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Vim Markdown highlighting (list items and code block conflicts)

Asked 2008-09-26T05:50:16.653
10

I decide to learn more about vim and its syntax highlighting. Using examples for others, I am creating my own syntax file for Markdown. I have seen mkd.vim and it has this problem too. My issue is between list items and code block highlighting.

Code Block definition:

  • first line is blank
  • second line begins with at least 4 spaces or 1 tab
  • block is finished with a blank line

Example:

Regular text

    this is code, monospaced and left untouched by markdown
    another line of code

Regular Text

My Vim syntax for code block:

syn match mkdCodeBlock   /\(\s\{4,}\|\t\{1,}\).*\n/ contained nextgroup=mkdCodeBlock  

hi link mkdCodeBlock  comment

Unorder List item definition:

  • first line is blank
  • second line begins with a [-+*] followed by a space
  • the list is finished with a blank line then a normal (non-list) line
  • in between line items any number of blank lines can be added
  • a sub list is specified by indenting (4 space or 1 tab)
  • a line of normal text after a list item is include as a continuation of that list item

Example:

Regular text

- item 1

    - sub item 1
    - sub item 2
- item 2
this is part of item 2
so is this


- item 3, still in the same list
    - sub item 1
    - sub item 2

Regular text, list ends above

My Vim syntax for unorder list item definition (I only highlight [-+*]):

syn region  mkdListItem start=/\s*[-*+]\s\+/ matchgroup=pdcListText end=".*" contained nextgroup=mkdListItem,mkdListSkipNL contains=@Spell skipnl 
syn match mkdListSkipNL /\
regex vim syntax markdown highlight
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1 Answer

7

Just make sure that the definition of mkdListItem is after the definition of mkdCodeBlock, like this:

syn match mkdCodeBlock   /\(\s\{4,}\|\t\{1,}\).*\n/ contained nextgroup=mkdCodeBlock  
hi link mkdCodeBlock  comment

syn region  mkdListItem start=/\s*[-*+]\s\+/ matchgroup=pdcListText end=".*" contained nextgroup=mkdListItem,mkdListSkipNL contains=@Spell skipnl 
syn match mkdListSkipNL /\s*\n/ contained nextgroup=mkdListItem,mkdListSkipNL skipnl
hi link mkdListItem  operator

syn match mkdBlankLine   /^\s*\n/    nextgroup=mkdCodeBlock,mkdListItem transparent

Vim documentation says in :help :syn-define:

"In case more than one item matches at the same position, the one that was defined LAST wins. Thus you can override previously defined syntax items by using an item that matches the same text. But a keyword always goes before a match or region. And a keyword with matching case always goes before a keyword with ignoring case."

answered 2008-09-26T07:43:12.497

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