Copy/paste doesn't work properly when changing prompt colors

[olivierpons]

Open a prompt, try to do this:

• type this code: export PS1="\e[1;30m-30-\e[m >"
• copy it with your mouse (select the code + copy it (I have auto-copy when I select with the mouse enabled))
• close the prompt
• open a brand new prompt
• immediately paste it (SHIFT INS)
• type "HOME" key and "END" key, you'll see the cursor go to logical positions (start and end of the code)
• now press ENTER
• you prompt changes the colors
• immediately paste it (SHIFT INS)
• type "HOME" key and "END" key, you'll see the cursor go to illogical positions (offset problem)

This means if I apply colors to the prompt I can't copy/paste + change my copied code...

[willpower232]

Your PS1 seems to also produce similar results in real bash (tried in Ubuntu) so it sounds like your specific prompt does funny things to bash(?)

[olivierpons]

It should just change the colors of the prompt (and that's what it does actually). Do you think it does something else we dont see? I've asked here (hoping to get an answer).

[mintty]

Your prompt is broken. You need to enclose escape sequences in pairs of \[ and \] or you'll have that offset problem. Not a mintty issue, as Will observed.

[mintty]

Sorry, should have been \[ and \]. Fixing above. Read the bash manual.

[olivierpons]

I'm sorry you're right, I should take some time to read the bash manual. Sorry for that.

[willpower232]

I had no idea this was a thing. FWIW my PS1 ends in a newline which I presume resolves everything...

[mintty]

Admittedly, the bash manual is not very clear about the importance of using the escape embedding of non-printing characters in order to enable bash (or rather readline) to maintain its proper column position.
In tcsh, it's %{ and %}.