$nohighlight()

Synopsis

$nohighlight(<string>)

Technical

Returns the string with selected formatting control bytes rendered as visible, reverse-video letters. Each selected byte is replaced by a reverse toggle (0x16), the control byte ORed with 0x40, and another reverse toggle. It escapes those bytes rather than removing them or producing plain text.

The entire input is processed literally, including spaces and quotation marks; it is not parsed into words or dequoted. Color numbers and text following an escape byte are retained. For example, a color byte followed by 04 becomes a reverse-video C followed by the ordinary digits 04.

Practical

This compatibility function can expose some formatting bytes when inspecting text. For configurable removal of formatting, use $stripcrap() instead.

It does not guarantee unformatted output: its own markers use reverse toggles, and the italic toggle (^P, 0x10) is not escaped. Other control bytes not listed above are also retained. It does not parse complete ANSI escape sequences.

Returns

A copy of the transformed string. Empty input returns the empty string, and the source variable is not changed. Processing is byte based: ordinary UTF-8 bytes, including malformed sequences, are copied unchanged rather than validated or normalized.

Examples

If the input contains actual bold and underline control bytes around the words in this is a test, those bytes become reverse-video B and _ letters around the words. This differs from inserting literal caret notation such as ^B.

$nohighlight(plain text) returns plain text. Literal characters ^B remain literal characters ^B; only the actual control byte triggers conversion.

Registration and function_nohighlight(): source/functions.c. Control byte definitions: include/irc.h.