the watch variable

the watch variable

[Miek Gieben]

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Hello,

I've the following in my .zprofile:
 WATCHFMT='At %T %n has %a from %M.'
 watch=( notme )

And I notice that the login times are correct, i.e. it is the time that the
person actually logged in. But the log off times are wrong. I'm seeing the
current time in stead of the actual time someone logged off. 
(current time == when I press <enter> on a xterm)

Is this a bug? 

grtz
      Miek
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Re: the watch variable

[Bart Schaefer]

On Dec 14,  1:04am, Miek Gieben wrote:
}
}  WATCHFMT='At %T %n has %a from %M.'
}  watch=( notme )
} 
} And I notice that the login times are correct, i.e. it is the time
} that the person actually logged in. But the log off times are wrong.
} I'm seeing the current time in stead of the actual time someone logged
} off.
} 
} Is this a bug? 

No, though I suppose you could call it a misfeature.

Zsh only examines the most recent 50 records when determining login/out
times, because searching the entire wtmp file would take far too long.
So if there's a lot of activity on the system, the record for the person
in question may have been pushed beyond 50-record region, and zsh falls
back to the current time.

If that doesn't seem to explain what you're seeing, let zsh-workers know.

Re: the watch variable

[Miek Gieben]

[On 15 Dec, @19:24, Bart wrote in "Re: the watch variable ..."]
> On Dec 14,  1:04am, Miek Gieben wrote:
> }
> }  WATCHFMT='At %T %n has %a from %M.'
> }  watch=( notme )
> } 
> } And I notice that the login times are correct, i.e. it is the time
> } that the person actually logged in. But the log off times are wrong.
> } I'm seeing the current time in stead of the actual time someone logged
> } off.
> } 
> } Is this a bug? 
> 
> No, though I suppose you could call it a misfeature.
> 
> Zsh only examines the most recent 50 records when determining login/out
> times, because searching the entire wtmp file would take far too long.
> So if there's a lot of activity on the system, the record for the person
> in question may have been pushed beyond 50-record region, and zsh falls
> back to the current time.
> 
> If that doesn't seem to explain what you're seeing, let zsh-workers know.

yes, that explains it. Although I have never seen it when people are logging
in,

thanks,

grtz
      Miek
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