docvim: a documentation generator for Vim plug-ins
docvim is a documentation generator for Vim plug-ins, written in Haskell.
Quickstart
# Print Markdown-formatted help documentation for files in current directory
docvim
# Write Markdown README + Vim help text file for $PLUGIN
docvim -c ~/code/$PLUGIN ~/code/$PLUGIN/doc/$PLUGIN.txt ~/code/$PLUGIN/README.md
Usage
docvim - a documentation generator for Vim plug-ins
Usage: docvim [--version] [OUTFILES...] [-d|--debug] [-c|--directory DIRECTORY]
[-v|--verbose]
Generate documentation for a Vim plug-in
Available options:
-h,--help Show this help text
--version Print version information
OUTFILES... Target file(s) for generated output (default:
standard output)
-d,--debug Print debug information during processing
-c,--directory DIRECTORY Change to DIRECTORY before processing (default: ".")
-v,--verbose Be verbose during processing
Installation
cabal install docvim
Syntax
""
" Docblocks start with a pair of double quotes, followed
" by standard Vim comments (with a double quote prefix)
" containing Markdown-like text and optional annotations
" that look like this:
"
" ```
" @command :Ack {pattern} {options}
" ```
Supported Markdown features
# Top-level heading
## Sub-heading
--- (Horizontal dividers)
> Blockquote
`inline code`
```
fenced codeblocks (leading space syntax not supported)
```
(becomes a link in vimdoc, but an image in markdown)
- Lists.
Unsupported Markdown syntax
*foo* (emphasis; turns into Vim doc targets instead)
*,+ (list syntax; just use - instead)
<html> (we don't want ambiguity with things like <leader> and so on)
Annotations
@command
@commands
@dedent
@footer
@function
@functions
@indent
@mapping
@mappings
@option
@options
@plugin
Development
Convenience wrappers
bin/accept # Accept current "golden" test output.
bin/docvim # Run the docvim executable.
bin/golden # Run just the "golden" tests.
bin/haddock # Produce Haddock documentation.
bin/lint # Run the linter.
bin/tasty # Run just the Tasty tests.
bin/test # Run all tests, including lints.
These are wrappers for the explicit invocations described below.
Set-up
You can set-up a development environment using Stack (recommended) or Cabal:
# Stack:
brew install haskell-stack
stack build
# Cabal:
brew install cabal-install
cabal sandbox init
cabal install --only-dependencies --enable-tests
cabal build
Running
Run using stack exec (or cabal run) and passing in docvim-specific OPTIONS:
# Stack:
stack exec docvim [OPTIONS]
# Cabal:
cabal run -- [OPTIONS]
You can also run the modules from inside the REPL:
# Stack:
stack repl
> pp "let l:test=1" -- pretty-prints AST
# Cabal:
cabal repl
> import Text.Docvim.Parse
> pp "let l:test=1" -- pretty-prints AST
Building
stack build --file-watch
Building and viewing the code-level documentation
# Stack:
stack haddock
open .stack-work/dist/x86_64-osx/Cabal-1.22.5.0/doc/html/docvim/index.html
# Cabal:
cabal haddock --executables
open dist/doc/html/docvim/docvim/index.html
Testing
# Stack:
stack test # Runs all test suites, including linting.
stack test :tasty # Runs just the Tasty test suite.
# Cabal:
cabal test # Runs all test suites, including linting.
cabal test tasty # Runs just the Tasty test suite.
Updating "golden" files
# Stack:
stack test --test-arguments=--accept # Runs all test suites.
stack test :tasty --test-arguments=--accept # Runs just the Tasty test suite.
# Cabal:
cabal test --test-options=---accept # Runs all test suites.
cabal test tasty --test-options=---accept # Runs just the Tasty test suite.
Linting
# Stack:
stack test # Runs linter as part of overall set of suites.
stack test :hlint # Runs linter alone.
# Cabal:
cabal install hlint # (First-time only).
cabal test # Runs linter as part of overall set of suites.
cabal test hlint # Runs linter alone.
hlint src # If you have HLint installed under $PATH.
Release process
vim docvim.cabal # update version number in two places
git commit -p # git tag, git push --follow-tags etc...
cabal check
cabal sdist
open dist # upload candidate to https://hackage.haskell.org/packages/candidates/upload
cabal upload dist/docvim-$VERSION.tar.gz
Links
Examples of plug-ins using docvim
FAQ
- I wanted to target multiple output formats (Vim help files and Markdown).
- I wanted total control over the presentation of the output.
- It's fun to build new things from scratch.
- The project is a great fit for my learn-me-a-Haskell goal this year.
Why is it called "docvim"?
"Vimdoc" was the first name that occurred to me when I started this project, but:
So, in a remarkable flash of profound creativity, I settled on "docvim" instead, which right now yields this pleasing search result:
Did you mean: dacvim