Ubuntu
bash package

Bash $HISTFILESIZE seems far too small by default.

Bug #544542 reported by Jim Howell
14
This bug affects 2 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
bash (Debian)
Fix Released
Unknown
bash (Ubuntu)
Fix Released
Wishlist
Unassigned

Bug Description

Binary package hint: bash

I would simply like to suggest a much larger history length by default. 500 commands is quite small and I know of no technical reason a much larger number would be unreasonable.

I like to use 10000 myself. It can be VERY useful to recover a complicated command from months in the past.

Thanks.

Tags: patch wishlist
Jason J. Herne (hernejj)
Changed in bash (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
Jason J. Herne (hernejj) wrote :

Jim,

Thanks for your bug report :) I tend to agree with you.

It looks like the proper place to set this would be in /etc/skel/.bashrc which is part of the bash package.
I'm attaching a patch to set the history to 2500 which seems like it should be large enough for the vast majority of users.
I also updated the comment.

Brian Murray (brian-murray)
tags: added: patch
Philip Muškovac (yofel)
Changed in bash (Ubuntu):
importance: Undecided → Wishlist
Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

This bug was fixed in the package bash - 4.1-2ubuntu1

---------------
bash (4.1-2ubuntu1) lucid; urgency=low

  [ Dustin Kirkland ]
  * Merge from debian testing. Remaining changes:
    - Build from the upstream sources, build the documentation in info format.
    - /etc/bash.bashrc:
      + add sudo hint
      + allow special characters
      + add ll, la, l aliases
    - /etc/skel/.bashrc:
      + don't set HISTCONTROL twice
      + set HISTSIZE to a reasonable 2000
      + eval lesspipe
      + enable colored grep
      + add ll, la, l aliases
  * New bug fix, LP: #545262
    - /etc/skel/.bashrc: Uncomment useful aliases for ll, la, and l,
      to better match sysadmin's expectations coming from other
      enterprise distros

  [ Matthias Klose ]
  * Set HISTFILESIZE to 2000 in the skeleton bashrc. LP: #544542.
 -- Dustin Kirkland <email address hidden> Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:56:51 -0700

Changed in bash (Ubuntu):
status: Confirmed → Fix Released
Bug Watch Updater (bug-watch-updater)
Changed in bash (Debian):
status: Unknown → New
Bug Watch Updater (bug-watch-updater)
Changed in bash (Debian):
status: New → Fix Released
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