Now possible to specify a global ycm_extra_conf

README.md

@@ -248,7 +248,9 @@ 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.
+compile the current file. (You can also provide a path to a global
+`.ycm_extra_conf.py` file and override this searching behavior. See the Options
+section for more details.)
 
 This system was designed this way so that the user can perform any arbitrary
 sequence of operations to produce a list of compilation flags YCM should hand
@@ -430,6 +432,20 @@ Default: `<C-Space>`
 
     let g:ycm_key_invoke_completion = '<C-Space>'
 
+### The `g:ycm_global_ycm_extra_conf` option
+
+Normally, YCM searches for a `.ycm_extra_conf.py` file for compilation flags
+(see the User Guide for more details on how this works). You can use this option
+to override this searching behavior by providing a full, absolute path to a
+global `.ycm_extra_conf.py` file (although you can call the global file whatever
+you want).
+
+You can place such a global file anywhere in your filesystem.
+
+Default: ``
+
+    let g:ycm_global_ycm_extra_conf = ''
+
 
 FAQ
 ---

plugin/youcompleteme.vim

@@ -85,6 +85,9 @@ let g:ycm_key_previous_completion =
 let g:ycm_key_invoke_completion =
       \ get( g:, 'ycm_key_invoke_completion', '<C-Space>' )
 
+let g:ycm_global_ycm_extra_conf =
+      \ get( g:, 'ycm_global_ycm_extra_conf', '' )
+
 " This is basic vim plugin boilerplate
 let s:save_cpo = &cpo
 set cpo&vim

python/completers/cpp/flags.py

@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ YCM_EXTRA_CONF_FILENAME = '.ycm_extra_conf.py'
 NO_OPTIONS_FILENAME_MESSAGE = ('No {0} file detected, so no compile flags '
   'are available. Thus no semantic support for C/C++/ObjC/ObjC++.').format(
     YCM_EXTRA_CONF_FILENAME )
+GLOBAL_YCM_EXTRA_CONF_FILE = vimsupport.GetVariableValue(
+  "g:ycm_global_ycm_extra_conf" )
 
 class Flags( object ):
   def __init__( self ):
@@ -88,7 +90,12 @@ class Flags( object ):
 def _FlagsModuleSourceFileForFile( filename ):
   """For a given filename, finds its nearest YCM_EXTRA_CONF_FILENAME file that
   will compute the flags necessary to compile the file. Returns None if no
-  YCM_EXTRA_CONF_FILENAME file could be found."""
+  YCM_EXTRA_CONF_FILENAME file could be found. Uses the global ycm_extra_conf
+  file if one is set."""
+
+  if ( GLOBAL_YCM_EXTRA_CONF_FILE and
+       os.path.exists( GLOBAL_YCM_EXTRA_CONF_FILE ) ):
+    return GLOBAL_YCM_EXTRA_CONF_FILE
 
   parent_folder = os.path.dirname( filename )
   old_parent_folder = ''