--- a/runtime/syntax/erlang.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/erlang.vim
@@ -1,23 +1,32 @@
 " Vim syntax file
 " Language:     Erlang (http://www.erlang.org)
 " Maintainer:   Csaba Hoch <csaba.hoch@gmail.com>
-" Former Maintainer:  Kreąimir Marľić (Kresimir Marzic) <kmarzic@fly.srk.fer.hr>
-" Last Update:  2013-Mar-07
+" Last Update:  2013-Jun-01
 " License:      Vim license
 " URL:          https://github.com/hcs42/vim-erlang
 
+" Acknowledgements: This script was originally created by Kresimir Marzic [1].
+" The script was then revamped by Csaba Hoch [2]. During the revamp, the new
+" highlighting style and some code was taken from the Erlang syntax script
+" that is part of vimerl [3], created by Oscar Hellström [4] and improved by
+" Ricardo Catalinas Jiménez [5].
+
+" [1]: Kreąimir Marľić (Kresimir Marzic) <kmarzic@fly.srk.fer.hr>
+" [2]: Csaba Hoch <csaba.hoch@gmail.com>
+" [3]: https://github.com/jimenezrick/vimerl
+" [4]: Oscar Hellström <oscar@oscarh.net> (http://oscar.hellstrom.st)
+" [5]: Ricardo Catalinas Jiménez <jimenezrick@gmail.com>
+
 " Customization:
 "
-" There are two optional sets of highlighting:
+" To use the old highlighting style, add this to your .vimrc:
 "
-" 1. The BIFs (built-in functions) are highlighted by default. To disable
-"    this, put the following line in your vimrc:
+"     let g:erlang_old_style_highlight = 1
 "
-"      let g:erlang_highlight_bifs = 0
+" To highlight further module attributes, add them to
+" ~/.vim/after/syntax/erlang.vim:
 "
-" 2. To enable highlighting some special atoms, put this in your vimrc:
-"
-"      let g:erlang_highlight_special_atoms = 1
+"     syn keyword erlangAttribute myattr1 myattr2 contained
 
 " For version 5.x: Clear all syntax items
 " For version 6.x: Quit when a syntax file was already loaded
@@ -35,94 +44,108 @@ if version >= 600
 endif
 
 " Comments
-syn match erlangComment             '%.*$' contains=erlangCommentAnnotation,erlangTodo
-syn match erlangCommentAnnotation   ' \@<=@\%(clear\|docfile\|end\|headerfile\|todo\|TODO\|type\|author\|copyright\|doc\|reference\|see\|since\|title\|version\|deprecated\|hidden\|private\|equiv\|spec\|throws\)' contained
-syn match erlangCommentAnnotation   /`[^']*'/ contained
-syn keyword erlangTodo              TODO FIXME XXX contained
+syn match erlangComment           '%.*$' contains=erlangCommentAnnotation,erlangTodo
+syn match erlangCommentAnnotation ' \@<=@\%(clear\|docfile\|end\|headerfile\|todo\|TODO\|type\|author\|copyright\|doc\|reference\|see\|since\|title\|version\|deprecated\|hidden\|private\|equiv\|spec\|throws\)' contained
+syn match erlangCommentAnnotation /`[^']*'/ contained
+syn keyword erlangTodo            TODO FIXME XXX contained
+syn match erlangShebang           '^#!.*'
 
 " Numbers (minimum base is 2, maximum is 36.)
-syn match   erlangNumberInteger     '\<\d\+\>'
-syn match   erlangNumberInteger     '\<\%([2-9]\|[12]\d\|3[0-6]\)\+#[[:alnum:]]\+\>'
-syn match   erlangNumberFloat       '\<\d\+\.\d\+\%([eE][+-]\=\d\+\)\=\>'
+syn match erlangNumberInteger '\<\d\+\>'
+syn match erlangNumberInteger '\<\%([2-9]\|[12]\d\|3[0-6]\)\+#[[:alnum:]]\+\>'
+syn match erlangNumberFloat   '\<\d\+\.\d\+\%([eE][+-]\=\d\+\)\=\>'
 
 " Strings, atoms, characters
-syn region  erlangString            start=/"/ end=/"/ contains=erlangStringModifier
-syn region  erlangQuotedAtom        start=/'/ end=/'/ contains=erlangQuotedAtomModifier
-syn match   erlangStringModifier     '\~\a\|\\\%(\o\{1,3}\|x\x\x\|x{\x\+}\|\^.\|.\)' contained
-syn match   erlangQuotedAtomModifier '\~\a\|\\\%(\o\{1,3}\|x\x\x\|x{\x\+}\|\^.\|.\)' contained
-syn match   erlangModifier           '\$\%([^\\]\|\\\%(\o\{1,3}\|x\x\x\|x{\x\+}\|\^.\|.\)\)'
+syn region erlangString            start=/"/ end=/"/ contains=erlangStringModifier
+syn region erlangQuotedAtom        start=/'/ end=/'/ contains=erlangQuotedAtomModifier
+syn match erlangStringModifier     '\~\a\|\\\%(\o\{1,3}\|x\x\x\|x{\x\+}\|\^.\|.\)' contained
+syn match erlangQuotedAtomModifier '\~\a\|\\\%(\o\{1,3}\|x\x\x\|x{\x\+}\|\^.\|.\)' contained
+syn match erlangModifier           '\$\%([^\\]\|\\\%(\o\{1,3}\|x\x\x\|x{\x\+}\|\^.\|.\)\)'
+
+" Operators, separators
+syn match erlangOperator   '==\|=:=\|/=\|=/=\|<\|=<\|>\|>=\|++\|--\|=\|!\|<-\|+\|-\|\*\|\/'
+syn keyword erlangOperator div rem or xor bor bxor bsl bsr and band not bnot andalso orelse
+syn match erlangBracket    '{\|}\|\[\|]\||\|||'
+syn match erlangPipe       '|'
+syn match erlangRightArrow '->'
 
-" Operators
-syn match   erlangOperator          '==\|=:=\|/=\|=/=\|<\|=<\|>\|>=\|++\|--\|=\|!\|<-\|+\|-\|\*\|\/'
-syn keyword erlangOperator          div rem or xor bor bxor bsl bsr and band not bnot andalso orelse
+" Atoms, function calls (order is important)
+syn match erlangAtom           '\<\l[[:alnum:]_@]*' contains=erlangBoolean
+syn keyword erlangBoolean      true false contained
+syn match erlangLocalFuncCall  '\<\a[[:alnum:]_@]*\>\%(\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*(\)\@=' contains=erlangBIF
+syn match erlangLocalFuncRef   '\<\a[[:alnum:]_@]*\>\%(\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*/\)\@='
+syn match erlangGlobalFuncCall '\<\%(\a[[:alnum:]_@]*\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*\.\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*\)*\a[[:alnum:]_@]*\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*:\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*\a[[:alnum:]_@]*\>\%(\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*(\)\@=' contains=erlangComment
+syn match erlangGlobalFuncRef  '\<\%(\a[[:alnum:]_@]*\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*\.\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*\)*\a[[:alnum:]_@]*\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*:\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*\a[[:alnum:]_@]*\>\%(\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*/\)\@=' contains=erlangComment
 
-" Separators
-syn match erlangSeparator           '(\|)\|{\|}\|\[\|]\||\|||\|;\|,\|?\|#'
-syn match erlangRightArrow          '->'
+" Variables, macros, records
+syn match erlangVariable '\<[A-Z_][[:alnum:]_@]*'
+syn match erlangMacro    '??\=[[:alnum:]_@]\+'
+syn match erlangMacro    '\%(-define(\)\@<=[[:alnum:]_@]\+'
+syn match erlangRecord   '#\s*\l[[:alnum:]_@]*'
 
-" Functions call
-syn match   erlangFCall             '\<\%(\a[[:alnum:]@]*\s*\.\s*\)*\a[[:alnum:]@]*\s*:\s*\a[[:alnum:]@]*\>'
+" Bitstrings
+syn match erlangBitType '\%(\/\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*\)\@<=\%(integer\|float\|binary\|bytes\|bitstring\|bits\|binary\|utf8\|utf16\|utf32\|signed\|unsigned\|big\|little\|native\|unit\)\%(\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*-\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*\%(integer\|float\|binary\|bytes\|bitstring\|bits\|binary\|utf8\|utf16\|utf32\|signed\|unsigned\|big\|little\|native\|unit\)\)*' contains=erlangComment
 
 " Constants and Directives
-syn match   erlangDirective         '-\%(behaviour\|behavior\|compile\|define\|else\|endif\|export\|file\|ifdef\|ifndef\|import\|include_lib\|include\|module\|record\|undef\|author\|copyright\|doc\|vsn\|on_load\|export_type\)\>'
+syn match erlangUnknownAttribute '-\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*\l[[:alnum:]_@]*' contains=erlangComment
+syn match erlangAttribute '-\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*\%(behaviou\=r\|compile\|export\|file\|import\|module\|author\|copyright\|doc\|vsn\|on_load\|export_type\)' contains=erlangComment
+syn match erlangInclude   '-\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*\%(include\|include_lib\)\>' contains=erlangComment
+syn match erlangRecordDef '-\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*record\>' contains=erlangComment
+syn match erlangDefine    '-\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*\%(define\|undef\)\>' contains=erlangComment
+syn match erlangPreCondit '-\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*\%(ifdef\|ifndef\|else\|endif\)\>' contains=erlangComment
+syn match erlangType      '-\%(\s\|\n\|%.*\n\)*\%(spec\|type\|opaque\|callback\)\>' contains=erlangComment
 
 " Keywords
-syn keyword erlangKeyword           after begin case catch cond end fun if let of query receive when try
-syn keyword erlangExtra             true false
-
-
-if !exists("g:erlang_highlight_bifs") || g:erlang_highlight_bifs == 1
-
-  " build-in-functions (BIFs)
-  syn keyword erlangBIF        abs alive apply atom_to_binary atom_to_list binary_part binary_to_atom binary_to_existing_atom binary_to_float binary_to_integer bitstring_to_list binary_to_list binary_to_term bit_size byte_size check_old_code check_process_code concat_binary date delete_module demonitor disconnect_node element erase error exit float float_to_binary float_to_list garbage_collect get get_keys group_leader halt hd integer_to_binary integer_to_list iolist_to_binary iolist_size is_alive is_atom is_binary is_bitstring is_boolean is_float is_function is_integer is_list is_number is_pid is_port is_process_alive is_record is_reference is_tuple length link list_to_atom list_to_binary list_to_bitstring list_to_existing_atom list_to_float list_to_integer list_to_pid list_to_tuple load_module make_ref max min module_loaded monitor monitor_node node nodes now open_port pid_to_list port_close port_command port_connect pre_loaded process_flag process_flag process_info process purge_module put register registered round self setelement size spawn spawn_link spawn_monitor spawn_opt split_binary statistics term_to_binary throw time tl trunc tuple_size tuple_to_list unlink unregister whereis
-
-endif
-
-
-if exists("g:erlang_highlight_special_atoms") && g:erlang_highlight_special_atoms == 1
-
-  " Processes
-  syn keyword erlangProcess    creation current_function dictionary
-  syn keyword erlangProcess    group_leader heap_size high initial_call
-  syn keyword erlangProcess    linked low memory_in_use message_queue
-  syn keyword erlangProcess    net_kernel node normal priority
-  syn keyword erlangProcess    reductions registered_name runnable
-  syn keyword erlangProcess    running stack_trace status timer
-  syn keyword erlangProcess    trap_exit waiting
+syn keyword erlangKeyword after begin case catch cond end fun if let of query
+syn keyword erlangKeyword receive when try
 
-  " Ports
-  syn keyword erlangPort       command count_in count_out creation in
-  syn keyword erlangPort       in_format linked node out owner packeting
-
-  " Nodes
-  syn keyword erlangNode       atom_tables communicating creation
-  syn keyword erlangNode       current_gc current_reductions current_runtime
-  syn keyword erlangNode       current_wall_clock distribution_port
-  syn keyword erlangNode       entry_points error_handler friends
-  syn keyword erlangNode       garbage_collection magic_cookie magic_cookies
-  syn keyword erlangNode       module_table monitored_nodes name next_ref
-  syn keyword erlangNode       ports preloaded processes reductions
-  syn keyword erlangNode       ref_state registry runtime wall_clock
-
-  " Reserved
-  syn keyword erlangReserved   apply_lambda module_info module_lambdas
-  syn keyword erlangReserved   record record_index record_info
-
-  " Extras
-  syn keyword erlangExtra      badarg nocookie
-
-  " Signals
-  syn keyword erlangSignal     badsig kill killed exit normal
-endif
+" Build-in-functions (BIFs)
+syn keyword erlangBIF abs alive apply atom_to_binary atom_to_list contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF binary_part binary_to_atom contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF binary_to_existing_atom binary_to_float contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF binary_to_integer bitstring_to_list contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF binary_to_list binary_to_term bit_size contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF byte_size check_old_code check_process_code contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF concat_binary date delete_module demonitor contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF disconnect_node element erase error exit contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF float float_to_binary float_to_list contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF garbage_collect get get_keys group_leader contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF halt hd integer_to_binary integer_to_list contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF iolist_to_binary iolist_size is_alive contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF is_atom is_binary is_bitstring is_boolean contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF is_float is_function is_integer is_list contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF is_number is_pid is_port is_process_alive contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF is_record is_reference is_tuple length link contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF list_to_atom list_to_binary contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF list_to_bitstring list_to_existing_atom contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF list_to_float list_to_integer list_to_pid contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF list_to_tuple load_module make_ref max min contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF module_loaded monitor monitor_node node contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF nodes now open_port pid_to_list port_close contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF port_command port_connect pre_loaded contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF process_flag process_flag process_info contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF process purge_module put register registered contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF round self setelement size spawn spawn_link contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF spawn_monitor spawn_opt split_binary contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF statistics term_to_binary throw time tl contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF trunc tuple_size tuple_to_list unlink contained
+syn keyword erlangBIF unregister whereis contained
 
 " Sync at the beginning of functions: if this is not used, multiline string
-" are not always recognized
+" are not always recognized, and the indentation script cannot use the
+" "searchpair" (because it would not always skip strings and comments when
+" looking for keywords and opening parens/brackets).
 syn sync match erlangSync grouphere NONE "^[a-z]\s*("
+let b:erlang_syntax_synced = 1
 
-" Define the default highlighting.
+" Define the default highlighting. See ":help group-name" for the groups and
+" their colors.
+
+let s:old_style = (exists("g:erlang_old_style_highlight") && g:erlang_old_style_highlight == 1)
+
 " For version 5.7 and earlier: only when not done already
 " For version 5.8 and later: only when an item doesn't have highlighting yet
-if version >= 508 || !exists ("did_erlang_inits")
+if version >= 508 || !exists("did_erlang_inits")
   if version < 508
     let did_erlang_inits = 1
     command -nargs=+ HiLink hi link <args>
@@ -130,46 +153,106 @@ if version >= 508 || !exists ("did_erlan
     command -nargs=+ HiLink hi def link <args>
   endif
 
-  " erlang_characters
+  " Comments
   HiLink erlangComment Comment
   HiLink erlangCommentAnnotation Special
   HiLink erlangTodo Todo
-  HiLink erlangSeparator Normal
-  HiLink erlangOperator Operator
-  HiLink erlangRightArrow Operator
+  HiLink erlangShebang Comment
 
-  HiLink erlangStartString String
-  HiLink erlangString String
-  HiLink erlangStringModifier Special
-
-  HiLink erlangStartQuotedAtom Type
-  HiLink erlangQuotedAtom Type
-  HiLink erlangQuotedAtomModifier Special
-
+  " Numbers
   HiLink erlangNumberInteger Number
   HiLink erlangNumberFloat Float
-  HiLink erlangNumberHex Number
+
+  " Strings, atoms, characters
+  HiLink erlangString String
 
+  if s:old_style
+    HiLink erlangQuotedAtom Type
+  else
+    HiLink erlangQuotedAtom String
+  endif
+
+  HiLink erlangStringModifier Special
+  HiLink erlangQuotedAtomModifier Special
   HiLink erlangModifier Special
 
-  " erlang_functions
-  HiLink erlangFCall Function
+  " Operators, separators
+  HiLink erlangOperator Operator
+  HiLink erlangRightArrow Operator
+  if s:old_style
+    HiLink erlangBracket Normal
+    HiLink erlangPipe Normal
+  else
+    HiLink erlangBracket Delimiter
+    HiLink erlangPipe Delimiter
+  endif
+
+  " Atoms, functions, variables, macros
+  if s:old_style
+    HiLink erlangAtom Normal
+    HiLink erlangLocalFuncCall Normal
+    HiLink erlangLocalFuncRef Normal
+    HiLink erlangGlobalFuncCall Function
+    HiLink erlangGlobalFuncRef Function
+    HiLink erlangVariable Normal
+    HiLink erlangMacro Normal
+    HiLink erlangRecord Normal
+  else
+    HiLink erlangAtom String
+    HiLink erlangLocalFuncCall Normal
+    HiLink erlangLocalFuncRef Normal
+    HiLink erlangGlobalFuncCall Normal
+    HiLink erlangGlobalFuncRef Normal
+    HiLink erlangVariable Identifier
+    HiLink erlangMacro Macro
+    HiLink erlangRecord Structure
+  endif
+
+  " Bitstrings
+  if !s:old_style
+    HiLink erlangBitType Type
+  endif
+
+  " Constants and Directives
+  if s:old_style
+    HiLink erlangAttribute Type
+    HiLink erlangMacroDef Type
+    HiLink erlangUnknownAttribute Normal
+    HiLink erlangInclude Type
+    HiLink erlangRecordDef Type
+    HiLink erlangDefine Type
+    HiLink erlangPreCondit Type
+    HiLink erlangType Type
+  else
+    HiLink erlangAttribute Keyword
+    HiLink erlangMacroDef Macro
+    HiLink erlangUnknownAttribute Normal
+    HiLink erlangInclude Include
+    HiLink erlangRecordDef Keyword
+    HiLink erlangDefine Define
+    HiLink erlangPreCondit PreCondit
+    HiLink erlangType Type
+  endif
+
+  " Keywords
+  HiLink erlangKeyword Keyword
+
+  " Build-in-functions (BIFs)
   HiLink erlangBIF Function
 
-  " erlang_keywords
-  HiLink erlangDirective Type
-  HiLink erlangKeyword Keyword
-  HiLink erlangProcess Special
-  HiLink erlangPort Special
-  HiLink erlangNode Special
-  HiLink erlangReserved Statement
-  HiLink erlangExtra Statement
-  HiLink erlangSignal Statement
+  if s:old_style
+    HiLink erlangBoolean Statement
+    HiLink erlangExtra Statement
+    HiLink erlangSignal Statement
+  else
+    HiLink erlangBoolean Boolean
+    HiLink erlangExtra Statement
+    HiLink erlangSignal Statement
+  endif
 
   delcommand HiLink
 endif
 
-
 let b:current_syntax = "erlang"
 
 " vim: sw=2 et