Editing IDEs (section)

=== [http://colorer.sourceforge.net/eclipsecolorer/index.html Colorer plugin for Eclipse IDE] (updated 2011) ===
:Syntax highlighting in Eclipse can be achieved using the Colorer plugin. This is more light weight than using the EclipseFP plugin which has much functionality but can be messy to install and has sometimes been a bit shaky.

:Eclipse Colorer is a plugin that enables syntax highlighting for a wide range of languages. It uses its own XML-based language for describing syntactic regions of languages. It does not include support for Haskell by default, but this can be added using the syntax description files attached below.

:<b>Installation instructions</b>
:# Install the Colorer from the update site <code>http://colorer.sf.net/eclipsecolorer/</code> (for more detailed instructions see the project page).
:# Download the Haskell syntax description files in [http://www.haskell.org/wikiupload/1/16/Haskell_Eclipse_Colorer.tar.gz Haskell_Eclipse_Colorer.tar.gz].
:#Extract its contents (haskell.hrc and proto.hrc) into the following directory (overwriting proto.hrc): <code>eclipse_installation_dir/plugins/net.sf.colorer_0.9.9/colorer/hrc</code> (sometimes the wiki seems to create a nesting tar file, so you might have to unpack twise).
:# Finished. A restart of Eclipse might be required. .hs files should open with syntax highlighting.

:<b>Tips</b>
:* If .hs files open with another kind of syntax highlighting check that they are associated with the Colorer Editor (Preferences -> General -> Editors -> File Associations). Or right click on them and choose Open With -> Other -> Colorer Editor.
:* Sometimes the highlighting gets confused. Then it might help to press Ctrl+R and re-colour the editor.
:* Use the Word Completion feature (Shift+Alt+7) as a poor man's content assist.
:* Use the standard External Tools feature in Eclipse to invoke the compiler from inside the IDE.
:* Use the Block selection feature (Shift+Alt+A) to insert/remove line comments on multiple lines at the same time.
:* Some other useful standard Eclipse features include the Open resource command (Ctrl+Shift+R), the File search command (Ctrl+H) and the bookmarks feature (Edit -> Add bookmark). Make sure to check Include in next/prev navigation box (Windows -> Preferences -> General -> Editors -> Text Editors -> Annotations -> Bookmarks).