1*textprop.txt* For Vim version 8.2. Last change: 2020 Oct 14 2 3 4 VIM REFERENCE MANUAL by Bram Moolenaar 5 6 7Displaying text with properties attached. *textprop* *text-properties* 8 9 101. Introduction |text-prop-intro| 112. Functions |text-prop-functions| 123. When text changes |text-prop-changes| 13 14 15{not able to use text properties when the |+textprop| feature was 16disabled at compile time} 17 18============================================================================== 191. Introduction *text-prop-intro* 20 21Text properties can be attached to text in a buffer. They will move with the 22text: If lines are deleted or inserted the properties move with the text they 23are attached to. Also when inserting/deleting text in the line before the 24text property. And when inserting/deleting text inside the text property, it 25will increase/decrease in size. 26 27The main use for text properties is to highlight text. This can be seen as a 28replacement for syntax highlighting. Instead of defining patterns to match 29the text, the highlighting is set by a script, possibly using the output of an 30external parser. This only needs to be done once, not every time when 31redrawing the screen, thus can be much faster, after the initial cost of 32attaching the text properties. 33 34Text properties can also be used for other purposes to identify text. For 35example, add a text property on a function name, so that a search can be 36defined to jump to the next/previous function. 37 38A text property is attached at a specific line and column, and has a specified 39length. The property can span multiple lines. 40 41A text property has these fields: 42 "id" a number to be used as desired 43 "type" the name of a property type 44 45 46Property Types ~ 47 *E971* 48A text property normally has the name of a property type, which defines 49how to highlight the text. The property type can have these entries: 50 "highlight" name of the highlight group to use 51 "combine" when omitted or TRUE the text property highlighting is 52 combined with any syntax highlighting; when FALSE the 53 text property highlighting replaces the syntax 54 highlighting 55 "priority" when properties overlap, the one with the highest 56 priority will be used. 57 "start_incl" when TRUE inserts at the start position will be 58 included in the text property 59 "end_incl" when TRUE inserts at the end position will be 60 included in the text property 61 62 63Example ~ 64 65Suppose line 11 in a buffer has this text (excluding the indent): 66 67 The number 123 is smaller than 4567. 68 69To highlight the numbers in this text: > 70 call prop_type_add('number', {'highlight': 'Constant'}) 71 call prop_add(11, 12, {'length': 3, 'type': 'number'}) 72 call prop_add(11, 32, {'length': 4, 'type': 'number'}) 73 74Try inserting or deleting lines above the text, you will see that the text 75properties stick to the text, thus the line number is adjusted as needed. 76 77Setting "start_incl" and "end_incl" is useful when white space surrounds the 78text, e.g. for a function name. Using false is useful when the text starts 79and/or ends with a specific character, such as the quote surrounding a string. 80 81 func FuncName(arg) ~ 82 ^^^^^^^^ property with start_incl and end_incl set 83 84 var = "text"; ~ 85 ^^^^^^ property with start_incl and end_incl not set 86 87Nevertheless, when text is inserted or deleted the text may need to be parsed 88and the text properties updated. But this can be done asynchronously. 89 90 91Internal error *E967* 92 93If you see E967, please report the bug. You can do this at Github: 94https://github.com/vim/vim/issues/new 95 96============================================================================== 972. Functions *text-prop-functions* 98 99Manipulating text property types: 100 101prop_type_add({name}, {props}) define a new property type 102prop_type_change({name}, {props}) change an existing property type 103prop_type_delete({name} [, {props}]) delete a property type 104prop_type_get({name} [, {props}]) get property type values 105prop_type_list([{props}]) get list of property types 106 107 108Manipulating text properties: 109 110prop_add({lnum}, {col}, {props}) add a text property 111prop_clear({lnum} [, {lnum-end} [, {bufnr}]]) 112 remove all text properties 113prop_find({props} [, {direction}]) search for a text property 114prop_list({lnum} [, {props}]) text properties in {lnum} 115prop_remove({props} [, {lnum} [, {lnum-end}]]) 116 remove a text property 117 118 *prop_add()* *E965* 119prop_add({lnum}, {col}, {props}) 120 Attach a text property at position {lnum}, {col}. {col} is 121 counted in bytes, use one for the first column. 122 If {lnum} is invalid an error is given. *E966* 123 If {col} is invalid an error is given. *E964* 124 125 {props} is a dictionary with these fields: 126 length length of text in bytes, can only be used 127 for a property that does not continue in 128 another line; can be zero 129 end_lnum line number for the end of text 130 end_col column just after the text; not used when 131 "length" is present; when {col} and "end_col" 132 are equal, and "end_lnum" is omitted or equal 133 to {lnum}, this is a zero-width text property 134 bufnr buffer to add the property to; when omitted 135 the current buffer is used 136 id user defined ID for the property; must be a 137 number; when omitted zero is used 138 type name of the text property type 139 All fields except "type" are optional. 140 141 It is an error when both "length" and "end_lnum" or "end_col" 142 are given. Either use "length" or "end_col" for a property 143 within one line, or use "end_lnum" and "end_col" for a 144 property that spans more than one line. 145 When neither "length" nor "end_col" are given the property 146 will be zero-width. That means it will move with the text, as 147 a kind of mark. One character will be highlighted, if the 148 type specifies highlighting. 149 The property can end exactly at the last character of the 150 text, or just after it. In the last case, if text is appended 151 to the line, the text property size will increase, also when 152 the property type does not have "end_incl" set. 153 154 "type" will first be looked up in the buffer the property is 155 added to. When not found, the global property types are used. 156 If not found an error is given. 157 158 Can also be used as a |method|: > 159 GetLnum()->prop_add(col, props) 160 161 162prop_clear({lnum} [, {lnum-end} [, {props}]]) *prop_clear()* 163 Remove all text properties from line {lnum}. 164 When {lnum-end} is given, remove all text properties from line 165 {lnum} to {lnum-end} (inclusive). 166 167 When {props} contains a "bufnr" item use this buffer, 168 otherwise use the current buffer. 169 170 Can also be used as a |method|: > 171 GetLnum()->prop_clear() 172< 173 *prop_find()* 174prop_find({props} [, {direction}]) 175 Search for a text property as specified with {props}: 176 id property with this ID 177 type property with this type name 178 both "id" and "type" must both match 179 bufnr buffer to search in; when present a 180 start position with "lnum" and "col" 181 must be given; when omitted the 182 current buffer is used 183 lnum start in this line (when omitted start 184 at the cursor) 185 col start at this column (when omitted 186 and "lnum" is given: use column 1, 187 otherwise start at the cursor) 188 skipstart do not look for a match at the start 189 position 190 191 A property matches when either "id" or "type" matches. 192 {direction} can be "f" for forward and "b" for backward. When 193 omitted forward search is performed. 194 195 If a match is found then a Dict is returned with the entries 196 as with prop_list(), and additionally an "lnum" entry. 197 If no match is found then an empty Dict is returned. 198 199 200prop_list({lnum} [, {props}]) *prop_list()* 201 Return a List with all text properties in line {lnum}. 202 203 When {props} contains a "bufnr" item, use this buffer instead 204 of the current buffer. 205 206 The properties are ordered by starting column and priority. 207 Each property is a Dict with these entries: 208 col starting column 209 length length in bytes, one more if line break is 210 included 211 id property ID 212 type name of the property type, omitted if 213 the type was deleted 214 start when TRUE property starts in this line 215 end when TRUE property ends in this line 216 217 When "start" is zero the property started in a previous line, 218 the current one is a continuation. 219 When "end" is zero the property continues in the next line. 220 The line break after this line is included. 221 222 Can also be used as a |method|: > 223 GetLnum()->prop_list() 224< 225 *prop_remove()* *E968* *E860* 226prop_remove({props} [, {lnum} [, {lnum-end}]]) 227 Remove a matching text property from line {lnum}. When 228 {lnum-end} is given, remove matching text properties from line 229 {lnum} to {lnum-end} (inclusive). 230 When {lnum} is omitted remove matching text properties from 231 all lines. 232 233 {props} is a dictionary with these fields: 234 id remove text properties with this ID 235 type remove text properties with this type name 236 both "id" and "type" must both match 237 bufnr use this buffer instead of the current one 238 all when TRUE remove all matching text properties, 239 not just the first one 240 A property matches when either "id" or "type" matches. 241 If buffer "bufnr" does not exist you get an error message. 242 If buffer "bufnr" is not loaded then nothing happens. 243 244 Returns the number of properties that were removed. 245 246 Can also be used as a |method|: > 247 GetProps()->prop_remove() 248 249 250prop_type_add({name}, {props}) *prop_type_add()* *E969* *E970* 251 Add a text property type {name}. If a property type with this 252 name already exists an error is given. Nothing is returned. 253 {props} is a dictionary with these optional fields: 254 bufnr define the property only for this buffer; this 255 avoids name collisions and automatically 256 clears the property types when the buffer is 257 deleted. 258 highlight name of highlight group to use 259 priority when a character has multiple text 260 properties the one with the highest priority 261 will be used; negative values can be used, the 262 default priority is zero 263 combine when TRUE combine the highlight with any 264 syntax highlight; when omitted or FALSE syntax 265 highlight will not be used 266 start_incl when TRUE inserts at the start position will 267 be included in the text property 268 end_incl when TRUE inserts at the end position will be 269 included in the text property 270 271 Can also be used as a |method|: > 272 GetPropName()->prop_type_add(props) 273 274prop_type_change({name}, {props}) *prop_type_change()* 275 Change properties of an existing text property type. If a 276 property with this name does not exist an error is given. 277 The {props} argument is just like |prop_type_add()|. 278 279 Can also be used as a |method|: > 280 GetPropName()->prop_type_change(props) 281 282prop_type_delete({name} [, {props}]) *prop_type_delete()* 283 Remove the text property type {name}. When text properties 284 using the type {name} are still in place, they will not have 285 an effect and can no longer be removed by name. 286 287 {props} can contain a "bufnr" item. When it is given, delete 288 a property type from this buffer instead of from the global 289 property types. 290 291 When text property type {name} is not found there is no error. 292 293 Can also be used as a |method|: > 294 GetPropName()->prop_type_delete() 295 296prop_type_get({name} [, {props}]) *prop_type_get()* 297 Returns the properties of property type {name}. This is a 298 dictionary with the same fields as was given to 299 prop_type_add(). 300 When the property type {name} does not exist, an empty 301 dictionary is returned. 302 303 {props} can contain a "bufnr" item. When it is given, use 304 this buffer instead of the global property types. 305 306 Can also be used as a |method|: > 307 GetPropName()->prop_type_get() 308 309prop_type_list([{props}]) *prop_type_list()* 310 Returns a list with all property type names. 311 312 {props} can contain a "bufnr" item. When it is given, use 313 this buffer instead of the global property types. 314 315 316============================================================================== 3173. When text changes *text-prop-changes* 318 319Vim will do its best to keep the text properties on the text where it was 320attached. When inserting or deleting text the properties after the change 321will move accordingly. 322 323When text is deleted and a text property no longer includes any text, it is 324deleted. However, a text property that was defined as zero-width will remain, 325unless the whole line is deleted. 326 *E275* 327When a buffer is unloaded, all the text properties are gone. There is no way 328to store the properties in a file. You can only re-create them. When a 329buffer is hidden the text is preserved and so are the text properties. It is 330not possible to add text properties to an unloaded buffer. 331 332When using replace mode, the text properties stay on the same character 333positions, even though the characters themselves change. 334 335To update text properties after the text was changed, install a callback with 336`listener_add()`. E.g, if your plugin does spell checking, you can have the 337callback update spelling mistakes in the changed text. Vim will move the 338properties below the changed text, so that they still highlight the same text, 339thus you don't need to update these. 340 341 342Text property columns are not updated or copied: ~ 343 344- When setting the line with |setline()| or through an interface, such as Lua, 345 Tcl or Python. Vim does not know what text got inserted or deleted. 346- With a command like `:move`, which takes a line of text out of context. 347 348 349 vim:tw=78:ts=8:noet:ft=help:norl: 350