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- textprop.txt* For Vim version 9.0. Last change: 2021 Nov 23
VIM REFERENCE MANUAL by Bram Moolenaar
Displaying text with properties attached. *textprop* *text-properties*
1. Introduction |text-prop-intro|
2. Functions |text-prop-functions|
3. When text changes |text-prop-changes|
{not able to use text properties when the |+textprop| feature was
disabled at compile time}
==============================================================================
1. Introduction *text-prop-intro*
Text properties can be attached to text in a buffer. They will move with the
text: If lines are deleted or inserted the properties move with the text they
are attached to. Also when inserting/deleting text in the line before the
text property. And when inserting/deleting text inside the text property, it
will increase/decrease in size.
The main use for text properties is to highlight text. This can be seen as a
replacement for syntax highlighting. Instead of defining patterns to match
the text, the highlighting is set by a script, possibly using the output of an
external parser. This only needs to be done once, not every time when
redrawing the screen, thus can be much faster, after the initial cost of
attaching the text properties.
Text properties can also be used for other purposes to identify text. For
example, add a text property on a function name, so that a search can be
defined to jump to the next/previous function.
A text property is attached at a specific line and column, and has a specified
length. The property can span multiple lines.
A text property has these fields:
"id" a number to be used as desired
"type" the name of a property type
Property Types ~
*E971*
A text property normally has the name of a property type, which defines
how to highlight the text. The property type can have these entries:
"highlight" name of the highlight group to use
"combine" when omitted or TRUE the text property highlighting is
combined with any syntax highlighting; when FALSE the
text property highlighting replaces the syntax
highlighting
"priority" when properties overlap, the one with the highest
priority will be used.
"start_incl" when TRUE inserts at the start position will be
included in the text property
"end_incl" when TRUE inserts at the end position will be
included in the text property
Example ~
Suppose line 11 in a buffer has this text (excluding the indent):
The number 123 is smaller than 4567.
To highlight the numbers in this text: >
call prop_type_add('number', {'highlight': 'Constant'})
call prop_add(11, 12, {'length': 3, 'type': 'number'})
call prop_add(11, 32, {'length': 4, 'type': 'number'})
Try inserting or deleting lines above the text, you will see that the text
properties stick to the text, thus the line number is adjusted as needed.
Setting "start_incl" and "end_incl" is useful when white space surrounds the
text, e.g. for a function name. Using false is useful when the text starts
and/or ends with a specific character, such as the quote surrounding a string.
func FuncName(arg) ~
^^^^^^^^ property with start_incl and end_incl set
var = "text"; ~
^^^^^^ property with start_incl and end_incl not set
Nevertheless, when text is inserted or deleted the text may need to be parsed
and the text properties updated. But this can be done asynchronously.
Internal error *E967*
If you see E967, please report the bug. You can do this at Github:
https://github.com/vim/vim/issues/new
==============================================================================
2. Functions *text-prop-functions*
Manipulating text property types:
prop_type_add({name}, {props}) define a new property type
prop_type_change({name}, {props}) change an existing property type
prop_type_delete({name} [, {props}]) delete a property type
prop_type_get({name} [, {props}]) get property type values
prop_type_list([{props}]) get list of property types
Manipulating text properties:
prop_add({lnum}, {col}, {props}) add a text property
prop_add_list({props}, [[{lnum}, {col}, {end-lnum}, {end-col}], ...])
add a text property at multiple
positions.
prop_clear({lnum} [, {lnum-end} [, {bufnr}]])
remove all text properties
prop_find({props} [, {direction}]) search for a text property
prop_list({lnum} [, {props}]) text properties in {lnum}
prop_remove({props} [, {lnum} [, {lnum-end}]])
remove a text property
*prop_add()* *E965*
prop_add({lnum}, {col}, {props})
Attach a text property at position {lnum}, {col}. {col} is
counted in bytes, use one for the first column.
If {lnum} is invalid an error is given. *E966*
If {col} is invalid an error is given. *E964*
{props} is a dictionary with these fields:
length length of text in bytes, can only be used
for a property that does not continue in
another line; can be zero
end_lnum line number for the end of text (inclusive)
end_col column just after the text; not used when
"length" is present; when {col} and "end_col"
are equal, and "end_lnum" is omitted or equal
to {lnum}, this is a zero-width text property
bufnr buffer to add the property to; when omitted
the current buffer is used
id user defined ID for the property; must be a
number; when omitted zero is used
type name of the text property type
All fields except "type" are optional.
It is an error when both "length" and "end_lnum" or "end_col"
are given. Either use "length" or "end_col" for a property
within one line, or use "end_lnum" and "end_col" for a
property that spans more than one line.
When neither "length" nor "end_col" are given the property
will be zero-width. That means it will move with the text, as
a kind of mark. One character will be highlighted, if the
type specifies highlighting.
The property can end exactly at the last character of the
text, or just after it. In the last case, if text is appended
to the line, the text property size will increase, also when
the property type does not have "end_incl" set.
"type" will first be looked up in the buffer the property is
added to. When not found, the global property types are used.
If not found an error is given.
Can also be used as a |method|: >
GetLnum()->prop_add(col, props)
<
*prop_add_list()*
prop_add_list({props}, [[{lnum}, {col}, {end-lnum}, {end-col}], ...])
Similar to prop_add(), but attaches a text property at
multiple positions in a buffer.
{props} is a dictionary with these fields:
bufnr buffer to add the property to; when omitted
the current buffer is used
id user defined ID for the property; must be a
number; when omitted zero is used
type name of the text property type
All fields except "type" are optional.
The second argument is a List of Lists where each list
specifies the starting and ending position of the text. The
first two items {lnum} and {col} specify the starting position
of the text where the property will be attached and the last
two items {end-lnum} and {end-col} specify the position just
after the text.
Example:
call prop_add_list(#{type: 'MyProp', id: 2},
\ [[1, 4, 1, 7],
\ [1, 15, 1, 20],
\ [2, 30, 3, 30]]
Can also be used as a |method|: >
GetProp()->prop_add_list([[1, 1, 1, 2], [1, 4, 1, 8]])
prop_clear({lnum} [, {lnum-end} [, {props}]]) *prop_clear()*
Remove all text properties from line {lnum}.
When {lnum-end} is given, remove all text properties from line
{lnum} to {lnum-end} (inclusive).
When {props} contains a "bufnr" item use this buffer,
otherwise use the current buffer.
Can also be used as a |method|: >
GetLnum()->prop_clear()
<
*prop_find()*
prop_find({props} [, {direction}])
Search for a text property as specified with {props}:
id property with this ID
type property with this type name
both "id" and "type" must both match
bufnr buffer to search in; when present a
start position with "lnum" and "col"
must be given; when omitted the
current buffer is used
lnum start in this line (when omitted start
at the cursor)
col start at this column (when omitted
and "lnum" is given: use column 1,
otherwise start at the cursor)
skipstart do not look for a match at the start
position
A property matches when either "id" or "type" matches.
{direction} can be "f" for forward and "b" for backward. When
omitted forward search is performed.
If a match is found then a Dict is returned with the entries
as with prop_list(), and additionally an "lnum" entry.
If no match is found then an empty Dict is returned.
prop_list({lnum} [, {props}]) *prop_list()*
Returns a List with all the text properties in line {lnum}.
The following optional items are supported in {props}:
bufnr use this buffer instead of the current buffer
end_lnum return text properties in all the lines
between {lnum} and {end_lnum} (inclusive).
A negative value is used as an offset from the
last buffer line; -1 refers to the last buffer
line.
types List of property type names. Return only text
properties that match one of the type names.
ids List of property identifiers. Return only text
properties with one of these identifiers.
The properties are ordered by starting column and priority.
Each property is a Dict with these entries:
lnum starting line number. Present only when
returning text properties between {lnum} and
{end_lnum}.
col starting column
length length in bytes, one more if line break is
included
id property ID
type name of the property type, omitted if
the type was deleted
type_bufnr buffer number for which this type was defined;
0 if the type is global
start when TRUE property starts in this line
end when TRUE property ends in this line
When "start" is zero the property started in a previous line,
the current one is a continuation.
When "end" is zero the property continues in the next line.
The line break after this line is included.
Returns an empty list on error.
Examples:
" get text properties placed in line 5
echo prop_list(5)
" get text properties placed in line 20 in buffer 4
echo prop_list(20, {'bufnr': 4})
" get all the text properties between line 1 and 20
echo prop_list(1, {'end_lnum': 20})
" get all the text properties of type 'myprop'
echo prop_list(1, {'types': ['myprop'],
\ 'end_lnum': -1})
" get all the text properties of type 'prop1' or 'prop2'
echo prop_list(1, {'types': ['prop1', 'prop2'],
\ 'end_lnum': -1})
" get all the text properties with ID 8
echo prop_list(1, {'ids': [8], 'end_lnum': line('