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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbatt!ucbvax!"Michael
From: "Michael@ucbvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.computers.vax
Subject: RE: Opening files that are open for write
Message-ID: <8612101307.AA07693@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: Sun, 7-Dec-86 15:01:00 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.8612101307.AA07693
Posted: Sun Dec  7 15:01:00 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 14-Dec-86 00:53:07 EST
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: "Michael J. Porter"@SRI-KL.ARPA:mike%udel-oitvax.arpa@Louie.UDEL.EDU
Organization: The ARPA Internet
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Approved: info-vax@sri-kl.arpa


An easy way to read a file that is open for writing, as in a log file,
is to make a copy using backup as follows:

$ BACKUP/IGNORE=INTERLOCK <log-file> <temp-file>

However, unless the writer does a $FLUSH call, I don't think the
file header will get updated.  This means that there won't be anything
in the file from the perspective of the reader.  If you have control
over the program, try setting up a timer which does a call to $FLUSH
every so often.
				Mike Porter

P.S.

OPCOM does apparently do a $FLUSH because you can read SYS$MANAGER:OPERATOR.LOG
using backup.  However, the last entry in the log might not appear for a
few minutes after the console receives it.

mike%udel-oitvax@louie.udel.edu
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