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Is there a command to clear all of the history in a Cygwin console window without losing the .bash_history?

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  • This is a duplicate of this question, except that it isn't as well written. If you had written your question better, Erik Vold, without misnaming terminal output as "history" for starters, you wouldn't have had to explain what you were asking over and over in comments. This should be closed as a duplicate.
    – JdeBP
    Mar 11, 2011 at 22:13
  • @JdeBP did you try the solution mentioned there? it does not work..
    – erikvold
    Mar 11, 2011 at 22:28
  • 3
    @JdeBP Cygwin != *nix console... So, no dupe IMHO... Please don't be too harsh, try to be constructive in your criticism...
    – Pylsa
    Mar 11, 2011 at 22:31

5 Answers 5

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Click Ctrl-L. It should clear everything without losing the .bash_history. `

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  • 1
    If necessary, you could embed ^L in a script, or even change the Bash prompt to clear the screen after each command.
    – CarlF
    Mar 11, 2011 at 21:54
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    Doesn't this just move previous output off screen? Feb 4, 2013 at 20:53
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If you mean you want to clear the console window: install ncurses (in Utils) and then you can use:

clear
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Open Windows Explorer then navigate to:

[Cygwin Installation Directory]\home\[User]\

e.g.: C:\cygwin\home\wreckseal

then open the file .bashrc with Notepad++.

Move your cursor at the end of the last line and hit Enter key, then add the text below.

alias cls='echo -e "\033c"'

or the text below:

alias cls='printf "\033c"'

Restart cygwin, type cls. Done!

Note that there's no scrollbar after sending the cls command. I prefer the printf version than the echo version. Try it yourself!

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I use Alt+F8 and the screen is like you have just open a fresh cygwin!

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There are two simple ways:

  1. Type the command clear
  2. Ctrl+L

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