what do you need that for?
are you trying to customize the prompt?
if so you are barking up the wrong tree
if not then what spacificly is it that you want to do
there is probably a easier way
--(Once apon a time, in comp.unix.shell,)--
--(Joeri Gerrits said it like only they can.)--
--
._______.
| <> <> | GUI's are for slackers. ibpconf.sh 5 on freshmeat.net
\-|o|-/ The easiest way to customize the command line. By Faux_Pseudo
/___\ -(root[2:45pm]/root)-
(MMM) --(t...@psunet.local)-- export UIN=66618055