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How to use Directory Monitoring

BradJJ — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 07:54:59 GMT

Hi,

I have a use case for directory monitoring and I can't make it work.
Rather than describe what I am doing and the issues I see (because I am probably doing it wrong) I'll state what I want to do and ask how to do it.
The online help doesn't cover this. It tells you how to setup a directory monitor but does not seem to explain anywhere how they work and how you can use them.

I want to monitor a logs folder which contains separate subfolders per device.
Each device logs to a new log file in its folder each day.
What I want to do is to be able to run logviewplus each day and review the logs for the past day for crashes, hangs or reboots.
My workflow might look something like
1. Open a view of the directory monitor so I end up with a merged log for the last day for each device
2. Apply a template to the merged file that will show me log lines related to hangs, reboots and crashes.
My Nirvana would be to just open a workspace with the directory monitor in it and LogViewPlus loads the last days logs and applies the template so its just ready for review.

If I were to create the directory monitor each day it does what I want but I wouldn't think this is necessary. I want to create one and re-use it.I figured I could save it in a workspace and open the workspace but I get strange results when I do this. Even if I leave the workspace open and new files appear they get detected and opened but not included into the merged file automatically.

Thanks in advance.

RE: How to use Directory Monitoring

LogViewPlus Support — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 07:54:59 GMT

A directory monitor is simply a rule which determines which files to open automatically. Specifying an age on a directory monitor helps determine which files to open. Once opened, the age is ignored. LogViewPlus does not automatically close log files or remove log entries.

Opened log files will be tailed assuming tail is enabled (the default). The target merge file will be updated automatically with tailed changes and refreshed as new log files are added by the directory monitor.

Hope that helps,

Toby

RE: How to use Directory Monitoring

BradJJ — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 01:07:57 GMT

Thanks Toby.
I have set this up again and will report back how I go.

If I leave LogViewPlus running with this workspace open what is the expected behaviour in terms of LogviewPlus automatically
1. closing files that are now past the date filter (e.g. older then 1 day)
2. removing loglines from the merged file that are now past the date filter
3. adding new files and including them in the merge, and any templates applied to the merge
4. updating existing files (because they have had new log lines added) and updating the merge, and any templates applied to the merge

RE: How to use Directory Monitoring

LogViewPlus Support — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 06:25:48 GMT

Hi Brad,

To do this, please:
1. Create a directory monitor on the root directory of a target machine. Be sure to set the target file age.
2. Repeat step 1 for all target machines.
3. Save the resulting workspace as a new workspace.
4. Reopen the new workspace everyday to check yesterdays files.

The target merge files should be updated as new files are added. This may be a bug, but I have been unable to recreate it locally. Maybe the focus is changing and this is causing some confusion?

Hope that helps,

Toby