18 files changed, 105 insertions, 108 deletions
diff --git a/ale_linters/asciidoc/alex.vim b/ale_linters/asciidoc/alex.vim
index 79b04fc3..97976b2c 100644
--- a/ale_linters/asciidoc/alex.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/asciidoc/alex.vim
@@ -1,11 +1,4 @@
 " Author: Johannes Wienke <languitar@semipol.de>
 " Description: alex for asciidoc files
 
-call ale#linter#Define('help', {
-\   'name': 'alex',
-\   'executable': 'alex',
-\   'command': 'alex %s -t',
-\   'output_stream': 'stderr',
-\   'callback': 'ale#handlers#alex#Handle',
-\   'lint_file': 1,
-\})
+call ale#handlers#alex#DefineLinter('asciidoc', '--text')
diff --git a/ale_linters/help/alex.vim b/ale_linters/help/alex.vim
index 21b23b4f..9be00a82 100644
--- a/ale_linters/help/alex.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/help/alex.vim
@@ -1,11 +1,4 @@
 " Author: Johannes Wienke <languitar@semipol.de>
 " Description: alex for help files
 
-call ale#linter#Define('help', {
-\   'name': 'alex',
-\   'executable': 'alex',
-\   'command': 'alex %s -t',
-\   'output_stream': 'stderr',
-\   'callback': 'ale#handlers#alex#Handle',
-\   'lint_file': 1,
-\})
+call ale#handlers#alex#DefineLinter('help', '--text')
diff --git a/ale_linters/html/alex.vim b/ale_linters/html/alex.vim
index 5a1f61e9..97756753 100644
--- a/ale_linters/html/alex.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/html/alex.vim
@@ -1,11 +1,4 @@
 " Author: Johannes Wienke <languitar@semipol.de>
 " Description: alex for HTML files
 
-call ale#linter#Define('html', {
-\   'name': 'alex',
-\   'executable': 'alex',
-\   'command': 'alex %s -t',
-\   'output_stream': 'stderr',
-\   'callback': 'ale#handlers#alex#Handle',
-\   'lint_file': 1,
-\})
+call ale#handlers#alex#DefineLinter('html', '--html')
diff --git a/ale_linters/mail/alex.vim b/ale_linters/mail/alex.vim
index b0651ccd..0fceea7b 100644
--- a/ale_linters/mail/alex.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/mail/alex.vim
@@ -1,11 +1,4 @@
 " Author: Johannes Wienke <languitar@semipol.de>
-" Description: alex for HTML files
+" Description: alex for mail files
 
-call ale#linter#Define('mail', {
-\   'name': 'alex',
-\   'executable': 'alex',
-\   'command': 'alex %s -t',
-\   'output_stream': 'stderr',
-\   'callback': 'ale#handlers#alex#Handle',
-\   'lint_file': 1,
-\})
+call ale#handlers#alex#DefineLinter('mail', '--text')
diff --git a/ale_linters/markdown/alex.vim b/ale_linters/markdown/alex.vim
index 29306141..63769b5e 100644
--- a/ale_linters/markdown/alex.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/markdown/alex.vim
@@ -1,11 +1,4 @@
 " Author: Johannes Wienke <languitar@semipol.de>
 " Description: alex for markdown files
 
-call ale#linter#Define('markdown', {
-\   'name': 'alex',
-\   'executable': 'alex',
-\   'command': 'alex %s -t',
-\   'output_stream': 'stderr',
-\   'callback': 'ale#handlers#alex#Handle',
-\   'lint_file': 1,
-\})
+call ale#handlers#alex#DefineLinter('markdown', '')
diff --git a/ale_linters/nroff/alex.vim b/ale_linters/nroff/alex.vim
index a10db2dd..3f06af26 100644
--- a/ale_linters/nroff/alex.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/nroff/alex.vim
@@ -1,11 +1,4 @@
 " Author: Johannes Wienke <languitar@semipol.de>
 " Description: alex for nroff files
 
-call ale#linter#Define('nroff', {
-\   'name': 'alex',
-\   'executable': 'alex',
-\   'command': 'alex %s -t',
-\   'output_stream': 'stderr',
-\   'callback': 'ale#handlers#alex#Handle',
-\   'lint_file': 1,
-\})
+call ale#handlers#alex#DefineLinter('nroff', '--text')
diff --git a/ale_linters/po/alex.vim b/ale_linters/po/alex.vim
index 411d835b..05c67f15 100644
--- a/ale_linters/po/alex.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/po/alex.vim
@@ -1,11 +1,4 @@
 " Author: Cian Butler https://github.com/butlerx
 " Description: alex for PO files
 
-call ale#linter#Define('po', {
-\   'name': 'alex',
-\   'executable': 'alex',
-\   'command': 'alex %s -t',
-\   'output_stream': 'stderr',
-\   'callback': 'ale#handlers#alex#Handle',
-\   'lint_file': 1,
-\})
+call ale#handlers#alex#DefineLinter('po', '--text')
diff --git a/ale_linters/pod/alex.vim b/ale_linters/pod/alex.vim
index 5c09befb..c89f8330 100644
--- a/ale_linters/pod/alex.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/pod/alex.vim
@@ -1,11 +1,4 @@
 " Author: Johannes Wienke <languitar@semipol.de>
 " Description: alex for pod files
 
-call ale#linter#Define('pod', {
-\   'name': 'alex',
-\   'executable': 'alex',
-\   'command': 'alex %s -t',
-\   'output_stream': 'stderr',
-\   'callback': 'ale#handlers#alex#Handle',
-\   'lint_file': 1,
-\})
+call ale#handlers#alex#DefineLinter('pod', '--text')
diff --git a/ale_linters/rst/alex.vim b/ale_linters/rst/alex.vim
index e637eae7..e7ca6fa0 100644
--- a/ale_linters/rst/alex.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/rst/alex.vim
@@ -1,11 +1,4 @@
 " Author: Johannes Wienke <languitar@semipol.de>
 " Description: alex for rst files
 
-call ale#linter#Define('rst', {
-\   'name': 'alex',
-\   'executable': 'alex',
-\   'command': 'alex %s -t',
-\   'output_stream': 'stderr',
-\   'callback': 'ale#handlers#alex#Handle',
-\   'lint_file': 1,
-\})
+call ale#handlers#alex#DefineLinter('rst', '--text')
diff --git a/ale_linters/tex/alex.vim b/ale_linters/tex/alex.vim
index 78c530f7..5d9aec66 100644
--- a/ale_linters/tex/alex.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/tex/alex.vim
@@ -1,11 +1,4 @@
 " Author: Johannes Wienke <languitar@semipol.de>
 " Description: alex for TeX files
 
-call ale#linter#Define('tex', {
-\   'name': 'alex',
-\   'executable': 'alex',
-\   'command': 'alex %s -t',
-\   'output_stream': 'stderr',
-\   'callback': 'ale#handlers#alex#Handle',
-\   'lint_file': 1,
-\})
+call ale#handlers#alex#DefineLinter('tex', '--text')
diff --git a/ale_linters/texinfo/alex.vim b/ale_linters/texinfo/alex.vim
index 4a884579..4d245524 100644
--- a/ale_linters/texinfo/alex.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/texinfo/alex.vim
@@ -1,11 +1,4 @@
 " Author: Johannes Wienke <languitar@semipol.de>
 " Description: alex for texinfo files
 
-call ale#linter#Define('texinfo', {
-\   'name': 'alex',
-\   'executable': 'alex',
-\   'command': 'alex %s -t',
-\   'output_stream': 'stderr',
-\   'callback': 'ale#handlers#alex#Handle',
-\   'lint_file': 1,
-\})
+call ale#handlers#alex#DefineLinter('texinfo', '--text')
diff --git a/ale_linters/text/alex.vim b/ale_linters/text/alex.vim
index c696367b..d87ed915 100644
--- a/ale_linters/text/alex.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/text/alex.vim
@@ -1,11 +1,4 @@
 " Author: Johannes Wienke <languitar@semipol.de>
 " Description: alex for text files
 
-call ale#linter#Define('text', {
-\   'name': 'alex',
-\   'executable': 'alex',
-\   'command': 'alex %s -t',
-\   'output_stream': 'stderr',
-\   'callback': 'ale#handlers#alex#Handle',
-\   'lint_file': 1,
-\})
+call ale#handlers#alex#DefineLinter('text', '--text')
diff --git a/ale_linters/xhtml/alex.vim b/ale_linters/xhtml/alex.vim
index 60a9a7c9..97f3b59a 100644
--- a/ale_linters/xhtml/alex.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/xhtml/alex.vim
@@ -1,11 +1,4 @@
 " Author: Johannes Wienke <languitar@semipol.de>
 " Description: alex for XHTML files
 
-call ale#linter#Define('xhtml', {
-\   'name': 'alex',
-\   'executable': 'alex',
-\   'command': 'alex %s -t',
-\   'output_stream': 'stderr',
-\   'callback': 'ale#handlers#alex#Handle',
-\   'lint_file': 1,
-\})
+call ale#handlers#alex#DefineLinter('xhtml', '--text')
diff --git a/autoload/ale/handlers/alex.vim b/autoload/ale/handlers/alex.vim
index 853d3137..9cb546ec 100644
--- a/autoload/ale/handlers/alex.vim
+++ b/autoload/ale/handlers/alex.vim
@@ -1,10 +1,23 @@
 " Author: Johannes Wienke <languitar@semipol.de>
 " Description: Error handling for errors in alex output format
 
+function! ale#handlers#alex#GetExecutable(buffer) abort
+    return ale#node#FindExecutable(a:buffer, 'alex', [
+    \   'node_modules/.bin/alex',
+    \   'node_modules/alex/cli.js',
+    \])
+endfunction
+
+function! ale#handlers#alex#CreateCommandCallback(flags) abort
+    return {b -> ale#node#Executable(b, ale#handlers#alex#GetExecutable(b))
+    \            . ' %s '
+    \            . a:flags}
+endfunction
+
 function! ale#handlers#alex#Handle(buffer, lines) abort
     " Example output:
     "       6:256-6:262  warning  Be careful with “killed”, it’s profane in some cases      killed           retext-profanities
-    let l:pattern = '^ *\(\d\+\):\(\d\+\)-\(\d\+\):\(\d\+\) \+warning \+\(.\{-\}\)  \+\(.\{-\}\)  \+\(.\{-\}\)$'
+    let l:pattern = '\v^ *(\d+):(\d+)-(\d+):(\d+) +warning +(.{-})  +(.{-})  +(.{-})$'
     let l:output = []
 
     for l:match in ale#util#GetMatches(a:lines, l:pattern)
@@ -20,3 +33,21 @@ function! ale#handlers#alex#Handle(buffer, lines) abort
 
     return l:output
 endfunction
+
+" Define a linter for a specific filetype. Accept flags to adapt to the filetype.
+"    no flags  treat input as markdown
+"    --html    treat input as HTML
+"    --text    treat input as plaintext
+function! ale#handlers#alex#DefineLinter(filetype, flags) abort
+    call ale#Set('alex_executable', 'alex')
+    call ale#Set('alex_use_global', get(g:, 'ale_use_global_executables', 0))
+
+    call ale#linter#Define(a:filetype, {
+    \   'name': 'alex',
+    \   'executable_callback': 'ale#handlers#alex#GetExecutable',
+    \   'command_callback': ale#handlers#alex#CreateCommandCallback(a:flags),
+    \   'output_stream': 'stderr',
+    \   'callback': 'ale#handlers#alex#Handle',
+    \   'lint_file': 1,
+    \})
+endfunction
diff --git a/doc/ale.txt b/doc/ale.txt
index 006928ef..0ca64af9 100644
--- a/doc/ale.txt
+++ b/doc/ale.txt
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ CONTENTS                                                         *ale-contents*
     5.6 Symbol Search.....................|ale-symbol-search|
   6. Global Options.......................|ale-options|
     6.1 Highlights........................|ale-highlights|
-    6.2 Options for write-good Linter.....|ale-write-good-options|
+    6.2 Options for alex Linter...........|ale-alex-options|
+    6.3 Options for write-good Linter.....|ale-write-good-options|
   7. Integration Documentation............|ale-integrations|
     ada...................................|ale-ada-options|
       gcc.................................|ale-ada-gcc|
@@ -2219,7 +2220,29 @@ ALEWarningSign                                                 *ALEWarningSign*
 
 
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-6.2. Options for write-good                            *ale-write-good-options*
+6.2. Options for alex                                        *ale-alex-options*
+
+The options for the alex linter are global because it does not make sense to
+have them specified on a per-language basis.
+
+g:ale_alex_executable                                   *g:ale_alex_executable*
+                                                        *b:ale_alex_executable*
+  Type: |String|
+  Default: `'alex'`
+
+  See |ale-integrations-local-executables|
+
+
+g:ale_alex_use_global                                   *g:ale_alex_use_global*
+                                                        *b:ale_alex_use_global*
+  Type: |Number|
+  Default: `get(g:, 'ale_use_global_executables', 0)`
+
+  See |ale-integrations-local-executables|
+
+
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+6.3. Options for write-good                            *ale-write-good-options*
 
 The options for the write-good linter are global because it does not make
 sense to have them specified on a per-language basis.
diff --git a/test/command_callback/alex-node-modules-2/node_modules/alex/cli.js b/test/command_callback/alex-node-modules-2/node_modules/alex/cli.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/command_callback/alex-node-modules-2/node_modules/alex/cli.js
diff --git a/test/command_callback/alex-node-modules/node_modules/.bin/alex b/test/command_callback/alex-node-modules/node_modules/.bin/alex
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/command_callback/alex-node-modules/node_modules/.bin/alex
diff --git a/test/command_callback/test_alex_command_callback.vader b/test/command_callback/test_alex_command_callback.vader
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..98769e0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/command_callback/test_alex_command_callback.vader
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+Before:
+  call ale#assert#SetUpLinterTest('tex', 'alex')
+  call ale#test#SetFilename('test_file.tex')
+
+After:
+  call ale#assert#TearDownLinterTest()
+
+Execute(The global executable should be used when the local one cannot be found):
+  AssertLinter 'alex',
+  \ ale#Escape('alex') . ' %s --text',
+
+Execute(Should use the node_modules/.bin executable, if available):
+  call ale#test#SetFilename('alex-node-modules/test_file.tex')
+
+  AssertLinter ale#path#Simplify(g:dir . '/alex-node-modules/node_modules/.bin/alex'),
+  \ ale#Escape(ale#path#Simplify(g:dir . '/alex-node-modules/node_modules/.bin/alex'))
+  \ . ' %s --text',
+
+Execute(Should use the node_modules/alex executable, if available):
+  call ale#test#SetFilename('alex-node-modules-2/test_file.tex')
+
+  AssertLinter ale#path#Simplify(g:dir . '/alex-node-modules-2/node_modules/alex/cli.js'),
+  \ (has('win32') ? 'node.exe ' : '')
+  \ . ale#Escape(ale#path#Simplify(g:dir . '/alex-node-modules-2/node_modules/alex/cli.js'))
+  \ . ' %s --text',
+
+Execute(Should let users configure a global executable and override local paths):
+  call ale#test#SetFilename('write-good-node-modules-2/test_file.tex')
+
+  let g:ale_alex_executable = '/path/to/custom/alex'
+  let g:ale_alex_use_global = 1
+
+  AssertLinter '/path/to/custom/alex',
+  \ ale#Escape('/path/to/custom/alex') . ' %s --text'