.\"
.\" @(#)script.1 6.5 (Berkeley) 7/27/91
.\"
-.TH SCRIPT "1" "September 2011" "util-linux" "User Commands"
+.TH SCRIPT "1" "June 2014" "util-linux" "User Commands"
.SH NAME
script \- make typescript of terminal session
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B script
-[options] [file]
+[options]
+.RI [ file ]
.SH DESCRIPTION
.B script
-makes a typescript of everything printed on your terminal. It is useful for
+makes a typescript of everything displayed on your terminal. It is useful for
students who need a hardcopy record of an interactive session as proof of an
assignment, as the typescript file can be printed out later with
.BR lpr (1).
.I file
is given,
.B script
-saves all dialogue in
+saves the dialogue in this
.IR file .
-If no file name is given, the typescript is saved in the file
-.IR typescript .
+If no filename is given, the dialogue is saved in the file
+.BR typescript .
.SH OPTIONS
+Below, the \fIsize\fR argument may be followed by the multiplicative
+suffixes KiB (=1024), MiB (=1024*1024), and so on for GiB, TiB, PiB, EiB, ZiB and YiB
+(the "iB" is optional, e.g. "K" has the same meaning as "KiB"), or the suffixes
+KB (=1000), MB (=1000*1000), and so on for GB, TB, PB, EB, ZB and YB.
.TP
\fB\-a\fR, \fB\-\-append\fR
Append the output to
.I file
-or
-.IR typescript ,
+or to
+.BR typescript ,
retaining the prior contents.
.TP
\fB\-c\fR, \fB\-\-command\fR \fIcommand\fR
.TP
\fB\-e\fR, \fB\-\-return\fR
Return the exit code of the child process. Uses the same format as bash
-termination on signal termination exit code is 128+n.
+termination on signal termination exit code is 128+n. The exit code of
+the child process is always stored in type script file too.
.TP
\fB\-f\fR, \fB\-\-flush\fR
Flush output after each write. This is nice for telecooperation: one person
Allow the default output destination, i.e. the typescript file, to be a hard
or symbolic link. The command will follow a symbolic link.
.TP
+\fB\-o\fR, \fB\-\-output-limit\fR \fIsize\fR
+Limit the size of the typescript and timing files to
+.I size
+and stop the child process after this size is exceeded. The calculated
+file size does not include the start and done messages that the
+.B script
+command prepends and appends to the child process output.
+Due to buffering, the resulting output file might be larger than the specified value.
+.TP
\fB\-q\fR, \fB\-\-quiet\fR
-Be quiet (do not write start and done messages to either standard output
-or the typescript file).
+Be quiet (do not write start and done messages to standard output).
.TP
-\fB\-t\fR, \fB\-\-timing\fR[=\fIfile\fR]
+\fB\-t\fR[\fIfile\fR], \fB\-\-timing\fR[=\fIfile\fR]
Output timing data to standard error, or to
.I file
when given. This data contains two fields, separated by a space. The first
.SH NOTES
The script ends when the forked shell exits (a
.I control-D
-to exit
-the Bourne shell
+for the Bourne shell
.RB ( sh (1)),
and
.IR exit ,
Certain interactive commands, such as
.BR vi (1),
create garbage in the typescript file.
-.B Script
+.B script
works best with commands that do not manipulate the screen, the results are
meant to emulate a hardcopy terminal.
+.PP
+It is not recommended to run
+.B script
+in non-interactive shells. The inner shell of
+.B script
+is always interactive, and this could lead to unexpected results. If you use
+.B script
+in the shell initialization file, you have to avoid entering an infinite
+loop. You can use for example the \fB\%.profile\fR file, which is read
+by login shells only:
+.RS
+.RE
+.sp
+.na
+.RS
+.nf
+if test -t 0 ; then
+ script
+ exit
+fi
+.fi
+.RE
+.ad
+.PP
+You should also avoid use of script in command pipes, as
+.B script
+can read more input than you would expect.
+.PP
.SH ENVIRONMENT
The following environment variable is utilized by
.BR script :
.TP
.B SHELL
If the variable
-.I SHELL
+.B SHELL
exists, the shell forked by
.B script
-will be that shell. If
-.I SHELL
+will be that shell. If
+.B SHELL
is not set, the Bourne shell is assumed. (Most shells set this variable
automatically).
.SH SEE ALSO
(for the
.I history
mechanism),
-.BR scriptreplay (1).
+.BR scriptreplay (1)
.SH HISTORY
The
.B script
command appeared in 3.0BSD.
.SH BUGS
-.B Script
+.B script
places
-.B everything
+.I everything
in the log file, including linefeeds and backspaces. This is not what the
naive user expects.
+.PP
+.B script
+is primarily designed for interactive terminal sessions. When stdin
+is not a terminal (for example: \fBecho foo | script\fR), then the session
+can hang, because the interactive shell within the script session misses EOF and
+.B script
+has no clue when to close the session. See the \fBNOTES\fR section for more information.
.SH AVAILABILITY
The script command is part of the util-linux package and is available from
-.UR ftp://\:ftp.kernel.org\:/pub\:/linux\:/utils\:/util-linux/
+.UR https://\:www.kernel.org\:/pub\:/linux\:/utils\:/util-linux/
Linux Kernel Archive
.UE .
projects / thirdparty / util-linux.git / blobdiff