Changes: Turn on syntax coloring in Mac OS X

Latest revision as of 14:46, 20 July 2022

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created July 11, 2002 · complexity basic · author Mario Martinez · version 6.0

Some versions of Mac OS X don't have syntax highlighting support in terminal Vim with default settings.

If you don't have syntax highlighting in any Vim, first make sure something like this is in your .vimrc:

filetype plugin indent on
syntax on

If you have that, and still don't get syntax highlighting in Vim running in a terminal (i.e. not a GUI like MacVim), you may need to inform Vim how to handle the terminal.

Something like this is needed, prior to the syntax on command in your .vimrc:

set term=builtin_beos-ansi

Others (on "Mountain Lion" and "Sierra") reported success with this instead:

set term=builtin_ansi

When using iTerm 2, you can simply do:

set term=xterm-256color

Comments[]

The following worked great on OSX 10.10.3 Yosemite, and OSX 10.12.4 Sierra. I tested it with .py, .html and .php. Thanks!

filetype plugin indent on

syntax on

set term=builtin_ansi Worked like a charm on OS X 10.9 Mavericks, Thanks.

set term=xterm also works on OS X 10.9 Mavericks

set term=builtin_beos-ansi worked like a charm in OS X 10.10.3 Yosemite. Thanks!

Disclaimer: Under 10.9 Mavericks with an external keyboard, term=builtin_ansi may make the delete key next to the end key change the character under the cursor rather than delete as expected. term=xterm has this key behave as expected.

DinVim is a vim for Mac OS that supports syntax coloring out of the box.

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 |version=6.0
 |rating=153/70
-|category1=Mac OS X
+|category1=macOS
 |category2=Syntax
 }}
+Some versions of Mac OS X don't have syntax highlighting support in terminal Vim with default settings.
-This tip is actually for Vim 6.1. To turn on syntax coloring in Mac OS X enter the following commands, or place them in your [[vimrc]]:
+If you don't have syntax highlighting in any Vim, first make sure something like this is in your .[[vimrc]]:
 <pre>
+filetype plugin indent on
-:set term=builtin_beos-ansi
-:syntax on
+syntax on
 </pre>
+If you have that, and still don't get syntax highlighting in Vim running in a terminal (i.e. not a GUI like MacVim), you may need to inform Vim how to handle the terminal.
-==Comments==
-Note that this is only an issue for Vim in a Terminal window, not for the GUI version, and that it will only work if support for beos-ansi is compiled in. For pre-compiled versions for Mac OS X, see http://vim.sourceforge.net/download.php#mac
-There are some further OS X FAQ's on my page, http://homepage.mac.com/fisherbb/index.html
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-'syntax enable' also works fine.
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-For Mountain Lion in vim use:
+Something like this is needed, prior to the <code>syntax on</code> command in your .vimrc:
 <pre>
-:set term=builtin_ansi
+set term=builtin_beos-ansi
-:syntax on
 </pre>
+Others (on "Mountain Lion" and "Sierra") reported success with this instead:
-Or in your ~/.vimrc:
 <pre>
 set term=builtin_ansi
+</pre>When using iTerm 2, you can simply do:
-syntax on
+ set term=xterm-256color
-</pre>
+==Comments==
+The following worked great on OSX 10.10.3 Yosemite, and OSX 10.12.4 Sierra.  I tested it with .py, .html and .php.  Thanks!<blockquote>filetype plugin indent on</blockquote><blockquote>syntax on</blockquote>set term=builtin_ansi Worked like a charm on OS X 10.9 Mavericks, Thanks.
+set term=xterm also works on OS X 10.9 Mavericks
+<span>set term=builtin_beos-ansi worked like a charm in OS X 1</span>0.10.3 Yosemite. Thanks!
+Disclaimer:  Under 10.9 Mavericks with an external keyboard, term=builtin_ansi may make the delete key next to the end key change the character under the cursor rather than delete as expected. term=xterm has this key behave as expected.
+[http://dinvim.com DinVim is a vim for Mac OS] that supports syntax coloring out of the box.
-----