Follow buffer in emacs, a la tail -f or less +F

Question

I would like to analyze a log file in emacs while it is growing. Is it possible to have a buffer follow a file? It is not needed that the file be editable (which raises all sort of questions): read-only mode would suffice.

My problem in more detail is this:

1. I open the logfile en emacs
2. I am looking for some error in the logfile
3. I realize it is not there because the buffer is not up-to-date
4. I have to manually reload the buffer (revert-buffer)

I would like to improve this workflow by letting emacs do the reloading automagically. Maybe a periodic revert-buffer? How to setup such periodic reloading?

Answer 1

Use the auto-revert-tail-mode to do this... I have following in my ~/.emacs (just to convenience...):

(add-to-list 'auto-mode-alist '("\\.log\\'" . auto-revert-mode))

Answer 2

Have you tried using the auto-revert-tail-mode? - Invoked with M-x auto-revert-tail-mode

Answer 3

Lee Hinman wrote an amazingly detailed and helpful writeup about working with log files in Emacs using auto-revert-tail-mode at Writequit.org called, well, "Working with log files in Emacs".

Answer 4

You can also use the excellent itail tool from which can be installed from the MELPA repository. You invoke it as follows:-

`M-x` itail

You can use itail with local files as well as remote files using TRAMP. More information about itail can be found here.