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Search the last instance of a string in a file

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Top Forums Shell Programming and Scripting Search the last instance of a string in a file
# 1  
Old 01-27-2009
Bug Search the last instance of a string in a file
I have a big database log file which keepsgrowing daily. OS is HP UX. Here is a small part of it:

Tue Jan 27 04:03:22 2009
[2009/01/27@04:03:22.906-0500] : add session begin for mfgeb on /dev/pts/th.
[2009/01/27@04:03:22.909-0500] : Converting relative path to absolute path.
[2009/01/27@04:03:22.967-0500] : add session end.
Tue Jan 27 04:03:29 2009
[2009/01/27@04:03:29.345-0500] : list session begin for mfgeb on /dev/pts/th.
[2009/01/27@04:03:29.356-0500] : list session end.
Tue Jan 27 04:03:46 2009
[2009/01/27@04:03:46.262-0500] : add session begin for mfgeb on /dev/pts/tb.
[2009/01/27@04:03:46.331-0500] : add session end.
Tue Jan 27 04:03:49 2009
[2009/01/27@04:03:49.964-0500] : list session begin for mfgeb on /dev/pts/tb.
[2009/01/27@04:03:49.972-0500] : list session end.
Tue Jan 27 04:04:32 2009
[2009/01/27@04:04:32.147-0500] : add session begin for mfgeb on /dev/pts/tg.
[2009/01/27@04:04:32.182-0500] : add session end.

I need to search last instance of string "add session begin" in the file and then print date from that line. In the case here, it's 27th Jan 2009.
Someone please help.
# 2  
Old 01-27-2009
If you have the command "tac", just do:
Code:
tac FILE |awk '/add session begin/ { print $1 }' | head -1

Otherwise, you can do this
Code:
awk '/add session begin/ { lastseen=$1; } END { print lastseen }' FILE

Last edited by otheus; 01-28-2009 at 05:34 AM.. Reason: fixed per jim's post
# 3  
Old 01-27-2009
I think "rev" should be "tac" - rev reverses the order of characters
From the man page:
Quote:
The rev utility copies the specified files to the standard output, reversing the order of characters in every line.
tac reverses the order of the lines, printing the last line first.
# 4  
Old 01-27-2009
Another possible solution (a long n crude one though Smilie ) :
grep -i "add session begin" a.txt|tail -1|cut -c 2-11
where,
a.txt = sample log entry posted in the original query
# 5  
Old 01-28-2009
"rev" reverse the order of characters line-wise
# 6  
Old 01-28-2009
"tac" is not available on HP UX
# 7  
Old 01-28-2009
Gaurav,
Thanks friend, your solution is working fine.
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