How do I change the color of the JSON `Key` in Sublime Text2

Question

So I've added:

    <dict>
        <key>name</key>
        <string>JSON Key</string>
        <key>scope</key>
        <string>meta.structure.dictionary.json string2.quoted.double.json</string>
        <key>settings</key>
        <dict>
            <key>foreground</key>
            <string>#00FF00</string>
        </dict>
    </dict>

to my color scheme called custom.tmTheme and I've added:

    <key>string2</key>
    <dict>
        <key>begin</key>
        <string>"</string>
        <key>beginCaptures</key>
        <dict>
            <key>0</key>
            <dict>
                <key>name</key>
                <string>punctuation.definition.string2.begin.json</string>
            </dict>
        </dict>
        <key>end</key>
        <string>"\s.:</string>
        <key>endCaptures</key>
        <dict>
            <key>0</key>
            <dict>
                <key>name</key>
                <string>punctuation.definition.string2.end.json</string>
            </dict>
        </dict>
        <key>name</key>
        <string>string2.quoted.double.json</string>
        <key>patterns</key>
        <array>
            <dict>
                <key>match</key>
                <string>(?x:                # turn on extended mode
                 \\                # a literal backslash
                 (?:               # ...followed by...
                   ["\\/bfnrt]     # one of these characters
                   |               # ...or...
                   u               # a u
                   [0-9a-fA-F]{4}  # and four hex digits
                 )
               )</string>
                <key>name</key>
                <string>constant.character.escape.json</string>
            </dict>
            <dict>
                <key>match</key>
                <string>\\.</string>
                <key>name</key>
                <string>invalid.illegal.unrecognized-string-escape.json</string>
            </dict>
        </array>
    </dict>

to a JSON-test.tmLanguage file in my packages folder, but yet I still don't see green keys.

Does anyone have any idea where I went wrong?

Answer 1

You don't need to create or modify a .tmLanguage file, you should be able to do this simply using the JavaScript -> JSON syntax. Modify your .tmTheme like so:

<dict>
    <key>name</key>
    <string>JSON Key</string>
    <key>scope</key>
    <string>meta.structure.dictionary.json string.quoted.double.json -meta.structure.dictionary.value.json</string>
    <key>settings</key>
    <dict>
        <key>foreground</key>
        <string>#00FF00</string>
    </dict>
</dict>

and you should be all set. It will highlight all strings contained within JSON dictionaries, but not if the scope contains meta.structure.dictionary.value.json, so it will only highlight the keys.