diff --git a/src/globals.h b/src/globals.h
index bef5c30..b7a2ec1 100644
--- a/src/globals.h
+++ b/src/globals.h
@@ -355,9 +355,6 @@
 EXTERN int	scroll_region INIT(= FALSE); /* term supports scroll region */
 EXTERN int	t_colors INIT(= 0);	    /* int value of T_CCO */
 
-// highlight groups for 'highlight' option
-EXTERN garray_T highlight_ga INIT(= {0 COMMA 0 COMMA sizeof(hl_group_T) COMMA 10 COMMA NULL});
-
 #ifdef FEAT_CMDL_COMPL
 // Flags to indicate an additional string for highlight name completion.
 EXTERN int include_none INIT(= 0);	// when 1 include "None"
diff --git a/src/highlight.c b/src/highlight.c
index 2ae265c..9322f96 100644
--- a/src/highlight.c
+++ b/src/highlight.c
@@ -29,6 +29,64 @@
     {HL_BOLD, HL_STANDOUT, HL_UNDERLINE, HL_UNDERCURL, HL_ITALIC, HL_INVERSE, HL_INVERSE, HL_NOCOMBINE, HL_STRIKETHROUGH, 0};
 #define ATTR_COMBINE(attr_a, attr_b) ((((attr_b) & HL_NOCOMBINE) ? attr_b : (attr_a)) | (attr_b))
 
+/*
+ * Structure that stores information about a highlight group.
+ * The ID of a highlight group is also called group ID.  It is the index in
+ * the highlight_ga array PLUS ONE.
+ */
+typedef struct
+{
+    char_u	*sg_name;	// highlight group name
+    char_u	*sg_name_u;	// uppercase of sg_name
+    int		sg_cleared;	// "hi clear" was used
+// for normal terminals
+    int		sg_term;	// "term=" highlighting attributes
+    char_u	*sg_start;	// terminal string for start highl
+    char_u	*sg_stop;	// terminal string for stop highl
+    int		sg_term_attr;	// Screen attr for term mode
+// for color terminals
+    int		sg_cterm;	// "cterm=" highlighting attr
+    int		sg_cterm_bold;	// bold attr was set for light color
+    int		sg_cterm_fg;	// terminal fg color number + 1
+    int		sg_cterm_bg;	// terminal bg color number + 1
+    int		sg_cterm_attr;	// Screen attr for color term mode
+// for when using the GUI
+#if defined(FEAT_GUI) || defined(FEAT_TERMGUICOLORS)
+    guicolor_T	sg_gui_fg;	// GUI foreground color handle
+    guicolor_T	sg_gui_bg;	// GUI background color handle
+#endif
+#ifdef FEAT_GUI
+    guicolor_T	sg_gui_sp;	// GUI special color handle
+    GuiFont	sg_font;	// GUI font handle
+#ifdef FEAT_XFONTSET
+    GuiFontset	sg_fontset;	// GUI fontset handle
+#endif
+    char_u	*sg_font_name;  // GUI font or fontset name
+    int		sg_gui_attr;    // Screen attr for GUI mode
+#endif
+#if defined(FEAT_GUI) || defined(FEAT_EVAL)
+// Store the sp color name for the GUI or synIDattr()
+    int		sg_gui;		// "gui=" highlighting attributes
+    char_u	*sg_gui_fg_name;// GUI foreground color name
+    char_u	*sg_gui_bg_name;// GUI background color name
+    char_u	*sg_gui_sp_name;// GUI special color name
+#endif
+    int		sg_link;	// link to this highlight group ID
+    int		sg_set;		// combination of SG_* flags
+#ifdef FEAT_EVAL
+    sctx_T	sg_script_ctx;	// script in which the group was last set
+#endif
+} hl_group_T;
+
+// highlight groups for 'highlight' option
+static garray_T highlight_ga;
+#define HL_TABLE()	((hl_group_T *)((highlight_ga.ga_data)))
+
+/*
+ * An attribute number is the index in attr_table plus ATTR_OFF.
+ */
+#define ATTR_OFF (HL_ALL + 1)
+
 static void syn_unadd_group(void);
 static void set_hl_attr(int idx);
 static void highlight_list_one(int id);
@@ -46,11 +104,6 @@
 #endif
 
 /*
- * An attribute number is the index in attr_table plus ATTR_OFF.
- */
-#define ATTR_OFF (HL_ALL + 1)
-
-/*
  * The default highlight groups.  These are compiled-in for fast startup and
  * they still work when the runtime files can't be found.
  * When making changes here, also change runtime/colors/default.vim!
@@ -289,6 +342,33 @@
     NULL
 };
 
+/*
+ * Returns the number of highlight groups.
+ */
+    int
+highlight_num_groups(void)
+{
+    return highlight_ga.ga_len;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Returns the name of a highlight group.
+ */
+    char_u *
+highlight_group_name(int id)
+{
+    return HL_TABLE()[id].sg_name;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Returns the ID of the link to a highlight group.
+ */
+    int
+highlight_link_id(int id)
+{
+    return HL_TABLE()[id].sg_link;
+}
+
     void
 init_highlight(
     int		both,	    // include groups where 'bg' doesn't matter
diff --git a/src/proto/highlight.pro b/src/proto/highlight.pro
index 958b8b1..ca44981 100644
--- a/src/proto/highlight.pro
+++ b/src/proto/highlight.pro
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 /* highlight.c */
+int highlight_num_groups(void);
+char_u *highlight_group_name(int id);
+int highlight_link_id(int id);
 void init_highlight(int both, int reset);
 int load_colors(char_u *name);
 int lookup_color(int idx, int foreground, int *boldp);
@@ -23,7 +26,7 @@
 char_u *highlight_has_attr(int id, int flag, int modec);
 char_u *highlight_color(int id, char_u *what, int modec);
 long_u highlight_gui_color_rgb(int id, int fg);
-int syn_list_header(int did_header, int	outlen, int id);
+int syn_list_header(int did_header, int outlen, int id);
 int syn_name2id(char_u *name);
 int syn_name2attr(char_u *name);
 int highlight_exists(char_u *name);
diff --git a/src/structs.h b/src/structs.h
index fb76df9..25a438f 100644
--- a/src/structs.h
+++ b/src/structs.h
@@ -999,56 +999,6 @@
 };
 #endif // FEAT_SYN_HL
 
-/*
- * Structure that stores information about a highlight group.
- * The ID of a highlight group is also called group ID.  It is the index in
- * the highlight_ga array PLUS ONE.
- */
-typedef struct
-{
-    char_u	*sg_name;	// highlight group name
-    char_u	*sg_name_u;	// uppercase of sg_name
-    int		sg_cleared;	// "hi clear" was used
-// for normal terminals
-    int		sg_term;	// "term=" highlighting attributes
-    char_u	*sg_start;	// terminal string for start highl
-    char_u	*sg_stop;	// terminal string for stop highl
-    int		sg_term_attr;	// Screen attr for term mode
-// for color terminals
-    int		sg_cterm;	// "cterm=" highlighting attr
-    int		sg_cterm_bold;	// bold attr was set for light color
-    int		sg_cterm_fg;	// terminal fg color number + 1
-    int		sg_cterm_bg;	// terminal bg color number + 1
-    int		sg_cterm_attr;	// Screen attr for color term mode
-// for when using the GUI
-#if defined(FEAT_GUI) || defined(FEAT_TERMGUICOLORS)
-    guicolor_T	sg_gui_fg;	// GUI foreground color handle
-    guicolor_T	sg_gui_bg;	// GUI background color handle
-#endif
-#ifdef FEAT_GUI
-    guicolor_T	sg_gui_sp;	// GUI special color handle
-    GuiFont	sg_font;	// GUI font handle
-#ifdef FEAT_XFONTSET
-    GuiFontset	sg_fontset;	// GUI fontset handle
-#endif
-    char_u	*sg_font_name;  // GUI font or fontset name
-    int		sg_gui_attr;    // Screen attr for GUI mode
-#endif
-#if defined(FEAT_GUI) || defined(FEAT_EVAL)
-// Store the sp color name for the GUI or synIDattr()
-    int		sg_gui;		// "gui=" highlighting attributes
-    char_u	*sg_gui_fg_name;// GUI foreground color name
-    char_u	*sg_gui_bg_name;// GUI background color name
-    char_u	*sg_gui_sp_name;// GUI special color name
-#endif
-    int		sg_link;	// link to this highlight group ID
-    int		sg_set;		// combination of SG_* flags
-#ifdef FEAT_EVAL
-    sctx_T	sg_script_ctx;	// script in which the group was last set
-#endif
-} hl_group_T;
-
-#define HL_TABLE()	((hl_group_T *)((highlight_ga.ga_data)))
 #define MAX_HL_ID       20000	// maximum value for a highlight ID.
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/syntax.c b/src/syntax.c
index 4476ad1..ad2e1a0 100644
--- a/src/syntax.c
+++ b/src/syntax.c
@@ -3847,7 +3847,7 @@
 	/*
 	 * No argument: List all group IDs and all syntax clusters.
 	 */
-	for (id = 1; id <= highlight_ga.ga_len && !got_int; ++id)
+	for (id = 1; id <= highlight_num_groups() && !got_int; ++id)
 	    syn_list_one(id, syncing, FALSE);
 	for (id = 0; id < curwin->w_s->b_syn_clusters.ga_len && !got_int; ++id)
 	    syn_list_cluster(id);
@@ -3995,7 +3995,7 @@
 	    if (SYN_ITEMS(curwin->w_s)[idx].sp_type == SPTYPE_SKIP)
 		put_pattern("skip", '=', &SYN_ITEMS(curwin->w_s)[idx++], attr);
 	    while (idx < curwin->w_s->b_syn_patterns.ga_len
-			      && SYN_ITEMS(curwin->w_s)[idx].sp_type == SPTYPE_END)
+			  && SYN_ITEMS(curwin->w_s)[idx].sp_type == SPTYPE_END)
 		put_pattern("end", '=', &SYN_ITEMS(curwin->w_s)[idx++], attr);
 	    --idx;
 	    msg_putchar(' ');
@@ -4022,8 +4022,8 @@
 		msg_puts_attr("groupthere", attr);
 	    msg_putchar(' ');
 	    if (spp->sp_sync_idx >= 0)
-		msg_outtrans(HL_TABLE()[SYN_ITEMS(curwin->w_s)
-				   [spp->sp_sync_idx].sp_syn.id - 1].sg_name);
+		msg_outtrans(highlight_group_name(SYN_ITEMS(curwin->w_s)
+				   [spp->sp_sync_idx].sp_syn.id - 1));
 	    else
 		msg_puts("NONE");
 	    msg_putchar(' ');
@@ -4031,12 +4031,12 @@
     }
 
     /* list the link, if there is one */
-    if (HL_TABLE()[id - 1].sg_link && (did_header || link_only) && !got_int)
+    if (highlight_link_id(id - 1) && (did_header || link_only) && !got_int)
     {
 	(void)syn_list_header(did_header, 999, id);
 	msg_puts_attr("links to", attr);
 	msg_putchar(' ');
-	msg_outtrans(HL_TABLE()[HL_TABLE()[id - 1].sg_link - 1].sg_name);
+	msg_outtrans(highlight_group_name(highlight_link_id(id - 1) - 1));
     }
 }
 
@@ -4115,7 +4115,7 @@
 	    msg_outtrans(SYN_CLSTR(curwin->w_s)[scl_id].scl_name);
 	}
 	else
-	    msg_outtrans(HL_TABLE()[*p - 1].sg_name);
+	    msg_outtrans(highlight_group_name(*p - 1));
 	if (p[1])
 	    msg_putchar(',');
     }
@@ -4144,7 +4144,7 @@
 	if (last_matchgroup == 0)
 	    msg_outtrans((char_u *)"NONE");
 	else
-	    msg_outtrans(HL_TABLE()[last_matchgroup - 1].sg_name);
+	    msg_outtrans(highlight_group_name(last_matchgroup - 1));
 	msg_putchar(' ');
     }
 
@@ -5967,9 +5967,9 @@
 
 		    regmatch.rm_ic = TRUE;
 		    id = 0;
-		    for (i = highlight_ga.ga_len; --i >= 0; )
+		    for (i = highlight_num_groups(); --i >= 0; )
 		    {
-			if (vim_regexec(&regmatch, HL_TABLE()[i].sg_name,
+			if (vim_regexec(&regmatch, highlight_group_name(i),
 								  (colnr_T)0))
 			{
 			    if (round == 2)
@@ -6685,7 +6685,7 @@
 	msg_puts(" ");
 # endif
 	msg_advance(50);
-	msg_outtrans(HL_TABLE()[p->id - 1].sg_name);
+	msg_outtrans(highlight_group_name(p->id - 1));
 	msg_puts(" ");
 
 	msg_advance(69);
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index f6fed49..8548005 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -778,6 +778,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    1699,
+/**/
     1698,
 /**/
     1697,