Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 9:21 pm Post subject: Displaying Log Files Via Tail On Your Desktop
One of the best tools around for keeping an eye on your log files for security purposes is root-tail. I have been using this tool for years now and it's pretty phenomenal. Using the KDE desktop it's very straight forward to use and you can color code which tail file is being displayed on your desktop. If you've never seen root-tail in action, you will really get a kick out of how this log is displayed right on your desktop.
Here is an actual ksnapshot of root-tail in action on my desktop.
To get root-tail to work on the KDE desktop there is an extra step that you will need to perform in order for it to display in KDE, which I'll detail below.
First you will need to compile root-tail from the ports as follows:
Code:
# cd /usr/ports/sysutils/roottail
# make clean
==> Cleaning for roottail-1.2_2
# make install distclean
#######CODE COMPILES#######
# rehash
Now start KDE and go into your Control Center under Desktop --> Behavior --> Allow Programs To Run On Desktop. Check the box for allowing programs to run on desktop and you're all set.
To see all of the options for the root-tail command, see man root-tail but to get started you can use something like the following which will monitor both the messages, security and auth.log files using two different colors so that you can easily see which tail messages are from which log file.
Open a root shell while logged into KDE and issue the following command:
As you may have noticed the & at the end, this is so you can launch the root-tail command in the background and it won't hold the shell captive. If you prefer to have the shell be tied by the command so you can more easily kill it, then live the '&' off of the end of the command.
And there you have it, a fully functional tail right there on your desktop for easy monitoring. I know you'll enjoy this little hack as much as I do.
Take care and God Bless, _________________ Michael
Director of Business Development
webmaster (AT) freebsdhacks (DOT) com
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
