[SOLVED] less displays binary but cat displays ascii?

ahtoot · 01-25-2011, 07:36 PM

I'm running the following command

Code:

./startWeblogic.sh &> log

After some time..

Code:

file log
log: data

The following commands display binary

Code:

less log
vim log
cat log | less

but

Code:

cat log

displays the ascii text properly.

Why? Is it possible to use less to view the log?

Thanks.

binary_pearl · 01-25-2011, 08:14 PM

Try doing this instead:

Quote:

./startWeblogic.sh > log &

I could be wrong, but I'm thinking the above command will start the script and output to log, and then put the entire process in the background.

If the script really is producing binary data, perhaps there is a special tool to read the log file. The other possibility is to use the `strings` command on the log file. That should parse out the ascii entries in the "log" file.

--Shaun

ahtoot · 01-25-2011, 08:24 PM

Figured it out, I had pages of binary data followed by ascii text.

cat displayed the ascii tail of the file, less started with the binary head.

sys64738 · 01-25-2011, 08:38 PM

Well the output of the command file says it.

Quote:

file log
log: data

I think the file contains escape sequences which hinders "less" to display it properly.
You could use mc (midnight commander) to view the file in hex mode.
Or use:

Code:

mcview log

for the command line (gives you a ncurses interface).