ksh and dates in prompt...

Gareth Jenkins

unread,

Jul 1, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/1/98

to

Just quick question - can anyone think of a quick and easy way to place
the current date/time in a ksh prompt?

PS1=`date +%H:%M`

gives the time at execution of the line but not at time of displaying
the prompt....

Douglas Wilson

unread,

Jul 1, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/1/98

to

On Wed, 01 Jul 1998 14:43:46 +0100, Gareth Jenkins <ga...@innocent.com>
wrote:

>Just quick question - can anyone think of a quick and easy way to place
>the current date/time in a ksh prompt?

Which ksh?
For ksh93: yes.
For ksh88: no.

Since I don't use ksh93, and don't have my book handy, I couldn't
tell you how to do it, but you can create variables that execute
a function every time they are referenced, and so can change
their values. This doesn't help, of course, if you aren't using
ksh93.

Cheers,
Douglas Wilson

Kenneth C Stahl

unread,

Jul 1, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/1/98

to

You probably need something like this in your .profile:

export SECONDS="$(date '+3600*%H+60*%M+%S')"
typeset -RZ Hours
typeset -RZ Minutes
Temp_Hours="(SECONDS/3600)%24"
Temp_Minutes="(SECONDS/60)%60";
TheTime='${_x[(Minutes=Temp_Minutes)==(Hours=Temp_Hours)]}$Hours:$Minutes';

PS1=""$(date '+%m/%d/%y ')" $TheTime> ";

Gareth Jenkins wrote:

> Just quick question - can anyone think of a quick and easy way to place
> the current date/time in a ksh prompt?
>

Real Name

unread,

Jul 1, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/1/98

to

Gareth Jenkins <ga...@innocent.com> writes:

> Just quick question - can anyone think of a quick and easy way to place
> the current date/time in a ksh prompt?
>
> PS1=`date +%H:%M`
>
> gives the time at execution of the line but not at time of displaying
> the prompt....
>

Try the following:

export SECONDS="$(date '+3600*%H+60*%M+%S')"

typeset -Z2 _h=0 _m=0 _s=0
: ${ps1:=${PS1:-"- "}}
PS1='${_[(_s=SECONDS%60)==(_m=(SECONDS/60)%60)==(_h=(SECONDS/3600)%24)]:+}'$(tput bold; print '[$_h:$_m:$_s]';tput sgr0)"${ps1}"

Good luck!

--
Roel de Raad | Lucent Technologies Network Systems NL

Douglas Wilson

unread,

Jul 1, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/1/98

to

On 01 Jul 1998 16:53:12 +0200, Real Name <han...@lucent.com> wrote:

>Gareth Jenkins <ga...@innocent.com> writes:
>
>> Just quick question - can anyone think of a quick and easy way to place
>> the current date/time in a ksh prompt?
>>
>> PS1=`date +%H:%M`

> export SECONDS="$(date '+3600*%H+60*%M+%S')"

> typeset -Z2 _h=0 _m=0 _s=0
> : ${ps1:=${PS1:-"- "}}
> PS1='${_[(_s=SECONDS%60)==(_m=(SECONDS/60)%60)==(_h=(SECONDS/3600)%24)]:+}'$(tput bold; print '[$_h:$_m:$_s]';tput sgr0)"${ps1}"

I guess you learn something every day.
This works great for numerical arguments, but is there
any answer for strings, e.g. if you wanted
to substitute 'HOME>' for '/home/mydir' when you're in
your home directory? Or substitute other strings when
you're in certain other directories? For ksh88?

Cheers,
Douglas Wilson

Dale DePriest

unread,

Jul 1, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/1/98

to

In article <6ndtmj$dni$1...@news-1.news.gte.net>, dgwi...@gte.net (Douglas Wilson)
writes:

I use
PS1=`uname -n`':${PWD##*/}/ '

But you could easily build a function to set PS1 to anything you wish
after a cd. Then you alias cd to the function you want.

Here are two examples:

The first uses a small program to echo the current context to the titlebar.
The second is similar to the previous solution.

chdir () {
cd $1 $2;tbar
}

clock_p () {
PS1='${__[(H=SECONDS/3600%24)==(M=SECONDS/60%60)==(S=SECONDS%60)]-$H:$M:$S}>'
typeset -Z2 H M S; let SECONDS=`date '+(%H*60+%M)*60+%S'`
}

--
_ _ Dale DePriest San Jose, California
/`) _ // da...@Cadence.COM voice: (408) 428-5249
o/_/ (_(_X_(` ISO 9000 Program Manager fax: (408) 894-3484

Keith Euler

unread,

Jul 6, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/6/98

to

Does anyone know where I can find a C++ version of
Korn Shell (ksh)?

Thanks in advance,
Keith Euler.

--
------------------------------------------------------
-- Keith Euler Email: eu...@rsn.hp.com --
-- Software Engineering Phone: (972) 497-4395 --
-- HEWLETT PACKARD --
-- High Performance 3000 Waterview Pkwy. --
-- Systems Division Richardson, TX 75083-3851 --
------------------------------------------------------

brian hiles

unread,

Jul 6, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/6/98

to

Gareth Jenkins (ga...@innocent.com) wrote:
: Just quick question - can anyone think of a quick and easy way to place

: the current date/time in a ksh prompt?
: PS1=`date +%H:%M`

: gives the time at execution of the line but not at time of displaying
: the prompt....

Here's my $0.02:

You want:

$ . ./mkprompt
$ mkprompt --time --prompt # or: mkprompt -t -p
$ mkprompt "$(date +%b%e)" --time --prompt # with date as well (why??)

#!/bin/echo error: only source
#*TAG:52991 12:Jun 24 1998:0644:mkprompt:
# Author: Brian Hiles <b...@iname.com>
# Copyright: (c) 1998
# Description: construct a custom PS1 prompt
# Name: mkprompt
# Sccs: @(#)mkprompt.sh 1.0 1998/02 b...@iname.com (Brian Hiles)
# Usage: mkprompt [option|string]...
# Version: 1.0b

#01
function mkprompt # [option|string]...
{ set -o noglob
typeset IFS TERM=${TERM:-dumb} bell=$(print \\007) esc=$(print \\033)
typeset ext ipost ipre nl='
' ps1 wpost wpre xport xterm
[[ $#$1 = @(0|1--) ]] &&
{ # no arguments: output code suitable for re-input
[[ $PS1 = *\${HOSTNAME}* ]] &&
print -r ': ${HOSTNAME:=$(hostname)}'
[[ $PS1 = *SECONDS* ]] &&
print "SECONDS=\$(date '+%H*3600+%M*60+%S')" &&
print 'typeset -Z2 _h _m _s\ntypeset -i _t'
[[ $PS1 = *PWD* ]] &&
print '_ps1=\~'
[[ $PS1 = *\${SHLVL}* ]] && print 'typeset -i10 -x SHLVL' \
"\nalias -x ksh='SECONDS=\$SECONDS SHLVL=${SHLVL:-0}+1 ksh'"
[[ " $(typeset +x) " = *' 'PS1' '* ]] &&
print -n 'typeset -x _ps1 '
print -r -- "PS1='$PS1'"
return 0
}
#XXX unused options: fgqvy
[[ $#$1 = 1@(-h|--help) ]] &&
{ print -r -- \
'-a|--alert - sound a bell
-b|--bold - turn on bold video
-c|--cwd - show current working directory
-d|--date - show date
-e|--exmark - show an exclamation mark
-h|--history - show history number
-i|--icon - set title of icon with prompt string
-j|--newline - show a newline
-k|--blink - turn on blinking video
-l|--level - show shell level
-m|--dim - turn on dim video
-n|--hostname - show hostname
-o|--status - show exit status of previous command
-p|--prompt - show prompt character (dollar sign or hash mark)
-r|--reverse - show reverse video
-s|--standout - turn on reverse video
-t|--time - show 24-hour time
-u|--user - show username
-w|--window - set the title of window with prompt string.
-x|--export - export PS1 to subshells.
-z|--zero - initialize prompt (use with --window/--icon options.)
Without arguments "mkprompt" outputs shell code to recreate the current prompt.
'
return 0
}
while (($#))
do case $1 in
(--) break ;;
(-a|--alert)
ATTR_BELL=${ATTR_BELL#$esc} \
: ${ATTR_BELL:=$(tput -T$TERM bel)}
ps1="$ps1${ATTR_BELL:-$bell}" ;;
(-b|--bold)
ATTR_SMSO=${ATTR_SMSO#$esc} \
: ${ATTR_SMSO:=$(tput -T$TERM smso)}
ps1="$ps1$esc$ATTR_SMSO" ;;
(+b|--unbold)
ATTR_RMSO=${ATTR_RMSO#$esc} \
: ${ATTR_RMSO:=$(tput -T$TERM rmso)}
ps1="$ps1$esc$ATTR_RMSO" ;;
(-c|--cwd)
ext="$ext${nl}_ps1=\\~" \
ps1="$ps1\${_ps1[(1-0\${PWD%%@([!/]*|\$HOME*)}1)]" \
ps1="$ps1:-}\${PWD#\$HOME}" ;;
(-d|--date)
# Warning: not dynamically calculated each display
ps1="$ps1$(date +%D)" ;;
(-e|--exmark)
ps1="$ps1!!" ;;
(-h|--history)
ps1="$ps1!" ;;
(-i|--icon)
#if [[ $1 = --icon=* ]]
#then xterm=${1#--icon=}
#else xterm=${1#-i}
#[[ -z $xterm ]] && xterm=$2 shift
#fi
case $xterm in
(630?(-*))
ipre= ipost= ;; #XXX
(dtterm?(-*)|sun-cmd?(-*))
ipre=$esc]L ipost=$esc ;;
(hpterm?(-*))
ipre=$esc\&f-1k\${#PS1}D ipost=' ' ;;
(xterm?(-*))
ipre=$esc]1\; ipost=$bell ;;
esac
${VERBOSE:+print -ru2 [ xterm: $xterm ]}
_inst="$(print -nr -- "$ipre"|od -c|head -1)"
${VERBOSE:+print -ru2 [ preamble: ${_inst#0000000 } ]}
_inst="$(print -nr -- "$ipost"|od -c|head -1)"
${VERBOSE:+print -ru2 [ postamble: ${_inst#0000000 } ]}
;;
(-j|--newline)
ps1="$ps1$nl" ;;
(-k|--blink)
ATTR_BLINK=${ATTR_BLINK#$esc} \
ATTR_SGR0=${ATTR_SGR0#$esc} \
: ${ATTR_BLINK:=$(tput -T$TERM blink)} \
${ATTR_SGR0:=$(tput -T$TERM sgr0)}
ps1="$ps1$esc$ATTR_BLINK" ;;
(-l|--level)
ext="$ext${nl}typeset -i10 -x SHLVL" \
ext="$ext${nl}alias -x ksh='SHLVL=\${SHLVL:-0}+1 ksh'" \
ps1="$ps1\${SHLVL}" ;;
(-m|--dim)
ATTR_DIM=${ATTR_DIM#$esc} \
ATTR_SGR0=${ATTR_SGR0#$esc} \
: ${ATTR_DIM:=$(tput -T$TERM dim)} \
${ATTR_SGR0:=$(tput -T$TERM sgr0)}
ps1="$ps1$esc$ATTR_DIM" ;;
(+m|--undim)
ATTR_SGR0=${ATTR_SGR0#$esc} \
: ${ATTR_SGR0:=$(tput -T$TERM sgr0)}
ps1="$ps1$esc$ATTR_SGR0" ;;
(-n|--hostname)
# Ksh93 does command substitution within PS1;
# ksh88 only implements variable substitution.
ps1="$ps1\${HOSTNAME}" \
: ${HOSTNAME:=$(hostname)} ;;
(-o|--status) # cannot as yet suppress display if $? equals 0
ps1="$ps1[\$?]" ;; #XXX no [, ] !!
(-p|--prompt)
# Warning: not dynamically calculated each display
if [[ $(LANG=C /bin/id) = uid=0\(* ]]
then ps1="$ps1#"
else ps1="$ps1\\$"
fi ;;
(-r|--reverse)
ATTR_REV=${ATTR_REV#$esc} \
ATTR_SGR0=${ATTR_SGR0#$esc} \
: ${ATTR_REV:=$(tput -T$TERM rev)} \
${ATTR_SGR0:=$(tput -T$TERM sgr0)}
ps1="$ps1$esc$ATTR_REV" ;;
(+r|--unreverse)
ATTR_SGR0=${ATTR_SGR0#$esc} \
: ${ATTR_SGR0:=$(tput -T$TERM sgr0)}
ps1="$ps1$esc$ATTR_SGR0" ;;
(-s|--standout)
ATTR_SMSO=${ATTR_SMSO#$esc} \
ATTR_RMSO=${ATTR_RMSO#$esc} \
: ${ATTR_SMSO:=$(tput -T$TERM smso)} \
${ATTR_RMSO:=$(tput -T$TERM rmso)}
ps1="$ps1$esc$ATTR_SMSO" ;;
(+s|--unstandout)
ATTR_RMSO=${ATTR_RMSO#$esc} \
: ${ATTR_RMSO:=$(tput -T$TERM rmso)}
ps1="$ps1$esc$ATTR_RMSO" ;;
(-t|--time)
ext="$ext${nl}typeset -\${xport}Z2 _h _m _s" \
ext="$ext${nl}typeset -i\$xport _t" \
ext="$ext${nl}SECONDS=\$(date '+%H*3600+%M*60+%S')" \
ext="$ext${nl}_ps1=\\~" \
ps1="$ps1\${_ps1[1+((_t=SECONDS)==(_s=_t%60)==" \
ps1="$ps1(_m=_t/60%60)==(_h=_t/3600%24))]}" \
ps1="$ps1\$_h:\$_m:\$_s" ;;
#ps1="$ps1(_m=(_t/60)%60)==(_h=(_t/3600)%24))]}" \
(-u|--user)
ps1="$ps1\${USER:-\${LOGNAME}}" ;;
(-w|--window)
#if [[ $1 = --window=* ]]
#then xterm=${1#--window=}
#else xterm=${1#-w}
#[[ -z $xterm ]] && xterm=$2 shift
#fi
case $xterm in
(630?(-*))
wpre="$esc[?\${#PS1};0v" wpost= ;;
(dtterm?(-*)|sun-cmd?(-*))
wpre=$esc]l wpost=$esc ;;
(hpterm?(-*))
wpre=$esc\&f0k\${#PS1}D wpost=' ' ;;
(xterm?(-*))
wpre=$esc]2\; wpost=$bell ;;
esac
${VERBOSE:+print -ru2 [ xterm: $xterm ]}
_inst="$(print -nr -- "$wpre"|od -c|head -1)"
${VERBOSE:+print -ru2 [ preamble: ${_inst#0000000 } ]}
_inst="$(print -nr -- "$wpost"|od -c|head -1)"
${VERBOSE:+print -ru2 [ postamble: ${_inst#0000000 } ]}
;;
(-z|--zero) #XXX will not work!
ps1= ;; #XXX ps1="$ps1\$PS1=" ??
(--*) print -ru2 "$0: error: unknown option \"$1\""
return 2 ;;
(-??*) #XXX convert into builtins:
eval "shift
set -- $(print -r -- "${1#-}" |
sed 's/./-& /g; s/ -$//') \"\$@\""
continue ;;
(-?) print -ru2 "$0: error: unknown option \"$1\""
return 2 ;;
(*) ps1="$ps1$1" ;;
esac
shift
done
# just in case: turn off all video attributes
ATTR_SGR0=${ATTR_SGR0#$esc} : ${ATTR_SGR0:-$(tput -T$TERM sgr0)}
# ksh88 bug: even a quoted "[" cannot be matched in patterns!
[[ $ps1 = *$esc* && $ps1 != *$esc$ATTR_SGR0 ]] &&
ps1="$ps1$esc$ATTR_SGR0"
[[ -n $ps1 && $ps1 != *' ' ]] && ps1="$ps1 "
# uncomment line below to explicate constructed PS1 and return
#print -n "$ps1" | od -c >&2 && return
trap "eval '$ext'; ${xport:+typeset -x _ps1} PS1='$ps1'" EXIT
return 0
}

#02 EMBEDDED MANPAGE FOR "scr2man"
: '
#++
NAME
mkprompt - construct a custom PS1 prompt

SYNOPSIS
mkprompt option|string ...
mkprompt

DESCRIPTION
Mkprompt constructs a PS1 prompt for use under ksh(1) and other
shells that perform variable substitution on PS1 and implement
arrays.

None of the options insert any whitespace, etc, into PS1. To do
so, apply an explicit space character (which has to be protected
by quotes) as a command line parameter. However, one space is
appended if PS1 not already terminated by whitespace.

Note that PS1 is not automatically exported to subshells by
mkprompt, even if the "--level" option is active.

From the SunOS 4.x terminfo(5) man page:

"If your terminal has one or more kinds of display attri-
butes, these can be represented in a number of different
ways. You should choose one display form as standout mode
(see curses(3V)), representing a good, high contrast, easy-
on-the-eyes, format for highlighting error messages and
other attention getters. (If you have a choice, reverse-
video plus half-bright is good, or reverse-video alone; how-
ever, different users have different preferences on dif-
ferent terminals.)"

URL of xterm FAQ. #XXX

OPTIONS
-a|--alert - Sound a bell (if term supports capability.)
-b|--bold - Turn on bold video (if term supports capability.)
-c|--cwd - Show current working directory.
-d|--date - Show date.
-e|--exmark - Show an exclamation mark.
-h|--history - Show history number.
-i|--icon - Set title of icon with prompt string.
-j|--newline - Show a newline.
-k|--blink - Turn on blinking video (if term supports capability.)
-l|--level - Show shell level.
-m|--dim - Turn on dim video (if term supports capability.)
-n|--hostname - Show hostname.
-o|--status - Show exit status of previous command.
-p|--prompt - Show prompt character (dollar sign or hash mark.)
-r|--reverse - Show reverse video (if term supports capability.)
-s|--standout - Turn on reverse video (if term supports capability.)
-t|--time - Show 24-hour time.
-u|--user - Show username.
-w|--window - Set title of window with prompt string.
-x|--export - Export PS1 to subshells.
-z|--zero - Initialize prompt (use with --window/--icon options.)

Bi-modal options (e.g. -r|--reverse) can be complemented by
specifying +<option>|--un<option> (e.g. +r|--unreverse).

RETURN CODE
0 for successful creation of prompt, 2 for usage error.

EXAMPLE
mkprompt "[" --time "] " --prompt
-or-
mkprompt "[" -t "] " -p

mkprompt --user "@" --hostname --exmark --cwd --prompt
-or-
mkprompt -u "@" -hecp

ENVIRONMENT
HOSTNAME
LOGNAME
LANG
LOCALE
PS1
USER
XTERM #XXX