Indent configuration not working for C++

[Ha5hBr0wn]

Hi I am using the Helix text editor and my indents in C++ are just 2 spaces and I want them to be 4. I can't figure out how to make it work

I have been adding the indent to the languages.toml file as the docs tell me to:

[[language]]
name = "cpp"
auto-format = true
formatter = {command = 'clang-format', args= ["--style=Google"]}
indent = { tab-width = 4, unit = "    " }

I was on version 20.05 at first and I also tried on latest master but I alway just get 2 spaces in auto indent and when I press tab

I know the languages.toml file is getting picked up because if I change the style for the formatter that does take effect as expected. So just the indent key is not working as expected for me

[woojiq]

If you have a file that already has an indent of 2 spaces, you will have 2 spaces despite your configuration. Try in a new file or format yours with 4 spaces manually (or using formatter).
Fyi, this configuration works for me:

 [[language]]
 name = "c"
 indent = { tab-width = 4, unit = "    " }
 [[language]]
 name = "cpp"
 indent = { tab-width = 4, unit = "    " }

Do you have 2 spaces identation only after saving file or even on typing?

[sbromberger]

I just noticed that my C++ code (both existing and new files) are using two spaces instead of four (which is what they used to have). How do I change this? I just added

indent = { tab-width = 4, unit = " " }

but it doesn't seem to have any effect.

This is helix 24.7 (30fb63cc).

[woojiq]

It should work with new files. In older files it will detect that there is indentation = 2 and will not even look at your config.
Workaround: manually convert tab 2->4 on old files.

[sbromberger]

It doesn't work with new files. I wonder if it's clang-format that's causing the issue.

[woojiq]

# languages.toml
[[language]]
name = "cpp"

[language.indent]
tab-width = 4
unit = "    "

[[language]]
name = "c"

[language.indent]
tab-width = 4
unit = "    "

[zchrissirhcz]

The pasted config does not work.

Solution 1: create new file, write some code that use 4 space as indentation, close it. Then open it with helix, it use 4 spaces now.

Solution 2: create new file with helix, type :indent-style 4 command, then write code as usual since it use 4 spaces now.

[ajaimesv]

It doesn't work for me either. The format in the languages.toml file is being ignored. This is what I've been doing:

1. Install apt install clang-format
2. Open hx and select the file contents Shift+%
3. :pipe clang-format -style="{BasedOnStyle: LLVM, IndentWidth: 4}"

Why is 2 spaces the default value? For C++, it should be 4. We should vote to learn what most people use and maybe update the default value.

[SimoneFelici]

That's not really helix's fault, clang-format uses LLVM as the default formatter (which uses 2 spaces indents):
https://clang.llvm.org/docs/ClangFormatStyleOptions.html

I personally configured my formatter to be similare to Kate:
auto-format = true
formatter = { command = "clang-format", args = ["--fallback-style=WebKit"] }

---

If you instead want to use the default or the google one you can just set the options in the formatter like this:

formatter = { command = "clang-format", args = ["--style={BasedOnStyle: LLVM, IndentWidth: 4, TabWidth: 4, UseTab: Never}"] }