[SOLVED] ~% This Symbol Refers???

anishkumarv · 09-05-2011, 02:27 PM

Hi all,

Thanks in Advance!!!

actually i have a doubt one of my client give access in to their server, but when i login as a normal user

it shows this kind of login prompt

Code:

[mysql@newton]~%

can any one explain what kind of login this refers, because befor that i know only two kind of logins..

1. Rootuser #
2. normal user $

What ~% this symbol refers?? guide me to solve this thread.

EricTRA · 09-05-2011, 02:38 PM

Hello,

Basically, you can have your prompt show almost whatever you want in Linux (Bash) so there's no real indication to what it might mean. It might be typical for the shell that has been assigned to that user, or just configured to show that by the sysadmin for whatever reason. Have a look at this site for some simple explanation. Check what shell is used by that user by running:

Code:

echo $SHELL

Kind regards,

Eric

tbrand · 09-05-2011, 02:39 PM

In bash, users have a lot of freedom in how they want their prompt to appear. You can read all about it when you check out the bash documentation on environment variable PS1.

Tinkster · 09-05-2011, 03:07 PM

I think that in a good number of set-ups (t)csh defaults to %

What does your shell say it is?

Cheers,
Tink

grail · 09-05-2011, 07:41 PM

Also, did you think to ask the administrator of the server? Potentially they may have different prompts for different levels
of access that can be seen at a glance by viewing the prompt type.

anishkumarv · 09-06-2011, 10:10 AM

Hi all, thanks for the reply

Code:

echo $SHELL

when i entered this command,

i got this output,

Code:

/bin/zsh

/bin/zsh

for this shell i am totally new ..need to analyse about this

David the H. · 09-06-2011, 11:05 AM

Z-shell is an advanced shell that attempts to combine various ideas from bash, ksh, and tcsh, but that's about all I know about it. A look through their FAQ shows them apparently using % as the default prompt in their code examples.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zshell
http://zsh.sourceforge.net/FAQ/

And anishkumarv, could you please remove the "----" lines in your signature, or at least break them up with some spaces? They force my screen to side-scroll, making your threads hard to read. I tried sending you a private message about it last month, but you seem to have missed it.

EricTRA · 09-06-2011, 11:20 AM

Hi,

Never used zsh myself but looks like you got an answer to your question about the prompt showing a %. So now you can go learn the zsh

.

Kind regards,

Eric

sandwormusmc · 09-06-2011, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anishkumarv

Hi all,
What ~% this symbol refers?? guide me to solve this thread.

Easy enough ... the ~ refers to the home directory of the user, and the % is whatever the prompt is. Like others have mentioned, you can change this by modifying the PS1 environment variable.