How to syntax highlight fragments of code in one language embedded in the source code in another language in Vim?

Question

I have a custom XML file format which can contain blocks of code within certain tags.

For example:

<Root>
    <Sql> select * from foo </Sql>
    <MoreJunk> ... </MoreJunk>
    <Python><![CDATA[
    def Bar(*args):
        return False
    ]]></Python>
</Root>

How can I get Vim to use SQL syntax highlighting for the text inside <Sql> tags and use Python higlighting for text inside <Python> tags?

I know Vim can already do this because it correctly highlights Javascript inside HTML files.

I tried inspecting the HTML syntax file but couldn’t figure it out.

superuser.com/questions/929134/… shows how to extend XML coloring. — Camille Goudeseune
– Camille Goudeseune, Commented Jun 23, 2015 at 15:33

f3lix · Accepted Answer · 2009-02-06 10:44:39Z

29

For your XML with python example you would have to do something like this:

runtime! syntax/xml.vim
unlet b:current_syntax
syntax include @Python syntax/python.vim
syntax region pythonCode  start=+<Python>+ keepend end=+/</Python>+  contains=@Python

These lines will include the XML syntax and the python syntax, and the specify a python region where VIM will use the python syntax instead of the XML syntax...

Of course, all this is well documented in VIM. See :he :syn-include on how to include syntax files.

answered Feb 6, 2009 at 10:44

f3lix

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1 Comment

Orwellophile Over a year ago

you might want to add containedin=xmlCdata before contains=@Python

Brian M. Hunt · Accepted Answer · 2011-02-02 12:57:00Z

2

This document describes how to write your own syntax highlighting. You should probably be able to figure out how the HTML-syntax highlighting works with javascript, with that as a reference.

edited Feb 2, 2011 at 12:57

Brian M. Hunt

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answered Feb 6, 2009 at 10:11

Simon B. Jensen

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