On Fri, Aug 04, 2000 at 11:34:07AM -0400, Subba Rao wrote:
> 
> PS1='($?)\u@\h:\w =>'
> PS1='($?)`whoami`@\h:\w =>'
> In BASH, why does the "\u" and "whoami" make a big difference for
> the $? value in PS1 string? The BASH version is 2.04.

My assumption is that using whoami with the ` ` causes it to need to
reevaulate the PS1 enviroment variable every time.  During the
reevaulation of PS1, it updates $? along with it.  While using \u is
handled internally by the shell.  $? is only evaluated when PS1 is
set.  


-- 
     Dan Nguyen     |  It is with true love as it is with ghosts;
  [EMAIL PROTECTED]  |  everyone talks of it, but few have seent it.
   [EMAIL PROTECTED]   |                -Maxime De La Rochefoucauld


_______________________________________________
techtalk mailing list
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.linux.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/techtalk

Reply via email to