


CONTOOL(1)                                             CONTOOL(1)


NNAAMMEE
       contool - capture and display console output

SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS
       contool [--cc _f_i_l_e] [--ff] [--ii _i_n_p_u_t] [--ll] [--LL _l_o_g_f_i_l_e] [--nn]

DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
       _C_o_n_t_o_o_l  captures  and  displays  any messages sent to the
       system  console.   Each  message  is  timestamped  as   it
       arrives.   The  messages are displayed in a scrolling text
       window, so the user can scroll through old messages.

       When a message arrives, ccoonnttooooll will beep and, if  closed,
       begin  blinking  its  icon  until the user opens the tool.
       This behavior can be changed by modifying the default con-
       tool properties.

       _C_o_n_t_o_o_l  must  be  run under either Open Windows or X Win-
       dows.  It accepts the standard Open Windows  command  line
       options.

OOPPTTIIOONNSS
       --cc _f_i_l_e
              specifies an alternate configuration file.  _C_o_n_t_o_o_l
              normally reads its configuration  information  from
              the  path specified in the CONTOOL_FILTERS environ-
              ment  variable  or,  if  CONTOOL_FILTERS   is   not
              defined, from ~/.contool.

       --ff     forces  _c_o_n_t_o_o_l  to fork itself into the background
              after acquiring the console.  This option  is  most
              useful  when  starting _c_o_n_t_o_o_l from your ~/.xinitrc
              or ~/.openwin-init file, where multiple  tools  are
              started  in  the  background.   Even  if _c_o_n_t_o_o_l is
              started first, other tools may  begin  running  and
              produce  error  messages before _c_o_n_t_o_o_l can acquire
              the console.  By using the --ff option you can  start
              _c_o_n_t_o_o_l  in  the foreground, preventing other tools
              from starting until _c_o_n_t_o_o_l has acquired  the  con-
              sole.

       --ii _i_n_p_u_t
              specifies  an alternate input source.  _C_o_n_t_o_o_l nor-
              mally reads messages from the system  console.   If
              --ii  is  used,  _c_o_n_t_o_o_l  will read messages from the
              specified _i_n_p_u_t.  _I_n_p_u_t must be the pathname  of  a
              either  a  FIFO, or a character special device like
              /dev/tty.  _I_n_p_u_t can also be given as "-", indicat-
              ing  that  contool  should  read  messages from its
              standard input.

       --ll     enables logging when  _c_o_n_t_o_o_l  starts.   Initially,
              _c_o_n_t_o_o_l  does  not  log  messages  to a file.  This
              option allows logging to be started  automatically.



                         24 February 1994                       1





CONTOOL(1)                                             CONTOOL(1)


              Logging  behavior  can  be enabled and disabled via
              the "File" menu (see below).

       --LL _l_o_g_f_i_l_e
              specifies an alternate log file.  The value of _l_o_g_-
              _f_i_l_e  overrides any log file stored in the configu-
              ration file.  The --ll and --LL options  used  together
              allow multiple copies of contool to be started on a
              single machine, with each copy logging to a differ-
              ent  file,  without  having  to create and maintain
              multiple configuration files.

       --nn     prevents _c_o_n_t_o_o_l from acquiring the console when it
              starts.   This  is  most  useful when testing a new
              version of contool, so that the test copy does  not
              interfere with any previously running console tool.

UUSSEERR IINNTTEERRFFAACCEE
       _C_o_n_t_o_o_l presents the user with a control panel  containing
       three  buttons  and a scrolling text window.  Console mes-
       sages appear in the text  window;  _c_o_n_t_o_o_l's  behavior  is
       managed with the FFiillee, VViieeww, and EEddiitt buttons.  These but-
       tons have several menu choices associated with them:

       FFiillee:: LLooaadd CCoonnffiigguurraattiioonn......
              brings up the LLooaadd CCoonnffiigguurraattiioonn dialog box.   This
              dialog  contains  a  non-exclusive  setting, a text
              field, and a single LLooaadd button.  The  setting  has
              two  entries: "Tool Properties" and "Filter Defini-
              tions".  The user can choose which of  these  items
              to  load  from the configuration file.  The default
              action is to load both properties and filters  from
              the file.

              The  text field contains the path of the configura-
              tion file.  By default, this is either the value of
              the  --cc  option  (above),  the  value  of  the CON-
              TOOL_FILTERS environment variable,  or  ~/.contool.
              This text field provides file name completion, like
              _c_s_h(1), by typing a space or carriage return.

              After determining which components to be read  from
              the file, and the name of the file, clicking on the
              LLooaadd button will cause the desired elements  to  be
              read  from  the  file.   If filters are loaded, any
              existing filters are discarded.  If _c_o_n_t_o_o_l was  in
              the  middle of filtering a multi-line message, that
              filtering action is terminated.

              _C_o_n_t_o_o_l can read files created by all previous ver-
              sions  of _c_o_n_t_o_o_l.  Files written by _c_o_n_t_o_o_l cannot
              be read by any previous version.





                         24 February 1994                       2





CONTOOL(1)                                             CONTOOL(1)


       FFiillee:: SSaavvee CCoonnffiigguurraattiioonn......
              is analogous to the LLooaadd  CCoonnffiigguurraattiioonn  operation,
              bringing up a dialog box containing a non-exclusive
              setting, a text field, and a SSaavvee button.   In  the
              same  manner  as the LLooaadd CCoonnffiigguurraattiioonn dialog, the
              user indiactes which  items  he  desires  to  save,
              specifies  the  destination file, and clicks on the
              SSaavvee button to save the information.

              _C_o_n_t_o_o_l writes the data in  a  format  incompatible
              with  previous versions (release 3.0 or earlier) of
              the tool.

       FFiillee:: SSttaarrtt LLooggggiinngg
              starts logging console messages  to  the  log  file
              specified  by the tool properties, or the --LL option
              (above).   The  tool  properties  also  contains  a
              switch  which determines whether messages are writ-
              ten before or after filtering occurs.   If  before,
              all  messages  are  logged.  If after, a message is
              written to the log if it does not  match  a  filter
              and  the  default action in the tool properties has
              "Log message" enabled; or if it  matches  a  filter
              with  both  the "Save" and "Log message" attributes
              set.

              The log file is written in such a manner that  mul-
              tiple  invocations of _c_o_n_t_o_o_l can write to the same
              log file without conflict.  New messages are always
              appended  to  the  log  file.   Log  files  can  be
              forcibly flushed with a SIGHUP; see SIGNALS, below.

       FFiillee:: SSttoopp LLooggggiinngg
              stops the logging process.

       FFiillee:: PPrriinntt
              uses the "Print Filter" specified in the tool prop-
              erties to print the contents of the console.   Only
              messages saved in the console can be printed.

       FFiillee:: AAbboouutt CCoonnttooooll......
              provides  a  brief  history  of _c_o_n_t_o_o_l, and allows
              users to send e-mail to the contool developer.

       VViieeww:: AArrcchhiivvee......
              opens the message archive dialog box.  This  dialog
              box displays a scrolling window containing all mes-
              sages archived from the main console display.   See
              MESSAGE ARCHIVE, below.

       VViieeww:: AArrcchhiivvee MMeessssaaggeess
              moves  all  the  messages in the console display to
              the message archive.  This is a handy way to remove
              already  viewed  messages  from the console without



                         24 February 1994                       3





CONTOOL(1)                                             CONTOOL(1)


              losing them for later review.  By periodically mov-
              ing  messages  to the archive, only the most recent
              messages will be visible in the main  console  dis-
              play.   Messages  can  be archived automatically as
              well; see TOOL PROPERTIES, below.

       VViieeww:: BBeeccoommee CCoonnssoollee
              ensures  that  _c_o_n_t_o_o_l  has  the   system   console
              attribute.  SunOS allows exactly one process in the
              system to own the console.  If some  other  process
              takes control of the console, the user can reassign
              the console attribute to _c_o_n_t_o_o_l  using  this  menu
              selection.

       VViieeww:: CClleeaarr MMeessssaaggeess
              clears  all messages from the console text display.

       VViieeww:: RReesseett FFiilltteerr
              interrupts filtering of a  multi-line  filter.   If
              the user incorrectly specifies the end pattern of a
              multi-line filter, _c_o_n_t_o_o_l may never stop  process-
              ing the filter, causing all subsequent console mes-
              sages to be incorrectly  handled.   This  selection
              resets the effect of any multi-line filter that may
              be in effect.

              When processing a multi-line filter,  _c_o_n_t_o_o_l  dis-
              plays  the starting filter pattern in the left win-
              dow footer.  If the left footer is  blank,  _c_o_n_t_o_o_l
              is not processing a multi-line filter.

       EEddiitt:: FFiilltteerrss......
              brings up the FFiilltteerrss dialog box.  See EDITING FIL-
              TERS, below.

       EEddiitt:: PPrrooppeerrttiieess......
              brings up the TTooooll PPrrooppeerrttiieess dialog box.  See TOOL
              PROPERTIES, below.

EEDDIITTIINNGG FFIILLTTEERRSS
       The  FFiilltteerrss  dialog  presents a scrolling list of filters
       and a variety of devices used to modify the current filter
       set.  The items in this dialog are:

       FFiilltteerrss
              This  scrolling  list shows the starting pattern of
              each filter currently used by _c_o_n_t_o_o_l.  The pattern
              text  is  preceded  by  a  small  glyph  indicating
              whether the filter is a single-line  or  multi-line
              filter.

              If  exactly  one  item in the list is selected, the
              properties of that filter will be displayed in  the
              dialog  box.   If  no,  or more than one, filter is



                         24 February 1994                       4





CONTOOL(1)                                             CONTOOL(1)


              selected, the remainder of the dialog box is grayed
              out.

       IInnsseerrtt This  button  inserts  a  new blank filter into the
              scrolling list, allowing the user to add  new  fil-
              ters  to  the  filter  set.  A menu attached to the
              button allows the user to select the insert  point:
              at  the  top of the list, before the current selec-
              tion, after the current selection, or at the bottom
              of  the list.  The "before" and "after" choices are
              only enabled if exactly one filter in the  list  is
              selected.   The  default  position is the bottom of
              the list.

       EEddiitt   This button edits the currently selected filters in
              the  list.   The  menu  attached to this button has
              four choices: CCuutt, CCooppyy, PPaassttee, and DDeelleettee.

              The CCuutt operation removes the selected filters from
              the  list  and  places them on the clipboard, where
              they can subsequently be pasted back into the list.

              The  CCooppyy  operation copies the selected filters to
              the clipboard.  The filters are  not  removed  from
              the  list.   The copied filters can subsequently be
              pasted back into the list.

              The PPaassttee operation copies filters from  the  clip-
              board  into  the  list.   This selection has a menu
              which specifies the paste position: at the  top  of
              the  list,  before the current selection, after the
              current selection, or at the bottom  of  the  list.
              The  "before"  and "after" choices are only enabled
              if exactly one filter in the list is selected.  The
              default position is the bottom of the list.

              The  DDeelleettee  operation removes the selected filters
              from the list without placing  them  on  the  clip-
              board.   Once  deleted, filters cannot be recovered
              with a paste operation.

              The CCuutt, CCooppyy, and DDeelleettee selections are only  pre-
              sented  if  one  or  more  filters  in the list are
              selected.  The PPaassttee selection  is  only  available
              after a CCuutt or CCooppyy operation.

       UUppddaattee This  button  updates the currently selected filter
              using the values presented in the remainder of  the
              dialog  box.   This  button  is  only accessible if
              exactly one filter in the list is selected.

              UUppddaattee is used to modify an existing filter.   When
              just  that  filter  is selected, its attributes are
              placed into the  other  dialog  elements  described



                         24 February 1994                       5





CONTOOL(1)                                             CONTOOL(1)


              below.   After adjusting the filter attributes, the
              user clicks the UUppddaattee button to apply the  changes
              to the currently selected filter.

              In  a  similar  manner,  UUppddaattee  is  used  to apply
              attributes to a new, blank  filter  placed  in  the
              list via the IInnsseerrtt button.

       TTyyppee   The  TTyyppee  toggle  indicates  whether a filter will
              match just a single line message, or will  match  a
              multiple  line  message.  When "Single line filter"
              is chosen, the EEnndd ppaatttteerrnn item  is  disabled,  and
              the  user must specify the pattern which will match
              a single line of text written to the console.  When
              "Multi-line  filter"  is  selected, the EEnndd ppaatttteerrnn
              item is enabled, and the user needs to specify both
              a starting and an ending pattern.  All text follow-
              ing a line which matches the starting  pattern,  up
              to  and  including  a line which matches the ending
              pattern, is considered to be part of  the  filtered
              message.

       PPaatttteerrnn
              This  text  field  specifies the regular expression
              which matches the first (and, in the case of single
              line  filters,  the  only) line of text in the fil-
              tered message.  Any  valid  regular  expression  is
              permitted.   Users  that  are  trying to match some
              text exactly should be aware that  regular  expres-
              sions  can  match text anywhere in a line, and that
              the expression should be anchored to the start  (or
              end)  of  the  line  by  using  the  "^"  (or  "$")
              metacharacters.  For more  information  on  regular
              expressions, see _e_d(1).

              As a special extension to regular expressions, _c_o_n_-
              _t_o_o_l recognizes a backslash ("\") followed  by  one
              or  more  octal digits as a single character in the
              expression.  This allows  non-printing  characters,
              such  as  control characters, to be inserted in the
              text pattern.  If a backslash is  followed  by  any
              other character, it is placed in the pattern verba-
              tim.  Thus, to create an expression which matches a
              control-G  followed  by  a  backslash,  the pattern
              "\007\" would suffice.

       EEnndd ppaatttteerrnn
              If the TTyyppee is set  to  "Multi-line  filter",  this
              field  must  contain  the  regular expression which
              matches the last line of the block of text  handled
              by this filter.

       TTiimmeeoouutt
              If  the  TTyyppee  is  set to "Multi-line filter", this



                         24 February 1994                       6





CONTOOL(1)                                             CONTOOL(1)


              field sets a limit on how long _c_o_n_t_o_o_l will process
              the  filter.   This prevents filters with erroneous
              end patterns from absorbing all console output once
              they  begin filtering.  The default value, 0, indi-
              cates that no timeout is in effect.

       CCoommmmeenntt
              This text field contains any comments regarding the
              filter  the user wishes to record.  Since some fil-
              ters can be rather arcane,  it  is  suggested  that
              users comment their filters.

       WWhheenn mmaattcchheedd
              This  exclusive  setting  dictates  the behavior of
              _c_o_n_t_o_o_l when a filter is matched.   If  "Save  mes-
              sage"  is  chosen,  the  message is copied into the
              console display, and various actions can be  taken.
              If "Ignore message" is selected, the filter text is
              discarded and no further actions are taken by  _c_o_n_-
              _t_o_o_l.

       WWhheenn ssaavveedd
              If WWhheenn mmaattcchheedd is set to "Save message", this non-
              exclusive choice item will be enabled, allowing the
              user  to  specify  what contool should do with this
              message.

              The "Beep" choice causes the terminal  bell  to  be
              sounded.   If  selected,  the  beep  counter to the
              right of this item is enabled, allowing the user to
              choose anywhere from one brief beep up to 99 annoy-
              ing beeps.

              The "Command" choice causes a single command to  be
              executed.  The text field to the right of this item
              must contain the command to be  executed.   _C_o_n_t_o_o_l
              will  write the text of the message to the standard
              input of the command.  For example, using "mail  -s
              'Contool  output'  user"  as the command would mail
              the message text to the _u_s_e_r.

              The "Flash icon" choice causes the _c_o_n_t_o_o_l icon  to
              flash,  alternating between the "Check console" and
              "Flash" icons.

              The "Log message" choice causes the message  to  be
              written  to  the message log, if logging is enabled
              and is performed after filtering.

              The "Open window" choice  causes  _c_o_n_t_o_o_l  to  open
              from  its iconic state, and to move in front of any
              obscuring windows.

              The "Timestamp" choice causes _c_o_n_t_o_o_l  to  write  a



                         24 February 1994                       7





CONTOOL(1)                                             CONTOOL(1)


              timestamp to the console before copying the message
              into the console.  The timestamp is written in con-
              junction with the timestamp resolution specified in
              the TTooooll PPrrooppeerrttiieess dialog.

       AAppppllyy  This button makes  the  filters  contained  in  the
              scrolling  list  the current set of active filters.
              Until this button is clicked, all changes  made  to
              the  filters are not used by _c_o_n_t_o_o_l.  After click-
              ing AAcccceepptt, the changed filters become the  current
              working set.

              Note  that even after clicking AAcccceepptt, the configu-
              ration file is not updated.  To  make  the  changes
              permanent between invocations of _c_o_n_t_o_o_l, press the
              AAppppllyy aanndd SSaavvee button, or use the  SSaavvee  CCoonnffiigguurraa--
              ttiioonn dialog to save the changed filters.

       AAppppllyy aanndd SSaavvee
              This button makes the filters in the scrolling list
              the current set of active filters and writes  those
              filters and the tool properties to the current con-
              figuration file.  To write the filters to a differ-
              ent  file, or to write just the filters without the
              tool properties, press the AAppppllyy button and use the
              SSaavvee CCoonnffiigguurraattiioonn dialog instead.

       RReesseett  This  button  discards any changes made to the cur-
              rent filter set, restoring the filter list to match
              the current filter set in use by _c_o_n_t_o_o_l.

TTOOOOLL PPRROOPPEERRTTIIEESS
       The  TTooooll  PPrrooppeerrttiieess dialog allows the user to change the
       default behavior of _c_o_n_t_o_o_l.  This includes  various  tool
       attributes,  and  the actions taken when a message arrives
       which does not match any filter.  The  various  properties
       include:

       DDeeffaauulltt aaccttiioonn
              This  non-exclusive  setting determines the actions
              taken by _c_o_n_t_o_o_l when a message arrives which  does
              not  match any filter.  The various choices in this
              setting exactly correspond to the WWhheenn  ssaavveedd  set-
              ting the FFiilltteerrss dialog, above.

       LLoogg ffiillee
              This  text  field  contains the path of the file to
              which messages will be logged.  This field must  be
              filled in before logging is enabled.

       LLoogg mmeessssaaggeess
              If this exclusive setting is set to "before filter-
              ing", all messages  will  be  logged.   If  set  to
              "after  filtering",  messages  that  match  filters



                         24 February 1994                       8





CONTOOL(1)                                             CONTOOL(1)


              whose "When matched" behavior  is  set  to  "Ignore
              message" will not be logged.

       AArrcchhiivvee mmeessssaaggeess
              This exclusive setting determines how messages will
              be moved from the main console display to the  mes-
              sage  archive.  If set to "Manually", messages will
              only be archived when the user selects AArrcchhiivvee MMeess--
              ssaaggeess  from  the VViieeww menu in the main _c_o_n_t_o_o_l win-
              dow.  If set to "When  closing  contool",  messages
              are copied to the archive whenever the _c_o_n_t_o_o_l win-
              dow is closed.  This mode assumes  that  you  typi-
              cally  open  _c_o_n_t_o_o_l,  read  all  the messages, and
              close the window.  Each time you open  the  window,
              you'll  only  see  messages that have arrived since
              you last closed _c_o_n_t_o_o_l.

              Archived messages can  be  viewed  in  the  message
              archive, described below.

       PPrriinntt ffiilltteerr
              This text field specifies the command to be used to
              print the console.  The default  is  "lpr".   Local
              site  dependencies may require a different command.

       ""AAllll iiss wweellll"" iiccoonn
              This text field contains the  path  of  a  file  in
              either  icon  or XBM format.  Icon-format files may
              be created with _i_c_o_n_e_d_i_t(1); XBM-format  files  are
              created with a number of tools.  If the path is not
              absolute, the value of  the  ICON_PATH  environment
              variable  will be used to find the file.  ICON_PATH
              should contain a list of directories, separated  by
              colons.   The  contained image will be used as _c_o_n_-
              _t_o_o_l's regular icon image.  This image is displayed
              whenever no flashing is in effect.

       ""AAllll iiss wweellll"" iiccoonn mmaasskk
              This  text  field  contains  the  path of a file in
              either icon or XBM  format.   The  contained  image
              will  be  used to mask _c_o_n_t_o_o_l's "All is well" icon
              image when _c_o_n_t_o_o_l  is  run  on  a  color  desktop.
              Masking  is  not  supported on monochrome desktops.
              The "All is well" icon is not masked if this  field
              is left blank.

       ""CChheecckk ccoonnssoollee"" iiccoonn
              This  image  is  alternated  with  the ""FFllaasshh"" iiccoonn
              image whenever flashing is required.

       ""CChheecckk ccoonnssoollee"" iiccoonn mmaasskk
              This image will be used to  mask  _c_o_n_t_o_o_l's  "Check
              console"  icon image when _c_o_n_t_o_o_l is run on a color
              desktop.  The "Check console" icon is not masked if



                         24 February 1994                       9





CONTOOL(1)                                             CONTOOL(1)


              this field is left blank.

       ""FFllaasshh"" iiccoonn
              This  image  is alternated with the ""CChheecckk ccoonnssoollee""
              iiccoonn image whenever flashing is required.  Ideally,
              all three icons should be the same size.

       ""FFllaasshh"" iiccoonn mmaasskk
              This  image  will be used to mask _c_o_n_t_o_o_l's "Flash"
              icon image when _c_o_n_t_o_o_l is run on a color  desktop.
              The  "Flash"  icon  is  not masked if this field is
              left blank.

       TTiimmeessttaammpp rreessoolluuttiioonn
              This numeric field specifies the minimum number  of
              seconds  to  wait before writing a new timestamp to
              the console.  Messages which  require  timestamping
              will  only write a timestamp if this number of sec-
              onds have transpired since the last timestamp.

       MMaaxxiimmuumm mmeessssaaggee tteexxtt
              This numeric field determines the maximum size,  in
              bytes,  of messages that will be stored in the con-
              sole.  When writing a message to the console  would
              exceed  this limit, some number of bytes, as deter-
              mined by the OOvveerrffllooww ddeelleettee aammoouunntt, below, will be
              removed  from  the front of the console.  This fea-
              ture prevents the console from  becoming  so  large
              over time that it begins to swamp system resources.

       OOvveerrffllooww ddeelleettee aammoouunntt
              When writing a message to the console would  exceed
              the  MMaaxxiimmuumm  mmeessssaaggee  tteexxtt,  above,  text  will be
              deleted from the beginning of the console  to  make
              room.   This numeric field specifies how many bytes
              to remove to make room.  _C_o_n_t_o_o_l  will  attempt  to
              remove whole messages within the constraints of the
              console size to preserve a readable console.

       AAppppllyy  This button makes the values in the dialog box  the
              current  tool  properties.   Until  this  button is
              clicked, all changes made to the properties are not
              used   by  _c_o_n_t_o_o_l.   After  clicking  AAcccceepptt,  the
              changed values become the current properties.

              Note that even after clicking AAcccceepptt, the  configu-
              ration  file  is  not updated.  To make the changes
              permanent between invocations of _c_o_n_t_o_o_l,  use  the
              SSaavvee CCoonnffiigguurraattiioonn dialog to save the changed prop-
              erties.

       RReesseett  This button discards any changes in the dialog  box
              made to the current properties, restoring the prop-
              erties to match the current properties  in  use  by



                         24 February 1994                      10





CONTOOL(1)                                             CONTOOL(1)


              _c_o_n_t_o_o_l.

MMEESSSSAAGGEE AARRCCHHIIVVEE
       The  MMeessssaaggee  AArrcchhiivvee  dialog  allows  the  user  to  view
       archived messages.  The dialog presents a  scrolling  text
       window and two buttons.

       CClleeaarr  The  CClleeaarr button removes all the messages from the
              archive.  Normally, the archive works like the main
              _c_o_n_t_o_o_l  display:  it  retains  a certain amount of
              text, and deletes the oldest messages as  new  mes-
              sages  arrive  in excess of that amount.  The CClleeaarr
              button  circumvents  this  feature  and  explicitly
              clears the archive display.

              The  archive  window will hold ten times the amount
              of text specified for the main console display,  as
              determined by the MMaaxxiimmuumm mmeessssaaggee tteexxtt value in the
              TTooooll PPrrooppeerrttiieess dialog, described above.

       PPrriinntt  The  PPrriinntt  button  prints  the  contents  of   the
              archive,  using the "Print Filter" specified in the
              TTooooll PPrrooppeerrttiieess dialog.

CCOONNFFIIGGUURRAATTIIOONN FFIILLEE FFOORRMMAATT
       Previous versions of _c_o_n_t_o_o_l relied on  the  user  editing
       the  configuration file by hand.  This version manages the
       file automatically, and it is not intended that  the  file
       be  edited directly by users.  See EDITING FILTERS, above,
       for information on modifying the behavior of _c_o_n_t_o_o_l.

EENNVVIIRROONNMMEENNTT VVAARRIIAABBLLEESS
       _C_o_n_t_o_o_l uses certain environment variables to control  its
       behavior.  They are:

       CCOONNTTOOOOLL__FFIILLTTEERRSS
              specifies  the  file  from  which _c_o_n_t_o_o_l reads its
              filters and properties.  If not defined, ~/.contool
              is  used.  If --cc is specified, it overrides the use
              of CONTOOL_FILTERS.

       CCOONNTTOOOOLL__LLAABBEELL
              specifies the label to be placed in _c_o_n_t_o_o_l's  main
              window.   The  default  label  contains the current
              release number of _c_o_n_t_o_o_l.

       CCOONNTTOOOOLL__LLOOGGNNAAMMEE
              specifies the name to be prefixed to  each  message
              written  to the console log file.  If this variable
              is not defined, the machine's hostname is used.

       IICCOONN__PPAATTHH
              contains  a  colon-separated  list  of  directories
              which  _c_o_n_t_o_o_l  will  search to find the icon files



                         24 February 1994                      11





CONTOOL(1)                                             CONTOOL(1)


              specified in various tool properties.

SSIIGGNNAALLSS
       _C_o_n_t_o_o_l will respond to certain Unix signals.  They are:

       SSIIGGHHUUPP Upon receipt of  SIGHUP,  _c_o_n_t_o_o_l  will  close  and
              reopen  its  log file, if logging is enabled.  This
              guarantees that  logged  messages  are  flushed  to
              disk.

       SSIIGGUUSSRR11
              Upon receipt of SIGUSR1, _c_o_n_t_o_o_l will stop blinking
              its icon.  This is a handy  way  to  stop  blinking
              without opening _c_o_n_t_o_o_l.

FFIILLEESS
       ~/.contool          configuration file

SSEEEE AALLSSOO
       cmdtool(1), ed(1), kill(1), mkfifo(2), signal(3)

AAUUTTHHOORR
       Chuck Musciano
       Advanced Technology Department
       Harris Corporation
       PO Box 37, MS 16/1912
       Melbourne, FL 32902
       (407) 727-6131
       E-mail: chuck@trantor.harris-atd.com
       Fax: (407) 729-3363

BBUUGGSS
       _C_o_n_t_o_o_l  is  a view-only tool, and there is no way to type
       commands on the console.

       Window system bugs may cause unusual, but harmless, quirks
       in  the  behavior of _c_o_n_t_o_o_l.  In particular, displaying a
       menu in a dialog box without actually  selecting  an  item
       from that menu may cause the dialog box to close.


















                         24 February 1994                      12


