I’m sure that I represent a small minority of users, but it would be very nice if ST provided native language support for VHDL 2008. I suspect such support would attract new users as well. This is the only limitation preventing me from using ST as my primary editor.
VHDL Request
Remi
#3
Yeah we’ve had VHDL support through Package Control for many years now. There are several packages available. I’m partial to VHDL Mode, but that’s because I’m the author and I use it daily. There are some other alternatives and you can choose what you like.
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Thank you both. I did see a few VHDL packages that I may try. I already have an IDE for VHDL development that I am not looking to replace. I was, instead, hoping for simple, native, turn-key syntax highlighting in ST similar to that of many other popular editors such as gedit, jEdit, SlickEdit, Geany, Notepad++, etc.
I posted here to let the makers of ST know that there is interest in native VHDL support.
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rwols
#5
The package I linked to is as “native” as it’s going to get. All syntaxes for ST are written like that. Even the shipped ones.
1 Like
bschaaf
#6
Installing packages for languages that don’t come built in is the standard way of doing things. If we feel a language is popular enough it may end up being included by default, but in all likelihood that would just mean moving that existing package over to the default ones. So in terms of quality there’s no difference.
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Also the fact that default packages are also community maintained and just as open source as any other 3rd party packages. So if a 3rd party syntax definition is not maintained as an open source, most likely will not be maintained even if merged to default.
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Remi
#8
Not to mention what Sublime does is not just “syntax highlighting”. The language definition is very close to the actual language definition, and VHDL is NOT a simple language to do this for. There are so very many cases, nuances, and things that are hard to find patterns for. It’s not just highlighting the words.
In any event, native is kind of irrelevant. It’s dead simple to use Package Control to select the language you desire. There are several alternatives for VHDL as mentioned. Enjoy!
0 Likes
glenenglish
#9
Does the VHDL package that is tested for Sublime 3 , work OK for Sublime 4 ?
It seems to. Any known problems ?
When I right click on the context menu and go to the VHDL submenu, all options are greyed out and none of the ALT command seem to work. syntax highlighting IS working, so something is working.
UBUNTU 20.04 64 bit.
If I go to Preferences, Package Settings, VHDL Mode, Settings it says
The settings file "res://Packages/VHDL Mode/vhdl_mode.sublime-settings’ could not be opened
permissions are Ok for that directory and files where that lives
/home/glenenglish/.config/sublime-text/Packages/VHDL-Mode-develop
but it is looking for Packages/VHDL Mode/ not /Packages/VHDL-Mode-develop
but seems there are exact name links in there that are required.
anyway, so I installed the master branch instead . came up again, same problem until I renamed the directory VHDL Mode (with a space between VHDL and Mode !
OK, now the settings page file comes up. yay !!
But now-- still, the right click context menu VHDL Mode is all greyed out.
Have I got to enable this ??
Either VHDL keymaps specific do not function (alt-k types should be the default as EMACS maps is not specifcally enabled)
I am new to sublime and installing packages.
thanks
glen
0 Likes
Remi
#10
Hi there,
To my knowledge, everything still works. The issue with not having a space between “VHDL” and “Mode” makes me think you grabbed the repository from Github directly instead of installing through Package Control. You should go through Package Control which will make sure that all the files are installed in the correct locations.
VHDL Mode - Packages - Package Control
Anywhere on Package Control, you’ll see the little menu option in the upper right side that says “Installation” which should get you rules on installing.
Now onto the right click context menu – I’ll just have to go check it out. Everything that I use regularly works in Sublime 4, but I never use the right click menu so it might be an oversight. However since you installed it a little funny, that might be the main problem.
The keybinds that begin with Alt-K are the defaults. To get the Emacs keybinds there’s a personal preference setting that needs to be set to true. You should probably not do this unless you are also using Emacs Pro Essentials. The Alt-K keybinds were intended to blend with the standard Sublime keybinds without stomping on anything, however I cannot promise that is true of the Emacs key bindings.
Hope that helps. Definitely try going through Package Control because it’ll install a lot more cleanly that way.
2 Likes
glenenglish
#11
Hi Remi
OK, right ! Package Control ! yes
OK install… OK wow that is well integrated. A few things going on like Sublime is complaining it cannot open a syntax file, but it succeeds in all working.
right- mouse context menu now working, although has about 1/3rd the number of options now ?
ALT-K commands seem to be working OK
The important one- BLOCK COMMENT alk-k c c is working… 
thanks for your assistance.
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OdatNurd
#12
This would be expected if you previously had this package installed under a different name (as Remi mentioned above); when Sublime saves the application state, it remembers things like the syntax that was in use, so it will complain if the syntax is no longer available under the previous name.
However, closing and reopening the file is all that it takes (as you’ve no doubt already noticed) to get it to associate with the syntax in the new correct location.
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