Redirect output of command to file and stdout [Only once, not at each command]

Question

I want to have a snapshot of all the commands I executed and output (stdout, stderr) in a file to view later. Often I need to view it for debugging purposes.

This link gives the output for single command: How to redirect output to a file and stdout

However, I do not want to write it for each command since it is time consuming. Also, this does not log the command I executed.

Example functionality:

bash> start-logging logger.txt
bash> echo "Hi"
Hi
bash> cat 1.txt
Contents of 1.txt
bash> stop-logging

Contents of logger.txt

bash> echo "Hi"
Hi
bash> cat 1.txt
Contents of 1.txt

Ideally, I want the above behavior. Any other command with some missing functionality (maybe missing command executed from tmp.txt) would also help.

Also the question you linked only saves the output not the command that has been typed — 123
– 123, Commented Apr 21, 2016 at 8:53
@123 Maybe OP are thinking about the local .bash_history and are not the remote? — Andreas Louv
– Andreas Louv, Commented Apr 21, 2016 at 9:13
I am sorry .bash_history stores the command on exit which was why I was not able to find in .bash_history. I will update the question. Is there anyway I can get the output of commands executed? — Raila
– Raila, Commented Apr 21, 2016 at 9:28

alamar · Accepted Answer · 2016-04-21 09:57:49Z

1

You can use

$ bash | tee log

to start logging and then

$ ^D

(that's Ctrl-D)

to stop logging.

Create a new bash session that will log, then terminate it when it's not needed.

But unfortunately, bash seems to not write its prompt and commands to stderr so you will only catch command output.

answered Apr 21, 2016 at 9:57

alamar

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