Your first recording#

Record what you do#

ntrecord record -o session.gif

This opens a new shell inside the recorder. Type commands as you normally would; when you are done, exit the shell (type exit or press Ctrl-D). ntrecord then writes session.gif and prints Wrote session.gif.

The recording is a fixed-size window, 80 columns by 24 rows unless you say otherwise:

ntrecord record -o session.gif -cols 100 -rows 30
ntrecord record -o session.gif -font-size 22        # larger text, larger picture
ntrecord record -o session.gif -shell /bin/bash     # a different shell

To record one command instead of a shell, put it after --. The recording ends when the command does:

ntrecord record -o listing.gif -- ls -la
ntrecord record -o build.mp4 -- sh -c 'make; sleep 2'    # a short pause at the end

The format comes from the file name: .gif, .mp4 (needs FFmpeg), or .webm (needs FFmpeg). See Output formats.

The shell is sh by default, started with a plain $ prompt. Ctrl-C reaches the program you are running; it does not stop the recording.

Make it repeatable with a tape#

Typing live is fine for a one-off. For a demo you will redo, write the steps down. Save this as demo.tape:

Output demo.gif
Set Columns 60
Set Rows 10
Type "echo hello from ntrecord"
Enter
Sleep 1s

and run it:

ntrecord demo.tape

ntrecord types the text, presses Enter, waits a second, and writes demo.gif. Change the tape and run it again whenever your program changes. Continue with Writing tapes.