[NCLUG] /var/log/message to console...

[Michael Dwyer]

> Gary> On a different note, does anyone know if it's possible to define
> Gary> 'tail /var/adm/SYSLOG' (or your syslog location of choice) as
> Gary> the default program for a TTY? I seem to rememer that you could
> Gary> do it with SAF under Solaris, but haven't the slightest of where
> Gary> it start on Linux, other than maybe man tty.
>
> try using 'open'. ;)
> 'man open' for more info.

That returns the open(2) system call.  If I search, I can find the Tcl
open command, but nothing in userland.  Is this the program that allows
you to run a program on a specific tty?  I think I heard about it once,
but it apparently doesn't come on my distro.  Actually it doesn't appear
to come on /your/ distro either. :) Or at least someone didn't install
it.

I suppose you could add a line in you /etc/inittab like this:

lg:34:respawn:/usr/bin/tail -f /var/log/syslog >/dev/tty7
^  ^     ^       ^
|  |     |       + Name of command to run.
|  |     + If it dies, start it again.
|  + Which runlevels to work in.  3 is a text-mode level, 4 is X
|    May be different for other runlevels.
+ Generally meaningless identifier.

I'm not sure the redirection would work without the context of a
shell... and you would still have to kill the tail process (and let Init
start a new one) every time the log rotator woke up.  But it /might/
work...

Mind you, messing around in your inittab is kinda dangerous...
experience speaking.  The line above is one I just crafted, but haven't
tested.  Your mileage may vary.  Tell me if it works. :)