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i just installed YouCompleteMe for Vim through vundle. It works, but it shows only the words contained in the current file. I want to use it to develop c++ programs, how can i configure it to show autocompletion from c++ headers file in /usr/include for example? Thanks a lot.

mastergap
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    You need to build and install clang for semantic completion. Did you follow the installation process detailed in YCM readme? – romainl Apr 28 '13 at 16:09
  • Yes, I follow the instructions but i only get local autocompletion. In order i have installed YCM as a vundle bundle and I executed the install script located in the YCM directory. Is there some kind of configuration that I missed? – mastergap Apr 29 '13 at 11:02
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    Did you do `./install.sh --clang-completer` or `./install.sh`? – romainl Apr 29 '13 at 11:29
  • I missed the --clang-completer option. Thanks a lot. Put an answer maybe, this way I can mark it as a correct solution. – mastergap May 06 '13 at 07:36
  • @mastergap You can answer you own question. – Dilawar Jul 01 '13 at 08:14

5 Answers5

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You need to navigate to ~/.vim/bundles/YouCompleteMe and run the installation script with --clang-completer, so do ./install.sh --clang-completer. After it finishes you should have support for C like languages.

You may also need to place let g:ycm_global_ycm_extra_conf = '~/.vim/bundle/YouCompleteMe/cpp/ycm/.ycm_extra_conf.py' in your ~/.vimrc.

Battleroid
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    for new version of ycm it changed to : `let g:ycm_global_ycm_extra_conf = ".vim/bundle/YouCompleteMe/third_party/ycmd/cpp/ycm/.ycm_extra_conf.py" ` – Iman Mirzadeh Feb 18 '15 at 23:53
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    for me it seems totally weired and unintuitive to define this config. Why do I need to set this config to a hidden file deep down in the plugin folder? For me this just feels wrong. – Arne Apr 01 '15 at 12:51
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    Newer versions use `.py` in general - `install.sh` is now `install.py` – Zoe Mar 06 '19 at 15:54
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I have installed with pathogen. I tried the above instructions with ./install.sh --clang-complete. After this, it did not work, and I indeed had to add the path. But it was different than in another reply here, namely

let g:ycm_global_ycm_extra_conf = '.vim/bundle/YouCompleteMe/third_party/ycmd/cpp/ycm/.ycm_extra_conf.py'

so there is an extra "third_party/ycmd" in the path.

deph
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While the suggestions here might work in the beginning, I am not sure it's the proper way to go. According to YCM developer, whenever you start a project, you need a new .ycm_extra_conf.py file

From https://valloric.github.io/YouCompleteMe/#ubuntu-linux-x64-super-quick-installation

YCM looks for a .ycm_extra_conf.py file in the directory of the opened file or in any directory above it in the hierarchy (recursively); when the file is found, it is loaded (only once!) as a Python module. YCM calls a FlagsForFile method in that module which should provide it with the information necessary to compile the current file. You can also provide a path to a global .ycm_extra_conf.py file, which will be used as a fallback. To prevent the execution of malicious code from a file you didn't write YCM will ask you once per .ycm_extra_conf.py if it is safe to load. This can be disabled and you can white-/blacklist files. See the Options section for more details.

While you might only need to modify the compile flags from the vanilla .ycm_extra_conf.py, I feel it is advisable to create a new file for every project you start.

xoSauce
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    The link is broken. It'd be nice if you could update it. – Enlico Jun 01 '20 at 08:21
  • The edit queue is full, so putting the updated link here https://github.com/ycm-core/YouCompleteMe#option-2-provide-the-flags-manually – ljden Jun 23 '20 at 05:55
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Everything that the folks here have said is correct. I just want to add that as of 2017, the "install.sh" script is deprecated. Now, you have to use the install.py script instead by typing

./install.py --clang-completer

Also, in your .vimrc file, instead of ".vim/bundle/blahblahblah", you'll need to add a "~/" in front of the address by adding:

let g:ycm_global_ycm_extra_conf = "~/.vim/bundle/YouCompleteMe/third_party/ycmd/cpp/ycm/.ycm_extra_conf.py"

to your .vimrc file, to give it an absolute path from the Home directory so that Vim can find the ".ycm_extra_conf.py" file. Otherwise, you might experience some funny behavior.

Kourosh Taheri-Golvarzi
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I just wanted to add if you don't want to manually define a config file there is this neat little repository that will auto generate it. https://github.com/rdnetto/YCM-Generator

user2267258
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