I have run into a dilemma, a limitation in GNU screen if you will, and I'm not sure if xterm-style escape sequences are going to solve my problem.

Background:

GNU Screen makes available many custom escape sequences that can be used to customize the status line. It will even allow you to capture output from a command, and substitute that output back into the status bar.

What I want to do:

I tend to start up a screen session, and then create one window for every host that I want to ssh into. I would love, automatically, that whenever I ssh into a destination host in one of my screen windows, that the *destination* hostname be available as a macro for use in my status bar. I believe that if I try to set the status bar with the status escape (ESC_stringESC\) or xterm escape, that I will replace the *entire* contents of the status line.

Instead, what I want is for the status line to be updated similar to the following:

1. Log into hostA and run screen
2. Hardstatus line now looks like this:

7-22-2011 3:04 P.M. | hostA

3. From within the same screen window, ssh into hostB

4. Hardstatus line now looks like this automatically:
7-22-2011 3:05 P.M. | hostB

5. I do some work, then log out

6. Hardstatus line resets to:

7-22-2011 3:11 P.M. | hostA

Is this even possible? If so, how would I achieve it? I am sensing that if it is doable, I'm going to need to set up some shell magic whenever I invoke ssh.

I am posting this in the Enterprise forums because this could be very useful for folks who manage dozens to thousands of servers.

Thanks!

P.S. Yes, I do realize that host information can easily be placed into the shell prompt, but there are occasions where the shell prompt is not visible.

Not really a direct answer but have you looked at func? .. supports plugins, great for running arbitrary commands against any hostname glob ( p[1-9]dns.domain.tld, *.domain.tld ... etc ) but it may be that what you're doing is more interactive.