Vim documentation: usr_30

*usr_30.txt*	For Vim version 7.3.  Last change: 2007 Nov 10

		     VIM USER MANUAL - by Bram Moolenaar

			      Editing programs


Vim has various commands that aid in writing computer programs.  Compile a
program and directly jump to reported errors.  Automatically set the indent
for many languages and format comments.

|30.1|	Compiling
|30.2|	Indenting C files
|30.3|	Automatic indenting
|30.4|	Other indenting
|30.5|	Tabs and spaces
|30.6|	Formatting comments

     Next chapter: |usr_31.txt|  Exploiting the GUI
 Previous chapter: |usr_29.txt|  Moving through programs
Table of contents: |usr_toc.txt|

==============================================================================

*30.1*	Compiling

Vim has a set of so called "quickfix" commands.  They enable you to compile a
program from within Vim and then go through the errors generated and fix them
(hopefully).  You can then recompile and fix any new errors that are found
until finally your program compiles without any error.

The following command runs the program "make" (supplying it with any argument
you give) and captures the results:

	:make {arguments}

If errors were generated, they are captured and the editor positions you where
the first error occurred.
   Take a look at an example ":make" session.  (Typical :make sessions generate
far more errors and fewer stupid ones.)  After typing ":make" the screen looks
like this:

	:!make | &tee /tmp/vim215953.err 
	gcc -g -Wall -o prog main.c sub.c 
	main.c: In function 'main': 
	main.c:6: too many arguments to function 'do_sub' 
	main.c: At top level: 
	main.c:10: parse error before '}' 
	make: *** [prog] Error 1 

	2 returned 
	"main.c" 11L, 111C 
	(3 of 6): too many arguments to function 'do_sub' 
	Press ENTER or type command to continue 

From this you can see that you have errors in the file "main.c".  When you
press <Enter>, Vim displays the file "main.c", with the cursor positioned on
line 6, the first line with an error.  You did not need to specify the file or
the line number, Vim knew where to go by looking in the error messages.

		+---------------------------------------------------+
		|int main()					    |
		|{						    |
		|	int i=3;				    |
      cursor -> |	do_sub("foo");				    |
		|	++i;					    |
		|	return (0);				    |
		|}						    |
		|}						    |
		| ~						    |
		|(3 of 12): too many arguments to function 'do_sub' |
		+---------------------------------------------------+

The following command goes to where the next error occurs:

	:cnext

Vim jumps to line 10, the last line in the file, where there is an extra '}'.
   When there is not enough room, Vim will shorten the error message.  To see
the whole message use:

	:cc

You can get an overview of all the error messages with the ":clist" command.
The output looks like this:

	:clist
 	3 main.c: 6:too many arguments to function 'do_sub' 
	5 main.c: 10:parse error before '}' 

Only the lines where Vim recognized a file name and line number are listed
here.  It assumes those are the interesting lines and the rest is just boring
messages.  However, sometimes unrecognized lines do contain something you want
to see.  Output from the linker, for example, about an undefined function.
To see all the messages add a "!" to the command:

	:clist!
 	1 gcc -g -Wall -o prog main.c sub.c 
	2 main.c: In function 'main': 
	3 main.c:6: too many arguments to function 'do_sub' 
	4 main.c: At top level: 
	5 main.c:10: parse error before '}' 
	6 make: *** [prog] Error 1 

Vim will highlight the current error.  To go back to the previous error, use:

	:cprevious

Other commands to move around in the error list:

	:cfirst		to first error
	:clast		to last error
	:cc 3		to error nr 3


USING ANOTHER COMPILER

The name of the program to run when the ":make" command is executed is defined
by the 'makeprg' option.  Usually this is set to "make", but Visual C++ users
should set this to "nmake" by executing the following command:

	:set makeprg=nmake

You can also include arguments in this option.  Special characters need to
be escaped with a backslash.  Example:

	:set makeprg=nmake\ -f\ project.mak

You can include special Vim keywords in the command specification.  The %
character expands to the name of the current file.  So if you execute the
command:
	:set makeprg=make\ %

When you are editing main.c, then ":make" executes the following command:

	make main.c

This is not too useful, so you will refine the command a little and use the :r
(root) modifier:

	:set makeprg=make\ %:r.o

Now the command executed is as follows:

	make main.o

More about these modifiers here: |filename-modifiers|.


OLD ERROR LISTS

Suppose you ":make" a program.  There is a warning message in one file and an
error message in another.  You fix the error and use ":make" again to check if
it was really fixed.  Now you want to look at the warning message.  It doesn't
show up in the last error list, since the file with the warning wasn't
compiled again.  You can go back to the previous error list with:

	:colder

Then use ":clist" and ":cc {nr}" to jump to the place with the warning.
   To go forward to the next error list:

	:cnewer

Vim remembers ten error lists.


SWITCHING COMPILERS

You have to tell Vim what format the error messages are that your compiler
produces.  This is done with the 'errorformat' option.  The syntax of this
option is quite complicated and it can be made to fit almost any compiler.
You can find the explanation here: |errorformat|.

You might be using various different compilers.  Setting the 'makeprg' option,
and especially the 'errorformat' each time is not