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I'm trying to understand how syntax tables work, but my minimal major mode doesn't highlight anything.

I've written the following elisp, which is just supposed to highlight comments:

(defconst my-yaml-mode-syntax-table
  (let ((table (make-syntax-table)))
    (modify-syntax-entry ?# "<" table)
    (modify-syntax-entry ?\n ">" table)
    table)
  "Syntax table for `my-yaml-mode'.")

(define-derived-mode my-yaml-mode fundamental-mode "My YAML"
  "testing"
  :syntax-table my-yaml-mode-syntax-table)

However, given a file:

# foo
# bar
baz

If I activate my major-mode with M-x my-yaml-mode, I don't get any highlighting. C-u C-x = shows that no faces have been applied.

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6
  • Does M-; correctly insert a #? If yes, the syntax table is applied. You should look into font-lock specifications to get syntax highlighting. – T. Verron Sep 25 '14 at 12:35
  • 1
    M-; is bound to comment-dwim from newcomment.el, which uses comment-start rather than the syntax table. AIUI. – Wilfred Hughes Sep 25 '14 at 12:37
  • Hm, indeed, sorry. Instead, you can place the point on a # and press C-u C-x =, the output should contain the line syntax: < which means: comment. – T. Verron Sep 25 '14 at 12:41
  • Indeed it does! So if my syntax table is correct and is being applied, why isn't there any highlighting? – Wilfred Hughes Sep 25 '14 at 12:43
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    After testing with your code, it is simply a matter of turning font-lock-mode on in your my-yaml-mode buffer. :) – T. Verron Sep 25 '14 at 12:44
8

It is correct, but it is not being refontified just because you change major modes.

Enable your major mode and put your cursor in the comment then run M-x eval-expression (syntax-ppss-context (syntax-ppss (point))), it should yield 'comment and you'll see that the syntax table is setup correctly.

A simple fix would be to call (font-lock-fontify-buffer) when enabling your mode.

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