[comp.unix.wizards] Prompt, etc.

ram@lscvax.UUCP (Ric Messier) (02/18/88)

Perhaps I didn't get the joke either, but 'set prompt = "."' doesn't
work on this machine. We are running 4.3 BSD here and I am in csh. Also,
PS1 = "." which is the same thing, doesn't work either. No big surprise
there, I suspect. Any idea why?

While we are on the subject of things not working, I would like to know
why I can't get my sysline to work. I am on a VT100 but I can't seem to
get a sysline. Meanwhile, not an hour away, Dartmouth is also running
what I believe to be the same version of Unix but they can get it to
work. Is it me? Is it local? Am I a raving lunatic who doesn't have any
idea what he is talking about or do I have a legitimate concern about
world peace? Any help anyone can offer is and will be greatly
appreciated.


-- 
- Kilroy                                                 ram@lscvax.UUCP
'Just what cowpatch is Lyndonville, Vermont in anyway?'

                                                         *** Can't deal, &CRASH

gwyn@brl-smoke.ARPA (Doug Gwyn ) (02/19/88)

In article <392@lscvax.UUCP> ram@lscvax.UUCP (Ric Messier) writes:
>why I can't get my sysline to work. I am on a VT100 but I can't seem to
>get a sysline.

The termcap (or terminfo) decsription that matches your TERM environment
variable value (i.e. terminal-type name) must have entries for "status
line" features in order for sysline to work.  The normal "vt100" entry
doesn't have these; however, they can be provided by using the scrolling
region feature of the VT100.  There are often entries for "vt100-s" and
"vt100-s-bot" that support sysline; try setting your TERM environment
variable to one of these.

terryl@tekcrl.TEK.COM (02/22/88)

In article <392@lscvax.UUCP> ram@lscvax.UUCP (Ric Messier) writes:
>Perhaps I didn't get the joke either, but 'set prompt = "."' doesn't
>work on this machine. We are running 4.3 BSD here and I am in csh. Also,
>PS1 = "." which is the same thing, doesn't work either. No big surprise
>there, I suspect. Any idea why?

     You answered your own question. It *was* supposed to be a joke. Remember,
in just about any UNIX system, "." refers to the current directory. Nowhere in
ANY of these postings did it say that "." would substitute the REAL ABSOLUTE
path name in a prompt. People just shouldn't take things so literal (especially
when talking to ANY kind of unix wizard; they have such a warped sense of
humor!!! (-:).

>While we are on the subject of things not working, I would like to know
>why I can't get my sysline to work. I am on a VT100 but I can't seem to
>get a sysline. Meanwhile, not an hour away, Dartmouth is also running
>what I believe to be the same version of Unix but they can get it to
>work. Is it me? Is it local? Am I a raving lunatic who doesn't have any
>idea what he is talking about or do I have a legitimate concern about
>world peace? Any help anyone can offer is and will be greatly
>appreciated.

     Probably the raving lunatic is more correct!!! (Insert MANY (-: here!!!).
Actually, look at the termcap entry (for BSD-type systems) or terminfo entry
(for Sys V-type systems) and see if they're different. It could be that the
entry for vt100 on your system doesn't describe the sysline capability, and
the other machine does.

Boy
Do
I
Hate
Inews
!!!!
!!!!

ram@lscvax.UUCP (Ric Messier) (03/01/88)

Since the posting of my question concerning the prompt, I have received
mail from many people, some of whom suggested that I might be slightly
stupid. Unfortunately, I did get the joke, though I wasn't thinking
clearly and posted the stupid message anyway. I wish to apologize for
offending those people that thought I was too stupid to be reading the
news in this group.

However, thanks to all the people that were helpful in answering my
other question. I appreciate their help.

-- 
- Kilroy                                                 ram@lscvax.UUCP
'Just what cowpatch is Lyndonville, Vermont in anyway?'

                                                         *** Can't deal, &CRASH