Read Log Files

[grayloon]

I have a client doing some minor PHP development on my server, and they've asked for access to the apache error log to debug. I don't want to give them shell access, so I thought AJAX/PHP might be able to read and refresh the last 50 lines or so of the log file for them to view on the web. Anyone done something like this?

[maxpup979]

Sure, All you need to do is write a script that they can read (but not write to) that does what you describe. Look at exec() for a simple solution.

Hope that helps!

[grayloon]

This isn't working. My Firefox keeps spinning, but nothing comes up. I have verified the path to the log file, and executing the tail command below in a terminal works. There is a tail process showing up on the server after I hit this page though.

/* ensure the script wont time out */
set_time_limit(0);  

/* send data after each echo */
ini_set('implicit_flush', 1);

/* watch for canceled request */
ignore_user_abort(false);

/* open a process file pointer */
$pfp = popen('tail -f /Library/WebServer/Logs/www.mydomain.com.error.log', 'r');

/* make sure it worked */
if (! $pfp ) {
die('Can\'t open file');
}

/* continue while the user hasn't aborted or 
we've still have a connection */
while (! connection_aborted() ) {
/* get a line and echo the contents
from the file pointer opened */
echo fgets($pfp);
}

/* close the process file pointer */
fclose($pfp);