# JuliaFormatter: multi-line matrix in VSCode

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/juliaformatter-multi-line-matrix-in-vscode/93872>\
**Category:** General Usage\
**Tags:** vscode, formatting\
**Created:** [February 1, 2023, 1:42pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/juliaformatter-multi-line-matrix-in-vscode/93872 "2023-02-01T13:42:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lmiq](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/lmiq/32/18314_2.png) [@lmiq](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/lmiq)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 1:42pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/juliaformatter-multi-line-matrix-in-vscode/93872/1 "2023-02-01T13:42:04Z")

</div>

In VSCode, when I use the formatter on something like this:

```julia
m = [ 1 0
      0 1 ]

```

I get something like this:

```julia
m = [ 1 0
    0 1 ]

```

Is there some option or simple way to disable that formatting of multi-line matrices?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rafael.guerra](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/rafael.guerra/32/216610_2.png) [@rafael.guerra](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/rafael.guerra)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 7:57pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/juliaformatter-multi-line-matrix-in-vscode/93872/2 "2023-02-01T19:57:24Z")

</div>

In the Julia Formatter extension settings, add to the long list:

```julia
align_matrix=true

```

if you want to align matrix elements yourself.

 ![Julia_Formatter_extension_settings](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/c/1/c1dba3b893e6afa6a353f1e3aa03dc6033e3572c.png)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lmiq](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/lmiq/32/18314_2.png) [@lmiq](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/lmiq)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 11:09am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/juliaformatter-multi-line-matrix-in-vscode/93872/3 "2023-02-02T11:09:28Z")

</div>

Actually I don’t have the `Julia Formatter` extension installed, I’m using the `Crtl-Shift-P > Format Document` option of the Julia Language Support.

Is that it? I cannot find where to setup anything related to formatting.

Or should I install the Julia Formatter extension actually have options?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pfitzseb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/pfitzseb/32/45566_2.png) [@pfitzseb](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/pfitzseb)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 11:10am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/juliaformatter-multi-line-matrix-in-vscode/93872/4 "2023-02-02T11:10:54Z")

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Use a `.JuliaFormatter.toml` to configure this behaviour.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lmiq](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/lmiq/32/18314_2.png) [@lmiq](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/lmiq)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 11:13am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/juliaformatter-multi-line-matrix-in-vscode/93872/6 "2023-02-02T11:13:41Z")

</div>

> [@pfitzseb](#):
>
> Use a `.JuliaFormatter.toml` to configure this behaviour.

Where should it be placed? In the package dir, or somewhere else, for the effect to be global?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lmiq](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/lmiq/32/18314_2.png) [@lmiq](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/lmiq)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 11:17am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/juliaformatter-multi-line-matrix-in-vscode/93872/7 "2023-02-02T11:17:01Z")

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I installed it, but the options didn’t help.

I have:

```julia
x = [ 1 0
      0 1 ]

```

with `align_matrix=true`, formatting results in:

```julia
x = [1 0
	0 1]

```

and with `align_matrix=false` I have:

```julia
x = [1 0
	0 1]

```

Thus, different things, but both bad.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lmiq](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/lmiq/32/18314_2.png) [@lmiq](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/lmiq)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 11:23am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/juliaformatter-multi-line-matrix-in-vscode/93872/9 "2023-02-02T11:23:11Z")

</div>

A workaround is to not format it, with:

```julia
#! format: off
x = [ 1 0
      0 1 ]
#! format: on

```

Actually, noticed now that it expects the multi-line matrix to be written as:

```julia
x = [
    123 1234
      0 10
]

```

which it then formats to:

```julia
x = [
    123 1234
    0 10
]

```

Meaning, it left-aligns the first column and removes any trailing space in the middle. Not good either.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rafael.guerra](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/rafael.guerra/32/216610_2.png) [@rafael.guerra](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/rafael.guerra)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 11:38am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/juliaformatter-multi-line-matrix-in-vscode/93872/10 "2023-02-02T11:38:10Z")

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@lmiq, sorry, I thought this was working but it isn’t.