UNIX Escape Sequence

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When executing interactively, bash displays the primary prompt PS1 when it is ready to read a command, and the secondary prompt PS2 when it needs more input to complete a command. Bash allows these prompt strings to be customized by inserting a number of backslash-escaped special characters in the table below.

To test your terminal for the usage of the escape sequence try the following:

   echo -en "\033[7A\033[1;35m BASH \033[7B\033[6D"

This should move the cursor seven lines up screen, print the word " BASH ", and then return to where it started to produce a normal prompt.

Char Description
\a ASCII bell character (07)
\d The date in "Weekday Month Date" format (e.g., "Tue May 26")
\e ASCII escape character (033)
\h Hostname up to the first `.'
\H Hostname
\j Number of jobs currently managed by the shell
\l the basename of the shell's terminal device name
\n newline
\r carriage return
\s the name of the shell, the basename of $0 (the portion following the final slash)
\t the current time in 24-hour HH:MM:SS format
\T the current time in 12-hour HH:MM:SS format
\@ the current time in 12-hour am/pm format
\u the username of the current user
\v the version of bash (e.g., 2.00)
\V the release of bash, version + patchlevel (e.g., 2.00.0)
\w the current working directory
\W the basename of the current working directory
\! the history number of this command
\# the command number of this command
\$ if the effective UID is 0, a #, otherwise a $
\nnn the character corresponding to the octal number nnn
\\ a backslash
\[ begin a sequence of non-printing characters, which could be used to embed a terminal control sequence into the prompt
\] end a sequence of non-printing character

See also

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Reference

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