vim-patch:fe1e2b5e2d65

runtime(doc): clarify syntax vs matching mechanism

fixes: vim/vim#14643

https://github.com/vim/vim/commit/fe1e2b5e2d65f05d820f17db935b15454a63be06

Co-authored-by: Christian Brabandt <cb@256bit.org>

6 files changed, 32 insertions, 3 deletions

diff --git a/runtime/doc/builtin.txt b/runtime/doc/builtin.txt
index 94721f5024..588d1b7983 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/builtin.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/builtin.txt
@@ -8208,6 +8208,10 @@ synconcealed({lnum}, {col})                                     *synconcealed()*
 			synconcealed(lnum, 5)   [1, 'X', 2]
 			synconcealed(lnum, 6)   [0, '', 0]
 
+		Note: Doesn't consider |matchadd()| highlighting items,
+		since syntax and matching highlighting are two different
+		mechanisms |syntax-vs-match|.
+
 synstack({lnum}, {col})                                             *synstack()*
 		Return a |List|, which is the stack of syntax items at the
 		position {lnum} and {col} in the current window.  {lnum} is
diff --git a/runtime/doc/pattern.txt b/runtime/doc/pattern.txt
index 17136ee650..b3bc5e99a1 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/pattern.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/pattern.txt
@@ -1375,6 +1375,19 @@ Finally, these constructs are unique to Perl:
 ==============================================================================
 10. Highlighting matches				*match-highlight*
 
+							*syntax-vs-match*
+		Note that the match highlight mechanism is independent
+		of |syntax-highlighting|, which is (usually) a buffer-local
+		highlighting, while matching is window-local, both methods
+		can be freely mixed.  Match highlighting functions give you
+		a bit more flexibility in when and how to apply, but are
+		typically only used for temporary highlighting, without strict
+		rules.  Both methods can be used to conceal text.
+
+		Thus the matching functions like |matchadd()| won't consider
+		syntax rules and functions like |synconcealend()| and the
+		other way around.
+
 							*:mat* *:match*
 :mat[ch] {group} /{pattern}/
 		Define a pattern to highlight in the current window.  It will
diff --git a/runtime/doc/syntax.txt b/runtime/doc/syntax.txt
index 73d1629d6e..5aaf51318e 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/syntax.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/syntax.txt
@@ -3825,7 +3825,9 @@ Whether or not it is actually concealed depends on the value of the
 'conceallevel' option.  The 'concealcursor' option is used to decide whether
 concealable items in the current line are displayed unconcealed to be able to
 edit the line.
-Another way to conceal text is with |matchadd()|.
+
+Another way to conceal text is with |matchadd()|, but internally this works a
+bit differently |syntax-vs-match|.
 
 concealends						*:syn-concealends*
 
@@ -3833,7 +3835,9 @@ When the "concealends" argument is given, the start and end matches of
 the region, but not the contents of the region, are marked as concealable.
 Whether or not they are actually concealed depends on the setting on the
 'conceallevel' option. The ends of a region can only be concealed separately
-in this way when they have their own highlighting via "matchgroup"
+in this way when they have their own highlighting via "matchgroup".  The
+|synconcealed()| function can be used to retrieve information about conealed
+items.
 
 cchar							*:syn-cchar*
 							*E844*
diff --git a/runtime/doc/usr_41.txt b/runtime/doc/usr_41.txt
index 1c03a61d55..f096201e0f 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/usr_41.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/usr_41.txt
@@ -948,7 +948,7 @@ Syntax and highlighting:	  *syntax-functions* *highlighting-functions*
 	synIDattr()		get a specific attribute of a syntax ID
 	synIDtrans()		get translated syntax ID
 	synstack()		get list of syntax IDs at a specific position
-	synconcealed()		get info about concealing
+	synconcealed()		get info about (synax) concealing
 	diff_hlID()		get highlight ID for diff mode at a position
 	matchadd()		define a pattern to highlight (a "match")
 	matchaddpos()		define a list of positions to highlight
diff --git a/runtime/lua/vim/_meta/vimfn.lua b/runtime/lua/vim/_meta/vimfn.lua
index d010673d24..02d5eaf575 100644
--- a/runtime/lua/vim/_meta/vimfn.lua
+++ b/runtime/lua/vim/_meta/vimfn.lua
@@ -9752,6 +9752,10 @@ function vim.fn.synIDtrans(synID) end
 ---   synconcealed(lnum, 5)   [1, 'X', 2]
 ---   synconcealed(lnum, 6)   [0, '', 0]
 ---
+--- Note: Doesn't consider |matchadd()| highlighting items,
+--- since syntax and matching highlighting are two different
+--- mechanisms |syntax-vs-match|.
+---
 --- @param lnum integer
 --- @param col integer
 --- @return {[1]: integer, [2]: string, [3]: integer}
diff --git a/src/nvim/eval.lua b/src/nvim/eval.lua
index ae42b330a9..65389ede99 100644
--- a/src/nvim/eval.lua
+++ b/src/nvim/eval.lua
@@ -11621,6 +11621,10 @@ M.funcs = {
       	synconcealed(lnum, 4)   [1, 'X', 2]
       	synconcealed(lnum, 5)   [1, 'X', 2]
       	synconcealed(lnum, 6)   [0, '', 0]
+
+      Note: Doesn't consider |matchadd()| highlighting items,
+      since syntax and matching highlighting are two different
+      mechanisms |syntax-vs-match|.
     ]=],
     name = 'synconcealed',
     params = { { 'lnum', 'integer' }, { 'col', 'integer' } },