Menu Comments : insert comments

A lot of the menu entries are defined in a so-called template library. The library defines the menu entries, maps and the inserted text. The personal information can also be configured there.

A file header can be inserted into each new file:

/*
 * =====================================================================================
 *
 *       Filename:  someprogram.c
 *
 *    Description:
 *
 *        Version:  1.0
 *        Created:  31.03.2016 10:36
 *       Revision:  none
 *       Compiler:  gcc
 *
 *         Author:  Wolfgang Mehner (WM), thisguy@doggymail.de
 *   Organization:
 *
 * =====================================================================================
 */

This prolog is generated from the template shown below. This template file can easily be changed by the user. Tags (like |FILENAME|) are replaced when the template is inserted.

== Comments.file description impl == map:cfdi, shortcut:c, start, noindent ==
/*
 * =====================================================================================
 *
 *       Filename:  |FILENAME|
 *
 *    Description:  <CURSOR>
 *
 *        Version:  1.0
 *        Created:  |DATE| |TIME|
 *       Revision:  none
 *       Compiler:  gcc
 *
 *         Author:  |AUTHOR| (|AUTHORREF|), |EMAIL|
 *   Organization:  |ORGANIZATION|
 *
 * =====================================================================================
 */

== ENDTEMPLATE ==

The entry keyword comments ➞ todo generates a special end-of-line comment. These comments are easily locatable by their keywords (e.g. :TODO:). Date and author reference name are inserted by the editor.

 /* :TODO:29.02.2015 12:34:WM:  */

These comments are not for the final version of a script, of course.

Menu Statements : insert statements

Insert statements with jump tags for convenient editing, using the entry if block else or via the map \sife:

if ( | ) {
  <-IF_PART->
}
else {
  <-ELSE_PART->
}

The cursor is positioned after the "if". Use CTRL+J to jump to the tags and start editing.

A lot of menu entires have a special behavior in visual mode. Select some lines in visual mode ...

x = sqrt ( y );

printf ( "%f\n", x ); 

then use the entry if block else. The text is inserted around the selected lines and they are indented:

if (  ) {
  x = sqrt ( y );
}
else {

}

printf ( "%f\n", x ); 

Menu Idioms : insert frequently used statements

Insert an empty function using function. You will be asks for the name of the function and the following lines will be inserted:

/*
 * ===  FUNCTION  ======================================================================
 *         Name:  brain_function
 *  Description:
 * =====================================================================================
 */
  void
brain_function ( <+argument_list+> )
{
  return <+return_value+>;
}   /* -----  end of function brain_function  ----- */

The menu also offers code snippets for important library functions, such as malloc. After prompting for the name of the pointer, the call is inserted with an error check:

p_data = malloc ( sizeof(<+TYPE+>) );
if ( p_data==NULL ) {
  fprintf ( stderr, "\ndynamic memory allocation failed\n" );
  exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
}

free ( p_data );
p_data = NULL;

Here the template library comes in particularly handy. While we try to provide a sensible standard implementation, which is very useful for quickly written, small programs, you might want to adapt the inserted code to your personal needs.

Menu Snippets : insert code snippets and manage templates

Pick up function prototypes from one or more lines. Insert the prototypes elsewhere.

Mark the following lines and choose pick up func. prototype:

double
f3_sub1 (               // comment  comment comment
/* */       double r1,  /**/ // the first /* ssssss */
            double r2 ) // the second 

Now mark these lines and choose pick up func. prototype again:

int f4_sub1  (  int n1, /* multi
                           line
                           comment */

                int n2, int n3 /* comment3 */ ) 

The following lines will be inserted by insert prototype(s):

double f3_sub1 ( double r1, double r2 );
int f4_sub1 ( int n1, int n2, int n3 ); 

(See :help csupport-proto)

The plug-in comes with a facility to extract, manage and insert often used code snippets. Visually select a few lines and use the menu entry write code snippet to write these lines into a file. The code snippet can then be edited and inserted again using read code snippet.

(See :help csupport-snippets)

The templates which define the behavior of most of the menu entries are also manage here. Use templates setup wizard to create a personalization file with your personal details for the comments.

The templates support different coding styles. Use the entry choose style to switch between them.

(See :help csupport-templates)

Menu Run : compile and run the program, start debugger, ...

Run the program. In case of errors an error window will be opened to show the current list of errors:

Redirect the output into a Vim buffer:

Run current buffer through the source code analyser splint and open an error window:

Run current buffer through the source code analyser CodeCheck (Trademark of Abraxas Software, Inc.) and open an error window:

Menu Help : call help

Help is quickly accessible through the Help menu. Place the cursor on the name of a function ...

strcpy ( p1, p2 );

then use the entry or the map \hm and the manpage will be displayed in a Vim buffer.

The same works for any word in the English language. Placing the cursor on a word and hitting \he opens a dictionary for the word.

Toolbox Make : make integration

Run make in the current directory, passing cmd.-line arguments:

:Make -j3

In larger projects a specific makefile can be chosen:

:MakeFile ../Makefile

:Make doc

Similar tools exist for CMake and Doxygen, for their setup see the Readme