Use Cygwin to tail multiple files

I would like to tail multiple files into the same window so that they are intermingled.

When I try the following:

tail -f logA.log logB.log

I get the following:

usage: TAIL [switches] [filename]* switches: [-?] display this message [-n] display last n lines of each file (default 10) [-f filename] keep checking filename for new lines

From the way that reads, it the format should look like:

tail -f logA.log -f logB.log

But that gives the same error. I must be missing something simple.

Tyler Murry

Posted 2017-03-11T21:47:44.540

Reputation: 111

I cannot reproduce this. – DavidPostill – 2017-03-11T21:52:43.857

@DavidPostill Are you saying that this is working for you? With Cygwin? – Tyler Murry – 2017-03-11T21:58:08.030

That is exactly what I mean by "I cannot reproduce this" – DavidPostill – 2017-03-11T21:59:04.270

$ tail -f test.log LoremIpsum.log gives no errors and works as expected. – DavidPostill – 2017-03-11T22:00:04.577

1That's a really weird usage message. It looks like you have some other tail program ahead of the cygwin one in your $PATH – None – 2017-03-11T22:12:40.903

@WumpusQ.Wumbley That was it! I didn't realize I had something else exposing that. Thanks! – Tyler Murry – 2017-03-11T22:18:37.013

Whatever it is, it must be somewhat inspired by unix tail, but no real unix utility would: 1. spell its own name in SHOUTY LETTERS; 2. call options "switches"; 3. Have a -? option (that's a globbing character eww!) – None – 2017-03-11T22:29:50.090

1@TylerMurry Good to see you have resolved your issue. A hint for next time: which tail would have given the game away :) – DavidPostill – 2017-03-11T22:42:58.070

Use Cygwin to tail multiple files

No answers