Directory-based bash histories

Using a directory-based bash history allows for a record of shell actions on a directory basis, so a group of developers have some record of what was done while in a directory, when, and by whom. This can be helpful when trying to reconstruct history with limited documentation.

I know this setup will be of some benefit to my successor at my previous job because he has access to everything I ever did in any project directory.

Place this code in your ~/.bash_profile or ~/.bashrc

(type source ~/.bash_profile (or .bashrc) to load this for your current session)

	function mycd()
	{
	#if this directory is writable then write to directory-based history file
	#otherwise write history in the usual home-based history file
	tmpDir=$PWD
	echo "#"`date '+%s'` >> $HISTFILE
	echo $USER' has exited '$PWD' for '$@ >> $HISTFILE
	builtin cd "$@" # do actual cd
	if [ -w $PWD ]; then export HISTFILE="$PWD/.dir_bash_history"; touch $HISTFILE; chmod --silent 777 $HISTFILE;
	else export HISTFILE="$HOME/.bash_history";
	fi
	echo "#"`date '+%s'` >> $HISTFILE
	echo $USER' has entered '$PWD' from '$OLDPWD >> $HISTFILE
	}
	alias cd="mycd"
	#initial shell opened
	export HISTFILE="$PWD/.dir_bash_history"
	#timestamp all history entries
	export HISTTIMEFORMAT="%h/%d - %H:%M:%S "
	export HISTCONTROL=ignoredups:erasedups
	export HISTSIZE=1000000
	export HISTFILESIZE=1000000
	shopt -s histappend ## append, no clearouts
	shopt -s histverify ## edit a recalled history line before executing
	shopt -s histreedit ## reedit a history substitution line if it failed
	## Save the history after each command finishes
	## (and keep any existing PROMPT_COMMAND settings)
	export PROMPT_COMMAND="history -a; history -c; history -r; $PROMPT_COMMAND"

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