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Bash Prompt HOWTO

Giles Orr, giles@interlog.com

v0.60, 07 January 1999

Creating and controlling terminal and xterm prompts is discussed, including incorporating standard escape sequences to give username, current working directory, time, etc. Further suggestions are made on how to modify xterm title bars, use external functions to provide prompt information, and how to use ANSI colours.

1. Introduction and Administrivia

2. Bash and Bash Prompts

3. External Commands

4. Xterm Title Bar Manipulations

5. ANSI Escape Sequences: Colours and Cursor Movement

6. Special Characters: Octal Escape Sequences

7. The Bash Prompt Package

8. Loading a Different Prompt

9. Loading Prompt Colours Dynamically

10. Example Prompts

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