term-utils/script.1

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.\"	@(#)script.1	6.5 (Berkeley) 7/27/91
.\"
.TH SCRIPT "1" "June 2014" "util-linux" "User Commands"
.SH NAME
script \- make typescript of terminal session
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B script
[options]
.RI [ file ]
.SH DESCRIPTION
.B script
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).
.PP
If the argument
.I file
is given,
.B script
saves the dialogue in this
.IR file .
If no filename is given, the dialogue is saved in the file
.BR typescript .
.SH OPTIONS
.TP
\fB\-a\fR, \fB\-\-append\fR
Append the output to
.I file
or to
.BR typescript ,
retaining the prior contents.
.TP
\fB\-c\fR, \fB\-\-command\fR \fIcommand\fR
Run the
.I command
rather than an interactive shell.  This makes it easy for a script to capture
the output of a program that behaves differently when its stdout is not a
tty.
.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.
.TP
\fB\-f\fR, \fB\-\-flush\fR
Flush output after each write.  This is nice for telecooperation: one person
does `mkfifo foo; script -f foo', and another can supervise real-time what is
being done using `cat foo'.
.TP
\fB\-\-force\fR
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\-q\fR, \fB\-\-quiet\fR
Be quiet (do not write start and done messages to either standard output
or the typescript file).
.TP
\fB\-t\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
field indicates how much time elapsed since the previous output.  The second
field indicates how many characters were output this time.  This information
can be used to replay typescripts with realistic typing and output delays.
.TP
\fB\-V\fR, \fB\-\-version\fR
Display version information and exit.
.TP
\fB\-h\fR, \fB\-\-help\fR
Display help text and exit.
.SH NOTES
The script ends when the forked shell exits (a
.I control-D
for the Bourne shell
.RB ( sh (1)),
and
.IR exit ,
.I logout
or
.I control-d
(if
.I ignoreeof
is not set) for the
C-shell,
.BR csh (1)).
.PP
Certain interactive commands, such as
.BR vi (1),
create garbage in the typescript file.
.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. Use e. g. profile file, which is read by login shells only:
.RS
.RE
.sp
.na
.RS
.nf
if test -t 0 ; then
    script
    exit
fi
.fi
.RE
.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
.B SHELL
exists, the shell forked by
.B script
will be that shell.  If
.B SHELL
is not set, the Bourne shell is assumed.  (Most shells set this variable
automatically).
.SH SEE ALSO
.BR csh (1)
(for the
.I history
mechanism),
.BR scriptreplay (1).
.SH HISTORY
The
.B script
command appeared in 3.0BSD.
.SH BUGS
.B script
places
.I everything
in the log file, including linefeeds and backspaces.  This is not what the
naive user expects.
.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/
Linux Kernel Archive
.UE .