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When I open up Terminal (on Mac OS X 10.5.8) and type a long command line: alt text

...the text doesn't go to the next line when it wraps around: alt text alt text

Also, sometimes when I type a command and then backspace (or up-arrow or ^U): alt text

...the entire line isn't erased and I can't backspace beyond a certain point: alt text alt text

Is this a known bash bug (on Mac OS X)? Is there a fix?

Update: Juliano was correct, the problem was caused by incorrectly delimiting a console code sequence in my PS1 variable. Changing:

export PS1='\[\033[1;34m\]\$\]\033[0m\] '

...in my .bashrc to:

export PS1='\[\033[1;34m\]\$\[\033[0m\] '

...solved the problem.

Community
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Daryl Spitzer
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2 Answers2

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The behavior is consistent to having console codes in your prompt (to change the color, etc.) and not properly marking then so that bash knows that they are invisible.

Before anything else, do this:

PS1='\w\$ '

And then try again. If the problem is solved, then my suspicions are correct.

Each console code sequence must be delimited with \[ and \] in the PS1 variable. They tell bash that whatever is in there doesn't move the cursor position. Read the bash manual for more information.

Juliano
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4

To help generate a sanitized prompt try http://www.kirsle.net/wizards/ps1.html it's pretty awesome. Just be careful with brackets in your prompt, it tries to escape them or something.

Dan Green
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  • +1 While @Juliano's answer is technically correct, this link here is what sets the correct `tput` commands - which has fixed newline, `\` newline and other "history + backspacing" fixes that using other ANSI codes could not fix. – Eric Duncan Dec 03 '14 at 18:59
  • that tool is awesome! Thank you for sharing it. – szeitlin Apr 05 '21 at 21:02