KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q73314: CTRL+PRINT SCREEN Causes ANSI Escape Sequences to Print

Article: Q73314
Product(s): Microsoft Disk Operating System
Version(s): MS-DOS:3.x,4.x,5.0,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 17-DEC-2000

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 3.1, 3.2, 3.21, 3.3, 3.3a, 4.0, 4.01, 5.0, 6.0, 6.2, 6.21, 6.22 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

If you use ANSI escape sequences in the PROMPT command ($E) and turn on
continuous print by pressing CTRL+PRINT SCREEN, the ANSI escape sequences used
in the prompt will be printed when you press ENTER.

MORE INFORMATION
================

When working from the command prompt, CTRL+PRINT SCREEN will print continuous
output in a mirror image of the computer screen. If you used ANSI escape
sequences to customize the command prompt with $E, the prompt, including the
ANSI characters used in the PROMPT command, will be printed. The following
example shows a prompt using ANSI escape codes to set the command prompt to
magenta on black, and how it prints out using CTRL+PRINT SCREEN:

  Prompt setting: PROMPT $e[35;40m$p$g$e[37;40m
  How it will print: 35;40mC:\>37;40m

If this output is unacceptable, the prompt can be changed from the command line
by issuing the following command:

  " PROMPT $P$G " (without the quotation marks)

To set the prompt to its previous setting, restart the computer.

Additional query words: 6.22 3.20 3.21 3.30 3.30a 4.00 4.01 4.01a 5.00 5.00a 6.00 6.20

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS321 kbMSDOS400 kbMSDOS320 kbMSDOS330a kbMSDOS621 kbMSDOS622 kbMSDOS620 kbMSDOS600 kbMSDOS310 kbMSDOS500 kbMSDOS330 kbMSDOS401
Version           : MS-DOS:3.x,4.x,5.0,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.