[Quick Tips]: Linux Basics: ‘Script’ Command Records Whatever You Do In The Terminal

Linux Basics: ‘Script’ Command Records Whatever You Do In The Terminal

 

Mostly, we, all, use the Up/Down arrow keys or the history command to find out the previously entered commands in Terminal. Unfortunately, we can’t view the output of the previously entered commands using the above methods. We can just see the commands only. If you are working on a GUI desktop, you can have a plenty of applications/tools to see or record your Terminal activities, including the previously entered commands and their corresponding output. But, What if you have only CLI mode servers? Here is where script command comes in handy.

What is Script command?

From the man pages;

Script makes a typescript of everything printed 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 lpr(1). If the argument file is given, script saves all dialogue in file. If no file name is given, the typescript is saved in the file typescript.

For more details. refer the man pages.

man script

Usage

script command comes pre-installed(even in minimal installation) on most Linux distributions.

Let us see some examples.

First, run the following command with parameter ‘a’. It means the recording will be saved in a specified file. Look at the following command:

script -a sk_terminal

Sample output:

Script started, file is sk_terminal

The script is started and the output will be stored in the file namely sk_terminal.

Now, let us enter some commands.

ls -a

Sample output:

.                .bash_history  .bashrc  shinken-2.2         .tcshrc
..               .bash_logout   .cshrc   shinken-2.2.tar.gz
anaconda-ks.cfg  .bash_profile  .pki     sk_terminal

mkdir test

useradd unixmen

passwd unixmen

Sample output:

Changing password for user unixmen.
New password: 
BAD PASSWORD: The password is shorter than 8 characters
Retype new password: 
passwd: all authentication tokens updated successfully.

rmdir test

uname -a

Sample output:

Linux server1.unixmen.local 3.10.0-123.9.3.el7.x86_64 #1 SMP Thu Nov 6 15:06:03 UTC 2014 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

date

Sample output:

Mon Mar  9 13:24:37 IST 2015

OK, It’s enough. Now, exit the recording using command:

exit

Sample output:

exit
Script done, file is sk_terminal

The script command is exited. We will now check what we were doing before in Terminal.

Viewing the script command output

cat sk_terminal

Sample output:

Script started on Monday 09 March 2015 01:19:17 PM IST
[root@server1 ~]# ls -a
.                .bash_history  .bashrc  shinken-2.2         .tcshrc
..               .bash_logout   .cshrc   shinken-2.2.tar.gz
anaconda-ks.cfg  .bash_profile  .pki     sk_terminal
[root@server1 ~]# mkdir test
[root@server1 ~]# useradd unixmen
[root@server1 ~]# passwd unixmen
Changing password for user unixmen.
New password: 
BAD PASSWORD: The password is shorter than 8 characters
Retype new password: 
passwd: all authentication tokens updated successfully.
[root@server1 ~]# rmdir test
[root@server1 ~]# uname -a
Linux server1.unixmen.local 3.10.0-123.9.3.el7.x86_64 #1 SMP Thu Nov 6 15:06:03 UTC 2014 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
[root@server1 ~]# date
Mon Mar  9 13:24:37 IST 2015
[root@server1 ~]# uname -a
Linux server1.unixexit
exit

Script done on Monday 09 March 2015 01:25:44 PM IST

As you see above, the previous activities on the Terminal are recorded including the commands with their corresponding answers. The commands are marked in bold letters.

That’s it. Cheers!