multitail-cheatsheet.txt

multitail [-cs|-Cs|-c-] [-i] inputfile [-i anotherinputfile] [...]

 *** selecting files to follow ***
-i x             the following parameter is a filename (in case it starts with a dash)
-I x             like -i only this one merges this logfile into the previous window
-q x z           check every x seconds for new files by search criteria z, create a new window for those
-qs x y z        check every x seconds for new files by search criteria z, create a new window for those, use color scheme y
-Q x z           check every x seconds for new files by search criteria z, put them all in the same window (using subwindows)
-Qs x y z        check every x seconds for new files by search criteria z, put them all in the same window (using subwindows), use color scheme y
-iw file i       check every 'i' seconds if 'file' appeared in the filesystem
--new-only       (for -q/-Q) only create windows for files created after multitail was started, existing files are ignored
-f               follow the following filename, not the descriptor (e.g. when logrotate archives logfiles)
--follow-all     see -f: for all files after this switch
--retry          keep trying to open the following file until it is accessible
--retry-all      like --retry but for all following files

 *** selecting command output to follow ***
-l x             parameter is a command to be executed
-L x             see -l but merge the output to a previously created window
-r interval      restart the command when it terminated after `interval' seconds
-R interval      like -r, but only show the differences
-Rc/-rc interval like -r/-R but clean the window before each iteration
-j               read from STDIN (can be used only once)
-J               like -j but merge into previous window
--listen [interface]:port behave like a syslog server. port is normally 514
--Listen [interface]:port like --listen but merge into previous window

 *** merge parameters ***
--mergeall       merge all of the following files into the same window (in the previous window)
--mergeall-new   merge all of the following files into the same window (in a new window)
--no-mergeall    stop merging all files into one window
--no-repeat      suppress repeating lines and replace them with a "last message repeated x times"

 *** markers ***
--mark-interval x when nothing comes in, print a '---mark---' line every 'x' seconds
--mark-change    when multiple files are merged an multitail switches between two windows, print a markerline with the filename
--no-mark-change do NOT print the markerline when the file changes (overrides the configuration file)
 *** initial tail / scrollback parameters ***
-n x             initial number of lines to tail
-m x             set scrollback buffer size (# lines)
-mb x            set scrollback buffer size (in bytes, use xKB/MB/GB)
-bw a/f          what to buffer: 'a'll or what went through the 'f'ilter

 *** "tee" functionality ***
-a x             like 'tee': write (filtered) input to file 'x'
-A x             see -a: but write the unfiltered(!) input to file 'x'
-g x             redirect the input also (filtered) to command/process 'x'
-G x             redirect the unfiltered input also  to command/process 'x'

 *** screen layout ***
-s x             vertical split screen (in 'x' columns)
-sw x,x,...      at what columns to split the screen, use '0' for automatic size
-sn x,x,...      number of windows per column
-wh x            height of window

 *** filtering ***
-fr scheme       use the predefined filter from the configuration file
-e[m]            print only when matching with this regexp
-ev              print only when NOT matching with this regexp
-ec              use regular expression but display the matches inverted on following file
-eC              use regexp, display everything but matches inverted on following file
-ex              execute command ('-ex regexp command') when matches, matching line is given as commandline parameter
-eX              like -ex but only give the matching substring as commandline parameter to the command
-E               use regular expression on following files
-Ec              use regular expression but display the matches inverted on following files
-EC              use regexp, display everything but matches inverted on following files
-ke x            strip parts of the input using regular expression 'x'
-kr x y          strip parts of the input starting at offset x and ending (not including!) offset y
-kc x y          strip parts of the input: strip column 'y' with delimiter 'x'
-ks x            use edit scheme 'x' (defined in configuration file)
-kS x            only show the substrings matched by the substring-selects (the parts between '(' and ')') in the regular epxression 'x'
-v               invert next regular expression (do not use with -ev/em)

 *** colors ***
-cv x            use conversion scheme 'x' (see multitail.conf)
-c               colorize current
-cS scheme       use color scheme 'scheme' (as defined in multitail.conf)
-csn             extra switch for the following switches; do not use reverse (inverted) colors
-Cs              colorize all following files with syslog-scheme
-C               colorize all following files
-Cf/-cf field delimiter colorize next/all file(s) depending on the given field number. fields are delimited with the given field-delimiter
-ci color        use 'color' (red, green, etc), usefull when merging multiple inputs
-c-              do NOT colorize the following file
-C-              do NOT colorize the following files
-cT term         interpret terminal-codes from file/command (for terminal type 'term')
-Z color         set color for markerline
-w               do not use colors

 *** timestamps ***
-ts              add a timestamp (format configurable in multitail.conf) before each line
-T               put a timestamp in markerlines

 *** status line parameters ***
-d               do NOT update the status-line
-D               do not display a status-line at all
-du              put the statusline above the data window

 *** status line parameters ***
-z               do not show "window closed" pop-ups
-x str           show "str" in the xterm title bar
-t x             display 'x' in the window-title (when MultiTail runs in an xterm)
-u               set update interval (for slow links)

 *** input text handling ***
-p x [y]         set linewrap (l=left/a=all/r=right/s=syslog,S=syslog w/o procname,o=offset -> 'y',w=wordwrap)
-P               like -p but for all following files
-b n             set TAB-width
--cont           reconnect lines with a '' at the end

 *** line prefixes ***
--basename       only display the filename (and not the path) in the statusline
--label x        put in front of each line
-S prepend       show subwindow number in merged output

 *** configuration file ***
-F file          use 'file' as configuration file (instead of /etc/multitail.conf)
--no-load-global-config do not read /etc/multitail.conf
-o config_file_parameter do a setting which would normally be set in the configuration file

 *** monitoring ***
-H x             show heartbeat (to keep your sessions alive)
--beep-interval x beep every x lines processed
--bi x           like '--beep-interval' but only for current (sub-)window
--closeidle x    close windows when more then 'x' seconds no new data was processed

 *** miscellaneous ***
-V               show version and exit
-h               this help

You can have multiple regular expressions per file/command. Be warned: if
you define multiple and one of them is specified with '-E' (=for every
following file), _all_ of the current regular expressions are for all
following files!