To print with search results highlighted

Question

When we search a pattern in vim, the matches are usually highlighted. However, when we print it out, the highlights disappear. I tried both :hardcopy > my_file.pdf and :TOhtml. Neither retains the highlight.

Is there any way that I can output the document with matched patterns highlighted to a pdf file?

I'm using GVim 7.4 on a Win 7 machine.

Answer 1

Try something like this:

:syntax match Error "yourterm"

or (to ignore case and match "Yourterm", "YOURTERM", "yourTerm" etc.):

:syntax match Error "\cyourterm"

... and print with hardcopy - the term should be highlighted using the Error highlight rules. (see also this).

Here's a pdf sample printed from my vimrc, using :syntax match Error "Plug":

If the search term is already highlighted using current filetype syntax rules (so the previous command doesn't have any effect), and if you don't have a problem printing the text without those (in black-and-white, so to speak), then: :set ft= and then syntax match Error "yourterm". You'll get black text on white background, with a touch of (probably) red - the highlighted matches.