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Inputting Character Strings and Passwords

 Note

This section applies to configuring character strings and CLI user passwords (that is, the passwords used to log in to the CLI). This section does not apply to entering other types of passwords, such as commands where you specify passwords for FTP/SFTP.

Some commands require you to enter character strings. If the character string includes any of the following special characters, then special handling is required:

Table 1: Special Characters

Special Character

Name

Uses

|

pipe

Used for controlling output

;

semicolon

Used for delimiting commands

?

question mark

Used for listing command completion options

<space>

space

Used for delimiting words

!

exclamation mark

Used for delimiting comments (such as in scripts)

“

quotation mark

Used for delimiting character strings

\

backslash

Used for escaping special characters

How you enter these special characters depends on where you type the character string. The CLI allows you two ways of entering character strings:

Entering a Character String Directly on the Command Line

When entering a character or CLI user password string directly on the command line and that string contains special characters, enclose the entire string in quotation marks.

For example:

bti7800(config-module-ufm:1/7)# custom1 "abcd!efg"
bti7800(config-module-ufm:1/7)# commit
bti7800(config-module-ufm:1/7)# do show equipment chassis:1 module ufm:1/7

If the string includes a backslash (\) or a quotation mark (“), precede it with a backslash (\) to escape it.

For example:

bti7800(config-module-ufm:1/7)# custom1 "abcd\\efg"
bti7800(config-module-ufm:1/7)# commit
bti7800(config-module-ufm:1/7)# do show equipment chassis:1 module ufm:1/7
bti7800(config-module-ufm:1/7)# custom1 "abcd\"efg"
bti7800(config-module-ufm:1/7)# commit
bti7800(config-module-ufm:1/7)# do show equipment chassis:1 module ufm:1/7

Entering a Character String in Response to a Prompt

When entering a character string in response to a prompt, there are fewer restrictions, but there are differences between configuring a character string for a parameter and configuring a CLI user password.

  • When configuring a CLI user password, you can use all special characters at the prompt.

    For example:

    bti7800(config)# users user password
    Note

    The password is shown in clear text for illustration purposes only. On the CLI, the password is shown as a series of asterisks (*).

  • When configuring a character string, you can use all special characters but if your string includes a backslash (\) or a quotation mark (“), you must escape it with a backslash (\).

    For example:

    bti7800(config-module-amp:1/4)# custom1