Re: shell: Password prompt eats control characters

[Chong Yidong]

Dan Jacobson <address@hidden> writes:

> M-x shell
> $ ssh bla.bla.bla
> whereupon we are cleverly prompted for the password in the minibuffer.
>
> Well, the password Bob sent me was in a different buffer, which one
> needs to use C-x b to get to.  But no, every darn character,
> including C-x, is munched as part of the password, Nazi style.
>
> Until we hit ^G, which gives
>   Warning: text will be echoed
> which would have been fine with me, except that it is covered up by
>   Quit
> before we can see it.
>
> So besides allowing e.g., C-x b to act normally, mention along with
> the prompt some keys to escape...

The standard key for escaping is C-g; I don't think we need to explain
it in every prompt in Emacs.  I don't think it's trivial to allow C-x b
etc. in comint password prompts: there is some delicate code in
`read-passwd' that ensures the password is securely handled, and it's
not good to mess with it for trivial reasons.  (I'm not even sure
allowing C-x b in password prompts is even desirable: such a feature
might pose a security risk in itself.)