History not saved in tcsh

I use tcsh as my login shell and in X and have these lines in .cshrc

set history=200
set savehist=200
set histdup=erase

My history file, however, never changes. While I am working, the history list grows, but the next day when I boot up only the first 20 items are there. The next day is the same thing, with the same twenty items.

Is there some problem with having the shell in X and the login shell both being tcsh? I wouldn't have thought so, but am puzzled as to why the history file doesn't change.

[JMJ_coder]

Are you saying that after the first day, the same exact 20 items are locked into your history day after day without changing?

Yes, it's the same set of 20.

[Carpetsmoker]

Try:
set savehist=200 merge

Carpetsmoker, do you mean

savehist=100 merge

as described in this section of the man page,

If the second word of savehist is set to `merge', the history list is merged  with the  existing history file instead of replacing it (if there is one) and sorted by time stamp.  (+) Merging is intended for  an environment like the X Window System with several shells in simultaneous use.  Currently it succeeds only when theshells quit nicely one after another.

as per you sig?

Sigh, I get so sore kicking myself for not finding those things by myself.

Thanks. It works.

[Carpetsmoker]

Carpetsmoker, do you mean
savehist=100 merge

Well, you're setting a variable, so you should use ``set'' ... Maybe the set keyword can be omitted for special shell variables? I don't know ...

Yes, yes a variable that I 'set'. I had that part. I just didn't think the 'merge' part applied, when the fact is that is precisely what does apply in this situation. Like I said, it's working as expected now.

Thanks again.

[JMJ_coder]

Is it possible in CSH (not TCSH) to enable it to scroll through history with the up and down arrow keys?

[TerryP]

The csh has history, but the 'classic' style is probably not what you expect.

http://tomecat.com/jeffy/tttt/cshhistory.html


You essentially manipulate a history list from the prompt.