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:

#!/usr/bin/env perl
#===============================================================================
#
#         FILE: somescript.pl
#
#        USAGE: ./somescript.pl
#
#  DESCRIPTION:
#
#      OPTIONS: ---
# REQUIREMENTS: ---
#         BUGS: ---
#        NOTES: ---
#       AUTHOR: Wolfgang Mehner (WM), <thisguy@doggymail.de>
# ORGANIZATION:
#      VERSION: 1.0
#      CREATED: 12.03.2016 12:06
#     REVISION: ---
#===============================================================================

use strict;
use warnings;
use utf8;

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 pl == map:chpl, sc:d, start, noindent ==
#!|PERL_INTERPRETER|
#===============================================================================
#
#         FILE: |FILENAME|
#
#        USAGE: ./|FILENAME|
#
#  DESCRIPTION: <CURSOR>
#
#      OPTIONS: ---
# REQUIREMENTS: ---
#         BUGS: ---
#        NOTES: ---
#       AUTHOR: |AUTHOR| (|AUTHORREF|), |EMAIL|
# ORGANIZATION: |ORGANIZATION|
#      VERSION: 1.0
#      CREATED: |DATE| |TIME|
#     REVISION: ---
#===============================================================================

use strict;
use warnings;
use utf8;

== 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, else or via the map \sie:

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 ...

print "This is $i\n"; 

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

foreach my $| (  ) {
  print "This is $i\n";
} 

Menu Idioms : insert frequently used statements

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

sub brain_function {
  my ( $par1 ) = @_;
  return ;
} ## --- end sub brain_function

Menu Regex : assemble regular expressions Instead of typing in regex tokens directly, just pick what you want from the menus. Explain a regular expression If the Perl module YAPE::Regex::Explain is installed, a regular expression can be explained to you. Just mark the expression (in visual mode) and use the menu entry explain regex or the hotkey \xe:

Regular expression tester

If you have a Vim binary with Perl interface compiled in you can test regular expressions very easily.
Pick up a regular expression by selecting the appropriate string (in visual mode, e.g. inside or with the complete m// operator) and use the menu entry pick up regex. Pick up flags the same way with pick up flags. Now pick up a string as target with pick up string and select the menu entry match. The regular expression, the target and the match are shown in a new window called REGEX-TEST:

Multi-line regular expressions are allowed. They work properly if the flag 'x' is set. Multi-line strings are also allowed.

Match several regular expressions with several targets. Multi-line strings are also allowed.

List all matches using the modifier 'g'. Multi-line strings are also allowed.

Test a regular expression with embedded code. Multi-line strings are also allowed.

See :help perlsupport-regex-match for more options and features.

Menu Snippets : insert code snippets and manage templates

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 perlsupport-snippets-menu)

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 perlsupport-templates)

Menu Profiling : run a profiler

Three profilers can be run from within the Vim session. The reports will be shown in the quickfix buffer:

Menu Run : run the script, check the syntax, start debugger

Run the script or check the syntax. In case of errors an error window will be opened to show the current list of errors:

The Perl documentation can be read for the word under the cursor by typing <SHIFT+F1>. If the list of all installed Perl modules is already generated this list can be shown by show installed Perl modules. From this list an entry can be chosen by <SHIFT+F1>. The man page will now be shown in a help window:

Navigate through PODs with an addition to the taglist-plugin (based on Exuberant Ctags) :

Optional: Run perlcritic for the current buffer (search for 'Perl::Critic' or 'perlcritic' on CPAN to get the latest version) :

Menu Help : call help

Help is quickly accessible through the Help menu. Place the cursor on the name of a module, function, or FAQ keyword ...

open my $pin, "ls -l |";

then use the entry or the map \h and the help 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

... and run from anywhere:

:Make doc

The tool will change the directory and execute the previously chosen makefile, independently of the current working directory.