Listings: syntax for literate

Question

In the documentation for the listings package it says:

literate = [*]<replacement item>. . .<replacement item>

First note that there are no commas between the items. Each item consists of three arguments: {<replace>}{<replacement text>}{<length>}. <replace> is the original character sequence. Instead of printing these characters, we use <replacement text>, which takes the width of <length> characters in the output.

[...]

The optional star indicates that literate replacements should not be made in strings, comments, and other delimited text.

Problem:

I want to define my own language with listings but can not use the above mentioned star, as it gives me a compiling error. The following (I tried [] brackets too) does not work even though it works without the star *:

literate = *{-}{{{\color{purple}-}}}{1}

Please note that this is just a excerpt of a bigger list of literates, which shouldn't change the usage however.

---

MWE:

This is probably not minimal, but I wanted to keep it as close to the original as possible so one could see other errors. It is actually compiling now. It has lost its colors in the non-comment parts though, moreover it puts completely arbitrary quotation marks (this also occurs in the original). (original Python& special characters)

%Minimal
\documentclass{report}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[english]{babel}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}

\usepackage{xcolor}
\definecolor{maroon}{cmyk}{0, 0.87, 0.68, 0.32}
\definecolor{halfgray}{gray}{0.55}
\definecolor{ipython_frame}{RGB}{207, 207, 207}
\definecolor{ipython_bg}{RGB}{247, 247, 247}
\definecolor{ipython_red}{RGB}{186, 33, 33}
\definecolor{ipython_green}{RGB}{0, 128, 0}
\definecolor{ipython_cyan}{RGB}{64, 128, 128}
\definecolor{ipython_purple}{RGB}{170, 34, 255}

\usepackage{listings}
\lstset{
    breaklines=true,
    %
    extendedchars=true,
    literate=
    {á}{{\'a}}1 {é}{{\'e}}1 {í}{{\'i}}1 {ó}{{\'o}}1 {ú}{{\'u}}1
    {Á}{{\'A}}1 {É}{{\'E}}1 {Í}{{\'I}}1 {Ó}{{\'O}}1 {Ú}{{\'U}}1
    {à}{{\`a}}1 {è}{{\`e}}1 {ì}{{\`i}}1 {ò}{{\`o}}1 {ù}{{\`u}}1
    {À}{{\`A}}1 {È}{{\'E}}1 {Ì}{{\`I}}1 {Ò}{{\`O}}1 {Ù}{{\`U}}1
    {ä}{{\"a}}1 {ë}{{\"e}}1 {ï}{{\"i}}1 {ö}{{\"o}}1 {ü}{{\"u}}1
    {Ä}{{\"A}}1 {Ë}{{\"E}}1 {Ï}{{\"I}}1 {Ö}{{\"O}}1 {Ü}{{\"U}}1
    {â}{{\^a}}1 {ê}{{\^e}}1 {î}{{\^i}}1 {ô}{{\^o}}1 {û}{{\^u}}1
    {Â}{{\^A}}1 {Ê}{{\^E}}1 {Î}{{\^I}}1 {Ô}{{\^O}}1 {Û}{{\^U}}1
    {œ}{{\oe}}1 {Œ}{{\OE}}1 {æ}{{\ae}}1 {Æ}{{\AE}}1 {ß}{{\ss}}1
    {ç}{{\c c}}1 {Ç}{{\c C}}1 {ø}{{\o}}1 {å}{{\r a}}1 {Å}{{\r A}}1
    {€}{{\EUR}}1 {£}{{\pounds}}1
}

%%
%% Python definition (c) 1998 Michael Weber
%% Additional definitions (2013) Alexis Dimitriadis
%% modified by me (should not have empty lines)
%%
\lstdefinelanguage{iPython}{
    morekeywords={access,and,break,class,continue,def,del,elif,else,except,exec,finally,for,from,global,if,import,in,is,lambda,not,or,pass,print,raise,return,try,while},%
    %
    % Built-ins
    morekeywords=[2]{abs,all,any,basestring,bin,bool,bytearray,callable,chr,classmethod,cmp,compile,complex,delattr,dict,dir,divmod,enumerate,eval,execfile,file,filter,float,format,frozenset,getattr,globals,hasattr,hash,help,hex,id,input,int,isinstance,issubclass,iter,len,list,locals,long,map,max,memoryview,min,next,object,oct,open,ord,pow,property,range,raw_input,reduce,reload,repr,reversed,round,set,setattr,slice,sorted,staticmethod,str,sum,super,tuple,type,unichr,unicode,vars,xrange,zip,apply,buffer,coerce,intern},%
    %
    sensitive=true,%
    morecomment=[l]\#,%
    morestring=[b]',%
    morestring=[b]",%
    %
    morestring=[s]{'''}{'''},% used for documentation text (mulitiline strings)
    morestring=[s]{"""}{"""},% added by Philipp Matthias Hahn
    %
    morestring=[s]{r'}{'},% `raw' strings
    morestring=[s]{r"}{"},%
    morestring=[s]{r'''}{'''},%
    morestring=[s]{r"""}{"""},%
    morestring=[s]{u'}{'},% unicode strings
    morestring=[s]{u"}{"},%
    morestring=[s]{u'''}{'''},%
    morestring=[s]{u"""}{"""}%
    %
    % {replace}{replacement}{lenght of replace}
    % *{-}{-}{1} will not replace in comments and so on
    literate=
    {á}{{\'a}}1 {é}{{\'e}}1 {í}{{\'i}}1 {ó}{{\'o}}1 {ú}{{\'u}}1
    {Á}{{\'A}}1 {É}{{\'E}}1 {Í}{{\'I}}1 {Ó}{{\'O}}1 {Ú}{{\'U}}1
    {à}{{\`a}}1 {è}{{\`e}}1 {ì}{{\`i}}1 {ò}{{\`o}}1 {ù}{{\`u}}1
    {À}{{\`A}}1 {È}{{\'E}}1 {Ì}{{\`I}}1 {Ò}{{\`O}}1 {Ù}{{\`U}}1
    {ä}{{\"a}}1 {ë}{{\"e}}1 {ï}{{\"i}}1 {ö}{{\"o}}1 {ü}{{\"u}}1
    {Ä}{{\"A}}1 {Ë}{{\"E}}1 {Ï}{{\"I}}1 {Ö}{{\"O}}1 {Ü}{{\"U}}1
    {â}{{\^a}}1 {ê}{{\^e}}1 {î}{{\^i}}1 {ô}{{\^o}}1 {û}{{\^u}}1
    {Â}{{\^A}}1 {Ê}{{\^E}}1 {Î}{{\^I}}1 {Ô}{{\^O}}1 {Û}{{\^U}}1
    {œ}{{\oe}}1 {Œ}{{\OE}}1 {æ}{{\ae}}1 {Æ}{{\AE}}1 {ß}{{\ss}}1
    {ç}{{\c c}}1 {Ç}{{\c C}}1 {ø}{{\o}}1 {å}{{\r a}}1 {Å}{{\r A}}1
    {€}{{\EUR}}1 {£}{{\pounds}}1
    %
    {^}{{{\color{ipython_purple}\^{}}}}1
    {=}{{{\color{ipython_purple}=}}}1
    %
    {+}{{{\color{ipython_purple}+}}}1
    *{-}{{{\color{ipython_purple}-}}}1
    {*}{{{\color{ipython_purple}$^\ast$}}}1
    {/}{{{\color{ipython_purple}/}}}1
    %
    {+=}{{{+=}}}1
    {-=}{{{-=}}}1
    {*=}{{{$^\ast$=}}}1
    {/=}{{{/=}}}1,
    %
    identifierstyle=\color{black}\ttfamily,
    commentstyle=\color{ipython_cyan}\ttfamily,
    stringstyle=\color{ipython_red}\ttfamily,
    keepspaces=true,
    showspaces=false,
    showstringspaces=false,
    %
    rulecolor=\color{ipython_frame},
    frame=single,
    frameround={t}{t}{t}{t},
    framexleftmargin=6mm,
    numbers=left,
    numberstyle=\tiny\color{halfgray},
    %
    %
    backgroundcolor=\color{ipython_bg},
    %   extendedchars=true,
    basicstyle=\scriptsize,
    keywordstyle=\color{ipython_green}\ttfamily,
}

\begin{document}
\begin{lstlisting}[language=iPython]
<- #there shouldn't be quotation marks
"""
---------
sin2_theta  = np.sin(theta)**2 - a + b
"""
import math
import numpy as np
from lib.analytical import csa

MAS = math.degrees(math.acos(math.sqrt(1/3)))/360 * 2* math.pi + a -b
\end{lstlisting}
\end{document}

---

new question outsourced: Listings: recognize numbers and `1e-3`

Answer 1

You have to use a different literate for starred ones:

literate=
*{-}{{{\color{ipython_purple}-}}}1,

If you add more literates after this one (without the star) they will behave as if they were starred. For example

literate=
*{-}{{{\color{ipython_purple}-}}}1
 {?}{{{\color{ipython_purple}?}}}1,

Also, the quotes at the beginning of the listing are due to the fact that there's a missing comma after

morestring=[s]{u"""}{"""}

MWE:

\documentclass{report}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[english]{babel}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}

\usepackage{xcolor}
\definecolor{maroon}{cmyk}{0, 0.87, 0.68, 0.32}
\definecolor{halfgray}{gray}{0.55}
\definecolor{ipython_frame}{RGB}{207, 207, 207}
\definecolor{ipython_bg}{RGB}{247, 247, 247}
\definecolor{ipython_red}{RGB}{186, 33, 33}
\definecolor{ipython_green}{RGB}{0, 128, 0}
\definecolor{ipython_cyan}{RGB}{64, 128, 128}
\definecolor{ipython_purple}{RGB}{170, 34, 255}

\usepackage{listings}
\lstset{
    breaklines=true,
    %
    extendedchars=true,
    literate=
    {á}{{\'a}}1 {é}{{\'e}}1 {í}{{\'i}}1 {ó}{{\'o}}1 {ú}{{\'u}}1
    {Á}{{\'A}}1 {É}{{\'E}}1 {Í}{{\'I}}1 {Ó}{{\'O}}1 {Ú}{{\'U}}1
    {à}{{\`a}}1 {è}{{\`e}}1 {ì}{{\`i}}1 {ò}{{\`o}}1 {ù}{{\`u}}1
    {À}{{\`A}}1 {È}{{\'E}}1 {Ì}{{\`I}}1 {Ò}{{\`O}}1 {Ù}{{\`U}}1
    {ä}{{\"a}}1 {ë}{{\"e}}1 {ï}{{\"i}}1 {ö}{{\"o}}1 {ü}{{\"u}}1
    {Ä}{{\"A}}1 {Ë}{{\"E}}1 {Ï}{{\"I}}1 {Ö}{{\"O}}1 {Ü}{{\"U}}1
    {â}{{\^a}}1 {ê}{{\^e}}1 {î}{{\^i}}1 {ô}{{\^o}}1 {û}{{\^u}}1
    {Â}{{\^A}}1 {Ê}{{\^E}}1 {Î}{{\^I}}1 {Ô}{{\^O}}1 {Û}{{\^U}}1
    {œ}{{\oe}}1 {Œ}{{\OE}}1 {æ}{{\ae}}1 {Æ}{{\AE}}1 {ß}{{\ss}}1
    {ç}{{\c c}}1 {Ç}{{\c C}}1 {ø}{{\o}}1 {å}{{\r a}}1 {Å}{{\r A}}1
    {€}{{\EUR}}1 {£}{{\pounds}}1
}

%%
%% Python definition (c) 1998 Michael Weber
%% Additional definitions (2013) Alexis Dimitriadis
%% modified by me (should not have empty lines)
%%
\lstdefinelanguage{iPython}{
    morekeywords={access,and,break,class,continue,def,del,elif,else,except,exec,finally,for,from,global,if,import,in,is,lambda,not,or,pass,print,raise,return,try,while},%
    %
    % Built-ins
    morekeywords=[2]{abs,all,any,basestring,bin,bool,bytearray,callable,chr,classmethod,cmp,compile,complex,delattr,dict,dir,divmod,enumerate,eval,execfile,file,filter,float,format,frozenset,getattr,globals,hasattr,hash,help,hex,id,input,int,isinstance,issubclass,iter,len,list,locals,long,map,max,memoryview,min,next,object,oct,open,ord,pow,property,range,raw_input,reduce,reload,repr,reversed,round,set,setattr,slice,sorted,staticmethod,str,sum,super,tuple,type,unichr,unicode,vars,xrange,zip,apply,buffer,coerce,intern},%
    %
    sensitive=true,%
    morecomment=[l]\#,%
    morestring=[b]',%
    morestring=[b]",%
    %
    morestring=[s]{'''}{'''},% used for documentation text (mulitiline strings)
    morestring=[s]{"""}{"""},% added by Philipp Matthias Hahn
    %
    morestring=[s]{r'}{'},% `raw' strings
    morestring=[s]{r"}{"},%
    morestring=[s]{r'''}{'''},%
    morestring=[s]{r"""}{"""},%
    morestring=[s]{u'}{'},% unicode strings
    morestring=[s]{u"}{"},%
    morestring=[s]{u'''}{'''},%
    morestring=[s]{u"""}{"""},%
    %
    % {replace}{replacement}{lenght of replace}
    % *{-}{-}{1} will not replace in comments and so on
    literate=
    {á}{{\'a}}1 {é}{{\'e}}1 {í}{{\'i}}1 {ó}{{\'o}}1 {ú}{{\'u}}1
    {Á}{{\'A}}1 {É}{{\'E}}1 {Í}{{\'I}}1 {Ó}{{\'O}}1 {Ú}{{\'U}}1
    {à}{{\`a}}1 {è}{{\`e}}1 {ì}{{\`i}}1 {ò}{{\`o}}1 {ù}{{\`u}}1
    {À}{{\`A}}1 {È}{{\'E}}1 {Ì}{{\`I}}1 {Ò}{{\`O}}1 {Ù}{{\`U}}1
    {ä}{{\"a}}1 {ë}{{\"e}}1 {ï}{{\"i}}1 {ö}{{\"o}}1 {ü}{{\"u}}1
    {Ä}{{\"A}}1 {Ë}{{\"E}}1 {Ï}{{\"I}}1 {Ö}{{\"O}}1 {Ü}{{\"U}}1
    {â}{{\^a}}1 {ê}{{\^e}}1 {î}{{\^i}}1 {ô}{{\^o}}1 {û}{{\^u}}1
    {Â}{{\^A}}1 {Ê}{{\^E}}1 {Î}{{\^I}}1 {Ô}{{\^O}}1 {Û}{{\^U}}1
    {œ}{{\oe}}1 {Œ}{{\OE}}1 {æ}{{\ae}}1 {Æ}{{\AE}}1 {ß}{{\ss}}1
    {ç}{{\c c}}1 {Ç}{{\c C}}1 {ø}{{\o}}1 {å}{{\r a}}1 {Å}{{\r A}}1
    {€}{{\EUR}}1 {£}{{\pounds}}1
    %
    {^}{{{\color{ipython_purple}\^{}}}}1
    {=}{{{\color{ipython_purple}=}}}1
    %
    {+}{{{\color{ipython_purple}+}}}1
    {*}{{{\color{ipython_purple}$^\ast$}}}1
    {/}{{{\color{ipython_purple}/}}}1
    %
    {+=}{{{+=}}}1
    {-=}{{{-=}}}1
    {*=}{{{$^\ast$=}}}1
    {/=}{{{/=}}}1,
    literate=
    *{-}{{{\color{ipython_purple}-}}}1
     {?}{{{\color{ipython_purple}?}}}1,
    %
    identifierstyle=\color{black}\ttfamily,
    commentstyle=\color{ipython_cyan}\ttfamily,
    stringstyle=\color{ipython_red}\ttfamily,
    keepspaces=true,
    showspaces=false,
    showstringspaces=false,
    %
    rulecolor=\color{ipython_frame},
    frame=single,
    frameround={t}{t}{t}{t},
    framexleftmargin=6mm,
    numbers=left,
    numberstyle=\tiny\color{halfgray},
    %
    %
    backgroundcolor=\color{ipython_bg},
    %   extendedchars=true,
    basicstyle=\scriptsize,
    keywordstyle=\color{ipython_green}\ttfamily,
}

\begin{document}
\begin{lstlisting}[language=iPython]
<- #there shouldn't be quotation marks
"""
---------
sin2_theta  = np.sin(theta)**2 - a + b ?
"""
import math
import numpy as np
from lib.analytical import csa

MAS = math.degrees(math.acos(math.sqrt(1/3)))/360 * 2* math.pi + a -b ?
\end{lstlisting}
\end{document} 

Output

Note that I've added two ? in your listing just to show the effect, remove them as well as {?}{{{\color{ipython_purple}?}}}1 in the second literate.