Xshell Highlight Sets Cisco -

XShell is a powerhouse for network engineers, but its default white-on-black text can make managing complex Cisco configurations a headache. By using highlight sets, you can transform a wall of monotone text into a readable, color-coded dashboard.

This guide will show you how to build, import, and optimize XShell highlight sets specifically for Cisco IOS, ASA, and Nexus devices. Why Use Highlight Sets for Cisco?

When you’re staring at a running-config or a routing table, your eyes naturally hunt for specific patterns. Highlighting automates this by:

Spotting Errors: Make "shutdown" or "administratively down" bright red. Tracking Status: Turn "up/up" or "established" green.

Isolating Variables: Highlight IP addresses, VLAN IDs, and Interface names.

Security Alerts: Flag "permit any any" or "no password" strings immediately. How to Create a Cisco Highlight Set in XShell

XShell doesn't come with a "Cisco" button, but building a custom set is straightforward. Open Highlighting Settings: Go to Tools > Highlight Sets. Create New: Click New and name it "Cisco_IOS". Add Keywords: Click Add to create a new rule.

Define Patterns: Use the "Keyword" field for simple text or "Regular Expression" for patterns. Essential Keywords and Color Schemes xshell highlight sets cisco

For a professional Cisco set, use these categories to keep your terminal organized: 1. The "Good" Status (Green) Set these to a bold green foreground. up established success active permit 2. The "Bad" Status (Red)

Set these to a red foreground or a red background with white text. down administratively down fail error deny discard 3. Network Identifiers (Cyan or Yellow) This helps you track the "where" and "what." Vlan[0-9]+ (Regex) GigabitEthernet TenGigabitEthernet BGP / OSPF / EIGRP 4. Security Warnings (Bold Yellow/Orange) no password unencrypted password 7 Advanced: Using Regular Expressions (Regex)

The real power of XShell lies in Regex. Instead of highlighting one specific IP, you can highlight all IPs. IPv4 Address: \b(?:[0-9]1,3\.)3[0-9]1,3\b MAC Address: ([0-9A-Fa-f]4\.)2[0-9A-Fa-f]4 Cisco Interface Shortcuts: (Gi|Te|Fa|Po)[0-9/.]+ How to Apply Your Highlight Set

Once your set is created, you need to tell XShell to use it for your Cisco sessions.

Open the Properties of your specific Cisco session (or the Default Session). Navigate to Appearance.

Under the Highlighting section, check the box for "Highlighting Set." Select Cisco_IOS from the dropdown menu. Click OK. Pro Tip: Sharing and Importing Sets

XShell stores these sets as .xshl files. If you have a colleague with a great color scheme, you can import it: Go to Tools > Highlight Sets. Click Import. Select the .xshl file. It is now available for all your sessions. Summary Checklist for a Clean Cisco View XShell is a powerhouse for network engineers, but

💡 Keep it minimal: Too many colors create "rainbow fatigue."💡 Bold vs. Dim: Use bold for active statuses and dim colors for descriptions.💡 Test with 'Show' commands: Verify your colors look good against show ip int br and show run. If you’d like, I can:

Write the exact Regex strings for specific Cisco log patterns.

Provide a pre-formatted XML block you can save as a .xshl file. Explain how to link specific colors to alarms.

6. Optional: Import Ready-to-Use Set

You can manually create a .ini file or ask Netsarang community for pre-built sets.
Xshell highlight sets are stored in:

%APPDATA%\NetSarang\Xshell\HighlightSets\

Create Cisco.ini:

[Set]
Name=Cisco

[Keywords]
0=enable,0,0,0x00AAFF
1=configure terminal,0,0,0x00AAFF
2=interface,0,0,0x00AAFF


[Regex]
0=\b([0-9]1,3.)3[0-9]1,3\b,0x00FF00,0,0
1=(Gi|Fa|Te|Et)[0-9]/[0-9]+,0xFFFF00,0,0
 Create  Cisco

Restart Xshell to load it.

4. Limitations & Workarounds

  • Xshell’s highlighting is line‑based (cannot span multiple lines).
  • For contextual highlighting (e.g., inside a specific route-map), use simpler patterns or combine with Log Highlighting (Tools → Log Highlighting) for real‑time session output.

1. Logging Triggers with Highlights

You can configure Xshell to log only when a specific Cisco error appears. This is perfect for debugging intermittent issues.

  • Go to Tools > Logging.
  • Check Start logging when specific keyword is received.
  • Enter regex: (?:Down|DUPADDR|Invalid input).
  • Result: Xshell starts a log file the moment a routing neighbor goes down, capturing the preceding 5 seconds.

What this is

Highlight sets in Xshell let you colorize terminal text (based on regex or keywords) so Cisco device output (IOS/IOS-XE/IOS-XR/ASA/NX-OS) is easier to read — for example coloring interface names, status keywords, error messages, timestamps, IP addresses, and config lines.

Xshell Highlight Sets for Cisco: A Quick Guide

Objective
Improve readability and reduce errors when working with Cisco devices (routers, switches, firewalls) in Xshell by applying custom keyword highlighting.

5. Activate the Highlight Set

While connected to a Cisco device:

  • Right-click in terminal → Highlight Sets → choose Cisco
  • Or go to View → Highlight Sets → Cisco

2. Open Highlight Set Manager

  1. Launch Xshell.
  2. Go to Tools → Highlight Sets (or press Ctrl + H).
  3. Click New to create a set called Cisco.

3. Order of Rules Matters

Xshell processes highlights from top to bottom. If you have a general rule (e.g., "IP Address" = Blue) and a specific rule ("10.0.0.1" = Red), the specific rule must come above the general rule. Use the Move Up/Move Down buttons.