---
name: "colorit"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "dictd"
version: "1.13.3-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/colorit"
---

# colorit(1)

a script for markuping the text input

## NAME

colorit - a script for markuping the text input

## SYNOPSIS

```
colorit [OPTIONS] [files...]
```

## DESCRIPTION

**colorit** is a script for markuping text input and sending a result to pager ( *less -r* by default) or stdout. Markuping rules are described in a configuration file which is filtered by preprocessor (the default is *m4* ). The define HOME equal to your home directory is set for the preprocessor using -D option supported by both *m4* and *cpp.* This script can be used for colorizing the text by ANSI escape sequences, or making a simple text conversions and may be used as a pager instead of *less* by *dict* or other programs. In particular, log files, *dict,* *cc,* *make,* or *diff* output can easily be colorized and viewed.

## OPTIONS

- **-V** or **--version**

  Shows version information.

- **-h** or **--help**

  Shows help information.

- **-c** *file or* **--config** *file*

  Specify configuration file.  The default is *~/.coloritrc* or */etc/dict/colorit.conf*

- **-P** *pager or* **--pager** *pager*

  Specify a pager (- for none). The default is *less -r*

- **--pp** *preprocessor*

  Specify a preprocessor (- for none).

## FILES

- *~/.coloritrc*

  User's **colorit** configuration file

- */etc/dict/colorit.conf*

  System **colorit** configuration file

## CONFIG FILE

Empty lines or lines beginning with sharp sign (\`#') are ignored. All other lines have this structure: *command arg1 arg2 ... argN.* All commands are processed one-by-one for each input line.\
 *args* strings can be surrounded by double-quote characters.\
 Currently, only *mark* command is available having the following arguments: *regexp pre\_string post\_string*\
 The *pre\_string* and *post\_string* are inserted at the beginning and the end of substring matched by regular expression *regexp*

## BUGS

The only supported escape sequence in the strings surrounded by double quotes is \\033.

## SEE ALSO

[**less**(1)](/less/1.md), [**m4**(1)](/m4/1.md), [**cpp**(1)](/cpp/1.md), [**dict**(1)](/dict/1.md)