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I am trying to enable .xml syntax highlighting in Vim for .xaml files since .xaml files don't have syntax highlighting of its own. I came across a post on Stack Overflow which recommended to use au BufNewFile,BufRead *.xaml setf xml but that did not provide syntax highlighting as soon as I open the .xaml file. I can see below on the console that the .xaml files are changed to .xml filetype.

I tried what this post suggested: autocmd BufEnter *.xaml :setlocal filetype=xml but this does not provide syntax highlighting either.

I even tried modifying it to: autocmd BufEnter *.xaml :setlocal filetype=xml | syntax on but it causes several glitches and formats the syntax higlighting of all my other open tabs & windows as .xml. Any suggestions are deeply appreciated. Thank you!

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    Don't use syntax on (if you must, use syntax enable). Does syntax highlighting work for .xml files? What filetype is reported in a .xml file? The best way to add simple filetype rules is to create a file ~/.vim/ftdetect/xaml.vim with autocmd BufRead,BufNewFile *.xaml setfiletype xml, though sometimes you want set filetype=xml instead. Can you edit to answer these questions and clarify what "it does not behave…" or "syntax highlighting does not function" mean?
    – D. Ben Knoble ♦
    Jul 26, 2022 at 15:52
  • @D.BenKnoble I apologize. I've made the edits to further clarify as you reqested!
    – Jose Membreno
    Jul 26, 2022 at 16:06
  • Thanks, what about the first questions? Does syntax highlighting work for .xml files? What is their filetype?
    – D. Ben Knoble ♦
    Jul 26, 2022 at 17:09
  • @D.BenKnoble Yes! .xml syntax highlighting does work but I have to enable it while in vim, I have to :set filetype=xml & then :syntax on/enable. This way, I do get proper syntax highlighting for '.xaml' files as well.
    – Jose Membreno
    Jul 26, 2022 at 18:00
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    Have you tried How to debug my vimrc? What does your minimal vimrc that reproduces the problem look like?
    – D. Ben Knoble ♦
    Jul 26, 2022 at 18:53

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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Assuming all works as you wish it when you enter :set filetype=xml when your XAML file is open in a buffer, try this: create file ~/.vim/ftdetect/xaml.vim containing the following:

" Detects XAML files as XML
au BufNewFile,BufRead *.xaml setlocal filetype=xml

This has worked for me for other "odd" file types.

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    @JoseMembreno Does this answer work for you? I ask because you've marked it as accepted, but your comment says it doesn't work. If it does work, please delete the comment so as not to confuse future readers. Thanks
    – mattb
    Jul 26, 2022 at 20:42

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