diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a30f3395..7c06d87c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -258,6 +258,17 @@ Some example settings:
 |Normal Colors|(red3 darkorange3 darkgoldenrod gold3 yellow3 chartreuse2 mediumspringgreen green3 green3 green4 darkgreen)|
 |Subdued Colors|(darkred orange4 yellow4 yellow4 chartreuse3 green3 green4 darkgreen)|
 
+###### test your terminal colors
+Some terminals, like iTerm2, allow you to customize some of the colors via the interface.  This is handy for themes and allowing the colors to change via the GUI.
+Use this command to check how all the colors are rendering in your terminal. This is handy for choosing colors and wheter or not you want to use the static color code, or the dynamic named color.
+
+```zsh
+# execute these in your shell to get a look at all 256 colors
+
+getColorCode background
+getColorCode foreground
+```
+
 ##### command_execution_time
 
 Display the time the previous command took to execute if the time is above
diff --git a/functions/colors.zsh b/functions/colors.zsh
index 8d75e670..3a7da27f 100644
--- a/functions/colors.zsh
+++ b/functions/colors.zsh
@@ -6,6 +6,46 @@
 # https://github.com/bhilburn/powerlevel9k
 ################################################################
 
+# get the proper color code if it does not exist as a name.
+function getColor() {
+  # no need to check numerical values
+  if [[ "$1" = <-> ]]; then
+    if [[ "$1" = <8-15> ]]; then
+      1=$(($1 - 8))
+    fi
+  else
+    # named color added to parameter expansion print -P to test if the name exists in terminal
+    named="%K{$1}"
+    # https://misc.flogisoft.com/bash/tip_colors_and_formatting
+    default="$'\033'\[49m"
+    # http://zsh.sourceforge.net/Doc/Release/Prompt-Expansion.html
+    quoted=$(printf "%q" $(print -P "$named"))
+    if [[ $quoted = "$'\033'\[49m" && $1 != "black" ]]; then
+        # color not found, so try to get the code
+        1=$(getColorCode $1)
+    fi
+    echo -n "$1"
+  fi
+}
+
+# empty paramenter resets (stops) background color
+function backgroundColor() {
+  if [[ -z $1 ]]; then
+    echo -n "%k"
+  else
+    echo -n "%K{$(getColor $1)}"
+  fi
+}
+
+# empty paramenter resets (stops) foreground color
+function foregroundColor() {
+  if [[ -z $1 ]]; then
+    echo -n "%f"
+  else
+    echo -n "%F{$(getColor $1)}"
+  fi
+}
+
 # Get numerical color codes. That way we translate ANSI codes
 # into ZSH-Style color codes.
 function getColorCode() {
@@ -15,280 +55,292 @@ function getColorCode() {
     # and "background" colors. We don't need to do that,
     # as ZSH uses a 256 color space anyway.
     if [[ "$1" = <8-15> ]]; then
-      echo $(($1 - 8))
+      echo -n $(($1 - 8))
     else
-      echo "$1"
+      echo -n "$1"
     fi
   else
     typeset -A codes
-    codes=(
     # https://jonasjacek.github.io/colors/
     # use color names by default to allow dark/light themes to adjust colors based on names
-        'black'             '000'
-        'maroon'            '001'
-        'green'             '002'
-        'olive'             '003'
-        'navy'              '004'
-        'purple'            '005'
-        'teal'              '006'
-        'silver'            '007'
-        'grey'              '008'
-        'red'               '009'
-        'lime'              '010'
-        'yellow'            '011'
-        'blue'              '012'
-        'fuchsia'           '013'
-        'aqua'              '014'
-        'white'             '015'
-        'grey0'             '016'
-        'navyblue'          '017'
-        'darkblue'          '018'
-        'blue3'             '019'
-        'blue3'             '020'
-        'blue1'             '021'
-        'darkgreen'         '022'
-        'deepskyblue4'      '023'
-        'deepskyblue4'      '024'
-        'deepskyblue4'      '025'
-        'dodgerblue3'       '026'
-        'dodgerblue2'       '027'
-        'green4'            '028'
-        'springgreen4'      '029'
-        'turquoise4'        '030'
-        'deepskyblue3'      '031'
-        'deepskyblue3'      '032'
-        'dodgerblue1'       '033'
-        'green3'            '034'
-        'springgreen3'      '035'
-        'darkcyan'          '036'
-        'lightseagreen'     '037'
-        'deepskyblue2'      '038'
-        'deepskyblue1'      '039'
-        'green3'            '040'
-        'springgreen3'      '041'
-        'springgreen2'      '042'
-        'cyan3'             '043'
-        'darkturquoise'     '044'
-        'turquoise2'        '045'
-        'green1'            '046'
-        'springgreen2'      '047'
-        'springgreen1'      '048'
-        'mediumspringgreen' '049'
-        'cyan2'             '050'
-        'cyan1'             '051'
-        'darkred'           '052'
-        'deeppink4'         '053'
-        'purple4'           '054'
-        'purple4'           '055'
-        'purple3'           '056'
-        'blueviolet'        '057'
-        'orange4'           '058'
-        'grey37'            '059'
-        'mediumpurple4'     '060'
-        'slateblue3'        '061'
-        'slateblue3'        '062'
-        'royalblue1'        '063'
-        'chartreuse4'       '064'
-        'darkseagreen4'     '065'
-        'paleturquoise4'    '066'
-        'steelblue'         '067'
-        'steelblue3'        '068'
-        'cornflowerblue'    '069'
-        'chartreuse3'       '070'
-        'darkseagreen4'     '071'
-        'cadetblue'         '072'
-        'cadetblue'         '073'
-        'skyblue3'          '074'
-        'steelblue1'        '075'
-        'chartreuse3'       '076'
-        'palegreen3'        '077'
-        'seagreen3'         '078'
-        'aquamarine3'       '079'
-        'mediumturquoise'   '080'
-        'steelblue1'        '081'
-        'chartreuse2'       '082'
-        'seagreen2'         '083'
-        'seagreen1'         '084'
-        'seagreen1'         '085'
-        'aquamarine1'       '086'
-        'darkslategray2'    '087'
-        'darkred'           '088'
-        'deeppink4'         '089'
-        'darkmagenta'       '090'
-        'darkmagenta'       '091'
-        'darkviolet'        '092'
-        'purple'            '093'
-        'orange4'           '094'
-        'lightpink4'        '095'
-        'plum4'             '096'
-        'mediumpurple3'     '097'
-        'mediumpurple3'     '098'
-        'slateblue1'        '099'
-        'yellow4'           '100'
-        'wheat4'            '101'
-        'grey53'            '102'
-        'lightslategrey'    '103'
-        'mediumpurple'      '104'
-        'lightslateblue'    '105'
-        'yellow4'           '106'
-        'darkolivegreen3'   '107'
-        'darkseagreen'      '108'
-        'lightskyblue3'     '109'
-        'lightskyblue3'     '110'
-        'skyblue2'          '111'
-        'chartreuse2'       '112'
-        'darkolivegreen3'   '113'
-        'palegreen3'        '114'
-        'darkseagreen3'     '115'
-        'darkslategray3'    '116'
-        'skyblue1'          '117'
-        'chartreuse1'       '118'
-        'lightgreen'        '119'
-        'lightgreen'        '120'
-        'palegreen1'        '121'
-        'aquamarine1'       '122'
-        'darkslategray1'    '123'
-        'red3'              '124'
-        'deeppink4'         '125'
-        'mediumvioletred'   '126'
-        'magenta3'          '127'
-        'darkviolet'        '128'
-        'purple'            '129'
-        'darkorange3'       '130'
-        'indianred'         '131'
-        'hotpink3'          '132'
-        'mediumorchid3'     '133'
-        'mediumorchid'      '134'
-        'mediumpurple2'     '135'
-        'darkgoldenrod'     '136'
-        'lightsalmon3'      '137'
-        'rosybrown'         '138'
-        'grey63'            '139'
-        'mediumpurple2'     '140'
-        'mediumpurple1'     '141'
-        'gold3'             '142'
-        'darkkhaki'         '143'
-        'navajowhite3'      '144'
-        'grey69'            '145'
-        'lightsteelblue3'   '146'
-        'lightsteelblue'    '147'
-        'yellow3'           '148'
-        'darkolivegreen3'   '149'
-        'darkseagreen3'     '150'
-        'darkseagreen2'     '151'
-        'lightcyan3'        '152'
-        'lightskyblue1'     '153'
-        'greenyellow'       '154'
-        'darkolivegreen2'   '155'
-        'palegreen1'        '156'
-        'darkseagreen2'     '157'
-        'darkseagreen1'     '158'
-        'paleturquoise1'    '159'
-        'red3'              '160'
-        'deeppink3'         '161'
-        'deeppink3'         '162'
-        'magenta3'          '163'
-        'magenta3'          '164'
-        'magenta2'          '165'
-        'darkorange3'       '166'
-        'indianred'         '167'
-        'hotpink3'          '168'
-        'hotpink2'          '169'
-        'orchid'            '170'
-        'mediumorchid1'     '171'
-        'orange3'           '172'
-        'lightsalmon3'      '173'
-        'lightpink3'        '174'
-        'pink3'             '175'
-        'plum3'             '176'
-        'violet'            '177'
-        'gold3'             '178'
-        'lightgoldenrod3'   '179'
-        'tan'               '180'
-        'mistyrose3'        '181'
-        'thistle3'          '182'
-        'plum2'             '183'
-        'yellow3'           '184'
-        'khaki3'            '185'
-        'lightgoldenrod2'   '186'
-        'lightyellow3'      '187'
-        'grey84'            '188'
-        'lightsteelblue1'   '189'
-        'yellow2'           '190'
-        'darkolivegreen1'   '191'
-        'darkolivegreen1'   '192'
-        'darkseagreen1'     '193'
-        'honeydew2'         '194'
-        'lightcyan1'        '195'
-        'red1'              '196'
-        'deeppink2'         '197'
-        'deeppink1'         '198'
-        'deeppink1'         '199'
-        'magenta2'          '200'
-        'magenta1'          '201'
-        'orangered1'        '202'
-        'indianred1'        '203'
-        'indianred1'        '204'
-        'hotpink'           '205'
-        'hotpink'           '206'
-        'mediumorchid1'     '207'
-        'darkorange'        '208'
-        'salmon1'           '209'
-        'lightcoral'        '210'
-        'palevioletred1'    '211'
-        'orchid2'           '212'
-        'orchid1'           '213'
-        'orange1'           '214'
-        'sandybrown'        '215'
-        'lightsalmon1'      '216'
-        'lightpink1'        '217'
-        'pink1'             '218'
-        'plum1'             '219'
-        'gold1'             '220'
-        'lightgoldenrod2'   '221'
-        'lightgoldenrod2'   '222'
-        'navajowhite1'      '223'
-        'mistyrose1'        '224'
-        'thistle1'          '225'
-        'yellow1'           '226'
-        'lightgoldenrod1'   '227'
-        'khaki1'            '228'
-        'wheat1'            '229'
-        'cornsilk1'         '230'
-        'grey100'           '231'
-        'grey3'             '232'
-        'grey7'             '233'
-        'grey11'            '234'
-        'grey15'            '235'
-        'grey19'            '236'
-        'grey23'            '237'
-        'grey27'            '238'
-        'grey30'            '239'
-        'grey35'            '240'
-        'grey39'            '241'
-        'grey42'            '242'
-        'grey46'            '243'
-        'grey50'            '244'
-        'grey54'            '245'
-        'grey58'            '246'
-        'grey62'            '247'
-        'grey66'            '248'
-        'grey70'            '249'
-        'grey74'            '250'
-        'grey78'            '251'
-        'grey82'            '252'
-        'grey85'            '253'
-        'grey89'            '254'
-        'grey93'            '255'
-    )
+    codes[black]=000
+    codes[maroon]=001
+    codes[green]=002
+    codes[olive]=003
+    codes[navy]=004
+    codes[purple]=005
+    codes[teal]=006
+    codes[silver]=007
+    codes[grey]=008
+    codes[red]=009
+    codes[lime]=010
+    codes[yellow]=011
+    codes[blue]=012
+    codes[fuchsia]=013
+    codes[aqua]=014
+    codes[white]=015
+    codes[grey0]=016
+    codes[navyblue]=017
+    codes[darkblue]=018
+    codes[blue3]=019
+    codes[blue3]=020
+    codes[blue1]=021
+    codes[darkgreen]=022
+    codes[deepskyblue4]=023
+    codes[deepskyblue4]=024
+    codes[deepskyblue4]=025
+    codes[dodgerblue3]=026
+    codes[dodgerblue2]=027
+    codes[green4]=028
+    codes[springgreen4]=029
+    codes[turquoise4]=030
+    codes[deepskyblue3]=031
+    codes[deepskyblue3]=032
+    codes[dodgerblue1]=033
+    codes[green3]=034
+    codes[springgreen3]=035
+    codes[darkcyan]=036
+    codes[lightseagreen]=037
+    codes[deepskyblue2]=038
+    codes[deepskyblue1]=039
+    codes[green3]=040
+    codes[springgreen3]=041
+    codes[springgreen2]=042
+    codes[cyan3]=043
+    codes[darkturquoise]=044
+    codes[turquoise2]=045
+    codes[green1]=046
+    codes[springgreen2]=047
+    codes[springgreen1]=048
+    codes[mediumspringgreen]=049
+    codes[cyan2]=050
+    codes[cyan1]=051
+    codes[darkred]=052
+    codes[deeppink4]=053
+    codes[purple4]=054
+    codes[purple4]=055
+    codes[purple3]=056
+    codes[blueviolet]=057
+    codes[orange4]=058
+    codes[grey37]=059
+    codes[mediumpurple4]=060
+    codes[slateblue3]=061
+    codes[slateblue3]=062
+    codes[royalblue1]=063
+    codes[chartreuse4]=064
+    codes[darkseagreen4]=065
+    codes[paleturquoise4]=066
+    codes[steelblue]=067
+    codes[steelblue3]=068
+    codes[cornflowerblue]=069
+    codes[chartreuse3]=070
+    codes[darkseagreen4]=071
+    codes[cadetblue]=072
+    codes[cadetblue]=073
+    codes[skyblue3]=074
+    codes[steelblue1]=075
+    codes[chartreuse3]=076
+    codes[palegreen3]=077
+    codes[seagreen3]=078
+    codes[aquamarine3]=079
+    codes[mediumturquoise]=080
+    codes[steelblue1]=081
+    codes[chartreuse2]=082
+    codes[seagreen2]=083
+    codes[seagreen1]=084
+    codes[seagreen1]=085
+    codes[aquamarine1]=086
+    codes[darkslategray2]=087
+    codes[darkred]=088
+    codes[deeppink4]=089
+    codes[darkmagenta]=090
+    codes[darkmagenta]=091
+    codes[darkviolet]=092
+    codes[purple]=093
+    codes[orange4]=094
+    codes[lightpink4]=095
+    codes[plum4]=096
+    codes[mediumpurple3]=097
+    codes[mediumpurple3]=098
+    codes[slateblue1]=099
+    codes[yellow4]=100
+    codes[wheat4]=101
+    codes[grey53]=102
+    codes[lightslategrey]=103
+    codes[mediumpurple]=104
+    codes[lightslateblue]=105
+    codes[yellow4]=106
+    codes[darkolivegreen3]=107
+    codes[darkseagreen]=108
+    codes[lightskyblue3]=109
+    codes[lightskyblue3]=110
+    codes[skyblue2]=111
+    codes[chartreuse2]=112
+    codes[darkolivegreen3]=113
+    codes[palegreen3]=114
+    codes[darkseagreen3]=115
+    codes[darkslategray3]=116
+    codes[skyblue1]=117
+    codes[chartreuse1]=118
+    codes[lightgreen]=119
+    codes[lightgreen]=120
+    codes[palegreen1]=121
+    codes[aquamarine1]=122
+    codes[darkslategray1]=123
+    codes[red3]=124
+    codes[deeppink4]=125
+    codes[mediumvioletred]=126
+    codes[magenta3]=127
+    codes[darkviolet]=128
+    codes[purple]=129
+    codes[darkorange3]=130
+    codes[indianred]=131
+    codes[hotpink3]=132
+    codes[mediumorchid3]=133
+    codes[mediumorchid]=134
+    codes[mediumpurple2]=135
+    codes[darkgoldenrod]=136
+    codes[lightsalmon3]=137
+    codes[rosybrown]=138
+    codes[grey63]=139
+    codes[mediumpurple2]=140
+    codes[mediumpurple1]=141
+    codes[gold3]=142
+    codes[darkkhaki]=143
+    codes[navajowhite3]=144
+    codes[grey69]=145
+    codes[lightsteelblue3]=146
+    codes[lightsteelblue]=147
+    codes[yellow3]=148
+    codes[darkolivegreen3]=149
+    codes[darkseagreen3]=150
+    codes[darkseagreen2]=151
+    codes[lightcyan3]=152
+    codes[lightskyblue1]=153
+    codes[greenyellow]=154
+    codes[darkolivegreen2]=155
+    codes[palegreen1]=156
+    codes[darkseagreen2]=157
+    codes[darkseagreen1]=158
+    codes[paleturquoise1]=159
+    codes[red3]=160
+    codes[deeppink3]=161
+    codes[deeppink3]=162
+    codes[magenta3]=163
+    codes[magenta3]=164
+    codes[magenta2]=165
+    codes[darkorange3]=166
+    codes[indianred]=167
+    codes[hotpink3]=168
+    codes[hotpink2]=169
+    codes[orchid]=170
+    codes[mediumorchid1]=171
+    codes[orange3]=172
+    codes[lightsalmon3]=173
+    codes[lightpink3]=174
+    codes[pink3]=175
+    codes[plum3]=176
+    codes[violet]=177
+    codes[gold3]=178
+    codes[lightgoldenrod3]=179
+    codes[tan]=180
+    codes[mistyrose3]=181
+    codes[thistle3]=182
+    codes[plum2]=183
+    codes[yellow3]=184
+    codes[khaki3]=185
+    codes[lightgoldenrod2]=186
+    codes[lightyellow3]=187
+    codes[grey84]=188
+    codes[lightsteelblue1]=189
+    codes[yellow2]=190
+    codes[darkolivegreen1]=191
+    codes[darkolivegreen1]=192
+    codes[darkseagreen1]=193
+    codes[honeydew2]=194
+    codes[lightcyan1]=195
+    codes[red1]=196
+    codes[deeppink2]=197
+    codes[deeppink1]=198
+    codes[deeppink1]=199
+    codes[magenta2]=200
+    codes[magenta1]=201
+    codes[orangered1]=202
+    codes[indianred1]=203
+    codes[indianred1]=204
+    codes[hotpink]=205
+    codes[hotpink]=206
+    codes[mediumorchid1]=207
+    codes[darkorange]=208
+    codes[salmon1]=209
+    codes[lightcoral]=210
+    codes[palevioletred1]=211
+    codes[orchid2]=212
+    codes[orchid1]=213
+    codes[orange1]=214
+    codes[sandybrown]=215
+    codes[lightsalmon1]=216
+    codes[lightpink1]=217
+    codes[pink1]=218
+    codes[plum1]=219
+    codes[gold1]=220
+    codes[lightgoldenrod2]=221
+    codes[lightgoldenrod2]=222
+    codes[navajowhite1]=223
+    codes[mistyrose1]=224
+    codes[thistle1]=225
+    codes[yellow1]=226
+    codes[lightgoldenrod1]=227
+    codes[khaki1]=228
+    codes[wheat1]=229
+    codes[cornsilk1]=230
+    codes[grey100]=231
+    codes[grey3]=232
+    codes[grey7]=233
+    codes[grey11]=234
+    codes[grey15]=235
+    codes[grey19]=236
+    codes[grey23]=237
+    codes[grey27]=238
+    codes[grey30]=239
+    codes[grey35]=240
+    codes[grey39]=241
+    codes[grey42]=242
+    codes[grey46]=243
+    codes[grey50]=244
+    codes[grey54]=245
+    codes[grey58]=246
+    codes[grey62]=247
+    codes[grey66]=248
+    codes[grey70]=249
+    codes[grey74]=250
+    codes[grey78]=251
+    codes[grey82]=252
+    codes[grey85]=253
+    codes[grey89]=254
+    codes[grey93]=255
 
-    # Strip eventual "bg-" prefixes
-    1=${1#bg-}
-    # Strip eventual "fg-" prefixes
-    1=${1#fg-}
-    # Strip eventual "br" prefixes ("bright" colors)
-    1=${1#br}
-    echo $codes[$1]
+    # for testing purposes in terminal
+    if [[ "$1" == "foreground"  ]]; then
+        # call via `getColorCode foreground`
+        for i in "${(k@)codes}"; do
+            print -P "$(foregroundColor $i)$(getColor $i) - $i$(foregroundColor)"
+        done
+    elif [[ "$1" == "background"  ]]; then
+        # call via `getColorCode background`
+        for i in "${(k@)codes}"; do
+            print -P "$(backgroundColor $i)$(getColor $i) - $i$(backgroundColor)"
+        done
+    else
+        #[[ -n "$1" ]] bg="%K{$1}" || bg="%k"
+        # Strip eventual "bg-" prefixes
+        1=${1#bg-}
+        # Strip eventual "fg-" prefixes
+        1=${1#fg-}
+        # Strip eventual "br" prefixes ("bright" colors)
+        1=${1#br}
+        echo -n $codes[$1]
+    fi
   fi
 }
 
diff --git a/powerlevel9k.zsh-theme b/powerlevel9k.zsh-theme
index 831e81c5..c0668251 100755
--- a/powerlevel9k.zsh-theme
+++ b/powerlevel9k.zsh-theme
@@ -127,8 +127,8 @@ left_prompt_segment() {
   [[ -n $FG_COLOR_MODIFIER ]] && 4="$FG_COLOR_MODIFIER"
 
   local bg fg
-  [[ -n "$3" ]] && bg="%K{$3}" || bg="%k"
-  [[ -n "$4" ]] && fg="%F{$4}" || fg="%f"
+  [[ -n "$3" ]] && bg="$(backgroundColor $3)" || bg="$(backgroundColor)"
+  [[ -n "$4" ]] && fg="$(foregroundColor $4)" || fg="$(foregroundColor)"
 
   if [[ $CURRENT_BG != 'NONE' ]] && ! isSameColor "$3" "$CURRENT_BG"; then
     echo -n "$bg%F{$CURRENT_BG}"
@@ -218,8 +218,8 @@ right_prompt_segment() {
   [[ -n $FG_COLOR_MODIFIER ]] && 4="$FG_COLOR_MODIFIER"
 
   local bg fg
-  [[ -n "$3" ]] && bg="%K{$3}" || bg="%k"
-  [[ -n "$4" ]] && fg="%F{$4}" || fg="%f"
+  [[ -n "$3" ]] && bg="$(backgroundColor $3)" || bg="$(backgroundColor)"
+  [[ -n "$4" ]] && fg="$(foregroundColor $4)" || fg="$(foregroundColor)"
 
   # If CURRENT_RIGHT_BG is "NONE", we are the first right segment.
   if [[ $joined == false ]] || [[ "$CURRENT_RIGHT_BG" == "NONE" ]]; then