AIX

I entered the following, expecting to get "hostname:/current/path> " as a prompt (based on your post), but look what happened:

Code:

/msa1/agility/devel/bin> PS1="\h:\w> "
h:w> uname -s
Linux
h:w>

Did I misunderstand something?
~Marcus

for AIX, put the sytax as below into your .profile

# Set prompt to display login@hostname:current directory

PS1='$'LOGIN"@"`uname -n`":"'$'PWD" # "; export PS1


Or for all users, put sytax into /etc/profile as below. It will let all users prompt host name and current directory.

# Set the primary prefix prompt to display machine name and current directory
if [ "`id | grep '^uid=0('`" != "" ]
then
PS1="[`uname -n`:"'$'PWD"] # "; export PS1
else
PS1="[`uname -n`:"'$'PWD"] $ "; export PS1
fi

Yes, I'm familiar with doing it that way. I was intrigued by the control character construct (e.g., \h \w etc.) and wanted to see that work. That is what I was having trouble with.

I did it on the command line. Is there some special processing that happens in .profile? In other words, if I put the same statement (PS1="\h:\w> ") in my .profile, does it process the special control characters? (I cannot imagine that is the case.)

Are you using csh? ksh and bash both seem to "see" the changes to PS1 immediately. (i.e. without having to export them). What shell are you using?

ksh.
This works fine on the command line:

Code:

$ D='$PWD'
$ PS1="$(hostname -s):$D> "
strawboss:/home/mlibby> cd /msa1/profiles/mlibby/ksh
strawboss:/msa1/profiles/mlibby/ksh>

The problem I'm having is when I'm trying to see the control characters work. According to an earlier post, I should be able to use "\h" for short host name--in lieu of $(hostname -s); I should be able to use "\w" for working directory--in lieu of D='$PWD' and $D.

I know how to get the prompt I want. The control character (back-slash construct) was new information to me, and I was trying to get that to work. That is what I'm having difficulty with. According to the earlier post in this thread (if I read it right), I should be able to type this to get the same results as above:

Code:

$ PS1="\h:\w> "
h:w>

... but as you see, instead I get the prompt "h:w>"
~Marcus

ah, I see what you mean. As I only have a Linux machine here, I can't say for "real" ksh but pdksh does not understand \u@\h: \w escapes for the PS1 variable. They appear to only apply to bash.

Having just looked it up, the escape sequences only applie to bourne type shells not to korn or csh. To have dynamic, colourful prompts with those shells you are going to have to be more creative. (chapter 4 of "Unix Power Tools" has a very good section on prompts).
UNIX Power Tools - Google Book Search

Thanks wempy. I missed the part about it only working with bourne/bourne-again in the initial post. Thanks.