History command

[DKC]

Hi Flock,

I am working in HPVM machine, OS 11.31 and I want to see previous command for that i am given history command but i got error.
# history
sh: fc: Cannot access or open the history file.

Anyone can assist me why history command are not working.

Thanks & Regards,
Dev

[R.O.]

Hi,

Put these variables in your .profile:

export HISTFILE=$HOME/sh_history
export HISTSIZE=5000

Then, logout and login again and you will have the command history enabled.

Regards,

[R.O.]

Sorry, missed a dot in front of sh_history:

export HISTFILE=$HOME/.sh_history
export HISTSIZE=5000

Regards,

[DKC]

Hi R.O.

I have done all the task but still a getting error
Value of TERM has been set to "xterm".
WARNING: YOU ARE SUPERUSER !!

#
#
# history
sh: fc: Cannot access or open the history file.

after exporting histsize and histfile i have logout and than login but same error.

Regards,
Dev

[Pete Randall]

Is $HOME set? "echo $HOME" will tell you.

Try setting HISTFILE to a explicit full path name wherever root's home really is, like "HISTFILE=/.sh_history" or "HISTFILE=/root/.sh_history".


Pete

[DKC]

Hi Pete,

echo $ HOME
/

After that i have given HISTFILE=/root/.sh_history

but still i am facing error.

# history
sh: fc: Cannot access or open the history file.

Regards,
Dev

[R.O.]

Hi,

Are you setting HISTFILE & HISTSIZE in the user's .profile ?

Regards,

[Torsten.]

If you set

HISTFILE=/root/.sh_history


do you have

/root ???

[Pete Randall]

If "echo $HOME" tells you /, as you say, then you should not be setting HISTFILE to /root/.sh_history. Set it to /.sh_history and try again.


Pete

[DKC]

Hi,

No, I haven't set in users profile.

I am root user and want to previous command with the help of history command. For that i done export HISTFILE=/root/.sh_history
HISTFILE=500
Than logout than again login with root use but after giveing history command same error.

Regards,
Dev

[Torsten.]

Again, if you set it to be in directory /root


this directory

/root

must exist!



Does it???

[R.O.]

...apart from the fact that directory "/root" must exist, if you don't set the variables in your ".profile", when you logout you lost the changes in the variables. Put these lines in your .profile:

export HISTFILE=/.sh_history (if your home is "/"; is it is /root and it exists, put /root/.sh_history)
export HISTFILE=5000

Then, try again by logout/login.

Regards,

[Pete Randall]

What shell are you using?


Pete

[Bill Hassell · Accepted solution]

There is a dumb bug in root's shell that will not create the history file automatically. Ordinary users are fine but just in case, the commands (which I put in /etc/profile so everyone gets a history file) are:

umask 022
touch $HOME/.sh_history
export HISTORY=$HOME/.sh_history
export HISTFILE=5000




>> $HOME=/

A very bad default location for root's $HOME. Create a separate /root directory and move all of root's files to /root, then change /etc/passwd so the $HOME directory is /root and not /, like this:

root:*:0:3:root user:/root:/sbin/sh

If you move root's $HOME on every Unix platform you have, you may avoid a total disaster in joining the rm -r * club.

[Torsten.]

I agree, it is IMHO a good practice to change root's home from / to something like /root.

If you simply export these variables and then logout, the change is gone. You need to write it to .profile to make it permanent and working.

[DKC]

Hi,

# history
sh: fc: Cannot access or open the history file.
# pwd
/
#
#

after exporting HISTFILE AND HISTSIZE logout than login same problem. You tell me from my side what infomation required, so history command work.

Dev

[Torsten.]

Meanwhile many people wrote the very same several times - just follow the advises.

[DKC]

Hi,

# echo $SHELL
/sbin/sh
m using shell.

Regards,
Dev

[R.O.]

"after exporting HISTFILE AND HISTSIZE logout than login same problem"

If you do not put these in root's ".profile" you will lose the variables each time you log out of the system......

Regards,

[Torsten.]

As said, add

export HISTFILE=/root/.sh_history
export HISTSIZE=5000

to your .profile and do

# mkdir /root

logout and back in.


To change root's home, modify /etc/passwd.

[Pete Randall]

See Bill Hassell's post above. Follow his suggestions. It will work. Report back only when it has worked, not when you've done the same wrong thing over again.


Pete

[Bill Hassell]

>> # history
>> sh: fc: Cannot access or open the history file.

Did you create the .sh_history file?

[SoorajCleris]

Hi Devkant,

If you don't mind, Could you please provide below information?

1. /.profile
2. /etc/profile
3. ls -la / |grep -i history
4. cat /etc/passwd |grep root

Regards,
Sooraj