Snippet #890

# Create the directory where the script will live

$ mkdir -p "$HOME/.local/bin"

# Save the script to that location, named 'geany-tail'

$ cat > "$HOME/.local/bin/geany-tail" << \EOF

> #!/usr/bin/env bash

> set -e

> temp_file=`mktemp geany-tail-XXXXXX`

> trap 'rm -f "$temp_file"' EXIT

> tail $@ > "$temp_file"

> geany "$temp_file"

> EOF

# Make the script executable

$ chmod +x "$HOME/.local/bin/geany-tail"

# Add the script directory to $PATH environment variable

$ cat >> "$HOME/.profile" << \EOF

> 

> # Add local bin dir to PATH

> PATH="$PATH:$HOME/.local/bin"

> EOF

# Source the updated ~/.profile to update environment variable

$ . "$HOME/.profile"

# Check the script is properly accessible

$ which geany-tail

# Using it, arguments are passed directly to 'tail' command

# In this example, using the last 50 lines of the file 'syslog.txt'

$ geany-tail -n 50 syslog.txt