David, You are correct in how the logs roll over. On Unix/Linux logs, to find the end of the log you can search for <END OF LOG FILE>. Everything after that is earlier than what is above it.
It sounds like the new config option makes the regular logs work like the newer java logs (where you can keep a set number of logs. I have a script that I use thru cron (task scheduler in Windows) that I use to save my log files every 10 minutes. Doing so allows me to keep an entire day's worth of log files for debugging and support. #! /usr/bin/ksh # ############################################################ # Name: save_log.sh # Description: Save the log file(s) via a script # Developed: 05/05/2003 Fred Grooms ############################################################ # if [ -z "$ARCONFIGDIR" ] then ARS_ROOT=/opt/ars ARCONFIGDIR=${ARS_ROOT}/ars AR_TMP_DIR=${ARCONFIGDIR}/tmp AR_LOG_DIR=${ARCONFIGDIR}/Logs fi # cur=`date +%H%M` # Set the location of the existing files and where to save them logpath=${AR_LOG_DIR} savpath=${AR_LOG_DIR}/save15 # Make sure log files are readable by everyone with access to server cd $ARCONFIGDIR/db chmod a+r *.log cd $logpath chmod a+r *.l* # [ -r arsql.log ] && cp arsql.log ${savpath}/arsql_${cur}.log ; [ -r arfilter.log ] && cp arfilter.log ${savpath}/arfilter_${cur}.log ; [ -r arapi.log ] && cp arapi.log ${savpath}/arapi_${cur}.log ; # cd ${savpath} # rm -f *${cur}.log.gz > /dev/null gzip *${cur}.log # exit 0 Basically it works like this: Check for the environment variable ARCONFIGDIR. If it is not there set up the base environment variables for use. Set a variable for the hour and minute. All saved files will be in the format of file_HHMM.log Set the location of the existing files and where to save them Make sure log files are readable by everyone with access to server If the file exists copy it Remove yesterday's file(s) Compress todays new files Fred ----- Original Message ----- From: Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto:arslist@ARSLIST.ORG] On Behalf Of David Durling Sent: Monday, August 20, 2012 8:02 AM To: arslist@ARSLIST.ORG Subject: Re: ARS generational logging ** Susan, As far as your comment about keeping logs running, maybe you know, but you can already do that on 7.5 by setting the Maximum Log-File Size in the Server Admin form. When looking at the files in that case, you have to keep in mind that when the max size is reached, it starts writing over at the top of the file. (At least that’s behavior for us - I think we have Create Backup selected.) So you might have entries in the bottom part with timestamps before the top part – can be confusing if one doesn’t keep that in mind. David David Durling University of Georgia ----- Original Message ----- From: Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto:arslist@ARSLIST.ORG] On Behalf Of Susan Palmer Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 6:44 PM To: arslist@ARSLIST.ORG Subject: Re: ARS generational logging ** That's more clear to me now. We're still at 7.5 so I guess we'll look at the next version that comes out for an upgrade hopefully next year. Thanks for the info Andrew and Ravi ! Susan ----- Original Message ----- On Fri, Aug 17, 2012 at 5:38 PM, Goodall, Andrew C wrote: ** It is going to help so much in working with support. Can’t tell you how many times a log has been unworkable or useless because it has rolled over itself due to the fixed size “readable” limit, even 0 limit will stop at 2gb – not that is readable/manageable anyway Max-Log-History: 3 Sql.log <- current log Sql.001.log ← oldest generation Sql.002.log Sql.003.log ← latest generation /rolled log Regards, Andrew C. Goodall Software Engineer Development Services ago...@jcpenney.com jcpenney 6501 Legacy Drive Plano, TX 75024 jcp.com From: Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto:arslist@arslist.org] On Behalf Of Susan Palmer Sent: Friday, August 17, 2012 5:21 PM To: arslist@arslist.org Subject: Re: ARS generational logging ** Hi Andrew, Not sure what 'generational' logging is. Are you referring to a rolling log, where you could set a max and then oldest entries drop off when the max size is reached to make room for new entries? That would be great to have some logs continually running for those unexpected times when you'd like to look at something that happened but the logs weren't on. Regards, Susan On Fri, Aug 17, 2012 at 10:16 AM, Goodall, Andrew C <ago...@jcp.com> wrote: ** I’ve been wanting generational logging in ARS for a long time. I just learned that is now available with a new ar.cg parameter Max-Log-History I don’t know when this was implemented, maybe it was with 7.6.x but I wish BMC would have advertised this to admins or made this accessible on the Server Information Tab. e.g. Max-Log-History: 20 Regards, Andrew C. Goodall Software Engineer Development Services ago...@jcpenney.com jcpenney 6501 Legacy Drive Plano, TX 75024 jcp.com _______________________________________________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE or access ARSlist Archives at www.arslist.org attend wwrug12 www.wwrug12.com ARSList: "Where the Answers Are"