vim-erlang / vim-erlang-compiler

Erlang syntax checking and compiler plugin for Vim

vim-erlang-compiler

vim-erlang-compiler is an Erlang syntax checking and compiler plugin for Vim.

Table of Contents

• Installation
• Documentation
• Troubleshooting
  • "I get compilation error"
• Contributing

Installation

Vim's built-in package manager

This is the recommended installation method if you use at least Vim 8 and you don't use another package manager.

Information about Vim's built-in package manager: :help packages.

Installation steps:

1. Clone this repository (you can replace foo with the directory name of your choice):

   $ git clone https://github.com/vim-erlang/vim-erlang-compiler.git \
         ~/.vim/pack/foo/start/vim-erlang-compiler

2. Restart Vim.

3. Generate help page (replace foo with the same directory name as above):

   :helptags ~/.vim/pack/foo/start/vim-erlang-compiler/doc
   

Pathogen

Information about Pathogen: Pathogen repository.

Installation steps:

1. Clone this repository:

   $ git clone https://github.com/vim-erlang/vim-erlang-compiler.git \
         ~/.vim/bundle/vim-erlang-compiler
   

2. Restart Vim.

3. Generate help page:

   :Helptags
   

Vundle

Information about Vundle: Vundle repository.

Installation steps:

1. Add vim-erlang-compiler to your plugin list in .vimrc by inserting the line that starts with Plugin:

   call vundle#begin()
     [...]
     Plugin 'vim-erlang/vim-erlang-compiler'
     [...]
   call vundle#end()
   

2. Restart Vim.

3. Run :PluginInstall.

Vim-Plug

Information about Vim-Plug: vim-plug repository.

Installation steps:

1. Add vim-erlang-compiler to your plugin list in .vimrc by inserting the line that starts with Plug:

   call plug#begin()
     [...]
     Plug 'vim-erlang/vim-erlang-compiler'
     [...]
   call plug#end()
   

2. Restart Vim.

3. Run :PlugInstall.

Documentation

• On the web: user documentation.
• Inside Vim: :help vim-erlang-compiler.

Troubleshooting

"I get compilation error"

If vim-erlang-compiler shows you a compilation error even though there is no compilation error when using your usual build tool, please follow these steps:

1. Compile your project with your usual build tool first (e.g., rebar compile, rebar3 compile or make), and then try again with vim-erlang-compiler.

   Reason: vim-erlang-compiler needs the ebin directories and app files to be in place, because that is how Erlang itself finds applications when compiling the -include_lib directives.

2. Execute the following command from the terminal:

   $ /path/to/vim-erlang-compiler/compiler/erlang_check.erl \
         --verbose /path/to/myfile.erl
   

   Reason:

   • vim-erlang-compiler uses erlang_check.erl to compile the Erlang source files. The --verbose option shows more information, which might help you to figure out the problem.

   • If this produces the same error, we can be sure that the problem is on the Erlang side (not the Vim side).

3. Check the existing open issues on GitHub. Someone may have already reported the same problem.

4. If none of the above helps, open a new issue with the following information:

   • Which build system do you use? rebar2, rebar3, Makefile, or nothing?

   • What is the piece of code that cannot be compiled?

   • What is the verbose output of the erlang_check.erl script? (See step 2.)

   • It helps if you can share the project which fails to compile (or a simplified version of it).

I modified g:erlang_make_options but it didn't take effect

See the "Reloading" paragraph in the g:erlang_make_options_rules section in the user documentation.

Contributing

• Please read the Contributing section of the vim-erlang README.

• If you modify compiler/erlang_check.erl, please:

  • update the tests in the vim-erlang repository.

  • also modify vim-erlang-omnicomplete (if you modify the "load build information" code block)