Text file search question

pmwither · Joined: 19 Feb 2004 Posts: 16

I have a text file that gets created by a script every 10 minutes or so. I want to setup another task that searches this new text file for a specific text string, and then alarm us when the string is found.

The text file that is created is called the same thing each time it is created (list.txt), it just overwrites what was there before.

When I use the text log test, it doesn't seem to find the string. Is it because the file is not getting appended to each time? Can I get Hostmonitor to forget about the previous version of this file and just search it new each time?

Thanks!

pmwither · Joined: 19 Feb 2004 Posts: 16

I have also tried the compare files test and this finds when the string is found.

However, there is a possibility that the string I am looking for will be found on multiple lines within the file, so I need to be able to send every line where this text string is found to an email message.

Thanks!

KS-Soft · Joined: 03 Apr 2002 Posts: 12795 Location: USA

pmwither · Joined: 19 Feb 2004 Posts: 16

I have tried your suggestion of using the echo .> //path/file command and that does not seem to help. I have also setup our build script to create a brand new file each day. Still, using the Text Log Test, it does not pick up the string as being in the file.

I have several files that I need to search for specific text strings and the only way I can get this particular test to work is to cause the 'build' script to append the messages to another file. For the file that I am searching above, it is not practical to append the messages to another file because of the amount of data that is written to this file each day.

Is there anyway to tell HostMonitor to just read the entire file each time rather than looking for new records? Or, why does it not find the search string when it is a brand new file?

Thanks!

KS-Soft · Joined: 03 Apr 2002 Posts: 12795 Location: USA

pmwither · Joined: 19 Feb 2004 Posts: 16

Yes - I did all that.

Speaking of setting up the actions in specific orders... it seems like they order themselves alphabetically. Is this correct or are they ordered based on the order they were setup?

Thanks!

KS-Soft · Joined: 03 Apr 2002 Posts: 12795 Location: USA

pmwither · Joined: 19 Feb 2004 Posts: 16

Thanks....I'll try this...
But I have another question... in the case where another process on the individual server is building the log file (not a HostMonitor script), how can I get HostMonitor to just check the entire file each time rather than expect it to be a file that builds to itself each time? Because another process is building the text file, I can't understand how I can create it empty (or with 4 bytes) with HostMonitor, have the other process put the stuff in the file and then have HostMonitor check the file. (Please excuse my ignorance if I am missing something here in the translation).

In a future upgrade could you add a selection box on the Text Log Test screen that would give a choice for something like "Check entire file" and then it wouldn't be necessary to "trick" HostMonitor each time?

Thanks again for your help. I trained the rest of my group on HostMonitor today... everyone was very impressed with the ability and functionality that is already part of the system... good job!

KS-Soft · Joined: 03 Apr 2002 Posts: 12795 Location: USA

pmwither · Joined: 19 Feb 2004 Posts: 16

I have both cases... some where HostMonitor is running a script that builds an output file and then checks for certain strings in that output file. I have others where another process is building an output file (one time each day) and then HostMonitor just needs to read this file at the same time each day. (By the way... an irregular schedule option of "1 time per day at the same time each day" would be great too!)

Anyway, when I do the echo .> command, is that not going to create a new file with the name that I give it? Wouldn't this overwrite the file that has been built by my other process?

You are right that the Compare Files test does check for a new file each time. But, it does not give me the option to look for an expression (just a single string) and then I also need to be able to email the line(s) that contained the string(s). Compare Files just replies with the fact that the string(s) were found... unless I am missing something there too...

Stoltze · Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Posts: 174 Location: Denmark

KS-Soft · Joined: 03 Apr 2002 Posts: 12795 Location: USA

pmwither · Joined: 19 Feb 2004 Posts: 16

[quote]Its very easy to configure using regular schedule. [/quote]

Maybe all my confusion, then, is related to the timing thing. How do I schedule a test to run at exactly the same time each day? It looks like the hours/minutes/seconds runs as an interval in accordance to when HM was restarted.

I have written a script as you suggested, but again, I need it to run at the same time everyday. The only way I could figure how to do this is to setup a schedule with a small 'green' time window and then set the interval to something smaller. Is there a better way to do this?

Can you give me specific instructions on how to make many tests run one time per day at 7am?

BTW... thanks for the permanent license keys!

Thanks!

KS-Soft · Joined: 03 Apr 2002 Posts: 12795 Location: USA