More information is at https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxtWx2h12yVPOEUzTUFscWp0VVU/edit?usp=sharing
Vim 7.3 is distributed with file vim73/syntax/syncolor.vim. The following is an example of how that file might be changed. These comments were originally posted at Changing the default syntax highlighting, and the comments were then moved to Highlighting, and then moved to here.
I want a simple syntax highlighting which does not take attention from the real thing. Color codes are:
- Green for comments
- Blue for keywords/types
- Bluebold for flow-control
- Brown or gray for strings and constants
- Black (or navy) for the rest
For that purpose I changed the "syncolor.vim" file (and it works best for light background xterm).
Some changes are:
SynColor Comment term=bold cterm=NONE ctermfg=DarkGreen ctermbg=NONE gui=NONE guifg=MediumSeaGreen guibg=NONE SynColor Constant term=underline cterm=NONE ctermfg=DarkRed ctermbg=NONE gui=NONE guifg=SlateGrey guibg=NONE SynColor Special term=bold cterm=NONE ctermfg=DarkRed ctermbg=NONE gui=NONE guifg=DarkRed guibg=NONE SynColor Identifier term=underline cterm=NONE ctermfg=DarkCyan ctermbg=NONE gui=NONE guifg=DarkCyan guibg=NONE SynColor Statement term=bold cterm=NONE ctermfg=Blue ctermbg=NONE gui=bold guifg=SlateBlue guibg=NONE SynColor PreProc term=underline cterm=NONE ctermfg=DarkBlue ctermbg=NONE gui=NONE guifg=SlateBlue guibg=NONE SynColor Type term=underline cterm=NONE ctermfg=DarkBlue ctermbg=NONE gui=bold guifg=Blue guibg=NONE SynColor Underlined term=underline cterm=underline ctermfg=DarkMagenta gui=underline guifg=SlateBlue SynColor Ignore term=NONE cterm=NONE ctermfg=white ctermbg=NONE gui=NONE guifg=bg guibg=NONE
The changed syncolor.vim file follows.
" Vim syntax support file
" Maintainer: Bram Moolenaar <Bram --at-- vim.org>
" Change: 2001 Sep 12
" Changed again by Donald Axel <donald_j_axel --at-- yahoo.com>
" dax:ca.2004 and uploaded 2009-11-12
" This file sets up the default methods for highlighting.
" It is loaded from "synload.vim" and from Vim for ":syntax reset".
" Also used from init_highlight().
if !exists("syntax_cmd") || syntax_cmd == "on"
" ":syntax on" works like in Vim 5.7: set colors but keep links
command -nargs=* SynColor hi <args>
command -nargs=* SynLink hi link <args>
else
if syntax_cmd == "enable"
" ":syntax enable" keeps any existing colors
command -nargs=* SynColor hi def <args>
command -nargs=* SynLink hi def link <args>
elseif syntax_cmd == "reset"
" ":syntax reset" resets all colors to the default
command -nargs=* SynColor hi <args>
command -nargs=* SynLink hi! link <args>
else
" User defined syncolor file has already set the colors.
finish
endif
endif
" Many terminals can only use six different colors (plus black and white).
" Therefore the number of colors used is kept low. It doesn't look nice with
" too many colors anyway.
" Careful with "cterm=bold", it changes the color to bright for some terminals.
" There are two sets of defaults: for a dark and a light background.
if &background == "dark"
SynColor Comment term=bold cterm=NONE ctermfg=DarkGreen ctermbg=NONE gui=NONE guifg=#80a0ff guibg=NONE
SynColor Constant term=underline cterm=NONE ctermfg=DarkRed ctermbg=NONE gui=NONE guifg=slategrey guibg=NONE
SynColor Special term=bold cterm=NONE ctermfg=DarkRed ctermbg=NONE gui=NONE guifg=Orange guibg=NONE
SynColor Identifier term=underline cterm=bold ctermfg=NONE ctermbg=NONE gui=NONE guifg=#40ffff guibg=NONE
SynColor Statement term=bold cterm=NONE ctermfg=white ctermbg=NONE gui=bold guifg=#ffff60 guibg=NONE
SynColor PreProc term=underline cterm=NONE ctermfg=LightBlue ctermbg=NONE gui=NONE guifg=#ff80ff guibg=NONE
SynColor Type term=underline cterm=NONE ctermfg=LightBlue ctermbg=NONE gui=bold guifg=#60ff60 guibg=NONE
SynColor Underlined term=underline cterm=underline ctermfg=LightBlue gui=underline guifg=#80a0ff
SynColor Ignore term=NONE cterm=NONE ctermfg=black ctermbg=NONE gui=NONE guifg=bg guibg=NONE
else
SynColor Comment term=bold cterm=NONE ctermfg=DarkGreen ctermbg=NONE gui=NONE guifg=MediumSeaGreen guibg=NONE
SynColor Constant term=underline cterm=NONE ctermfg=DarkRed ctermbg=NONE gui=NONE guifg=SlateGrey guibg=NONE
SynColor Special term=bold cterm=NONE ctermfg=DarkRed ctermbg=NONE gui=NONE guifg=DarkRed guibg=NONE
SynColor Identifier term=underline cterm=NONE ctermfg=DarkCyan ctermbg=NONE gui=NONE guifg=DarkCyan guibg=NONE
SynColor Statement term=bold cterm=NONE ctermfg=Blue ctermbg=NONE gui=bold guifg=SlateBlue guibg=NONE
SynColor PreProc term=underline cterm=NONE ctermfg=DarkBlue ctermbg=NONE gui=NONE guifg=SlateBlue guibg=NONE
SynColor Type term=underline cterm=NONE ctermfg=DarkBlue ctermbg=NONE gui=bold guifg=Blue guibg=NONE
SynColor Underlined term=underline cterm=underline ctermfg=DarkMagenta gui=underline guifg=SlateBlue
SynColor Ignore term=NONE cterm=NONE ctermfg=white ctermbg=NONE gui=NONE guifg=bg guibg=NONE
endif
SynColor Error term=reverse cterm=NONE ctermfg=White ctermbg=Red gui=NONE guifg=White guibg=Red
SynColor Todo term=standout cterm=NONE ctermfg=Black ctermbg=Yellow gui=NONE guifg=Blue guibg=Yellow
" Common groups that link to default highlighting.
" You can specify other highlighting easily.
SynLink String Constant
SynLink Character Constant
SynLink Number Constant
SynLink Boolean Constant
SynLink Float Number
SynLink Function Identifier
SynLink Conditional Statement
SynLink Repeat Statement
SynLink Label Statement
SynLink Operator Statement
SynLink Keyword Statement
SynLink Exception Statement
SynLink Include PreProc
SynLink Define PreProc
SynLink Macro PreProc
SynLink PreCondit PreProc
SynLink StorageClass Type
SynLink Structure Type
SynLink Typedef Type
SynLink Tag Special
SynLink SpecialChar Special
SynLink Delimiter Special
SynLink SpecialComment Special
SynLink Debug Special
delcommand SynColor
delcommand SynLink