Using script

This tip shows you how to use script as a way to store or share everything printed during a terminal session. This can be a great way to remotely demonstrate command-line Linux to a less experienced user. Alternatively, it's a good way to keep a record of everything you do (or did) for a specific session.

First we'll look at keeping a record of everything. The can be done by just issuing the command script. The output of your session will be written to a file named typescript. If you want to specify a file other than the default, use script file where file is the name of the file storing the session.

Code Listing 1: Creating a script session

% script 
Script started, file is typescript 
% uptime 
 13:27:53 up 89 days, 3:50, 1 user, load average: 0.27, 0.35, 0.29 
% uname -srvmpio 
Linux 2.4.20-gentoo-r4 #1 SMP Fri May 9 08:54:35 EDT 2003 i686 Intel(R) Xeon(TM) 
 CPU 2.00GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux 
% exit 
Script done, file is typescript

The session file can be reviewed later with a pager such as more, less, or cat.

Code Listing 2: Viewing a script session

% more typescript 
Script started on Wed Aug 6 13:27:47 2003 
% uptime 
 13:27:53 up 89 days, 3:50, 1 user, load average: 0.27, 0.35, 0.29 
% uname -srvmpio 
Linux 2.4.20-gentoo-r4 #1 SMP Fri May 9 08:54:35 EDT 2003 i686 Intel(R) Xeon(TM) 
 CPU 2.00GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux 
% exit 
 
Script done on Wed Aug 6 13:28:01 2003

Now we'll look at sharing a terminal session. The easiest way to do this is combining script with mkfifo (which creates a named pipe). Note that you need to use the -f option (script -f) to flush output after each write. This way, the terminal can be written to by User A and viewed in (near) real time by User B.

Code Listing 3: User A's terminal

% mkfifo demo; script -f demo 
Script started, file is demo 
% echo 'Hello World' 
Hello World 
% exit 
Script done, file is demo 

 

Code Listing 4: User B's terminal

% cat demo 
Script started on Wed Aug 6 13:48:51 2003 
% echo 'Hello World' 
Hello World 
% exit 
 
Script done on Wed Aug 6 13:49:04 2003

There are many other ways script could be used - hopefully this will give you some ideas to get you started.

From http://www.gentoo.org/news/en/gwn/20030811-newsletter.xml