NAME

     script — make typescript of terminal session

SYNOPSIS

     script [-a] [-c command] [-e] [-f] [-q] [-t[=file]] [-V] [-h] [file]

DESCRIPTION

     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.

     Options:

     -a, --append
             Append the output to file or typescript, retaining the prior contents.

     -c, --command command
             Run the 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.

     -e, --return
             Return the exit code of the child process.  Uses the same format as bash termination
             on signal termination exit code is 128+n.

     -f, --flush
             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'.

     --force
             Allow the default output destination, i.e. the typescript file, to be a hard or
             symbolic link.  The command will follow a symbolic link.

     -q, --quiet
             Be quiet.

     -t, --timing[=file]
             Output timing data to standard error, or to 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.

     -V, --version
             Output version information and exit.

     -h, --help
             Output help and exit.

     The script ends when the forked shell exits (a control-D to exit the Bourne shell (sh(1)),
     and exit, logout or control-d (if ignoreeof is not set) for the C-shell, csh(1)).

     Certain interactive commands, such as vi(1), create garbage in the typescript file.  Script
     works best with commands that do not manipulate the screen, the results are meant to emulate
     a hardcopy terminal.

ENVIRONMENT

     The following environment variable is utilized by script:

     SHELL  If the variable SHELL exists, the shell forked by script will be that shell. If SHELL
            is not set, the Bourne shell is assumed. (Most shells set this variable
            automatically).

SEE ALSO

     csh(1) (for the history mechanism), scriptreplay(1).

HISTORY

     The script command appeared in 3.0BSD.

BUGS

     Script places everything in the log file, including linefeeds and backspaces.  This is not
     what the naive user expects.

AVAILABILITY

     The script command is part of the util-linux package and is available from
     ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util-linux/.