Replace ANSI color code from string in vimscript

Question

I have a string variable in vimscript that contains some ANSI escape characters used for highlighting purposes. The string looks like,

^[[32m MyStringBody ^[[0m

I've put the escape code literally as vim displays it, it is the escape sequence - Ctrl-v-[.

I want to replace all occurences of such escape characters with a substitute command.

substitute(my_variable, pattern, '', 'g')

Can someone help me with a regex pattern that would remove these escape characters. Thanks.

your vim display ^[[0m as literal text or as key sequence? — Kent
– Kent, Commented Aug 7, 2013 at 12:02

Ingo Karkat · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-07 12:14:21Z

12

The special atom \e matches the <Esc> = ^[:

substitute(my_variable, '\e\[[0-9;]\+[mK]', '', 'g')

You could also use \%d27 (<Esc> is decimal 27) or \%x1b (hexadecimal). The pattern should match (most) ANSI escape sequences.

answered Aug 7, 2013 at 12:08

Ingo Karkat

174k16 gold badges265 silver badges341 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

1 Comment

Learn one thing a day and keep the boredom away. Thanks Ingo (and Vim).

romainl · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-07 12:06:49Z

3

Just use <C-v><Esc> to input the ^[ character in the following command:

substitute(my_variable, '^[[\d+m', '', 'g')

answered Aug 7, 2013 at 12:06

romainl

199k22 gold badges301 silver badges340 bronze badges