How to Install MultiTail in Linux
MultiTail- Monitor Multiple Files Simultaneously in a Single Linux Terminal
Multitail is used to display multiple log files for standard output. It supports for filtering of lines, merging, monitoring, adding and deleting windows. The installation process and features will be discussed in this article.
Features
- Line filtering.
- Parts of the line can be highlighted
- Windows can be swapped and closed
- Display logfiles
- MultiTail can act like a syslog server
- Idle windows can automatically be closed.
- Multiple input sources.
- Interactive Menus for deleting and adding shells.
- Using Regular Expression it will displaying important information’ s in Color.
To install Multitail
In Debian/Linux Mint/Ubuntu
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install multitail
In CentOS/Fedora/RHEL
[root@linuxhelp ~]# yum install multitail -y
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror, langpacks
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
* base: centos.webwerks.com
* epel: mirror.pregi.net
* extras: centos.webwerks.com
* updates: centos.excellmedia.net
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package multitail.x86_64 0:6.4.2-1.el7 will be installed
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.
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Installed:
multitail.x86_64 0:6.4.2-1.el7
Complete!
By default, multitail will do as same as " tail -f" . To monitor two different files in single window.
To View 2 Files in Single Window
[root@linuxhelp ~]# multitail /var/log/http/error_log /var/log/Xorg.9.log
To scroll the files, hit " b" and choose the file that you need from the list.
After you select the file, it shows you last 100 lines, to scroll that use cursor keys. You may also use " gg" /" G" to move to the bottom/top of the scroll window. If you need to view more lines, just click " q" to quit and click " m" to enter new value for number of lines to view.
To View 2 Files in 2 Columns
Execute the following command, to display two different files in 2 columns.
[root@linuxhelp ~]# multitail &ndash s 2 /var/log/http/error_log /var/log/Xorg.9.log
To View Multiple Log files in Multiple Columns
To display 3 files in three columns, run the following command.
[root@linuxhelp ~]# multitail &ndash s 3 /var/log/messages /var/log/http/error_log /var/log/Xorg.0.log
To View/Merge Multiple Log files in Multiple Columns
Here it displays 5 log files while merging 2 files in one column and has 2 files in two columns and has only one in the left column.
[root@linuxhelp ~]# multitail &ndash s 2 &ndash sn 1,3 /var/log/maillog &ndash I /var/log/cron /var/log/Xorg.9.log /var/log/httpd/error_log
To View File and Execute Command
Option " -l" allows the below command to execute in a window and it shows 1 file.
[root@linuxhelp ~]# multitail /var/log/cron &ndash l “ ping www.linuxhelp.com”
To View/Merge Two log files in Different Color
Execute the below command, to View/Merge Two log files in Different Color.
[root@linuxhelp ~]# multitail &ndash ci green /var/log/cron &ndash ci blue &ndash I /var/log/messages
#zypper addrepo http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/server:monitoring/SLE_12/server:monitoring.repo
#zypper refresh
#zypper install multitail
#yum install epel-release
and then install multitail
#tail -f "log filename" or
#less +f "log filename" or
#Retrace "log filename" or
#vim "log filename" or
#Emacs "log filename" or
#multitail -v
1) -s x: Splits the screen vertically in ‘x’ columns.
2) -V: Shows the version
3) -i: Input file, select a file to monitor. You can have multiple -i file parameters.
4) -I : Same as -i but it merges this log file into the previous window.
5) -n: initial number of lines to tail
6) -c: Show the next given file in colors.
7) -r: redraws the screen.
8) -h: help