SYNOPSIS

       flasher [ -u seconds ] [ -k /dev/ttyXX ] -{c|n|s} file1:file2:...:fileN

DESCRIPTION

       flasher monitors changes to one or more files, and indicates the number
       of  writes  to  these  files by briefly flashing a console LED once for
       each write.  The flashing sequence is repeated, after  a  brief  pause,
       until  the  files  have been read.  As the files are subsequently read,
       the number of LED flashes is reduced.  When all  monitored  files  have
       been read, the console LED will be disabled.

       The most obvious use is to monitor specific system log or mail files.

       Multiple  LEDs  can  be  used. Each possible LED (-c, -n or -s) takes a
       list of colon-separated file arguments.  For example, when invoked as:

              # flasher -s /var/log/messages:/var/mail/root

       the Scroll Lock LED will flash once for each write made  to  either  of
       these files, until the files are read.  When /var/log/messages has been
       read, the Scroll Lock LED will continue to flash once  for  each  write
       that has been made to /var/mail/root, until it also has been read.

       The list of files can include files that don't yet exist.

       To terminate the daemon, run:

              # kill `cat /var/run/flasher.pid`

X11

       flasher  was  designed  to  use  the console to indicate file activity.
       When running flasher in an X11 environment, it may be  helpful  to  use
       the  -k  option  to specify what virtual terminal X11 is running under.
       For example, use

              # flasher -k /dev/ttyv3 ...

       when running X11 on FreeBSD on virtual terminal 4.

       Similarly, when using X11 on virtual terminal 8  on  Linux,  start  the
       daemon using:

              # flasher -k /dev/tty8 ...

OPTIONS

       -c     Indicate writes to the specified file using the Caps Lock LED.

       -k /dev/ttyXX
              Use the specified tty (/dev/ttyXX) instead of the console.

       -n     Indicate writes to the specified file using the Num Lock LED.
       The  following  example will flash the Caps Lock LED to indicate writes
       to either /var/log/httpd-error.log or /var/mail/root, and flash the Num
       Lock LED to indicate writes to /var/log/messages.

              #    flasher    -n    /var/log/messages    -c    /var/log/httpd-
              error.log:/var/mail/root

FILES

       /var/run/flasher.pid - flasher lock file

DIAGNOSTICS

       flasher must be run as the super-user.

       Relative pathnames will be converted to absolute pathnames.

       After the program has daemonized, any messages will be sent to  syslog.

AUTHOR

       Murray Nesbitt (websrc@nesbitt.ca)




                                                                    FLASHER(1)