Watching something be piped to a file live with tail
I have a python program which is, slowly, generating some output.
I want to capture that in a file, but I also thought I could watch it live with tail.
So in one terminal I'm doing :
python myprog.py > output.txt
and in another terminal :
tail -f output.txt
But it seems like the tail isn't showing me anything while the python program is running. If I hit ctrl-c to kill the python script, suddenly the tail of output.txt starts filling up. But not while the python is running.
What am I doing wrong?
linux command-line pipe
add a comment |
I have a python program which is, slowly, generating some output.
I want to capture that in a file, but I also thought I could watch it live with tail.
So in one terminal I'm doing :
python myprog.py > output.txt
and in another terminal :
tail -f output.txt
But it seems like the tail isn't showing me anything while the python program is running. If I hit ctrl-c to kill the python script, suddenly the tail of output.txt starts filling up. But not while the python is running.
What am I doing wrong?
linux command-line pipe
2
How aboutpython myprog.py | tee output.txt
instead?
– n8te
3 hours ago
@n8te tee might show the same problem if the program isn't flushing the output buffer regularly. This needs flush() and tee.
– JPhi1618
5 mins ago
add a comment |
I have a python program which is, slowly, generating some output.
I want to capture that in a file, but I also thought I could watch it live with tail.
So in one terminal I'm doing :
python myprog.py > output.txt
and in another terminal :
tail -f output.txt
But it seems like the tail isn't showing me anything while the python program is running. If I hit ctrl-c to kill the python script, suddenly the tail of output.txt starts filling up. But not while the python is running.
What am I doing wrong?
linux command-line pipe
I have a python program which is, slowly, generating some output.
I want to capture that in a file, but I also thought I could watch it live with tail.
So in one terminal I'm doing :
python myprog.py > output.txt
and in another terminal :
tail -f output.txt
But it seems like the tail isn't showing me anything while the python program is running. If I hit ctrl-c to kill the python script, suddenly the tail of output.txt starts filling up. But not while the python is running.
What am I doing wrong?
linux command-line pipe
linux command-line pipe
asked 3 hours ago
interstarinterstar
320310
320310
2
How aboutpython myprog.py | tee output.txt
instead?
– n8te
3 hours ago
@n8te tee might show the same problem if the program isn't flushing the output buffer regularly. This needs flush() and tee.
– JPhi1618
5 mins ago
add a comment |
2
How aboutpython myprog.py | tee output.txt
instead?
– n8te
3 hours ago
@n8te tee might show the same problem if the program isn't flushing the output buffer regularly. This needs flush() and tee.
– JPhi1618
5 mins ago
2
2
How about
python myprog.py | tee output.txt
instead?– n8te
3 hours ago
How about
python myprog.py | tee output.txt
instead?– n8te
3 hours ago
@n8te tee might show the same problem if the program isn't flushing the output buffer regularly. This needs flush() and tee.
– JPhi1618
5 mins ago
@n8te tee might show the same problem if the program isn't flushing the output buffer regularly. This needs flush() and tee.
– JPhi1618
5 mins ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
You may also need to explicitly flush the buffer for it to get piped upon generation. This is because output is typically only printed when the pipe's buffer fills up (which is in kilobytes I belive), and when the stdin message ends. This is probably to save on read/writes. You could do this after every print, or if you are looping, after the last print within the loop.
import sys
...
print('Some message')
sys.stdout.flush()
New contributor
add a comment |
Instead of trying to tail a live file, use tee
instead. It was made to do exactly what you're trying to do.
From man tee:
tee(1) - Linux man page
Name tee - read from standard input and write to standard output and files
Synopsis
tee [OPTION]... [FILE]...
Description
Copy standard input to each FILE, and also to standard output.
-a, --append
append to the given FILEs, do not overwrite
-i, --ignore-interrupts
ignore interrupt signals
--help
display this help and exit
--version
output version information and exit
If a FILE is -, copy again to standard output.
So in your case you'd run:
python myprog.py | tee output.txt
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
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oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
You may also need to explicitly flush the buffer for it to get piped upon generation. This is because output is typically only printed when the pipe's buffer fills up (which is in kilobytes I belive), and when the stdin message ends. This is probably to save on read/writes. You could do this after every print, or if you are looping, after the last print within the loop.
import sys
...
print('Some message')
sys.stdout.flush()
New contributor
add a comment |
You may also need to explicitly flush the buffer for it to get piped upon generation. This is because output is typically only printed when the pipe's buffer fills up (which is in kilobytes I belive), and when the stdin message ends. This is probably to save on read/writes. You could do this after every print, or if you are looping, after the last print within the loop.
import sys
...
print('Some message')
sys.stdout.flush()
New contributor
add a comment |
You may also need to explicitly flush the buffer for it to get piped upon generation. This is because output is typically only printed when the pipe's buffer fills up (which is in kilobytes I belive), and when the stdin message ends. This is probably to save on read/writes. You could do this after every print, or if you are looping, after the last print within the loop.
import sys
...
print('Some message')
sys.stdout.flush()
New contributor
You may also need to explicitly flush the buffer for it to get piped upon generation. This is because output is typically only printed when the pipe's buffer fills up (which is in kilobytes I belive), and when the stdin message ends. This is probably to save on read/writes. You could do this after every print, or if you are looping, after the last print within the loop.
import sys
...
print('Some message')
sys.stdout.flush()
New contributor
New contributor
answered 2 hours ago
DaveyDavey
461
461
New contributor
New contributor
add a comment |
add a comment |
Instead of trying to tail a live file, use tee
instead. It was made to do exactly what you're trying to do.
From man tee:
tee(1) - Linux man page
Name tee - read from standard input and write to standard output and files
Synopsis
tee [OPTION]... [FILE]...
Description
Copy standard input to each FILE, and also to standard output.
-a, --append
append to the given FILEs, do not overwrite
-i, --ignore-interrupts
ignore interrupt signals
--help
display this help and exit
--version
output version information and exit
If a FILE is -, copy again to standard output.
So in your case you'd run:
python myprog.py | tee output.txt
add a comment |
Instead of trying to tail a live file, use tee
instead. It was made to do exactly what you're trying to do.
From man tee:
tee(1) - Linux man page
Name tee - read from standard input and write to standard output and files
Synopsis
tee [OPTION]... [FILE]...
Description
Copy standard input to each FILE, and also to standard output.
-a, --append
append to the given FILEs, do not overwrite
-i, --ignore-interrupts
ignore interrupt signals
--help
display this help and exit
--version
output version information and exit
If a FILE is -, copy again to standard output.
So in your case you'd run:
python myprog.py | tee output.txt
add a comment |
Instead of trying to tail a live file, use tee
instead. It was made to do exactly what you're trying to do.
From man tee:
tee(1) - Linux man page
Name tee - read from standard input and write to standard output and files
Synopsis
tee [OPTION]... [FILE]...
Description
Copy standard input to each FILE, and also to standard output.
-a, --append
append to the given FILEs, do not overwrite
-i, --ignore-interrupts
ignore interrupt signals
--help
display this help and exit
--version
output version information and exit
If a FILE is -, copy again to standard output.
So in your case you'd run:
python myprog.py | tee output.txt
Instead of trying to tail a live file, use tee
instead. It was made to do exactly what you're trying to do.
From man tee:
tee(1) - Linux man page
Name tee - read from standard input and write to standard output and files
Synopsis
tee [OPTION]... [FILE]...
Description
Copy standard input to each FILE, and also to standard output.
-a, --append
append to the given FILEs, do not overwrite
-i, --ignore-interrupts
ignore interrupt signals
--help
display this help and exit
--version
output version information and exit
If a FILE is -, copy again to standard output.
So in your case you'd run:
python myprog.py | tee output.txt
answered 2 hours ago
n8ten8te
5,17172234
5,17172234
add a comment |
add a comment |
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2
How about
python myprog.py | tee output.txt
instead?– n8te
3 hours ago
@n8te tee might show the same problem if the program isn't flushing the output buffer regularly. This needs flush() and tee.
– JPhi1618
5 mins ago