Merge pull request #270 from python-cmd2/persistent_history

Added optional persistent readline history feature

1 files changed, 33 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/examples/persistent_history.py b/examples/persistent_history.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..e1874212
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/persistent_history.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# coding=utf-8
+"""This example demonstrates how to enable persistent readline history in your cmd2 application.
+
+This will allow end users of your cmd2-based application to use the arrow keys and Ctrl+r in a manner which persists
+across invocations of your cmd2 application.  This can make it much easier for them to use your application.
+"""
+import cmd2
+
+
+class Cmd2PersistentHistory(cmd2.Cmd):
+    """Basic example of how to enable persistent readline history within your cmd2 app."""
+    def __init__(self, hist_file):
+        """Configure the app to load persistent readline history from a file.
+
+        :param hist_file: file to load readline history from at start and write it to at end
+        """
+        cmd2.Cmd.__init__(self, persistent_history_file=hist_file, persistent_history_length=500)
+        self.allow_cli_args = False
+        self.prompt = 'ph> '
+
+    # ... your class code here ...
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    import sys
+
+    history_file = '~/.persistent_history.cmd2'
+    if len(sys.argv) > 1:
+        history_file = sys.argv[1]
+
+    app = Cmd2PersistentHistory(hist_file=history_file)
+    app.cmdloop()