Everything about Linux MultiTail

MultiTail (Monitor Multiple Files Simultaneously in a single Linux Terminal) is an open source utility that can be used to display multiple log files to standard output in a single window.  The single window shows last few lines of log files which splits the console into more sub windows like a screen command. It also supports color highlighting, filtering, adding and deleting windows etc…

 

Syntax:

# multitail filename1, filename2

 

Example:

# multitail /usr/local/cpanel/logs/error_log /usr/local/cpanel/logs/login_log

 

Output:

00] /usr/local/cpanel/logs/error_log

[2017-11-28 04:43:18 +0000] info [convert_roundcube_mysql2sqlite] There is no quota in place for wwwcuir, so no change needs to be made.

[2017-11-28 04:43:19 +0000] info [transfer_session] Dropping MySQL database “wwwcuir_db2011” for user “wwwcuir” …

[2017-11-28 04:43:53 +0000] info [transfer_session] Dropping MySQL database “wwwcuir_crt16x” for user “wwwcuir” …

00] /usr/local/cpanel/logs/error_log     *Press F1/<CTRL>+<H> for help*

[2017-11-28 00:55:11 +0000] info [whostmgrd] 127.0.0.1 – root “POST /json-api/cpanel HTTP/1.1” FAILED LOGIN whostmgrd: login attempt to WHM with bad accesshash or API token

[2017-11-28 00:55:12 +0000] info [whostmgrd] 127.0.0.1 – root “POST /json-api/cpanel HTTP/1.1” FAILED LOGIN whostmgrd: login attempt to WHM with bad accesshash or API token

[2017-11-28 00:55:12 +0000] info [whostmgrd] 127.0.0.1 – root “POST /json-api/cpanel HTTP/1.1” FAILED LOGIN whostmgrd: login attempt to WHM with bad accesshash or API token

00] /usr/local/cpanel/logs/error_log  *Press F1/<CTRL>+<H> for help*

 

Features

1) Display log files using multiple input sources: Multiple log file can be merged into one terminal and also the log files can be displayed in multiple windows in one terminal.

2) Color display using regular expressions.

3) Line filtering: Parts of lines can be filtered using rages, column numbers, and regular expressions.

4) Interactive menus for deleting and adding shells.

5) MultiTail can act as a syslog server.

6) You can truncate a log file from within MultiTail.

7) Idle windows can automatically be closed.

 

Installation

On RHEL/CentOS/Fedora

# yum install -y multitail

On Debian/Ubuntu/Linux Mint

# sudo apt-get update

# sudo apt-get install multitail

 

Popular Options

1) -s x: Splits the screen vertically in ‘x’ columns.

Ex: # multitail -s 2 /var/log/mysqld.log /var/log/xferlog

The above command will display two different files in 2 columns.

2) -V: Shows the version

EX: # multitail -V

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.

# multitail -ci green /var/log/yum.log -ci yellow -I /var/log/mysqld.log

7) -r: redraws the screen.

8) -h: help

 

If you need any further help please do reach our support department.