No need to patch. It's a bit of an overkill to save the flash.
I have put just this 3 lines into rc.local:
if [ -f /root/.ash_history ]; then rm /root/.ash_history; fi
touch /tmp/.ash_history
ln -s /tmp/.ash_history /root/.ash_history
Personally I've added to the mentioned settings:
CONFIG_BUSYBOX_CONFIG_FEATURE_REVERSE_SEARCH=y
to dash through the history.
thanks dude seems the logical and simplest way to achieve some back key history
Is this still valid on current main branch? I get no such file.
root@QNAP:~# cat /etc/profile.d/busybox-history-file.sh
cat: can't open '/etc/profile.d/busybox-history-file.sh': No such file or directory
I have /root/.ash_history though.
And I use the eMMC drive on my QNAP mounted as /mnt/extra to save some data that survives sysyupgrades and want to put history file there.
Probably I can use this solution
Well, naturally you need to create that file, and set there the needed variable
I've put this in my rc.local
if [ -f /root/.ash_history ]; then rm /root/.ash_history; fi
touch /mnt/extra/.ash_history
ln -s /mnt/extra/.ash_history /root/.ash_history
But when the history is saved the file that is changed is still /root/.ash_history not /mnt/extra/.ash_history as I expect. The main purpose is when I reboot or I do sysupgrade my shell history to be preserved.
re: /mnt, when is it extent.
I don't get it?
Presumably you are mounting something with fstab?, and this bit is in rc.local. I do not know the order of things being executed on a boot. But if rc.local happens before fstab, you would be putting things in place on /mnt and then mounting over /mnt. umount and check?
On this actual mod, seems like that rm would be better implemented as a mv...
I've tried to run this first in terminal not from rc.local.
Then the /root/.ash_history is deleted,
/mnt/extra/.ash_history is created
/root/.ash_history symlink is creatred
I run some commands in terminal and exit.
I expect the history to be saved in /mnt/extra/.ash_history but it is saved in /root/.ash_history that is now a file not a simlink and the /mnt/extra/.ash_history isn't changed at all.
Yep, just tested to that result. IDK, the idea, at least for BB as I have it built, fails.
I don't know why linking it to /mnt/extra does not work. I can only guess here. Its either a filesystem issue (is /mnt/extra ntfs/fat or sth. else?) or its a timing issue regarding mounting things.
Linking it to /tmp is working here. But I don't care across reboots.
EDIT: Now I see the problem. As soon I'm exiting the shell the link is deleted. oO
EDIT2: Both files exist as sperate files after exiting the shell. Commands are collected within /root/.ash_history only after. I don't know what is going on here. From a logical standpoint it should work. Looks like a busybox issue.
EDIT3: O.K. I didn't observe this behaviour in the past.
I fixed it by moving this into .profile:
cat <<'EOF' > /root/.profile
export HISTFILE='/tmp/.ash_history'
EOF
This works for /tmp across reboots. I didn't test for other mounts. But it should work also as long the mount is available upon login.
Actually easier then the previous hack which is not needed anymore.
Actually I'm mostly experimenting with usage of the extra eMMC partition but for shell history I won't bother to make any changes if /root/.ash_history survives reboots and sysupgrades.
I think it will survive sysupgrades as I added it to the Flash Operation configuration.
Generating backup archive saves the /root/.ash_history in the archive. I've chosen to save history only on exit.
That works and I don't need to touch anything else.
Please note: /root/.ash_history doesn't work anymore on latest SNAPSHOT.
I was scratching my head my histories was not loading after a sysupgrade and reboots. Only to find out the history file has been moved to: /tmp/.busybox_ash_history
See my post here for more info: Shell History name and location changes?
The change is actually a environment variable, see: /etc/profile.d/busybox-history-file.sh
NOTE: The changes was to prevent flash memory wear.