Python Improved

A better Python .tmLanguage syntax highlighting definition for Sublime Text and TextMate. It includes support for both Python 2 and Python 3. Inspired by:

• the original TextMate and Sublime Text Python.tmLanguage files
• facelessuser's Better Python
• Peter Varo's Python 3 syntax definition

as well as a number of my own changes to make things more consistent and understandable. For customized syntax highlighting taking advantage of all the new scopes, use PythonImproved with the Neon Color Scheme, or modify your own favorite color scheme with the scopes below.

Installation and Use

If you haven't already, install Package Control, then select Python Improved from the Package Control: Install Package option in the Command Palette. To use PythonImproved as your default Python syntax, open a .py file, then select View -> Syntax -> Open all with current extension as... -> PythonImproved.

While I haven't yet tried to install PythonImproved with TextMate, I can't think of a good reason as to why it wouldn't work. You could try putting it in the same directory as the standard Python.tmbundle package, in the Syntaxes subdirectory. Then, just pick PythonImproved from the syntax menu.

New/Changed Scopes

If you prefer to modify your own color scheme, here is a list of new/modified scopes, along with some examples. It's not perfectly complete, but it's a start.

• support.ipython.in and support.ipython.out: IPython In [1]:/Out [1]: fields — designed for use with SublimeREPL. The cell number can be themed with a different color using support.ipython.cell-number.
• constant.numeric.integer.(long).binary.python: binary literals 0b00101010, 0b00101010L
• keyword.control.import.python now contains import, from, and as
• keyword.other.python now only contains assert — as, del, exec, and print have been relocated
• support.type.exception.python now matches any identifier that ends with Exception or Error, not just the built-in ones like IndentationError or RuntimeException, allowing for the highlighting of custom exceptions such as those included in third-party modules
• Miscellaneous changes to support.function.builtin.python and support.type.python — a lot of personal judgement went in to deciding which word went where (for example, list is a built-in function, but it's also a type, so I put it in type), so if you have a good reason for disagreeing please tell me.
• Function annotation support for Python 3, thanks to @facelessuser. New scopes added: punctuation.separator.annotation.python, punctuation.separator.annotation.result.python, punctuation.definition.parameters-group.begin.python, and punctuation.definition.parameters-group.end.python.
• You can now have comments in multi-line function definitions:

def myfunc(self,            # gotta have self
           param1="value",  # values are cool
           param2=True,     # or False, whatever
           **kwargs):       # you never know

• New scopes for bytes, unicode, and raw/regex strings, thanks to @simonzack: string.quoted.(single|double).(block|single-line).(bytes|bytes-raw|bytes-raw-regex).python
• Also from @simonzack, highlighting of self|cls in parameter strings: variable.parameter.function.(keyword|language)
• comment.line.note.python is a comment line that contains (BUG|FIXME|TODO|XXX) at the beginning. comment.line.note.notation.python matches the actual word itself, so you can differentially highlight the word and the whole line:

• constant.other.allcaps.python captures variable names that are in all caps (OPENING_PORT, for example), assuming the convention that these are generally treated as constants in the code. Matches CONSTANT, class.CONSTANT and the CONSTANT part of CLASS.CONSTANT, but not CLASS.function(), class.FUNCTION(), or FUNCTION().
• Fixed the octal integers so the Python 3-style 0o123 is matched as well as the old-style 0123
• Built-in functions like any(), dict(), len(), raw_input(), etc. now have their arguments highlighted just like any other function. Many thanks to @facelessuser for the regex, and @FichteFoll for valuable discussion. For those working with Python 2, print is still a standalone keyword, as is del. If you can think of any others that should be as well, please let me know.
• To facilitate hacking, I'm also including my .YAML-tmLanguage file in the repo, which I use for my day-to-day work (I really hate debugging regexes embedded in XML). Install AAAPackageDev for syntax highlighting, and tools for converting between YAML, JSON, and XML/Plist formats. Neon of course has great coloring for the .YAML-tmLanguage format, and especially the regexes :)
• All Django-related stuff has been removed. If you want it back, just dig through the repo's history and you can find it. It was just too distracting.
• I removed the SQL-related stuff from the string definitions, because 1) somebody complained, and 2) like Django, it was distracting. It didn't cover all of SQL, only highlighted some keywords, and just wasn't worth it.
• Unicode escapes should now appear correctly in all strings, as with Python 3 all strings are Unicode. I think I got it right, if you think otherwise just let me know.

Issues

If you have questions, concerns, or suggested improvements, I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to open an issue or send a pull request and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. You can also email me at [email protected] or find me on Twitter @MattDMo.

License

© 2013-2015 Matt Morrison [email protected].

This is free software. It is licensed under the MIT License. Feel free to use this in your own work. However, if you modify and/or redistribute it, please attribute me in some way, and distribute your work under this or a similar license. A shout-out or a beer would be appreciated.

You can also give on [Gratipay](https://www.gratipay.com/on/github/MattDMo/).