How to have a multiline value

[Youssef1313]

See editorconfig/specification#35

Per the current specification, I don't see how (if possible) to include a key-value pair whose value is a multiline string.

If it's not currently possible, is it possible to update the spec to have a way for that?

[cxw42]

Thanks for using EC! Could you give us a sample use case? What key are you using, and what would a sample multiline value be?

[Youssef1313]

@cxw42 It will be usefuly for the C# compiler. (Note: I'm not a Microsoft employee, but a regular contributor to Roslyn)

In short, the C# compiler currently uses .editorconfig files to parse analyzer options. Most of the time these are single-line key-value pairs, e.g, dotnet_diagnostic.CA1822.severity = warning.

However, MSBuild properties (xml-based) can be passed to the compiler, for that, there is a build task that converts the "compiler visible" MSBuild properties to an .editorconfig during compile-time.

MSBuild property values can be multiline, and here comes the problem.

See issue: dotnet/roslyn#43970

[cxw42]

Thanks for the additional information! I see the linked issue gives this example (I added {{ }} around the desired property value):

is_global = true
msbuild_property.PropWithNewLine = {{this
is 
a
valid = property}}

The linked issue talks about "global analyzer configs" --- would the multiline properties be consumed by editors or other tools?

This seems to me like a very specialized use-case that is probably outside the scope of the specification. However, others may certainly have different ideas!

[Youssef1313]

would the multiline properties be consumed by editors or other tools?

would the multiline properties be consumed by editors or other tools?

Yes, this will be consumed by the C#/VB compiler (ships in Visual Studio).

The current behavior is that this task generates a broken .editorconfig file.

[chrisjohnson00]

Here is another use case, I want to enforce 120 character line lengths, but the editor config file itself fails the validation due to one of the keys and values being long, 144 chars:

dotnet_naming_symbols.non_field_members.applicable_accessibilities = public, internal, private, protected, protected_internal, private_protected

[cxw42]

@chrisjohnson00 that looks like noncompliant behaviour. The spec says:

Cores must accept keys and values with lengths up to and including 1024 and 4096 characters respectively.

I suggest opening issues against whatever program is giving you the validation error on the editorconfig file.