Problems with linebreak in terminal (\n doesn't create linebreak)

Question

Problems with linebreak in terminal (\n doesn't create linebreak)

Hello! I've recently started to migrate my embedded software development from my laptop to my gorgeous new iMac, but I've come across a rather annoying problem.

Linebreaks doesn't work properly in the terminal. If I type
echo "Hello \n Linebreak" it just types Hello \n Linebreak and doesn't interpret the newline-character correctly.

My version of Mac OS X and keyboard are both Swedish (Pro-Swe). Any hints or tips that could help me take the final step and finally switch my dell laptop to a macbook? 🙂

Thanks in advance / Martin

iMac 24" 2.4GHz C2D, Mac OS X (10.4.10), Localization: Swedish.

Posted on Aug 24, 2007 4:38 AM

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Answer 1

etresoft

Level 9

56,656 points

Aug 24, 2007 5:58 AM in response to Martin Nordén

It may be a bash thing. You seem to need "echo -e" to get the interpolation to work. I can get it to work on this Linux box I have in front of me now, but it isn't pretty. It screws up my prompt and beeps. But then, I have some fancy stuff in my .bashrc. It may work fine for you.

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Answer 2

Jun T.

Level 4

2,191 points

Aug 24, 2007 7:50 AM in response to Martin Nordén

Hi Martin,

I discovered that it also works in zsh.

Welcome to zsh! 😉
If you are using zsh, then you don't need -e unless you explicitly set the BSD_ECHO option.

If you are using bash instead, but don't want to add an option -e, then put the following into your .bashrc or .bash_profile, whicherver appropriate:


shopt -s xpg_echo

Another method is to use


echo $'foo bar'

This works both in bash and zsh.

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Answer 3

Aug 24, 2007 6:05 AM in response to etresoft

echo -e works perfect! thanks a lot! I discovered that it also works in zsh.

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