Search code examples
bashfindtail

how to tail all files except one

I have log files on two directories, for simplicty I'm going to call then dir 1 and dir 2.

Let's say the user enters file.log which is located in dir1, I should tail -f all files from dir1 and dir2 except file.log. Can somebody help me with this please.

ssh host 'find /path/to/a/log -maxdepth 1 -type f -name "file*" -name "*.log" ! -name "$1" -print0 -exec tail {} \;' > /home/pl-${node}.log

ssh host 'find /path/to/a/log -maxdepth 1 -type f -name "file*" -name "*.out" ! -name "$1" -print0 -exec tail {} \;' > /home/pl-${node}.out

node is just a variable that stores 1 and 2. when i enter ./test file-1.log, the output is:

pl-1.log
Oct 21 09:15 pl-1.out
Oct 21 09:15 pl-2.log
Oct 21 09:15 pl-2.out

As you see all files were tailed, even though i specified file-1.log to not be tailed in argument $1.

Solution

  • Something like this should make it:

    find . -type f ! -name "*dir1/file.log" -exec tail {} \;

    That is, use find ... -exec tail {} \; adding the extra condition that the file does not have to be named as file.log.

    Update

    how can i use find if the name of the file is an argument in the command line.for example find . ! -type f -name "$1"

    Like this, for example:

    ssh host "find /path/to/a/log -maxdepth 1 -type f -name 'file*.log' ! -name \"$1\" -print0 -exec tail {} \;" > /home/pl-${node}.out

    Note that I am using find ".... -name \"$1\" ... " because to "send" variables you need double quotes.