Prevent keyword syntax highlighting within moredelim

Question

Code:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{parskip}
\usepackage{listings}
\usepackage{textcomp}
\usepackage{xcolor}
\lstset{
    basicstyle=\ttfamily,
    columns=fullflexible,
    keepspaces=true,
    upquote=true,
    numbers=left,
    numberstyle=\ttfamily\color{gray},
    language=c,
    moredelim=*[is][\itshape]{((:}{:))},
    showstringspaces=false,
    commentstyle=\color{olive},
    keywordstyle=\color{blue},
    identifierstyle=\color{violet},
    stringstyle=\color{purple},
    directivestyle=\color{teal},
}
\begin{document}
Here is the skeleton of the proposed solution:

\begin{lstlisting}
int f(int x)
{
    if (x <= 0) {
        return 0;
    }

    if ((x | CONNECT_FLAG) != 0) {
        ((:statements:))
    } else if ((x | DROP_FlAG) != 0) {
        ((:statements:))
    } ((:if else if ladder continues:))

    return result;

}
\end{lstlisting}
\end{document}

Output:

Problem:

In line 11 of the source code output, if and else are syntax highlighted as keywords. I was expecting them to be highlighted with the moredelim style.

How can I prevent them from being syntax highlighted as keywords and be highlighted with the moredelim style instead?

Answer 1

Change the line

moredelim=*[is][\itshape]{((:}{:))},

to

moredelim=[is][\itshape]{((:}{:))},

A single star denotes nested syntax highlighting, where the style of detected keywords etc. will be applied instead of the delimiter style. Remove the star to prevent listings from looking for other syntax elements within the delimiter. (Additionally, two stars will apply both styles cummulatively.)

Result: