User languages and auto-completion

User Defined Languages (UDL)

Birchpad reads Notepad++ UDL files as they are. Put them in the userDefineLangs folder next to the settings, or use Language → User Defined Language → Import…, which checks a file and copies it there. One file may hold several languages.

The languages are listed in Language → User Defined Language and apply to files with their extensions when no built-in language claims them. The chosen language is kept in the session.

Highlighting works as in Notepad++: block and line comments, delimiters with their escape character, operators, numbers, keywords of groups 1–8 (matching case or not, whole or as prefixes). Colors come from the UDL file itself, not from the theme.

Not there yet: the UDL editor, UDL folding, number prefixes and suffixes, nested delimiters; see the roadmap.

Auto-completion

Settings are in Settings → Preferences… → Auto-Completion and in [completion].

Pairs

Brackets and quotes ()[]{}""'' get their closing partner as you type. Typing the closing one steps over it; Backspace between an empty pair deletes both. A quote is closed only where a string can start, not after a word, where it is an apostrophe. Works for every caret at once. completion.auto-close sets the pairs, such as "()[]{}«»".

Word list

While you type a word, a list shows: the language’s keywords and functions from its API file with their signatures first, then the document’s words. Ctrl+Space asks for it. ↑ ↓ choose, Enter or Tab insert, Esc closes.

Call tips

After a function’s opening bracket its parameters show: every overload with its description. Ctrl+Shift+Space shows the tip again inside a call.

API files

Keywords and functions come from Notepad++’s API files: autoCompletion/<language>.xml next to the settings, such as autoCompletion/python.xml. Birchpad does not ship any yet; take them from Notepad++’s autoCompletion folder.