Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!crdgw1!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!caen!news
From: stealth@engin.umich.edu (Mike Pelletier)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.perl
Subject: Inconsistant fields -- distinguishing?
Message-ID: <8Y0+ABB@engin.umich.edu>
Date: 3 Jun 91 22:03:48 GMT
Organization: University of Michigan Engineering, Ann Arbor
Lines: 24

For my first trick...
I'm an utter perl novice, so tone your responses appropriately.  ;-)
I'm working on a mail log parser, and I'm a bit perplexed as to how
to deal with lines that have inconsistant field types.  For instance:

Jun  3 17:58:10 engin sendmail[12345]: AA01695: to=<spool.mu.edu!uunet!papaya.bbn.com!pineapple.bbn.com@engin.umich.edu>, delay=11:55:01, stat=Deferred

Jun  3 17:58:10 engin sendmail[12345]: SmtpIn/Out NULL for DATA

----
The first one has a queue id, AA01695, whereas the second one just has the
information right there, associated with the previous one only by the
bracketed process-id (which I *didn't* make up -- it actually is there in
the log file...)

Any ideas how to handle this in perl?  Does anyone have a mail log parser
that they could send to me for educational perusal?  Thanks for your help,
folks!

--
Mike Pelletier             | "Wind & waves are breakdowns in the commitment of
The University of Michigan |  getting from here to there, but they are the con-
  College of Engineering   |  ditions for sailing.  Not something to eliminate,
Student/Systems Admin      |  but something to dance with."