Emacs major-mode for Mathematica based on cc-mode

****Solution to Issue 1 by Stephan - see Answer below**** I mark `\` as an escape character in the syntax table, but then override that designation for the Mathematica syntax elements like `\[Infinity]`. Here is my `syntax-propertize-function`: ``` (defconst math-syntax-propertize-function (syntax-propertize-rules ("\\\\\\[\\([A-Z][A-Za-z]*\\)]" (0 "_")))) ``` I referenced it from the `(defun math-node()` function like so: ``` (set (make-local-variable 'syntax-propertize-function) math-syntax-propertize-function) ``` In my first attempt, I didn't use the `make-local-variable` function and I was surprised when my elisp buffer highlighting went awry. ****End Solution to Issue 1**** I am implementing a major-mode in Emacs derived from cc-mode for editing Mathematica files. The goal is syntax highlighting and indentation. I will leave interfacing with the Mathematica kernel for later. I have the basic functionality working, but there are a couple of sticking points that are giving me trouble. ****Issue 1** - The `\` character is used as an escape character and to prefix multi-character, bracketed keywords. ** Like many languages, Mathematica uses the `\` character to escape `"` and other `\` characters is strings. Mathematic has what are called in Mathematica speak Syntax Characters like `\[Times]`, `\[Element]`, `\[Infinity]`, etc. that represent mathematica operators and constants. And, Mathematica makes heavy use of `[` and `]` instead of `(` and `)` for function definitions and calls, etc. So, if I mark `\` as an escape character in the syntax-table, then my brackets become mis-matched anywhere I use a Syntax Character. E.g., ``` If[x < \[Pi], True, False] ``` Of course, cc-mode is intent on ignoring the `[` right after the `\`. Given the functional nature of Mathematica, the mode is almost useless if it cannot match brackets. Think lisp without paren matching. If I don't put `\` in the syntax-table as an escape character, then how do I handle escape sequences in comments and strings? It would be great if I could put Times, Element, Infinity, etc in a keyword list and have everything work correctly. ****Issue 2** - The syntax of Mathematica is different enough from C,C++,Java,ObjC, etc. that cc-mode's builtin syntactical analysis doesn't always produce the desired result.** Consider the following code block: ``` FooBar[expression1, expression2, expression3]; ``` This formats beautifully because the expressions are recognized as an argument list. However, if a list is passed as an argument, ``` FooBar[{expression1, expression2, expression3}]; ``` the result is not pretty because the expressions are considered continuations of a single statement within the `{` and `}`. Unfortunately, the simple hack of setting `c-continuation-offset` to `0` breaks actual continuations like, ``` addMe[x_Real, y_Real] := Plus[x, y]; ``` which you want to be indented. The issue is that in Mathematica `{` and `}` delineate lists and not code blocks. Here is the current elisp file I am using: ``` (require 'cc-mode) ;; There are required at compile time to get the sources for the ;; language constants. (eval-when-compile (require 'cc-langs) (require 'cc-fonts)) ;; Add math mode the the language constant system. This needs to be ;; done at compile time because that is when the language constants ;; are evaluated. (eval-and-compile (c-add-language 'math-mode 'c-mode)) ;; Function names (c-lang-defconst c-cpp-matchers math (append (c-lang-const c-cpp-matchers c) ;; Abc[ '(("\\<\\([A-Z][A-Za-z0-9]*\\)\\>\\[" 1 font-lock-type-face)) ;; abc[ '(("\\<\\([A-Za-z][A-Za-z0-9]*\\)\\>\\[" 1 font-lock-function-name-face)) ;; Abc '(("\\<\\([A-Z][A-Za-z0-9]*\\)\\>" 1 font-lock-keyword-face)) ;; abc_ '(("\\<\\([a-z][A-Za-z0-9]*[_]\\)\\>" 1 font-lock-variable-name-face)) )) ;; font-lock-comment-face ;; font-lock-doc-face ;; font-lock-string-face ;; font-lock-keyword-fact ;; font-lock-function-name-face ;; font-lock-constant-face ;; font-lock-type-face ;; font-lock-builtin-face ;; font-lock-reference-face ;; font-lock-warning-face ;; There is no line comment character. (c-lang-defconst c-line-comment-starter math nil) ;; The block comment starter is (*. (c-lang-defconst c-block-comment-starter math "(*") ;; The block comment ender is *). (c-lang-defconst c-block-comment-ender math "*)") ;; The assignment operators. (c-lang-defconst c-assignment-operators math '("=" ":=" "+=" "-=" "*=" "/=" "->" ":>")) ;; The operators. (c-lang-defconst c-operators math `( ;; Unary. (prefix "+" "-" "!") ;; Multiplicative. (left-assoc "*" "/") ;; Additive. (left-assoc "+" "-") ;; Relational. (left-assoc "<" ">" "<=" ">=") ;; Equality. (left-assoc "==" "=!=") ;; Assignment. (right-assoc ,@(c-lang-const c-assignment-operators)) ;; Sequence. (left-assoc ","))) ;; Syntax modifications necessary to recognize keywords with ;; punctuation characters. ;; (c-lang-defconst c-identifier-syntax-modifications ;; math (append '((?\\ . "w")) ;; (c-lang-const c-identifier-syntax-modifications))) ;; Constants. (c-lang-defconst c-constant-kwds math '( "False" "True" )) ;; "\\[Infinity]" "\\[Times]" "\\[Divide]" "\\[Sqrt]" "\\[Element]"\ )) (defcustom math-font-lock-extra-types nil "Extra types to recognize in math mode.") (defconst math-font-lock-keywords-1 (c-lang-const c-matchers-1 math) "Minimal highlighting for math mode.") (defconst math-font-lock-keywords-2 (c-lang-const c-matchers-2 math) "Fast normal highlighting for math mode.") (defconst math-font-lock-keywords-3 (c-lang-const c-matchers-3 math) "Accurate normal highlighting for math mode.") (defvar math-font-lock-keywords math-font-lock-keywords-3 "Default expressions to highlight in math mode.") (defvar math-mode-syntax-table nil "Syntax table used in math mode.") (message "Setting math-mode-syntax-table to nil to force re-initialization") (setq math-mode-syntax-table nil) ;; If a syntax table has not yet been set, allocate a new syntax table ;; and setup the entries. (unless math-mode-syntax-table (setq math-mode-syntax-table (funcall (c-lang-const c-make-mode-syntax-table math))) (message "Modifying the math-mode-syntax-table") ;; character ( ;; ( - open paren class ;; ) - matching paren character ;; 1 - 1st character of comment delimitter (**) ;; n - nested comments allowed (modify-syntax-entry ?\( "()1n" math-mode-syntax-table) ;; character ) ;; ) - close parent class ;; ( - matching paren character ;; 4 - 4th character of comment delimitter (**) ;; n - nested comments allowed (modify-syntax-entry ?\) ")(4n" math-mode-syntax-table) ;; character * ;; . - punctuation class ;; 2 - 2nd character of comment delimitter (**) ;; 3 - 3rd character of comment delimitter (**) (modify-syntax-entry ?\* ". 23n" math-mode-syntax-table) ;; character [ ;; ( - open paren class ;; ] - matching paren character (modify-syntax-entry ?\[ "(]" math-mode-syntax-table) ;; character ] ;; ) - close paren class ;; [ - mathcing paren character (modify-syntax-entry ?\] ")[" math-mode-syntax-table) ;; character { ;; ( - open paren class ;; } - matching paren character (modify-syntax-entry ?\{ "(}" math-mode-syntax-table) ;; character } ;; ) - close paren class ;; { - matching paren character (modify-syntax-entry ?\} "){" math-mode-syntax-table) ;; The following characters are punctuation (i.e. they cannot appear ;; in identifiers). ;; ;; / ' % & + - ^ < > = | (modify-syntax-entry ?\/ "." math-mode-syntax-table) (modify-syntax-entry ?\' "." math-mode-syntax-table) (modify-syntax-entry ?% "." math-mode-syntax-table) (modify-syntax-entry ?& "." math-mode-syntax-table) (modify-syntax-entry ?+ "." math-mode-syntax-table) (modify-syntax-entry ?- "." math-mode-syntax-table) (modify-syntax-entry ?^ "." math-mode-syntax-table) (modify-syntax-entry ?< "." math-mode-syntax-table) (modify-syntax-entry ?= "." math-mode-syntax-table) (modify-syntax-entry ?> "." math-mode-syntax-table) (modify-syntax-entry ?| "." math-mode-syntax-table) ;; character $ ;; _ - word class (since $ is allowed in identifier names) (modify-syntax-entry ?\$ "_" math-mode-syntax-table) ;; character \ ;; . - punctuation class (for now treat \ as punctuation ;; until we can fix the \[word] issue). (modify-syntax-entry ?\\ "." math-mode-syntax-table) ) ;; end of math-mode-syntax-table adjustments ;; ;; (defvar math-mode-abbrev-table nil "Abbrevation table used in math mode buffers.") (defvar math-mode-map (let ((map (c-make-inherited-keymap))) map) "Keymap used in math mode buffers.") ;; math-mode ;; (defun math-mode () "Major mode for editing Mathematica code." (interactive) (kill-all-local-variables) (c-initialize-cc-mode t) (set-syntax-table math-mode-syntax-table) (setq major-mode 'math-mode mode-name "Math" local-abbrev-table math-mode-abbrev-table abbrev-mode t) (use-local-map math-mode-map) (c-init-language-vars math-mode) (c-common-init 'math-mode) (run-hooks 'c-mode-common-hook) (run-hooks 'math-mode-hook) (c-update-modeline)) (provide 'math-mode) ``` And a screenshot of some .