How can I make vim ignore a filetype plugin's makeprg setting?

Question

I am using a plugin that sets makeprg to some value specific to the filetype's programming language. I want to use my global setting instead, because I also use Makefiles. How can I do this? Thank you!

This happens for me with vim-ledger --- https://github.com/ledger/vim-ledger/blob/master/compiler/ledger.vim#L29-L31 --- and with vim-racket --- https://github.com/wlangstroth/vim-racket/blob/master/ftplugin/racket.vim#L36 --- When it happened for both, I assumed something was going wrong with me and I shouldn't be just commenting out lines of plugins on my local copy.

Answer 1

Assuming that the plugin is using the standard scheme for filetype specific configuration...

Probably the simplest way to override is by creating a file in $MYVIMDIR/after/ftplugin with filename that matches the filetype (aka ft) setting when such a file is loaded. The plugin likely has a file of the same name and it will either be in directory ftplugin within its own installation directory or in the shared location for such files, $MYVIMDIR/ftplugin.

As an example, filetype specific settings for Java source files would be in a file named java.vim so to override you'd do:

vim ~/.vim/after/ftplugin/java.vim

(Assuming *nix style home directory.) Inside that file you'd then assign appropriate values to whatever settings you want to override.

In your specific case where you have a custom 'makeprg' value you'll want to do:

set makeprg=<whatever>

(If you just wanted to reset to the default value you could do set makeprg&.)

You can find some additional details in the "DISABLING" section under :h ftplugin

Update: So the above is a valid solution but requires taking action any time a new plugin that overrides makeprg comes along. OP wondered if there's a way to take care of current and future plugins in one fell swoop. This'll do the trick...

In your Vim "home directory" (e.g. ~/.vim) create a file in after/ftdetect. Name doesn't matter. I chose makecheck.vim. Then add the following line to it:

au BufRead,BufNewFile * if &makeprg !=# 'XXX' | set makeprg=XXX | endif

XXX should be replaced with whatever global makeprg value you're using.

As the name suggests, files in the after sub-tree get processed after other Vim files. This ensures the settings within aren't overwritten (by a plugin, for instance). It should be pretty self-explanatory how it works from there.