Function-List-Parser for User-Defined-Language "Velocity"

Martin1975

Hello all,

I have Notepad++ v7.3.3 installed, on Windows 10, 64 Bit.
I am trying to develop a function list parser for a used-defined language called “Velocity Template Language” (in short “Velocity”).
In the context in which I use “Velocity”, it is used to write customized reports for the ALM-tool “Polarion”.

I have looked around the forum and the web for similiar topics and I found quite some things,
but I can’t get it transferred to fit on my task and I am not sure, where the problems really occur.
Below is a description of what I am trying to achieve.
Thanks in advance for any solution proposals or hints.

First question that I am not sure about:
The file “functionList.xml” in which the parsers are defined, is present twice.
Once in: <user>\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++
Once in: C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++ (can only be edited with Admin-rights)
Which file needs to be modified? Only one of them or both?
Why are two files present at all?

Main question is about the parser:
I think to have understood the general setup of how to define a parser (association id, <function> and <functionName>).
However, I probaly don’t get the regular expressions right.
The “Velocity”-language in terms of “functions” is build up like this, in “Velocity” a function is called a “macro”:
1)
Each function/macro starts at the beginning of a line with “#macro”.
2)
Then, in brackets, first the name of the function/macro follows.
After that, one or more parameters passed to the function/macro may follow.
Each parameter starts with a “$”.
Parameters are separated by spaces.
3)
Single-line comments are indicated by a double hashtag “##”.
4)
Multi-line comments are started by “#" and ended by "#”.
5)
Each function/macro end with “#end”, which again is placed at the beginning of a line.
6)
Within the body of the function/macro different commands may appear.
For example, there may commands like “if” or “foreach” which all have the same structure like:

#if($dummy)
 #set($dummy = false)
#end

Here is an example of a macro with no parameters passed, so the function name “Macro_ShowNotes” should be extracted in this case:

#macro(Macro_ShowNotes)
##single-line comment
#set($dummy = true)
#if($dummy)
 #set($dummy = false)
#end
#*
 multi-line comment
 multi-line comment
*#
#if(!$dummy)
 #set($dummy = true)
#end
#end ##end of macro

Here is an example of a macro with two parameters passed. Now, the function name “Macro_ShowTable” should be extracted:

#macro(Macro_ShowTable $RowItems $ColItems)
<body of macro>
#end

Alan Kilborn

@Martin1975

There is info about the “appdata” part of your question here: https://community.notepad-plus-plus.org/topic/15740/faq-desk-what-is-appdata

But basically, or rather typically, if you run an installed version of Notepad++, your configuration settings (including the function list) are stored in the “appdata” location.

If you create a zero-length file called doLocalConf.xml in the same folder where notepad++.exe is, after a restart you will be running with the configuration files from that same folder, and the “appdata” info will not be used.

MAPJe71

@Martin1975

Try this parser:

<NotepadPlus>
	<functionList>
		<associationMap>
			<association id=         "vtl_syntax"        userDefinedLangName="VTL"                />
			<association id=         "vtl_syntax"        userDefinedLangName="Velocity"           />
			<association id=         "vtl_syntax"        ext=".vm"                                />
		</associationMap>
		<parsers>
			<!-- ============================================== [ VTL / Velocity ] -->

			<!--
			|   Based on:
			|       https://community.notepad-plus-plus.org/topic/19098/function-list-parser-for-user-defined-language-velocity
			\-->
			<parser
				displayName="VTL - Velocity Template Language"
				id         ="vtl_syntax"
				commentExpr="(?x)                                               # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`)
							(?s:\x23\x2A(?!\x2A).*?\x2A\x23)                    # Multi Line Comment
						|	(?m-s:\x23{2}.*$)                                   # Single Line Comment
						|	(?s:\x23\x2A{2}.*?\x2A\x23)                         # Java Doc Comment
					"
			>
				<function
					mainExpr="(?x)                                              # free-spacing (see `RegEx - Pattern Modifiers`)
							^\h*                                                # optional leading white-space at start-of-line
							(?:\x23macro)
							\K                                                  # discard text matched so far
							\(
							(?'VALID_ID'
								[A-Za-z][\w-]*
							)
							(?:
								\h+
								\$(?&amp;VALID_ID)
							)*
							\)
						"
				/>
			</parser>

			<!-- ================================================================= -->
		</parsers>
	</functionList>
</NotepadPlus>

Martin1975

@MAPJe71

Dear MAPJe71,

thank you for the excellent solution.
It worked perfectly right out-of-the-box and does exactly what I was looking for.

Thanks again and best regards
Martin