Shell Programming and Scripting

How would I put the date within my PS1 command for my shell prompt?

I have it set to:

PS1='[Name:'\$PWD']$>'

I tried PS1='[Name:'\date +%H:%M\$PWD']$>' but that didn't work.

Instead of PS1='[Name:'\date +%H:%M\$PWD']$>'
try PS1="[Name:`date +%H:%M`\$PWD]$> "

(I'm not sure if you need something else for Name as I don't have that identified.)

darn, that didn't work, looked good, but still no go, shows the date at text in the middle of the prompt:

So I tried this:
PS1="[Name:"'date +%H:%M'\$PWD']$>'


and it gives me:

[Name:date +%H:%M/export/home/kmartin]$>

Name is just the hostname of our server, i hardcode it in that line so I can tell which one I'm on at a time. I'm just not using the right syntax with putting the date command in the middle of my text string and path.

Decided to split it up in 2 parts. AND IT WORKED. For anyone else's info, i did this in my .profile (and be careful of the ` vs ' marks, that trips me up sometimes)

MYTIME=`date +%H:%M`
PS1='[Name::'\$MYTIME\$PWD']$>'

notice the ' vs ` for the date and PS1 commands. I did this because I found myself constantly typing date at the prompt to look at log files and such and when they were created, which is most current vs what time the server has, blah blah. So, for anyone's interest, that's how it can be done.

Thanks!

ok, one problem, that keeps the same time as when you logged in! hmm, anyone? ideas? darn.

It works in ksh on Solaris.

$ PS1="[Name:`date +%H:%M`\$PWD]$> "
[Name:15:11/export/home/unixops]$>


Did you use copy/paste or did you type the command? There are backticks not single quotes in the syntax.

What shell are you using (and OS/version)?

darn, i messed up, posted this as a new thread, not a reply, so redoing it:


hi, i'm using korn shell and solaris 2.5.1

Does yours update with each new command at the prompt or stay the same? Mine stays the same time as when I logged in. Any ideas?