diff --git a/lib/ace/mode/_test/text_php.txt b/lib/ace/mode/_test/text_php.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b76aa8a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/ace/mode/_test/text_php.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+<?php
+
+function nfact($n) {
+    if ($n == 0) {
+        return 1;
+    }
+    else {
+        return $n * nfact($n - 1);
+    }
+}
+
+echo "\n\nPlease enter a whole number ... ";
+$num = trim(fgets(STDIN));
+
+// ===== PROCESS - Determing the factorial of the input number =====
+$output = "\n\nFactorial " . $num . " = " . nfact($num) . "\n\n";
+echo $output;
+
+?> <script>  <?php
+echo '
+';
+?>
+/*this is js <?php echo ':)'; ?>
+</script> not &js;
diff --git a/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_gitignore.json b/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_gitignore.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8689a724
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_gitignore.json
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+[[
+   "start",
+  ["comment","# A sample .gitignore file."]
+],[
+   "start"
+],[
+   "start",
+  ["text",".buildlog"]
+],[
+   "start",
+  ["text",".DS_Store"]
+],[
+   "start",
+  ["text",".svn"]
+],[
+   "start"
+],[
+   "start",
+  ["comment","# Negated patterns:"]
+],[
+   "start",
+  ["keyword","!foo.bar"]
+],[
+   "start"
+],[
+   "start",
+  ["comment","# Also ignore user settings..."]
+],[
+   "start",
+  ["text","/.settings"]
+],[
+   "start"
+]]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_lsl.json b/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_lsl.json
index 93575a2c..2248a607 100644
--- a/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_lsl.json
+++ b/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_lsl.json
@@ -500,4 +500,4 @@
   ["paren.rparen.lsl","}"]
 ],[
    "start"
-]]
+]]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_lua.json b/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_lua.json
index 3fde966d..b60c7cb1 100644
--- a/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_lua.json
+++ b/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_lua.json
@@ -345,4 +345,4 @@
   ["text"," "],
   ["comment","--[[ blah ]]"],
   ["paren.rparen",")"]
-]]
+]]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_php.json b/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_php.json
index d8a41eec..d1458a65 100644
--- a/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_php.json
+++ b/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_php.json
@@ -129,6 +129,43 @@
 ],[
    "php-start"
 ],[
-   "start",
+   ["php-start","js-start"],
+  ["support.php_tag","?>"],
+  ["text.xml"," "],
+  ["meta.tag.punctuation.tag-open.xml","<"],
+  ["meta.tag.script.tag-name.xml","script"],
+  ["meta.tag.punctuation.tag-close.xml",">"],
+  ["text","  "],
+  ["support.php_tag","<?php"]
+],[
+   ["php-qstring","php-start","js-start"],
+  ["support.function","echo"],
+  ["text"," "],
+  ["string","'"]
+],[
+   ["php-start","js-start"],
+  ["string","'"],
+  ["text",";"]
+],[
+   "js-start",
   ["support.php_tag","?>"]
+],[
+   "js-comment_regex_allowed",
+  ["comment","/*this is js "],
+  ["support.php_tag","<?php"],
+  ["text"," "],
+  ["support.function","echo"],
+  ["text"," "],
+  ["string","':)'"],
+  ["text","; "],
+  ["support.php_tag","?>"]
+],[
+   "start",
+  ["meta.tag.punctuation.end-tag-open.xml","</"],
+  ["meta.tag.script.tag-name.xml","script"],
+  ["meta.tag.punctuation.tag-close.xml",">"],
+  ["text.xml"," not "],
+  ["constant.language.escape.reference.xml","&js;"]
+],[
+   "start"
 ]]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_vala.json b/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_vala.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..efe6e7c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_vala.json
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+[[
+   "start",
+  ["meta.using.vala",""],
+  ["keyword.other.using.vala","using"],
+  ["meta.using.vala"," "],
+  ["storage.modifier.using.vala","Gtk"],
+  ["punctuation.terminator.vala",";"]
+],[
+   "start",
+  ["text"," "]
+],[
+   "text0",
+  ["storage.type.primitive.array.vala","int"],
+  ["text"," main ("],
+  ["storage.type.primitive.array.vala","string"],
+  ["text","[] args) {"]
+],[
+   "text0",
+  ["text","    "],
+  ["storage.type.vala","Gtk"],
+  ["keyword.operator.dereference.vala","."],
+  ["text","init ("],
+  ["storage.modifier.vala","ref"],
+  ["text"," args)"],
+  ["punctuation.terminator.vala",";"]
+],[
+   "text0",
+  ["text","    "],
+  ["storage.type.primitive.vala","var"],
+  ["text"," foo "],
+  ["keyword.operator.assignment.vala","="],
+  ["text"," "],
+  ["keyword.control.new.vala","new"],
+  ["text"," "],
+  ["storage.type.generic.vala","MyFoo<string[](), MyBar<string, int>>"],
+  ["text","()"],
+  ["punctuation.terminator.vala",";"]
+],[
+   "text0"
+],[
+   "text0",
+  ["text","    "],
+  ["storage.type.primitive.vala","var"],
+  ["text"," window "],
+  ["keyword.operator.assignment.vala","="],
+  ["text"," "],
+  ["keyword.control.new.vala","new"],
+  ["text"," "],
+  ["storage.type.vala","Window"],
+  ["text","()"],
+  ["punctuation.terminator.vala",";"]
+],[
+   "text0",
+  ["text","    window"],
+  ["keyword.operator.dereference.vala","."],
+  ["text","title "],
+  ["keyword.operator.assignment.vala","="],
+  ["text"," "],
+  ["punctuation.definition.string.begin.vala","\""],
+  ["string.quoted.double.vala","Hello, World!"],
+  ["punctuation.definition.string.end.vala","\""],
+  ["punctuation.terminator.vala",";"]
+],[
+   "text0",
+  ["text","    window"],
+  ["keyword.operator.dereference.vala","."],
+  ["text","border_width "],
+  ["keyword.operator.assignment.vala","="],
+  ["text"," "],
+  ["constant.numeric.vala","10"],
+  ["punctuation.terminator.vala",";"]
+],[
+   "text0",
+  ["text","    window"],
+  ["keyword.operator.dereference.vala","."],
+  ["text","window_position "],
+  ["keyword.operator.assignment.vala","="],
+  ["text"," "],
+  ["storage.type.vala","WindowPosition"],
+  ["keyword.operator.dereference.vala","."],
+  ["constant.other.vala","CENTER"],
+  ["punctuation.terminator.vala",";"]
+],[
+   "text0",
+  ["text","    window"],
+  ["keyword.operator.dereference.vala","."],
+  ["text","set_default_size("],
+  ["constant.numeric.vala","350"],
+  ["text",", "],
+  ["constant.numeric.vala","70"],
+  ["text",")"],
+  ["punctuation.terminator.vala",";"]
+],[
+   "text0",
+  ["text","    window"],
+  ["keyword.operator.dereference.vala","."],
+  ["text","destroy"],
+  ["keyword.operator.dereference.vala","."],
+  ["text","connect("],
+  ["storage.type.vala","Gtk"],
+  ["keyword.operator.dereference.vala","."],
+  ["text","main_quit)"],
+  ["punctuation.terminator.vala",";"]
+],[
+   "text0",
+  ["text"," "]
+],[
+   "text0",
+  ["text","    "],
+  ["storage.type.primitive.vala","var"],
+  ["text"," label "],
+  ["keyword.operator.assignment.vala","="],
+  ["text"," "],
+  ["keyword.control.new.vala","new"],
+  ["text"," "],
+  ["storage.type.vala","Label"],
+  ["text","("],
+  ["punctuation.definition.string.begin.vala","\""],
+  ["string.quoted.double.vala","Hello, World!"],
+  ["punctuation.definition.string.end.vala","\""],
+  ["text",")"],
+  ["punctuation.terminator.vala",";"]
+],[
+   "text0",
+  ["text"," "]
+],[
+   "text0",
+  ["text","    window"],
+  ["keyword.operator.dereference.vala","."],
+  ["text","add(label)"],
+  ["punctuation.terminator.vala",";"]
+],[
+   "text0",
+  ["text","    window"],
+  ["keyword.operator.dereference.vala","."],
+  ["text","show_all()"],
+  ["punctuation.terminator.vala",";"]
+],[
+   "text0",
+  ["text"," "]
+],[
+   "text0",
+  ["text","    "],
+  ["storage.type.vala","Gtk"],
+  ["keyword.operator.dereference.vala","."],
+  ["text","main()"],
+  ["punctuation.terminator.vala",";"]
+],[
+   "text0",
+  ["text","    "],
+  ["keyword.control.vala","return"],
+  ["text"," "],
+  ["constant.numeric.vala","0"],
+  ["punctuation.terminator.vala",";"]
+],[
+   "start",
+  ["text","}"]
+]]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_xquery.json b/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_xquery.json
deleted file mode 100644
index aaf9ab9b..00000000
--- a/lib/ace/mode/_test/tokens_xquery.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,44 +0,0 @@
-[[
-   "[\"start\"]",
-  ["keyword","xquery"],
-  ["text"," "],
-  ["keyword","version"],
-  ["text"," "],
-  ["string","\""],
-  ["string","1.0"],
-  ["string","\""],
-  ["text",";"]
-],[
-   "[\"start\"]"
-],[
-   "[\"start\"]",
-  ["keyword","let"],
-  ["text"," "],
-  ["variable","$message"],
-  ["text"," "],
-  ["keyword.operator",":="],
-  ["text"," "],
-  ["string","\""],
-  ["string","Hello World!"],
-  ["string","\""]
-],[
-   "[\"start\",\"StartTag\",\"TagContent\"]",
-  ["keyword","return"],
-  ["text"," "],
-  ["meta.tag","<results"],
-  ["meta.tag",">"]
-],[
-   "[\"start\",\"StartTag\",\"TagContent\"]",
-  ["text","  "],
-  ["meta.tag","<message"],
-  ["meta.tag",">"],
-  ["text","{"],
-  ["variable","$message"],
-  ["text","}"],
-  ["meta.tag","</message>"]
-],[
-   "[\"start\"]",
-  ["meta.tag","</results>"]
-],[
-   "[\"start\"]"
-]]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/ace/mode/sh_highlight_rules.js b/lib/ace/mode/sh_highlight_rules.js
index 73ece2f8..43f536f4 100644
--- a/lib/ace/mode/sh_highlight_rules.js
+++ b/lib/ace/mode/sh_highlight_rules.js
@@ -99,6 +99,62 @@ var ShHighlightRules = function() {
             }, {
                 defaultToken: "string"
             }]
+        },  {
+            stateName: "heredoc",
+            onMatch : function(value, currentState, stack) {
+                var next = value[2] == '-' ? "indentedHeredoc" : "heredoc";
+                var tokens = value.split(this.splitRegex);
+                stack.push(next, tokens[4]);
+                return [
+                    {type:"constant", value: tokens[1]},
+                    {type:"text", value: tokens[2]},
+                    {type:"string", value: tokens[3]},
+                    {type:"support.class", value: tokens[4]},
+                    {type:"string", value: tokens[5]}
+                ];
+            },
+            regex : "(<<-?)(\\s*)(['\"`]?)([\\w\-]+)(['\"`]?)",
+            rules: {
+                heredoc: [{
+                    onMatch:  function(value, currentState, stack) {
+                        if (value === stack[1]) {
+                            stack.shift();
+                            stack.shift();
+                            this.next = stack[0] || "start";
+                            return "support.class";
+                        }
+                        this.next = "";
+                        return "string";
+                    },
+                    regex: ".*$",
+                    next: "start"
+                }],
+                indentedHeredoc: [{
+                    token: "string",
+                    regex: "^ +"
+                }, {
+                    onMatch:  function(value, currentState, stack) {
+                        if (value === stack[1]) {
+                            stack.shift();
+                            stack.shift();
+                            this.next = stack[0] || "start";
+                            return "support.class";
+                        }
+                        this.next = "";
+                        return "string";
+                    },
+                    regex: ".*$",
+                    next: "start"
+                }]
+            }
+        }, {
+            regex : "$",
+            token : "empty",
+            next : function(currentState, stack) {
+                if (stack[0] === "heredoc" || stack[0] === "indentedHeredoc")
+                    return stack[0];
+                return currentState;
+            }
         }, {
             token : "variable.language",
             regex : builtinVariable
diff --git a/lib/ace/tokenizer.js b/lib/ace/tokenizer.js
index 64bf59e8..85fa6c7b 100644
--- a/lib/ace/tokenizer.js
+++ b/lib/ace/tokenizer.js
@@ -268,11 +268,14 @@ var Tokenizer = function(rules) {
                     type = rule.token;
 
                 if (rule.next) {
-                    if (typeof rule.next == "string")
+                    if (typeof rule.next == "string") {
+                        if (stack.length && stack[0] == currentState && stack[1] == rule.next)
+                            stack.shift();
                         currentState = rule.next;
-                    else
+                    } else {
                         currentState = rule.next(currentState, stack);
-
+                    }
+                    
                     state = this.states[currentState];
                     if (!state) {
                         window.console && console.error && console.error(currentState, "doesn't exist");