fortran

Fortran is a Vim plugin designed to enhance the indentation rules for Fortran 90 and Fortran 95. This software offers an additional set of indentation rules for continued statements and preprocessor instructions, which are not available in Ajit J. Thakkar's Vim script for Fortran free source form.

Vim is a powerful and versatile text editor that was originally released in 1991 by Bram Moolenaar for the Amiga computer. It is an extended version of the vi editor, providing many helpful features designed specifically for editing program source code. Vim is free and open source software released under a license that is compatible with the GNU General Public License, which includes charityware clauses.

While Vim is cross-platform, it is most widely used on Unix-like operating systems. The software's interface is based on commands given in a text user interface rather than menus or icons. Vim includes a GUI mode called gVim, which adds menus and toolbars for commonly used commands, but the full functionality remains accessible through its command line mode.

Although Vim may initially present a steep learning curve for newcomers, the program includes a built-in tutorial to assist beginners. Additionally, the Vim Users' Manual provides extensive details on basic and advanced features, and can be accessed either from the Vim interface or online. Vim also offers a command-based help facility using the :help command.

Installing Fortran is a simple process that involves placing the fortran.vim file into the $HOME/.vim/after/indent/ directory. With its additional indentation rules and Vim's powerful functionality, Fortran is a valuable addition for developers working with Fortran 90 and Fortran 95.