# QsciLexer Class Reference

The QsciLexer class is an abstract class used as a base for language lexers. More...

`#include <qscilexer.h>`

Inherited by QsciLexerBash, QsciLexerBatch, QsciLexerCMake, QsciLexerCPP, QsciLexerCSS, QsciLexerCustom, QsciLexerD, QsciLexerDiff, QsciLexerFortran77, QsciLexerHTML, QsciLexerLua, QsciLexerMakefile, QsciLexerPascal, QsciLexerPerl, QsciLexerPostScript, QsciLexerPOV, QsciLexerProperties, QsciLexerPython, QsciLexerRuby, QsciLexerSpice, QsciLexerSQL, QsciLexerTCL, QsciLexerTeX, QsciLexerVerilog, QsciLexerVHDL, and QsciLexerYAML.

List of all members.

## Classes

- struct StyleData
- struct StyleDataMap

## Public Slots

- virtual void setAutoIndentStyle (int autoindentstyle)
- virtual void setColor (const QColor &c, int style=-1)
- virtual void setEolFill (bool eoffill, int style=-1)
- virtual void setFont (const QFont &f, int style=-1)
- virtual void setPaper (const QColor &c, int style=-1)

## Signals

- void colorChanged (const QColor &c, int style)
- void eolFillChanged (bool eolfilled, int style)
- void fontChanged (const QFont &f, int style)
- void paperChanged (const QColor &c, int style)
- void propertyChanged (const char *prop, const char *val)

## Public Member Functions

- QsciLexer (QObject *parent=0)
- virtual ~QsciLexer ()
- virtual const char * language () const =0
- virtual const char * lexer () const
- virtual int lexerId () const
- QsciAbstractAPIs * apis () const
- virtual const char * autoCompletionFillups () const
- virtual QStringList autoCompletionWordSeparators () const
- int autoIndentStyle ()
- virtual const char * blockEnd (int *style=0) const
- virtual int blockLookback () const
- virtual const char * blockStart (int *style=0) const
- virtual const char * blockStartKeyword (int *style=0) const
- virtual int braceStyle () const
- virtual bool caseSensitive () const
- virtual QColor color (int style) const
- virtual bool eolFill (int style) const
- virtual QFont font (int style) const
- virtual int indentationGuideView () const
- virtual const char * keywords (int set) const
- virtual int defaultStyle () const
- virtual QString description (int style) const =0
- virtual QColor paper (int style) const
- QColor defaultColor () const
- virtual QColor defaultColor (int style) const
- virtual bool defaultEolFill (int style) const
- QFont defaultFont () const
- virtual QFont defaultFont (int style) const
- QColor defaultPaper () const
- virtual QColor defaultPaper (int style) const
- QsciScintilla * editor () const
- void setAPIs (QsciAbstractAPIs *apis)
- void setDefaultColor (const QColor &c)
- void setDefaultFont (const QFont &f)
- void setDefaultPaper (const QColor &c)
- virtual void setEditor (QsciScintilla *editor)
- bool readSettings (QSettings &qs, const char *prefix="/Scintilla")
- virtual void refreshProperties ()
- virtual int styleBitsNeeded () const
- virtual const char * wordCharacters () const
- bool writeSettings (QSettings &qs, const char *prefix="/Scintilla") const

## Protected Member Functions

- virtual bool readProperties (QSettings &qs, const QString &prefix)
- virtual bool writeProperties (QSettings &qs, const QString &prefix) const

## Detailed Description

The QsciLexer class is an abstract class used as a base for language lexers.

A lexer scans the text breaking it up into separate language objects, e.g. keywords, strings, operators. The lexer then uses a different style to draw each object. A style is identified by a style number and has a number of attributes, including colour and font. A specific language lexer will implement appropriate default styles which can be overriden by an application by further sub-classing the specific language lexer.

A lexer may provide one or more sets of words to be recognised as keywords. Most lexers only provide one set, but some may support languages embedded in other languages and provide several sets.

QsciLexer provides convenience methods for saving and restoring user preferences for fonts and colours.

If you want to write a lexer for a new language then you can add it to the underlying Scintilla code and implement a corresponding QsciLexer sub-class to manage the different styles used. Alternatively you can implement a sub-class of QsciLexerCustom.

## Constructor & Destructor Documentation

QsciLexer::QsciLexer | ( | QObject * | parent = `0` | ) |

Construct a QsciLexer with parent parent. parent is typically the QsciScintilla instance.

## Member Function Documentation

virtual const char* QsciLexer::language | ( |  | ) | const`[pure virtual]`

Returns the name of the language. It must be re-implemented by a sub-class.

Implemented in QsciLexerBash, QsciLexerBatch, QsciLexerCMake, QsciLexerCPP, QsciLexerCSharp, QsciLexerCSS, QsciLexerD, QsciLexerDiff, QsciLexerFortran, QsciLexerFortran77, QsciLexerHTML, QsciLexerIDL, QsciLexerJava, QsciLexerJavaScript, QsciLexerLua, QsciLexerMakefile, QsciLexerPascal, QsciLexerPerl, QsciLexerPostScript, QsciLexerPOV, QsciLexerProperties, QsciLexerPython, QsciLexerRuby, QsciLexerSpice, QsciLexerSQL, QsciLexerTCL, QsciLexerTeX, QsciLexerVerilog, QsciLexerVHDL, QsciLexerXML, and QsciLexerYAML.

virtual const char* QsciLexer::lexer | ( |  | ) | const`[virtual]`

Returns the name of the lexer. If 0 is returned then the lexer's numeric identifier is used. The default implementation returns 0.

See also:
  lexerId()

Reimplemented in QsciLexerBash, QsciLexerBatch, QsciLexerCMake, QsciLexerCPP, QsciLexerCSS, QsciLexerD, QsciLexerDiff, QsciLexerFortran, QsciLexerFortran77, QsciLexerHTML, QsciLexerLua, QsciLexerMakefile, QsciLexerPascal, QsciLexerPerl, QsciLexerPostScript, QsciLexerPOV, QsciLexerProperties, QsciLexerPython, QsciLexerRuby, QsciLexerSpice, QsciLexerSQL, QsciLexerTCL, QsciLexerTeX, QsciLexerVerilog, QsciLexerVHDL, QsciLexerXML, and QsciLexerYAML.

virtual int QsciLexer::lexerId | ( |  | ) | const`[virtual]`

Returns the identifier (i.e. a QsciScintillaBase::SCLEX_* value) of the lexer. This is only used if lexer() returns 0. The default implementation returns QsciScintillaBase::SCLEX_CONTAINER.

See also:
  lexer()

QsciAbstractAPIs* QsciLexer::apis | ( |  | ) | const

Returns the current API set or 0 if there isn't one.

See also:
  setAPIs()

int QsciLexer::autoIndentStyle | ( |  | ) |

Returns the auto-indentation style. The default is 0 if the language is block structured, or QsciScintilla::AiMaintain if not.

See also:
  setAutoIndentStyle(), QsciScintilla::AiMaintain, QsciScintilla::AiOpening, QsciScintilla::AiClosing

virtual QColor QsciLexer::color | ( | int | style | ) | const`[virtual]`

Returns the foreground colour of the text for style number style. The default colour is that returned by defaultColor().

See also:
  defaultColor(), paper()

virtual bool QsciLexer::eolFill | ( | int | style | ) | const`[virtual]`

Returns the end-of-line for style number style. The default is false.

virtual QFont QsciLexer::font | ( | int | style | ) | const`[virtual]`

Returns the font for style number style. The default font is that returned by defaultFont().

See also:
  defaultFont()

virtual const char* QsciLexer::keywords | ( | int | set | ) | const`[virtual]`

Returns the set of keywords for the keyword set set recognised by the lexer as a space separated string. 0 is returned if there is no such set.

Reimplemented in QsciLexerBash, QsciLexerBatch, QsciLexerCMake, QsciLexerCPP, QsciLexerCSharp, QsciLexerCSS, QsciLexerD, QsciLexerFortran, QsciLexerFortran77, QsciLexerHTML, QsciLexerIDL, QsciLexerJava, QsciLexerJavaScript, QsciLexerLua, QsciLexerPascal, QsciLexerPerl, QsciLexerPostScript, QsciLexerPOV, QsciLexerPython, QsciLexerRuby, QsciLexerSpice, QsciLexerSQL, QsciLexerTCL, QsciLexerTeX, QsciLexerVerilog, QsciLexerVHDL, QsciLexerXML, and QsciLexerYAML.

virtual QString QsciLexer::description | ( | int | style | ) | const`[pure virtual]`

Returns the descriptive name for style number style. If the style is invalid for this language then an empty QString is returned. This is intended to be used in user preference dialogs.

Implemented in QsciLexerBash, QsciLexerBatch, QsciLexerCMake, QsciLexerCPP, QsciLexerCSharp, QsciLexerCSS, QsciLexerD, QsciLexerDiff, QsciLexerFortran77, QsciLexerHTML, QsciLexerIDL, QsciLexerJavaScript, QsciLexerLua, QsciLexerMakefile, QsciLexerPascal, QsciLexerPerl, QsciLexerPostScript, QsciLexerPOV, QsciLexerProperties, QsciLexerPython, QsciLexerRuby, QsciLexerSpice, QsciLexerSQL, QsciLexerTCL, QsciLexerTeX, QsciLexerVerilog, QsciLexerVHDL, and QsciLexerYAML.

virtual QColor QsciLexer::paper | ( | int | style | ) | const`[virtual]`

Returns the background colour of the text for style number style.

See also:
  defaultPaper(), color()

QColor QsciLexer::defaultColor | ( |  | ) | const

Returns the default text colour.

See also:
  setDefaultColor()

virtual bool QsciLexer::defaultEolFill | ( | int | style | ) | const`[virtual]`

Returns the default end-of-line for style number style. The default is false.

Reimplemented in QsciLexerBash, QsciLexerBatch, QsciLexerCPP, QsciLexerCSharp, QsciLexerD, QsciLexerFortran77, QsciLexerHTML, QsciLexerJavaScript, QsciLexerLua, QsciLexerMakefile, QsciLexerPascal, QsciLexerPerl, QsciLexerPOV, QsciLexerProperties, QsciLexerPython, QsciLexerRuby, QsciLexerSQL, QsciLexerTCL, QsciLexerVerilog, QsciLexerVHDL, QsciLexerXML, and QsciLexerYAML.

QFont QsciLexer::defaultFont | ( |  | ) | const

Returns the default font.

See also:
  setDefaultFont()

QColor QsciLexer::defaultPaper | ( |  | ) | const

Returns the default paper colour.

See also:
  setDefaultPaper()

QsciScintilla* QsciLexer::editor | ( |  | ) | const`[inline]`

Returns the QsciScintilla instance that the lexer is currently attached to or 0 if it is unattached.

void QsciLexer::setAPIs | ( | QsciAbstractAPIs * | apis | ) |

The current set of APIs is set to apis. If apis is 0 then any existing APIs for this lexer are removed.

See also:
  apis()

void QsciLexer::setDefaultColor | ( | const QColor & | c | ) |

The default text colour is set to c.

See also:
  defaultColor(), color()

void QsciLexer::setDefaultFont | ( | const QFont & | f | ) |

The default font is set to f.

See also:
  defaultFont(), font()

void QsciLexer::setDefaultPaper | ( | const QColor & | c | ) |

The default paper colour is set to c.

See also:
  defaultPaper(), paper()

bool QsciLexer::readSettings | ( | QSettings & | qs,
|  | const char * | prefix = `"/Scintilla"` |
| ) |  |  |

The colour, paper, font and end-of-line for each style number, and all lexer specific properties are read from the settings qs. prefix is prepended to the key of each entry. true is returned if there was no error.

See also:
  writeSettings(), QsciScintilla::setLexer()

virtual void QsciLexer::refreshProperties | ( |  | ) | `[virtual]`

Causes all properties to be refreshed by emitting the propertyChanged() signal as required.

Reimplemented in QsciLexerBash, QsciLexerCMake, QsciLexerCPP, QsciLexerCSS, QsciLexerD, QsciLexerFortran77, QsciLexerHTML, QsciLexerLua, QsciLexerPascal, QsciLexerPerl, QsciLexerPostScript, QsciLexerPOV, QsciLexerProperties, QsciLexerPython, QsciLexerSQL, QsciLexerTCL, QsciLexerVerilog, QsciLexerVHDL, QsciLexerXML, and QsciLexerYAML.

virtual int QsciLexer::styleBitsNeeded | ( |  | ) | const`[virtual]`

Returns the number of style bits needed by the lexer. Normally this should only be re-implemented by custom lexers.

Reimplemented in QsciLexerCustom.

bool QsciLexer::writeSettings | ( | QSettings & | qs,
|  | const char * | prefix = `"/Scintilla"` |
| ) |  |  | const

The colour, paper, font and end-of-line for each style number, and all lexer specific properties are written to the settings qs. prefix is prepended to the key of each entry. true is returned if there was no error.

See also:
  readSettings()

virtual void QsciLexer::setAutoIndentStyle | ( | int | autoindentstyle | ) | `[virtual, slot]`

The auto-indentation style is set to autoindentstyle.

See also:
  autoIndentStyle(), QsciScintilla::AiMaintain, QsciScintilla::AiOpening, QsciScintilla::AiClosing

virtual void QsciLexer::setColor | ( | const QColor & | c,
|  | int | style = `-1` |
| ) |  |  | `[virtual, slot]`

The foreground colour for style number style is set to c. If style is -1 then the colour is set for all styles.

virtual void QsciLexer::setEolFill | ( | bool | eoffill,
|  | int | style = `-1` |
| ) |  |  | `[virtual, slot]`

The end-of-line fill for style number style is set to eoffill. If style is -1 then the fill is set for all styles.

virtual void QsciLexer::setFont | ( | const QFont & | f,
|  | int | style = `-1` |
| ) |  |  | `[virtual, slot]`

The font for style number style is set to f. If style is -1 then the font is set for all styles.

virtual void QsciLexer::setPaper | ( | const QColor & | c,
|  | int | style = `-1` |
| ) |  |  | `[virtual, slot]`

The background colour for style number style is set to c. If style is -1 then the colour is set for all styles.

void QsciLexer::colorChanged | ( | const QColor & | c,
|  | int | style |
| ) |  |  | `[signal]`

This signal is emitted when the foreground colour of style number style has changed. The new colour is c.

void QsciLexer::eolFillChanged | ( | bool | eolfilled,
|  | int | style |
| ) |  |  | `[signal]`

This signal is emitted when the end-of-file fill of style number style has changed. The new fill is eolfilled.

void QsciLexer::fontChanged | ( | const QFont & | f,
|  | int | style |
| ) |  |  | `[signal]`

This signal is emitted when the font of style number style has changed. The new font is f.

void QsciLexer::paperChanged | ( | const QColor & | c,
|  | int | style |
| ) |  |  | `[signal]`

This signal is emitted when the background colour of style number style has changed. The new colour is c.

void QsciLexer::propertyChanged | ( | const char * | prop,
|  | const char * | val |
| ) |  |  | `[signal]`

This signal is emitted when the value of the lexer property prop needs to be changed. The new value is val.

virtual bool QsciLexer::readProperties | ( | QSettings & | qs,
|  | const QString & | prefix |
| ) |  |  | `[protected, virtual]`

The lexer's properties are read from the settings qs. prefix (which has a trailing '/') should be used as a prefix to the key of each setting. true is returned if there is no error.

Reimplemented in QsciLexerBash, QsciLexerCMake, QsciLexerCPP, QsciLexerCSS, QsciLexerD, QsciLexerFortran77, QsciLexerHTML, QsciLexerLua, QsciLexerPascal, QsciLexerPerl, QsciLexerPostScript, QsciLexerPOV, QsciLexerProperties, QsciLexerPython, QsciLexerSQL, QsciLexerTCL, QsciLexerVerilog, QsciLexerVHDL, QsciLexerXML, and QsciLexerYAML.

virtual bool QsciLexer::writeProperties | ( | QSettings & | qs,
|  | const QString & | prefix |
| ) |  |  | const`[protected, virtual]`

The lexer's properties are written to the settings qs. prefix (which has a trailing '/') should be used as a prefix to the key of each setting. true is returned if there is no error.

Reimplemented in QsciLexerBash, QsciLexerCMake, QsciLexerCPP, QsciLexerCSS, QsciLexerD, QsciLexerFortran77, QsciLexerHTML, QsciLexerLua, QsciLexerPascal, QsciLexerPerl, QsciLexerPostScript, QsciLexerPOV, QsciLexerProperties, QsciLexerPython, QsciLexerSQL, QsciLexerTCL, QsciLexerVerilog, QsciLexerVHDL, QsciLexerXML, and QsciLexerYAML.