PHP 5.3 or above then we are free to pass a function literal
+like so:
+
+ ```php
+ $myless->registerFunction("double", function($arg) {
+ list($type, $value) = $arg;
+ return array($type, $value*2);
+ });
+ ```
+
+Now let's talk about the `double` function itself.
+
+Although a little verbose, the implementation gives us some insight on the type
+system. All values in **lessphp** are stored in an array where the 0th element
+is a string representing the type, and the other elements make up the
+associated data for that value.
+
+The best way to get an understanding of the system is to register is dummy
+function which does a `vardump` on the argument. Try passing the function
+different values from LESS and see what the results are.
+
+The return value of the registered function must also be a **lessphp** type, but if it is
+a string or numeric value, it will automatically be coerced into an appropriate
+typed value. In our example, we reconstruct the value with our modifications
+while making sure that we preserve the original type.
+
+In addition to the arguments passed from **lessphp**, the instance of
+**lessphp** itself is sent to the registered function as the second argument.
+
+## Command Line Interface
+
+**lessphp** comes with a command line script written in PHP that can be used to
+invoke the compiler from the terminal. On Linux an OSX, all you need to do is
+place `plessc` and `lessc.inc.php` somewhere in your PATH (or you can run it in
+the current directory as well). On windows you'll need a copy of `php.exe` to
+run the file. To compile a file, `input.less` to CSS, run:
+
+ ```bash
+ $ plessc input.less
+ ```
+
+To write to a file, redirect standard out:
+
+ ```bash
+ $ plessc input.less > output.css
+ ```
+
+To compile code directly on the command line:
+
+ ```bash
+ $ plessc -r "@color: red; body { color: @color; }"
+ ```
+
+To watch a file for changes, and compile it as needed, use the `-w` flag:
+
+ ```bash
+ $ plessc -w input-file output-file
+ ```
+
+Errors from watch mode are written to standard out.
+
+
+## License
+
+Copyright (c) 2010 Leaf Corcoran, <http://leafo.net/lessphp>
+
+Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining
+a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
+"Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including
+without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,
+distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to
+permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to
+the following conditions:
+
+The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be
+included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
+EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
+MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND
+NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE
+LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION
+OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION
+WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+
+
+*Also under GPL3 if required, see `LICENSE` file*
+