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I am trying to add support for a different language in Visual Studio 2010. I was hoping to add custom syntax highlighting, and have some sort of basic intellisense work with it. The language I am trying to add is 4Js Genero (a newer version of Informix-4GL). I basically just need support for the .4gl and .per file extensions that are used in Genero/4GL. Does anyone know how to do this, or can point me in the right direction?

DRiFTy
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  • do you make any advance in this development ? What is your current alternative editor? We have some syntax files for UltraEdit and Editplus. The principal goal is to integrate version control actions, using TFS. – Enrique Feb 26 '14 at 14:11
  • I tried to get syntax highlighting working in VS, but never finished it (I didn't put in much effort)... I just use Sublime Text for editing, and use VS for TFS stuff. Hopefully at some point I'll get back to a VS extension if I feel the need. – DRiFTy Feb 26 '14 at 15:54
  • Before you do all that hard work, you are aware of Genero Studio, the GUI IDE for 4Js Genero which includes amongst other things syntax highlighting and code completion – fourjs.reuben Feb 19 '13 at 20:49

2 Answers2

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It's not really for the faint of heart. Don't underestimate how much work you'll have to put in.

You'll need the Visual Studio 2010 SDK, and then to read (and re-read, and re-read(*)) all about Language Services

The purpose of a language service in Visual Studio is to provide language-specific support for editing source code in the integrated development environment (IDE). You implement a language service as part of a VSPackage.

(*) - unless it all immediately makes sense to you.

Damien_The_Unbeliever
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  • Awesome, I assumed it wasn't going to be a quick thing haha... I will definitely look into it, and if all goes well I will surely post back here anything I find, or maybe a link to my final package if I can create something nice enough. – DRiFTy Feb 12 '13 at 16:03
  • (**) - it will probably all make sense, but when you try and actually implement it it'll ****in never work. – Kelly Elton May 23 '14 at 23:00
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This isn't an answer on how to create custom syntax highlighting.

There is an open-source extension for visual studio 2010+ for Genero 4gl language support out of github:

https://github.com/gregfullman/VSGenero/wiki

It should do most of what you're looking for already, and it would certainly make a great starting point for you if you want to do more.

thor
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StrykerJW
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  • this is not a real answer to the question. If you have experience on that, you may try to explain how you add a custom syntax highlighting. This is how stackoverflow works :) – furins Feb 13 '13 at 21:50
  • this isn't really an answer on how to create custom syntax highlighting - oh wait you said that already. – djv Apr 17 '15 at 18:48
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    I think this answer does address the problem. The question did not ask to *create* custom syntax. I guess the answerer was probably just being modest. – thor Apr 17 '15 at 22:35