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I am attempting to write a script for GeekTool that will show my last X (20) commands on my screen.

I can either display a file or use the output of a shell command (preferred).

The problem is that when I run the command from a script I get ~/bin/update_history_file.sh:fc:5: no such event: 0 as an error.

My script file is:

#!/bin/zsh --login
#history | tail -n 25 > /tmp/history.txt

export HISTFILE=~/.zsh_history 
fc -l -20 -1

The fc command works if I run it from a shell; however if I run it from the script then it fails. I think it has something to do with it not being able to read the history file, but have no confirmation of this.

I can not directly use the .zsh_history file as I use ZSH extended history and has embedded meta data.

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1 Answer 1

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6

You should add a fc -R to force reading the history file, and delete that -1

#!/bin/zsh --login
#history | tail -n 25 > /tmp/history.txt

export HISTFILE=~/.zsh_history 
fc -R
fc -l -20
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2
  • This was the exact problem... it wasn't clear to me that it must happen in two separate commands. Thanks!
    – Andrew Burns
    Jan 9, 2013 at 22:32
  • In case anyone else gets fc -R: invalid option, make sure your shebang line is /bin/zsh and not bash or sh.
    – Joe
    Jan 13, 2017 at 8:03

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