feat: powerline like section seperators (#94)

README.md

@@ -86,17 +86,19 @@ All available themes are listed in [THEMES.md](./THEMES.md)
 Please create a pr if you managed to port a popular theme before me, [here is how to do it](./CONTRIBUTING.md).
 
 ### Changing separator in section
-Lualine defines a separator between components in given section, the default
+Lualine defines two kinds of seperators. One is for sections and other is for components. Default section seperators are '', '' and component separators are '', ''.
-separator is `|`. You can change the separator this way:
+They require powerline patched fonts. But you can easily change yours to something else like below
 
 ```lua
-lualine.options.separator = '|'
+lualine.section_separators = {'', ''}
+lualine.component_separators = {'', ''}
 ```
 
 or disable it
 
 ```lua
-lualine.options.separator = ''
+lualine.section_separators = nil
+lualine.component_separators = nil
 ```
 
 ### Changing components in lualine sections
@@ -304,7 +306,8 @@ All available extensions are listed in [EXTENSIONS.md](./EXTENSIONS.md)
       local lualine = require('lualine')
       lualine.options = {
         theme = 'gruvbox',
-        separator = '|',
+        section_separators = {'', ''},
+        component_separators = {'', ''},
         icons_enabled = true,
       }
       lualine.sections = {
@@ -341,7 +344,8 @@ lua << EOF
 local lualine = require('lualine')
     lualine.options = {
       theme = 'gruvbox',
-      separator = '|',
+      section_separators = {'', ''},
+      component_separators = {'', ''},
       icons_enabled = true,
     }
     lualine.sections = {

doc/lualine.txt

@@ -113,15 +113,19 @@ how to do it (./CONTRIBUTING.md).
 
 CHANGING SEPARATOR IN SECTION			    *lualine_changing_separator*
 
-Lualine defines a separator between components in given section, the default
+Lualine defines two kinds of seperators. One is for sections and other is
-separator is `|`. You can change the separator this way:
+for components. Default section seperators are '', '' and component
+separators are '', ''.They require powerline patched fonts. But you can
+easily change yours to something else like below.
 >
-    lualine.options.separator = '|'
+    lualine.section_separators = {'', ''}
+    lualine.component_separators = {'', ''}
 <
 
 or disable it
 >
-    lualine.options.separator = ''
+    lualine.section_separators = nil
+    lualine.component_separators = nil
 <
 
 CHANGING COMPONENTS IN LUALINE SECTIONS            *lualine_changing_components*
@@ -349,7 +353,8 @@ packer config
           local lualine = require('lualine')
 	  lualine.options = {
 	    theme = 'gruvbox',
-	    separator = '|',
+	    section_separators = {'', ''},
+	    component_separators = {'', ''},
 	    icons_enabled = true,
 	  }
           lualine.sections = {
@@ -385,7 +390,8 @@ vimrc config
     local lualine = require('lualine')
         lualine.options = {
           theme = 'gruvbox',
-          separator = '|',
+	    section_separators = {'', ''},
+	    component_separators = {'', ''},
 	    icons_enabled = true,
 	  }
         lualine.sections = {

lua/lualine.lua

@@ -12,9 +12,11 @@ local theme_set = {}
 M.options = {
   icons_enabled = true,
   theme = 'gruvbox',
-  separator = '|',
+  component_separators = {'', ''},
+  section_separators = {'', ''},
 }
 
+
 M.sections = {
   lualine_a = { 'mode' },
   lualine_b = { 'branch' },
@@ -36,6 +38,17 @@ M.inactive_sections = {
 M.extensions = {
 }
 
+local function check_single_separator()
+  local compoennt_separator = M.options.component_separators
+  local section_separator = M.options.section_separators
+  if type(M.options.component_separators) == 'string' then
+    M.options.component_separators = {compoennt_separator, compoennt_separator}
+  end
+  if type(M.options.section_separators) == 'string' then
+    M.options.section_separators = {section_separator, section_separator}
+  end
+end
+
 local function load_special_components(component)
   return function()
     -- precedence lualine_component > vim_var > lua_var > vim_function
@@ -138,43 +151,91 @@ local function  load_extensions()
   end
 end
 
-local function set_lualine_theme()
+local function lualine_set_theme()
   if type(M.options.theme) == 'string' then
     M.options.theme = require('lualine.themes.'.. M.options.theme)
+    local function reset_component_theme(sections)
+      for _, section in pairs(sections)do
+        for _, component in pairs(section) do
+          if type(component) == 'table' then
+            component.theme = M.options.theme
           end
+        end
+      end
+    end
+    reset_component_theme(M.sections)
+    reset_component_theme(M.inactive_sections)
+  end
+  highlight.clear_highlights()
   highlight.create_highlight_groups(M.options.theme)
   theme_set = M.options.theme
 end
 
 local function statusline(sections, is_focused)
-  if M.theme ~= theme_set then
+  if M.options.theme ~= theme_set then
-    set_lualine_theme()
+    _G.lualine_set_theme()
   end
+  local function create_status_builder()
+    -- The sequence sections should maintain
+    local section_sequence = {'a', 'b', 'c', 'x', 'y', 'z'}
+    local status_builder = {}
+    for _, section_name in ipairs(section_sequence) do
+      if sections['lualine_'..section_name] then
+        -- insert highlight+components of this section to status_builder
+        local section_highlight = highlight.format_highlight(is_focused,
+        'lualine_'..section_name)
+        local section_data = utils_component.draw_section(sections['lualine_'..section_name], section_highlight)
+        if #section_data > 0 then
+          table.insert(status_builder, {name = section_name, data = section_data,})
+        end
+      end
+    end
+    return status_builder
+  end
+  -- status_builder stores statusline without section_separators
+  local status_builder = create_status_builder()
+
+  -- Actual statusline
   local status = {}
-  if sections.lualine_a then
+  local half_passed = false
-    local hl = highlight.format_highlight(is_focused, 'lualine_a')
+  for i=1,#status_builder do
-    table.insert(status, utils_component.draw_section(sections.lualine_a,  hl))
+    -- midsection divider
+    if not half_passed and status_builder[i].name > 'c' then
+      table.insert(status, highlight.format_highlight(is_focused, 'lualine_c') .. '%=')
+      half_passed = true
     end
-  if sections.lualine_b then
+    -- provide section_separators when statusline is in focus
-    local hl = highlight.format_highlight(is_focused, 'lualine_b')
+    if is_focused then
-    table.insert(status, utils_component.draw_section(sections.lualine_b,  hl))
+      -- component separator needs to have fg = current_section.bg
+      -- and bg = adjacent_section.bg
+      local previous_section = status_builder[i-1] or {}
+      local current_section = status_builder[i]
+      local next_section = status_builder[i+1] or {}
+      -- For 2nd half we need to show separator before section
+      if current_section.name > 'x' then
+        local transitional_highlight = highlight.get_transitional_highlights(previous_section.data, current_section.data, true)
+        if transitional_highlight and M.options.section_separators and M.options.section_separators[2] then
+          table.insert(status, transitional_highlight .. M.options.section_separators[2])
         end
-  if sections.lualine_c then
-    local hl = highlight.format_highlight(is_focused, 'lualine_c')
-    table.insert(status, utils_component.draw_section(sections.lualine_c,  hl))
       end
-  table.insert(status, "%=")
+
-  if sections.lualine_x then
+      -- **( insert the actual section in the middle )** --
-    local hl = highlight.format_highlight(is_focused, 'lualine_c')
+      table.insert(status, status_builder[i].data)
-    table.insert(status, utils_component.draw_section(sections.lualine_x,  hl))
+
+      -- For 1st half we need to show separator after section
+      if current_section.name < 'c' then
+        local transitional_highlight = highlight.get_transitional_highlights(current_section.data, next_section.data)
+        if transitional_highlight and M.options.section_separators and M.options.section_separators[1] then
+          table.insert(status, transitional_highlight .. M.options.section_separators[1])
         end
-  if sections.lualine_y then
-    local hl = highlight.format_highlight(is_focused, 'lualine_b')
-    table.insert(status, utils_component.draw_section(sections.lualine_y,  hl))
       end
-  if sections.lualine_z then
+    else -- when not in focus
-    local hl = highlight.format_highlight(is_focused, 'lualine_a')
+      table.insert(status, status_builder[i].data)
-    table.insert(status, utils_component.draw_section(sections.lualine_z,  hl))
+    end
+  end
+  -- incase none of x,y,z was configured lets not fill whole statusline with a,b,c section
+  if not half_passed then
+    table.insert(status, highlight.format_highlight(is_focused,'lualine_c').."%=")
   end
   return table.concat(status)
 end
@@ -188,12 +249,12 @@ local function status_dispatch()
 end
 
 local function exec_autocommands()
-  _G.set_lualine_theme = set_lualine_theme
+  _G.lualine_set_theme = lualine_set_theme
   _G.lualine_statusline = status_dispatch
   vim.api.nvim_exec([[
   augroup lualine
   autocmd!
-    autocmd ColorScheme * call v:lua.set_lualine_theme()
+  autocmd ColorScheme * call v:lua.lualine_set_theme()
   autocmd WinLeave,BufLeave * lua vim.wo.statusline=lualine_statusline()
   autocmd WinEnter,BufEnter * setlocal statusline=%!v:lua.lualine_statusline()
   augroup END
@@ -201,7 +262,8 @@ local function exec_autocommands()
 end
 
 function M.status()
-  set_lualine_theme()
+  check_single_separator()
+  lualine_set_theme()
   exec_autocommands()
   load_components()
   load_extensions()

lua/lualine/components/signify.lua

@@ -12,13 +12,13 @@ local function signify(options)
   if options.colored == nil then options.colored = true end
   -- apply colors
   if not options.color_added then
-    options.color_added = utils.extract_highlight_colors('diffAdded', 'foreground') or default_color_added
+    options.color_added = utils.extract_highlight_colors('diffAdded', 'guifg') or default_color_added
   end
   if not options.color_modified then
-    options.color_modified = utils.extract_highlight_colors('diffChanged', 'foreground') or default_color_modified
+    options.color_modified = utils.extract_highlight_colors('diffChanged', 'guifg') or default_color_modified
   end
   if not options.color_removed then
-    options.color_removed = utils.extract_highlight_colors('diffRemoved', 'foreground') or default_color_removed
+    options.color_removed = utils.extract_highlight_colors('diffRemoved', 'guifg') or default_color_removed
   end
 
   local highlights = {}
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ local function signify(options)
   if options.colored then
     create_highlights()
     utils.expand_set_theme(create_highlights)
-    options.custom_highlight = true
   end
 
   -- Function that runs everytime statusline is updated

lua/lualine/highlight.lua

@@ -3,18 +3,38 @@
 
 local M = {  }
 local utils_colors = require "lualine.utils.cterm_colors"
+local utils = require 'lualine.utils.utils'
+local section_highlight_map = {x = 'c', y = 'b', z = 'a'}
+local loaded_highlights = {}
+
+-- @description: clears Highlights in loaded_highlights
+function M.clear_highlights()
+  for no, highlight_name in ipairs(loaded_highlights)do
+    if highlight_name and #highlight_name > 0 and utils.highlight_exists(highlight_name) then
+      vim.cmd('highlight clear ' .. highlight_name)
+    end
+    loaded_highlights[no] = nil
+  end
+end
 
 local function highlight (name, foreground, background, gui)
-  local command = {
+  local command = { 'highlight', name, }
-      'highlight', name,
+  if foreground then
-      'ctermfg=' .. (foreground[2] or utils_colors.get_cterm_color(foreground)),
+    table.insert(command, 'ctermfg=' .. (foreground[2] or
-      'ctermbg=' .. (background[2] or utils_colors.get_cterm_color(background)),
+      (foreground ~= 'none' and utils_colors.get_cterm_color(foreground)) or 'none'))
-      'cterm=' .. (gui or 'none'),
+    table.insert(command, 'guifg=' .. (foreground[1] or foreground))
-      'guifg=' .. (foreground[1] or foreground),
+  end
-      'guibg=' .. (background[1] or background),
+  if background then
-      'gui=' .. (gui or 'none'),
+    table.insert(command, 'ctermbg=' .. (background[2] or
-    }
+      (background ~= 'none' and utils_colors.get_cterm_color(background)) or 'none'))
-  return table.concat(command, ' ')
+    table.insert(command, 'guibg=' .. (background[1] or background))
+  end
+  if gui then
+    table.insert(command, 'cterm=' .. (gui or 'none'))
+    table.insert(command, 'gui=' .. (gui or 'none'))
+  end
+  vim.cmd(table.concat(command, ' '))
+  table.insert(loaded_highlights, name)
 end
 
 local function apply_defaults_to_theme(theme)
@@ -36,11 +56,14 @@ function M.create_highlight_groups(theme)
   for mode, sections in pairs(theme) do
     for section, colorscheme in pairs(sections) do
       local highlight_group_name = { 'lualine', section, mode }
-      vim.cmd(highlight(table.concat(highlight_group_name, '_'), colorscheme.fg, colorscheme.bg, colorscheme.gui))
+      highlight(table.concat(highlight_group_name, '_'), colorscheme.fg, colorscheme.bg, colorscheme.gui)
     end
   end
 end
 
+-- @description: adds '_mode' at end of highlight_group
+-- @param highlight_group:(string) name of highlight group
+-- @return: (string) highlight group name with mode
 local function append_mode(highlight_group)
   local mode = require('lualine.components.mode')()
   if mode == 'VISUAL' or mode == 'V-BLOCK' or mode == 'V-LINE'
@@ -68,51 +91,138 @@ end
 -- @@highlight_tag is unique tag for highlight group
 -- returns the name of highlight group
 -- @@options is parameter of component.init() function
+-- @return: (string) unique name that can be used by component_format_highlight
+--   to retrive highlight group
 function M.create_component_highlight_group(color , highlight_tag, options)
   if color.bg and color.fg then
     -- When bg and fg are both present we donn't need to set highlighs for
-    -- each mode as they will surely look the same
+    -- each mode as they will surely look the same. So we can work without options
     local highlight_group_name = table.concat({ 'lualine', highlight_tag, 'no_mode'}, '_')
-    vim.cmd(highlight(highlight_group_name, color.fg, color.bg, color.gui))
+    highlight(highlight_group_name, color.fg, color.bg, color.gui)
     return highlight_group_name
   end
 
   local modes = {'normal', 'insert', 'visual', 'replace', 'command', 'terminal', 'inactive'}
-  for _, mode in ipairs(modes) do
+  local normal_hl
-    local highlight_group_name = { options.self.section, highlight_tag, mode }
   -- convert lualine_a -> a before setting section
   local section = options.self.section:match('lualine_(.*)')
-    local bg = (color.bg or options.theme[mode][section]['bg'])
+  if section > 'c' then
-    local fg = (color.fg or options.theme[mode][section]['fg'])
+    section = section_highlight_map[section]
-    vim.cmd(highlight(table.concat(highlight_group_name, '_'), fg, bg, color.gui))
+  end
+  for _, mode in ipairs(modes) do
+    local highlight_group_name = { options.self.section, highlight_tag, mode }
+    local default_color_table = options.theme[mode] and
+      options.theme[mode][section] or options.theme.normal[section]
+    local bg = (color.bg or default_color_table.bg)
+    local fg = (color.fg or default_color_table.fg)
+    -- Check if it's same as normal mode if it is no need to create aditional highlight
+    if mode ~= 'normal' then
+      if bg ~= normal_hl.bg and fg ~= normal_hl.fg then
+        highlight(table.concat(highlight_group_name, '_'), fg, bg, color.gui)
+      end
+    else
+      normal_hl = {bg = bg, fg = fg}
+      highlight(table.concat(highlight_group_name, '_'), fg, bg, color.gui)
+    end
   end
   return options.self.section..'_'..highlight_tag
 end
 
--- retrieve highlight_groups for components
+-- @description: retrieve highlight_groups for components
--- @@highlight_name received from create_component_highlight_group
+-- @param highlight_name:(string) highlight group name without mode
+--   return value of create_component_highlight_group is to be passed in
+--   this parameter to receive highlight that was created
+-- @return: (string) formated highlight group name
 function M.component_format_highlight(highlight_name)
-  local highlight_group = [[%#]]..highlight_name
+  local highlight_group = highlight_name
   if highlight_name:find('no_mode') == #highlight_name - #'no_mode' + 1 then
-    return highlight_group..'#'
+    return '%#'..highlight_group..'#'
   end
   if vim.g.statusline_winid == vim.fn.win_getid() then
-    highlight_group = append_mode(highlight_group)..'#'
+    highlight_group = append_mode(highlight_group)
   else
-    highlight_group = highlight_group..'_inactive'..'#'
+    highlight_group = highlight_group..'_inactive'
+  end
+  if utils.highlight_exists(highlight_group)then
+    return '%#'..highlight_group..'#'
+  else
+    return '%#'..highlight_name..'_normal#'
   end
-  return highlight_group
 end
 
 function M.format_highlight(is_focused, highlight_group)
-  highlight_group = [[%#]] .. highlight_group
+  if highlight_group > 'lualine_c' then
-  if not is_focused then
+    highlight_group = 'lualine_' .. section_highlight_map[highlight_group:match('lualine_(.)')]
-    highlight_group = highlight_group .. [[_inactive]]
-  else
-    highlight_group = append_mode(highlight_group)
   end
-  highlight_group = highlight_group .. [[#]]
+  local highlight_name = highlight_group
-  return highlight_group
+  if not is_focused then
+    return '%#' .. highlight_group .. [[_inactive#]]
+  else
+    highlight_name = append_mode(highlight_group)
+  end
+  return '%#' .. highlight_name ..'#'
+end
+
+-- @description : Provides transitional highlights for section separators.
+-- @param left_section_data :(string) section before separator
+-- @param right_section_data:(string) section after separator
+-- @param reverse      :(string) Whether it's a left separator or right separator
+--		'▶️' and '◀️' needs reverse colors so this parameter needs to be set true.
+-- @return: (string) formated highlight group name
+function M.get_transitional_highlights(left_section_data, right_section_data, reverse )
+  local left_highlight_name, right_highlight_name
+  -- Grab the last highlighter of left section
+  if left_section_data then
+    -- extract highlight_name from .....%#highlight_name#
+    left_highlight_name = left_section_data:match('.*%%#(.*)#')
+  else
+    -- When right section us unavailable default to lualine_c
+    left_highlight_name = append_mode('lualine_c')
+    if not utils.highlight_exists(left_highlight_name) then
+      left_highlight_name = 'lualine_c_normal'
+    end
+  end
+  if right_section_data then
+    -- using vim-regex cause lua-paterns don't have non-greedy matching
+    -- extract highlight_name from %#highlight_name#....
+    right_highlight_name = vim.fn.matchlist(right_section_data, [[%#\(.\{-\}\)#]])[2]
+  else
+    -- When right section us unavailable default to lualine_c
+    right_highlight_name = append_mode('lualine_c')
+    if not utils.highlight_exists(right_highlight_name) then
+      right_highlight_name = 'lualine_c_normal'
+    end
+  end
+	-- When both left and right highlights are same nothing to transition to
+  if left_highlight_name == right_highlight_name then return end
+
+	-- construct the name of hightlight group
+  local highlight_name
+	if left_highlight_name:find('lualine_') == 1 then
+		highlight_name = left_highlight_name .. '_to_' .. right_highlight_name
+	else
+		highlight_name = 'lualine_' .. left_highlight_name .. '_to_' .. right_highlight_name
+	end
+
+  if not utils.highlight_exists(highlight_name) then
+    -- Create the highlight_group if needed
+    local function set_transitional_highlights()
+      -- Get colors from highlights
+      -- using string.format to convert decimal to hexadecimal
+      local fg = utils.extract_highlight_colors(left_highlight_name, 'guibg')
+      local bg = utils.extract_highlight_colors(right_highlight_name, 'guibg')
+      if not fg then fg = 'none' end
+      if not bg then bg = 'none' end
+			-- swap the bg and fg when reverse is true. As in that case highlight will
+			-- be placed before section
+			if reverse then fg, bg = bg, fg end
+      highlight(highlight_name, fg, bg)
+    end
+		-- Create highlights and setup to survive colorscheme changes
+    set_transitional_highlights()
+    utils.expand_set_theme(set_transitional_highlights)
+  end
+  return '%#' .. highlight_name .. '#'
 end
 
 return M

lua/lualine/utils/component.lua

@@ -44,51 +44,76 @@ end
 
 -- Apply separator at end of component only when
 -- custom highlights haven't affected background
-local function apply_spearator(status, options)
+local function apply_spearator(status, options, highlight_name)
-  if options.separator and #options.separator > 0 and
+    local separator
-     (not options.color or not options.color.bg) then
+    if options.separator and #options.separator > 0 then
-    status = status .. options.separator
+      separator = options.separator
-    options.separator_applied = true
+    elseif options.component_separators then
+      if options.self.section < 'lualine_x' then separator = options.component_separators[1]
+      else separator = options.component_separators[2] end
+      if not separator then
+        options.separator_applied = nil
+        return status
+      end
+      options.separator = separator
+    else
+      options.separator_applied = nil
+      return status
+    end
+    separator = highlight_name .. separator
+    status = status .. separator
+    options.separator_applied = separator
+  return status
+end
+
+local function strip_separator(status, options)
+  if options.separator_applied then
+    status = status:sub(1, #status - #options.separator_applied)
+    options.separator_applied = nil
   end
   return status
 end
 
 -- Returns formated string for a section
-function M.draw_section(section, highlight)
+function M.draw_section(section, highlight_name)
   local status = {}
+  local drawn_components = {}
   for _, component in pairs(section) do
-    -- Reset flags
-    component.drawn = false -- Flag to check if a component was drawn or not
-    component.separator_applied = false -- Flag to check if separator was applied
     local localstatus = component[1]()
     if #localstatus > 0 then
+      local custom_highlight_at_begining = localstatus:find('%%#.*#') == 1 or component.color ~= nil
       -- Apply modifier functions for options
       if component.format then localstatus = component.format(localstatus) end
       localstatus = apply_icon(localstatus, component)
       localstatus = apply_case(localstatus, component)
       localstatus = apply_padding(localstatus, component)
       localstatus = apply_highlights(localstatus, component)
-      localstatus = apply_spearator(localstatus, component)
+      localstatus = apply_spearator(localstatus, component, highlight_name)
+      if custom_highlight_at_begining or
+        (#drawn_components > 0 and not drawn_components[#drawn_components].separator_applied)then
+        -- Don't prepend with old highlight when the component changes it imidiately
+        -- Or when it was already applied with separator
         table.insert(status, localstatus)
-      component.drawn = true
+      else
+        table.insert(status, highlight_name .. localstatus)
+      end
+      table.insert(drawn_components, component)
     end
   end
   -- Draw nothing when all the components were empty
   if #status == 0 then return '' end
-  -- convert to single string
+  -- Remove separators sorounding custom highlighted component
-  -- highlight is used as separator so custom highlights don't affect
+  for i=1,#status do
-  -- later components
+    if (drawn_components[i].color and drawn_components[i].color.bg)
-  local status_str = highlight .. table.concat(status, highlight)
+      or drawn_components[i].custom_highlight then
-  -- Remove separator from last drawn component if available
+      status[i] = strip_separator(status[i], drawn_components[i])
-  for last_component = #section, 1, -1 do
+      if i > 1 then
-    if section[last_component].drawn then
+        status[i - 1] = strip_separator(status[i - 1], drawn_components[i - 1])
-      if section[last_component].separator_applied then
-        status_str = status_str:sub(1, #status_str - #section[last_component].separator)
-      end
-      break
       end
     end
-  return status_str
+  end
+  status[#status] = strip_separator(status[#status], drawn_components[#status])
+  return table.concat(status)
 end
 
 

lua/lualine/utils/utils.lua

@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ local M = {}
 -- functionality at runtime .
 function M.expand_set_theme(func)
   -- execute a local version of global function to not get in a inf recurtion
-  local set_theme = _G.set_lualine_theme
+  local set_theme = _G.lualine_set_theme
-  _G.set_lualine_theme = function()
+  _G.lualine_set_theme = function()
     set_theme()
     func()
   end
@@ -16,8 +16,33 @@ end
 
 -- Note for now only works for termguicolors scope can be background or foreground
 function M.extract_highlight_colors(color_group, scope)
-  local color = string.format('#%06x', vim.api.nvim_get_hl_by_name(color_group, true)[scope])
+  if not M.highlight_exists(color_group) then return nil end
-  return color or nil
+  local gui_colors = vim.api.nvim_get_hl_by_name(color_group, true)
+  local cterm_colors = vim.api.nvim_get_hl_by_name(color_group, false)
+  local color = {
+    ctermfg = cterm_colors.foreground,
+    ctermbg = cterm_colors.background,
+  }
+  if gui_colors.background then
+    color.guibg = string.format('#%06x', gui_colors.background)
+    gui_colors.background = nil
+  end
+  if gui_colors.foreground then
+    color.guifg = string.format('#%06x', gui_colors.foreground)
+    gui_colors.foreground = nil
+  end
+  cterm_colors.background = nil
+  cterm_colors.foreground = nil
+  color = vim.tbl_extend('keep', color, gui_colors, cterm_colors)
+  if scope then return color[scope] end
+  return color
+end
+
+-- determine if an highlight exist and isn't cleared
+function M.highlight_exists(highlight_name)
+  local ok, result = pcall(vim.api.nvim_exec, 'highlight '..highlight_name, true)
+  if not ok then return false end
+  return result:find('xxx cleared') == nil
 end
 
 return M