ansi.h File Reference

ANSI escape sequence utilities. More...

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Functions
char *	ansi_strip_escapes (const char *input, size_t input_len)
	Strip all ANSI escape sequences from a string.

Detailed Description

ANSI escape sequence utilities.

Functions for manipulating ANSI escape sequences in strings, including stripping all escape codes for plain text output.

Definition in file ansi.h.

Function Documentation

ansi_strip_escapes()

char * ansi_strip_escapes	(	const char *	input,
		size_t	input_len
	)

Strip all ANSI escape sequences from a string.

Removes all ANSI CSI sequences (ESC [ ... final_byte) from the input, leaving only printable text. Useful for creating plain text output from colorized ASCII art.

Parameters

input	Input string containing ANSI escape sequences
input_len	Length of input string

Returns

Newly allocated string with escapes removed (caller must free), or NULL on error

Definition at line 13 of file ansi.c.

                                                              {
  if (!input || input_len == 0) {
    return NULL;
  }
 
  // Output will be at most input_len (stripping only removes chars)
  outbuf_t ob = {0};
  ob_reserve(&ob, input_len);
 
  size_t i = 0;
  while (i < input_len) {
    // Check for ESC character (start of ANSI sequence)
    if (input[i] == '\x1b' && i + 1 < input_len && input[i + 1] == '[') {
      // Skip ESC[
      i += 2;
 
      // Skip parameter bytes (digits, semicolons, and intermediate bytes)
      while (i < input_len) {
        char c = input[i];
        // Parameter bytes: 0x30-0x3F (digits, semicolon, etc.)
        // Intermediate bytes: 0x20-0x2F (space, !, ", etc.)
        if ((c >= 0x30 && c <= 0x3F) || (c >= 0x20 && c <= 0x2F)) {
          i++;
        } else {
          break;
        }
      }
 
      // Skip final byte (0x40-0x7E: @, A-Z, [, \, ], ^, _, `, a-z, {, |, }, ~)
      if (i < input_len) {
        char final = input[i];
        if (final >= 0x40 && final <= 0x7E) {
          i++;
        }
      }
    } else {
      // Regular character - copy to output
      ob_putc(&ob, input[i]);
      i++;
    }
  }
 
  ob_term(&ob);
  return ob.buf;
}

References outbuf_t::buf, ob_putc(), ob_reserve(), and ob_term().