[Geany-Users] filetype, lexer, config file: using a new language

[Lex Trotman]

On Sun, 22 May 2022 at 11:20, John Gabriele <jgabriele at fastmail.fm> wrote:
>
> On Sat, May 21, 2022, at 7:21 PM, Lex Trotman wrote:
> > On Sun, 22 May 2022 at 01:31, John Gabriele <jgabriele at fastmail.fm> wrote:
> >>
> >> Hi all,
> >>
> >> I'd like to use the [Hare](https://harelang.org/) programming language
> >> with Geany. I see that the C syntax highlighting works ok so far (and
> >> it appears that [Lexilla](https://github.com/ScintillaOrg/lexilla)
> >> (which I understand Geany makes use of) supports C, C++, Java, and JS
> >> all using the same lexer:
> >> https://github.com/ScintillaOrg/lexilla/blob/master/lexers/LexCPP.cxx
> >>
> >> Anyhow, when I open a .ha file (Hare source file) with Geany, I'd like
> >> for it to just use the C syntax highlighting automatically, so I don't
> >> have to manually select it each time. How can I get that to work?
> >>
> >
> > You also need to specify the filetype in `filetype_extensions.conf`
>
> Ok. I opened that file (under Tools --> Configuration Files...). The file is
> in my ~/.config/geany/ dir, and *every* line is commented out.
> I uncommented line containing "[Extensions]", and then added one of
> my own:
>
> ~~~
> Hare=*.ha;
> ~~~
>
> > and note the filetype name you use there and the filetype name used in
> > the `filetype.XXX.conf` filename are case sensitive and must match
> > exactly.
>
> I'm not sure what you mean. I did this:
>
>     cp /usr/share/geany/filedefs/filetypes.c ~/.config/geany/filedefs/filetypes.Hare.conf

No, as I said, look at and copy one of the _custom_ filetypes files,
not a builtin filetype file, one that looks like filetype.XXX.conf.

Maybe start with filetypes.Swift.conf since it uses the C lexer.  Also
obviously whichever existing filetype file you copy you need to change
the keywords lists unless your language has exactly the same ones.

Cheers
Lex

>
> I didn't edit anything in this file, but I see that it contains these
> lines:
>
> ~~~
> [settings]
> # default extension used when saving files
> extension=c
> ~~~
>
> Is that something I need to change?
>
> > Note that you can open `filetype_extension.conf` in the menu
> > `Tools->Configuration Files` and it will open the one in your user
> > config, or the system one if no user one yet, but always saves to your
> > user config.
> >
> >> I'm on GNU/Linux, and I see that I've got a ~/.config/geany directory.
> >>
> >> Looking at the manual, I don't understand the different axes of
> >> filetype def files vs config files ...
> >>
> >> I see that I have a /usr/share/geany/filedefs/filetypes.c file.
> >> Do I copy that to my ~/.config/geany/filedefs dir? After that, what
> >> do I change in that file?
> >
> > Correct target directory, but what you need is a "custom filetype"
> > which can specify which lexer and/or existing parser to use, see
> > https://www.geany.org/manual/current/index.html#custom-filetypes.
> > There are examples of custom filetypes in the system filedefs
> > directory, eg Scala.
> >
> >>
> >> Also, why do some of the files in /usr/share/geany/filedefs end in
> >> .conf while others don't?
> >
> > Custom filetypes vs builtin filetypes.
> >
> > Cheers
> > Lex
>
> Thanks, Lex. I quit and restarted Geany, opened a .ha file, but it's
> not syntax-highlighted. Though, I do see that under "Document -->
> Set Filetype", there's a new checkbox there (under "None") that
> says "Hare file", and it's checked!
>
> Is syntax highlighting separate from filetype? How can I get it
> to syntax highlight the .ha file (using the same syntax highlighting
> as C gets, I presume).
>
> -- John
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