bash PS1 problems

Krelian · 10-07-2006, 08:03 PM

I'm having problems with bash and PS1. I like to have my bash prompt a different color than the rest of my terminal, so I have PS1 set as follows in .bashrc:

export PS1="\e[0;36m\]\u@\h: \w>\e[0m\]"

which gives me a prompt that looks like this:

Code:

brt381@cytosine: ~>

... which is how I want it. However, I have the following problem: whenever I type a long command, instead of scrolling forward to this next line as it should, bash instead starts overwriting the current line! For example, if I type "this is a long command which will stay on this line", this is what happens:

Code:

ine381@cytosine: ~>this is a long command which will stay on this l

This is extremely irritating. If I remove the parts of the PS1 above that involve color, this problem disappears. However, I like having the prompt a different color and would like to keep it that way. Can anyone identify a problem in the above PS1, or have any other ideas on how this problem might be fixed?

Thanks in advance.

bigrigdriver · 10-07-2006, 08:13 PM

This is my prompt:

# bash-specific settings
ROOT_UID=0
if [ "$UID" -eq "$ROOT_UID" ]
then
PS1="\[\033[31;1m\]\u \d] \\$\w\n \[\033[0m\]"
else
PS1="\[\033[34;1m\]\u \d] \\$\w\n \[\033[0m\]"
fi

Notice this part: \\$\w\n

The prompt shows me color coded root or user, as well as pwd, then ends with a newline and color change. End result: if I'm root, my prompt is red (warning); if user, blue ('s cool, dude). Newline puts the cursor under the prompt, and resets color to normal for my term.

Oh! Did I mention that I have this in both root and user .bashrc?

For more info on bash prompts, have a look at the BootPrompt HOWTO.

Krelian · 10-07-2006, 09:16 PM

That's a cool idea to have different colors for root and nonroot.

This is what I have now in .bashrc:

Code:

ROOT_UID=0
if [ "$UID" -eq "$ROOT_UID" ]
then
     PS1="\033[31;1m\]\u@\h: \w>\[\033[0m\]"
else
     PS1="\033[34;1m\]\u@\h: \w>\[\033[0m\]"
fi

...and I still have the same problem: when I type a long command, bash starts overwriting the current line when it gets to the end instead of going to the next line. IE:

Code:

 is annoyingine: ~>this is a long command which goes to the next line, which

Notice that part of my prompt has been overwritten.

It works OK if I have it as you do, with the command going on the next line, but I'd prefer the command to appear on the same line as the prompt. So can you see anything wrong with the above that would cause bash to do this?

Thanks again for your help.