unix vim Error detected while processing BufRead Auto commands

Question

I am a new vim user following this guide to make vim indent python code automatically and flag unnecssary whitespace: https://realpython.com/blog/python/vim-and-python-a-match-made-in-heaven/#vim-extensions

The issue I have is receiving this error when I start up vim on a .py file: Error detected while processing BufRead Auto commands for "*.py": E28: No such highlight group name: BadWhitespace

This error I comment out the following lines:

" Flag unnecessary whitespace                                           
au BufRead,BufNewFile *.py,*.pyw,*.c,*.h match BadWhitespace /\s\+$/   <- this line   

" UTF8 Support                                                          
set encoding=utf-8                                                      
" Proper PEP8 Identation                                                
au BufNewFile,BufRead *.py                                              
    \ set tabstop=4                                                     
"    \ set softtabstop=4      <-- this line                                          
    \ set shiftwidth=4                                                  
    \ set textwidth=79                                                  
    \ set expandtab                                                     
    \ set autoindent                                                    
    \ set fileformat=unix

How can I fix this error? This is my complete .vimrc file:

set nocompatible              " required
filetype off                  " required

" set the runtime path to include Vundle and initialize
set rtp+=/home/frank/.vim/bundle/Vundle.vim
call vundle#begin()

" alternatively, pass a path where Vundle should install plugins
"call vundle#begin('~/some/path/here')

" let Vundle manage Vundle, required
Plugin 'gmarik/Vundle.vim'

" add all your plugins here (note older versions of Vundle
" used Bundle instead of Plugin)
Plugin 'tmhedberg/SimpylFold'
Plugin 'vim-scripts/indentpython.vim'
Bundle 'Valloric/YouCompleteMe'
Plugin 'vim-syntastic/syntastic'
Plugin 'nvie/vim-flake8'
Plugin 'jnurmine/Zenburn'
Plugin 'altercation/vim-colors-solarized'
Plugin 'scrooloose/nerdtree'
Plugin 'jistr/vim-nerdtree-tabs'
Plugin 'kien/ctrlp.vim'
Plugin 'tpope/vim-fugitive'
Plugin 'Lokaltog/powerline', {'rtp': 'powerline/bindings/vim/'}
" ...

" All of your Plugins must be added before the following line
call vundle#end()            " required
filetype plugin indent on    " required

" Split navigations
nnoremap <C-J> <C-W><C-J>
nnoremap <C-K> <C-W><C-K>
nnoremap <C-L> <C-W><C-L>
nnoremap <C-H> <C-W><C-H>

" Enable folding
set foldmethod=indent
set foldlevel=99
" Enable folding with the spacebar
nnoremap <space> za
" See docstrings for folded code
let g:SimpylFold_docstring_preview=1

" Flag unnecessary whitespace
au BufRead,BufNewFile *.py,*.pyw,*.c,*.h match BadWhitespace /\s\+$/      <-this line

" UTF8 Support
set encoding=utf-8
" Proper PEP8 Identation        <-this line
au BufNewFile,BufRead *.py
    \ set tabstop=4
"    \ set softtabstop=4 
    \ set shiftwidth=4
    \ set textwidth=79
    \ set expandtab
    \ set autoindent
    \ set fileformat=unix

" For Full stack development 'au' command
"au BufNewFile,BufRead *.js, *.html, *.css
"    \ set tabstop=2
"    \ set softtabstop=2
"    \ set shiftwidth=2

" YouCompleteMe plugin customization
let g:ycm_autoclose_preview_window_after_completion=1
map <leader>g  :YcmCompleter GoToDefinitionElseDeclaration<CR>

"python with virtualenv support
py << EOF
import os
import sys
if 'VIRTUAL_ENV' in os.environ:
  project_base_dir = os.environ['VIRTUAL_ENV']
  activate_this = os.path.join(project_base_dir, 'bin/activate_this.py')
  execfile(activate_this, dict(__file__=activate_this))
EOF

" Makes python code pretty
let python_highlight_all=1
syntax on

" Adds a bit of logic to define which color scheme to use based upon VIM mode
if has('gui_running')
  set background=dark
  colorscheme solarized
else
  colorscheme zenburn
endif

" Press F5 to toggle between dark and light theme
call togglebg#map("<F5>")

" Hybrid line numbers
:set number relativenumber
:augroup numbertoggle
:  autocmd!
:  autocmd BufEnter,FocusGained,InsertLeave * set relativenumber
:  autocmd BufLeave,FocusLost,InsertEnter   * set norelativenumber
:augroup END

set pastetoggle=<F10>

I had the same error, following the SAME page. Don't forget to add a bar | when dealing with multiple commands (the collection of "set"s). https://stackoverflow.com/questions/36741450/vim-setting-error-under-bufread/36742908 — Scott Prive, Jan 08 '19 at 15:47
I find that [this](https://github.com/preservim/nerdtree#how-can-i-prevent-other-buffers-replacing-nerdtree-in-its-window) recommendation in NerdTree git cause error. remove it to solve problem. — EsmaeelE, Jul 18 '21 at 06:08

score 30 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 07 '19 at 21:20

30

There is a simpler solution. You see I had ran into same problem and after this little trick there was no error message and everything is working as it should.

Trick is, BufNewFile,BufRead should be seperated by a space. So the line should look like

au BufNewFile, BufRead *.py

and not au BufNewFile,BufRead *.py best regards

answered Jan 07 '19 at 21:20

jawad mansoor

465
1
5
9

2

Why does the vim `autocmd.txt` documentation have this example in it then? `:au BufNewFile,BufRead *.html so :h/html.vim` – Alexej Magura Oct 14 '19 at 15:43
hmm, I'm curious about this. I cannot use a space or it does not work properly for me. It's hard to imagine that was changed in a different version, as it would have breaking changes. Appreciate insights here. – Aaron Feb 26 '20 at 01:36
1

tested this and doesn't solve the problem – yahan Dec 16 '22 at 13:30

builder-7000 · Answer 2 · 2018-02-20T03:48:30.577

7

The command:

match BadWhitespace /\s\+$/

will highlight trailing white spaces provided that BadWhitespace highlighting group is defined. To check that it is defined do :highlight BadWhitespace. If it is not defined you can either use a default highlighting group, for example:

match Cursor /\s\+$/

or define a BadWhitespace highlighting group. A possible color combination is:

:highlight BadWhitespace ctermfg=16 ctermbg=253 guifg=#000000 guibg=#F8F8F0

Add this line of code before the autocmd that uses BadWhitespace.

edited Feb 20 '18 at 03:48

answered Feb 19 '18 at 18:28

builder-7000

7,131
3
19
43

Seems to be close to the error, however what should I do if I want to change the color of the highlighting to red? – Wet Feet Feb 20 '18 at 02:55
Then you can adjust the value `ctermbg` accordingly. The value will depend on your terminal. E.g. doing `:echo $TERM` shows that my terminal is `xterm-256color`. Then I can look up a xterm-256-color chart and find that red is 9. Then I set `ctermbg=9`. – builder-7000 Feb 20 '18 at 03:44
Thank you, however, why are there two ctermfg and guifg values in your code? – Wet Feet Feb 20 '18 at 07:15

score 6 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 26 '19 at 04:00

The problem is the multiple sets. The first set from this line:

\ set tabstop=4

is the command, and all the following sets are treated as arguments.

It should look like this:

au BufNewFile,BufRead *.py
    \ set tabstop=4
    \ softtabstop=4
    \ shiftwidth=4
    \ textwidth=79
    \ expandtab
    \ autoindent
    \ fileformat=unix

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Dec 05 '18 at 15:55

Alternatively from here:

" Use the below highlight group when displaying bad whitespace is desired.
highlight BadWhitespace ctermbg=red guibg=red

" Display tabs at the beginning of a line in Python mode as bad.
au BufRead,BufNewFile *.py,*.pyw match BadWhitespace /^\t\+/

" Make trailing whitespace be flagged as bad.
au BufRead,BufNewFile *.py,*.pyw,*.c,*.h match BadWhitespace /\s\+$/

unix vim Error detected while processing BufRead Auto commands

4 Answers4