A function that helps with using multiple fish "profiles" (or sessions), history sessions, and private mode.
On the latest fish release, 3.1.2, fish_private_mode is not settable. It will be settable when fish-shell/#7589 lands in fish 3.2.0 or later. (See also related issue fish-shell/#7590.)
This function/plugin works with fish 3.1.2 and the current master branch at fish-shell. (And possibly older versions, though untested.)
It includes workarounds for the 2 mentioned fish-shell issues by copying and deleting history files when private mode is toggled. These workarounds are only used when fish_private_mode is not settable. They should not be needed when these issues land in a future fish release.
> fisher install etcusrvar/fish-profile
Usage: fish-profile [OPTIONS] [PROFILE]
Open a new fish shell with PROFILE, or the default profile if not provided.
Options:
--prune Prune orphaned private history files
--use Switch to PROFILE in current session
--help Show this help message and exit
- Toggle private mode during an active fish session. Retains current history.
> set -g fish_profile_private_mode 1
> set -e fish_profile_private_mode
# Doesn't work when fish_private_mode is not settable
> set -g fish_private_mode 1
> set -e fish_private_mode- Switch to a different profile during an active session.
> fish-profile --use foo
> set -g fish_profile foo
# When fish_private_mode is settable, this will work
# If not in private mode, this will also work
# Otherwise, this will have no effect
> set -g fish_history foo- Open a new fish shell with a different profile in private mode at startup. Loads that profile's history. Doesn't retain history on exit (unless private mode is toggled).
> fish-profile foo --private
> env fish_profile=foo fish --private- When fish_private_mode is not settable, and a shell ends abnormally (without the fish_exit event being called), orphaned private history files can linger. They can be removed with
> fish-profile --prune