Adaptive log file scanning utility

1. A method for monitoring error log files with a software program, comprising the steps, each time the software program is run, of:

accessing an error log file;

identifying portions of the error log file not previously read by the program;

reading essentially only the portions of the error log file not previously read by the program;

determining if the portions of the error log file not previously read by the program include one or more predefined error conditions;

generating a report which notes the existence of any predefined error conditions; and

terminating the program;

wherein the program is adapted to issue a first type of notification if none of the predefined error conditions have been identified in the error log file; and

wherein the program is adapted to issue a second type of notification, distinct from the first type of notification, if at least one of the predefined error conditions have been identified in the error log file.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the predefined error conditions comprises strings of characters, and wherein the program is adapted to search for these strings in the error log file.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the program is adapted, each time it is executed, to create a record of the portion of the error log file that the program has read, and wherein the program is farther adapted to use this record to identify the unread portion of the error log file.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the program is adapted, each time it is executed, to create a record of the position of the file pointer in the error log file after the error log file has been read, and wherein the program is further adapted, in the subsequent execution, to read the error log file staffing from the last recorded position of the file pointer.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the program is adapted to monitor a plurality of error log files associated with an application, and wherein the program is farther adapted to read any of the plurality of error log files that have been partially read in a previous program iteration from the last recorded position of the file pointer associated with that error log file.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the program is farther adapted to read any of the plurality of error log files that have not previously been read.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the program is adapted to monitor a plurality of error log files associated with an application, and wherein the error log files are arranged in the form of a circular buffer.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the size of the error log file is used to determine whether the program has previously read that error log file.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the date and time on which the error log file was last modified is used to determine whether the program has previously read that error log file.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of reading essentially only those portions of the error log file not previously read by the program comprises the steps of:

maintaining a tracking file which tracks the position of a file pointer that points to the last read line in an error log file;

retrieving, from the tracking file, the last recorded position of the file pointer;

reading the error log file from the last recorded position of the file pointer such that, when the step of reading is completed, the file pointer points to the end of the last entry in the error log file which was read; and

updating, in the tracking file, the recorded position of the file pointer in the error log file which has been read.

11. A method for monitoring error log files with a software program, comprising the steps, each time the software program is run, of:

accessing an error log file;

identifying portions of the error log file not previously read by the program;

reading essentially only the portions of the error log file not previously read by the program;

determining if the portions of the error log file not previously read by the program include one or more predefined error conditions, wherein the predefined error conditions comprise first and second lists of character strings;

generating a report which notes the existence of any predefined error conditions; and

terminating the program;

wherein the program is adapted to issue a first type of notification if an error condition is detected that is set forth in the first list,

and wherein the program is adapted to issue a second type of notification if an error condition is detected that is set forth in the second list.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the program is adapted, each time it is executed, to create a record of the portion of the error log file that the program has read, and wherein the program is further adapted to use this record to identify the unread portion of the error log file.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the program is adapted, each time it is executed, to create a record of the position of the file pointer in the error log file after the error log file has been read, and wherein the program is further adapted, in the subsequent execution, to read the error log file starting from the last recorded position of the file pointer.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the date and time on which the error log file was last modified is used to determine whether the program has previously read that error log file.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of reading essentially only those portions of the error log file not previously read by the program comprises the steps of:

maintaining a tracking file which tracks the position of a file pointer that points to the last read line in an error log file;

retrieving, from the tracking file, the last recorded position of the file pointer;

reading the error log file from the last recorded position of the file pointer such that, when the step of reading is completed, the file pointer points to the end of the last entry in the error log file which was read; and

updating, in the tracking file, the recorded position of the file pointer in the error log file which has been read.

16. A method for monitoring error log files with a software program, comprising the steps, each time the software program is run, of:

accessing an error log file;

identifying portions of the error log file not previously read by the program, wherein the size of the error log file is used to determine whether the program has previously read that error log file;

reading essentially only the portions of the error log file not previously read by the program;

determining if the portions of the error log file not previously read by the program include one or more predefined error conditions;

generating a report which notes the existence of any predefined error conditions; and

terminating the program.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the program is adapted, each time it is executed, to create a record of the portion of the error log file that the program has read, and wherein the program is further adapted to use this record to identify the unread portion of the error log file.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the program is adapted, each time it is executed, to create a record of the position of the file pointer in the error log file after the error log file has been read, and wherein the program is further adapted, in the subsequent execution, to read the error log file starting from the last recorded position of the file pointer.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the program is adapted to monitor a plurality of error log files associated with an application, and wherein the program is further adapted to read any of the plurality of error log files that have been partially read in a previous program iteration from the last recorded position of the file pointer associated with that error log file.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of reading essentially only those portions of the error log file not previously read by the program comprises the steps of:

maintaining a tracking file which tracks the position of a file pointer that points to the last read line in an error log file;

retrieving, from the tracking file, the last recorded position of the file pointer;

reading the error log file from the last recorded position of the file pointer such that, when the step of reading is completed, the file pointer points to the end of the last entry in the error log file which was read; and

updating, in the tracking file, the recorded position of the file pointer in the error log file which has been read.