Re: Highlighting and Background Colour for Source Code

[Christopher Dimech <dimech@gmx.com>]

> Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2021 at 5:50 PM
> From: "Tim Cross" <theophilusx@gmail.com>
> To: "Christopher Dimech" <dimech@gmx.com>
> Cc: emacs-orgmode@gnu.org
> Subject: Re: Highlighting and Background Colour for Source Code
>
>
> Christopher Dimech <dimech@gmx.com> writes:
>
> >> Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2021 at 4:50 PM
> >> From: "Tim Cross" <theophilusx@gmail.com>
> >> To: emacs-orgmode@gnu.org
> >> Subject: Re: Highlighting and Background Colour for Source Code
> >>
> >>
> >> Christopher Dimech <dimech@gmx.com> writes:
> >>
> >> > Currently currently handles the highlighting of programming languages through
> >> > "Code Blocks".  Could org-mode have the capability of highlighting a whole buffer
> >> > with a particular language highlight typeface.
> >> >
> >>
> >> Sorry, I don't quite understand what exactly your asking for?
> >
> > Suppose I have an elisp file and I change to org-mode by hitting "M-x org-mode".
> > The code does not get highlighted because it is not embedded within org-babel
> > construct.
> >
> > If I have a programming language file with some org-mode heading commands in it,
> > and change to org-mode, it would be neat to have language highlighting available.
> >
>
> OK, now I think I understand.
>
> Basically, with full org-mode, this is not possible and I don't think it
> is actually want you want. Once you switch modes, say from elisp mode to
> org mode, a lot more changes than just the font locking. Keybindings,
> various support minor modes and lots more.
>
> The 'normal' Emacs way to handle what you are looking for is to add a
> minor mode. A minor mode is used to add some level of functionality to a
> buffer without losing the major mode settings. Normally, you only have
> one major mode associated with a buffer and often that mode is augmented
> with a bunch of minor modes. For example, outshine mode is a minor mode
> which adds some org-like functionality to non org-mode buffers.
>
> Have a look at
>
> https://orgmode.org/worg/org-tutorials/org-outside-org.html
>
> I think that might give you some ideas to get you started. You may need
> a few different minor modes to get the full setup you want and you will
> likely need to do some customisation of key bindings etc to get things
> how you like it.

I agree that some features of org-mode (e.ge heading folding, code folding)
would be good to have available in emacs-lisp-mode, texinfo-mode, ...
The use of general minor-mode such as outline-minor-mode would be a good place
to handle the various programming languages.

Currently, there in outline-minor-mode and various others (outline-magic, outshine).
Things are all over the place.  I know that Carsten was keen to persuade for ideas in
org-mode to be included in outline-minor-mode.  This has not happened.  I am convinced
that the developers of org-mode could make valuable contributions to outline-minor-mode,
because currently the ideas there are extremely convoluted and writing an outline setup
is difficult.

There will be a number of capabilities to consider

1. Heading Levels using comment lines (e.g. ";;; * Heahding", ";;; ** Subheading", ...)

2. Folding of headings and subheadings only (cycling using single key)

3. Folding of code structures only (cycling using single key)

That would be valuable for starters.  Then we can look at more beef later
on.

What do you think?  Would the org-team be willing and able to assist a re-development
of outline-minor-mode?

> --
> Tim Cross
>