How to set per session history

Abstract

This procedure applys for users using the "sh" and "ksh" shells.

Update "/etc/profile" file

Add the following piece of code on /etc/profile file. This will create a separate directory for each terminal (physical or virtual) of each user that logins using "sh" or "ksh" shells. Inside those directories, individual command history files named by the terminal will keep track of the session commands.

...
# Setup a shell history file specifically for this tty
TTY=$(tty)
echo "You are logged on with tty" $TTY

FILE=$(echo $TTY | sed 's/\/dev\///' | sed 's/\//_/g')

if [ ! -d ~/.sh_history ] ; then
 mkdir -p ~/.sh_history
fi

export HISTFILE=~/.sh_history/$FILE

> $HISTFILE

unset FILE

export HISTSIZE=256
# End shell history setup

Another option is to setup a history file based on the source of the connection.

...
# SETUP HISTORY FILE
export PS1="$(whoami)@$(hostname):> # "
FILE=$(who am i -u | awk '{print $NF}')

 if [ ! -d ~/.sh_history ] ; then
  rm ~/.sh_history
 mkdir -p ~/.sh_history
 fi

export HISTFILE=~/.sh_history/$FILE
export HISTSIZE=256
unset FILE
# SETUP HISTORY FILE

Authors

• Editor Scott Marer