Cannot disable REPL history on Windows by setting NODE_REPL_HISTORY_FILE to blank string

I attempted to set NODE_REPL_HISTORY_FILE to a blank string as a Windows System Environment Variable, but the dialog would not allow me to enter a blank string as a value, so I entered a space figuring that Node.js would probably trim the string before using it.

However, when I ran Node again, it instead created a file named (a blank space) that I cannot delete or move now. Anytime I try to delete the file, Explorer acts like I'm trying to delete my whole user profile.

I was able to delete the file by opening a command prompt and running the following in my profile directory:

dir /a /x

There, I could see one file that had a space for a filename, but it also had an "8.2 short filename" that was not a space. Using that name, I was able to delete the file:

del 99A4~1

The file system was not actually corrupted according to a disk scan. Explorer was simply trimming the filename space and trying to delete my user profile. Luckily, I did not hit "continue" when it told me I needed Admin access to delete it, but some other user might not. So, it would probably be good to never create files with a space as a name on Windows.

I was able to set the environment variable by opening an Admin command prompt and running:

SETX NODE_REPL_HISTORY_FILE "" /M

When I checked the Windows System Environment Variable dialog, I could see it there as well.

However, Node.js still creates a history file in my user profile when I open a new command prompt and run the REPL.

[evanlucas]

Sorry for the trouble you are having. On which version of node are you seeing this issue?

I am using v4.2.3 currently (installed by nvm-windows).

[Fishrock123]

I'll try to look at this tomorrow.

[evanlucas]

What's weird about this is that we aren't opening process.env.NODE_REPL_HISTORY_FILE anymore. We simply call fs.readFileSync on it. We are now using process.env.NODE_REPL_HISTORY for the file path. I did notice that it is not being trimmed though, so I went ahead and submitted a PR to fix that.

[Fishrock123]

I was able to set the environment variable by opening an Admin command prompt and running:

SETX NODE_REPL_HISTORY_FILE "" /M

When I checked the Windows System Environment Variable dialog, I could see it there as well.

However, Node.js still creates a history file in my user profile when I open a new command prompt and run the REPL.

@waynebloss What's process.env say when you do this?

@Fishrock123 It's not listed.

I tried the same with NODE_REPL_HISTORY and I could not see it listed in process.env either (each time, exiting my terminal after creating the environment variable and re-opening it, to make sure it would be picked up).

Then I tried creating a new system environment variable called ASDFASDF setting it to "hello" and when I ran node and looked at process.env I could see my new variable there.

I am also on Windows 10 and I am running 32-bit node. I have not tried this on Windows 8 or 7 but I doubt it's limited to 10.

No big deal for me though - I just wanted to delete the history when I close the REPL so that I don't confuse a past session's history with the current one.