If you want, I can generate a ready-to-import Xshell highlight XML/JSON file with these rules — tell me which exact colors and whether you prefer light or dark terminal theme.
Tip: You can also set Xshell to automatically apply a highlight set when the session prompt matches
.*[>#].*(Cisco exec mode). xshell highlight sets cisco
| Display Name | Regex Pattern | Foreground | Background | Style |
|--------------|---------------|------------|------------|-------|
| Command | ^(configure\|enable\|show\|debug\|no\|interface\|router\|ip) | #0000FF | — | Bold |
| Keyword | \b(?:vlan\|ospf\|eigrp\|bgp\|acl\|vty\|console\|aux)\b | #800080 | — | — |
| String | "[^"]*" | #008000 | — | — |
| Comment | !.*$ | #808080 | — | Italic |
| Error | % (Incomplete command\|Invalid input\|Unknown) | #FF0000 | #FFFF00 | Bold |
| Interface | \b(?:GigabitEthernet\|FastEthernet\|Loopback\|Vlan)\d+[/\d]* | #008080 | — | — |
| IP Address | \b\d1,3\.\d1,3\.\d1,3\.\d1,3\b | #FF8C00 | — | — | If you want, I can generate a ready-to-import
Tip: Use Preview pane to test against a sample Cisco config. Tip : You can also set Xshell to
Beyond basic keyword highlighting, Xshell offers features that elevate your Cisco workflow.
By default, Xshell offers basic ANSI colors. While these work for Linux ls outputs, they fail miserably with Cisco’s unique syntax. Cisco CLI has specific patterns that require custom regex:
Without a custom highlight set, you will miss critical down events hiding in a wall of show logging output.