Ccze Usage Example

Ccze is a command-line utility that colorizes log files, making them easier to read and analyze. This example demonstrates how to use Ccze with a named pipe to colorize the output of multiple log files simultaneously.

Colorizing Multiple Log Files with a Named Pipe

By using a named pipe (FIFO), you can feed the output of multiple log files to Ccze in real-time. This is particularly useful for monitoring active log streams.

# Create a named pipe
mkfifo pipe

# Tail multiple log files and redirect their output to the pipe in the background
# -s .5: Sets the sleep interval to 0.5 seconds between checks for new data.
# -n 120: Displays the last 120 lines of each file initially.
# -f: Follows the file, outputting appended data as the file grows.
tail -s .5 -n 120 -f httpd_access_log httpd_error_log httpd_modsec_audit_log > pipe &

# Read from the pipe and pipe the output to ccze for colorization
ccze < pipe

Explanation:

• mkfifo pipe: Creates a special file type called a named pipe. Data written to this pipe can be read by another process.
• tail -s .5 -n 120 -f httpd_access_log httpd_error_log httpd_modsec_audit_log > pipe &: This command tails three specified Apache log files. The -f option ensures that new log entries are continuously appended. The output is redirected (>) to the named pipe pipe. The & at the end runs this command in the background.
• ccze < pipe: This command reads data from the named pipe pipe and pipes it as standard input to the ccze command, which then applies syntax highlighting and colorization to the log output.

Benefits of Using Ccze

Ccze significantly improves the readability of log files by applying different colors to various log components such as timestamps, IP addresses, status codes, and error messages. This makes it much easier to spot critical information, identify patterns, and debug issues quickly.

Further Resources

• Ccze Man Page
• Understanding the tail command