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Configuring Content File

Take control of your business-critical log files with the Nodinite Log File Parser Monitoring Agent. This guide shows you how to configure content-based monitoring so you can:

  • ✅ Instantly detect key events or errors in any text-based log file
  • ✅ Automate real-time alerts for compliance and operational excellence
  • ✅ Leverage RegEx for flexible, custom monitoring scenarios
  • ✅ Reduce manual troubleshooting and ensure end-to-end visibility

Info

This guide teaches you how to configure monitoring of file content in text-based files using the Nodinite Log File Parser Monitoring Agent.

Content File - Use this option to get alerts if the specified RegEx matches data in one or more files.

Alternatively, monitor files based on event correlation:

Correlated Events (Log File Event) - Use this option to correlate events spanning one or more log files containing a date and an identifier for end-to-end tracking.

Practice and test your RegEx expressions using RegEx101 or a similar tool. Master RegEx to maximize the value of this agent.

Add 'Content File' monitoring configuration

The Content File tab holds an array with one or more configuration entries for a Content File Monitoring.
Content File Tab
Content File tab showing configuration management interface.

  • Press the Add button to add one (or more) log file monitoring configurations:

New Content File Entry
Accordion view of Content File monitoring configuration entry.

  • Repeat this step as required by your business need.

Configuring the Content File Monitoring entry

Click the Accordion to expand the configuration, then you can manage the content of the configuration.

General tab

Next, enter the essential details for fields available in the General tab:

General Tab
General tab configuration showing name, description, and application association fields.

For each entry, the following properties can be set in the General Tab:

  • Enabled - When checked, this monitoring configuration is active
  • Display name - A user-friendly name for this monitoring configuration (mandatory)
  • Description - The user-friendly short description for this monitoring configuration
  • Application ID - Associate this configuration with an Application. Ensure the ID matches an entry in the Applications collection (mandatory)

Path tab

Next, enter details about the folder and type of files, available in the Path tab:

Path Tab
Path tab showing folder location, file filter, and child folder inclusion options.

  • Folder - The folder where to look for log files to monitor. Provide a valid path that the agent can reach
  • Filter - To get a specific type of files, enter a matching RegEx-based expression
  • Include child folders - When checked, include content in child folders

Filter

Below is a table with some common RegEx examples:

Filter Example Comment
\.xml$ XML Files All XML files with suffix ".xml"
\.txt$ Text Files All text files with suffix ".txt"
^ONLYME\.data$ Specific file Only this file "ONLYME.data"
^PrefixedFileName.*\.csv$ Matching a file name pattern Files with prefix ^PrefixedFileName, and suffix .csv

Match tab

Next, enter details about what to look for in the log files, available in the Match tab:

Match tab
Match tab for configuring RegEx pattern matching on log file content.

  • Line contains - Enter the RegEx to check if the line contains a match. Use 'X' to start checking for date, value, and error(s)

Time Options Tab

Configure time-based filtering to control which files and log entries are monitored.

Time Options Tab
Time Options tab showing Clear Date Time, file time options, and date/time extraction settings.

  • Clear Date Time - Leave empty for initial setup. This field allows you to ignore errors that occurred before a specific timestamp. Set this value through the Clear Errors action to reset monitoring after investigating issues. Use ISO 8601 format (UTC or with date time offset), e.g., 2019-05-17T13:37:00.123+02:00
  • File time option - Select the time option for files to be included for evaluation (using the time from the file system)
  • Lines have a DateTime - When checked, you can use the Clear operation to ignore previous errors on a line-by-line basis. Otherwise, the Clear operation applies to each file

Lines have a DateTime

When you check the 'Lines have a DateTime' checkbox, the following properties can be set. If your log file has a date time, you can use a Remote Action ('Clear Errors') to ignore previous errors in the set of files included according to the File time option.

  • Match date - Enter the RegEx to extract the date and time (according to the format in the log file)
  • Matched date groups - The RegEx match group numbers, or named groups (comma separated list). E.g. ^([0-9]{4}-[0-9]{2}-[0-9]{2}[T\s]?[0-9]{2}:[0-9]{2}:[0-9]{2}:[0-9]{2}\,[0-9]{3}\,+[0-9]{2}:[0-9]{2})?, use number 1
  • Date Time Format (Optional) - Enter the Date Time format to use in the conversion to a DateTime, e.g., yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss.fffZ
  • Use Agent time zone - Use this setting when the date and time lack the UTC 'Z' indicator or offset. When checked, assume the date-time is in the same time zone as the agent. Otherwise, assume the date-time is UTC

Example RegEx pattern for date extraction:

([0-9]{4}-[0-9]{2}-[0-9]{2}[T\s]?[0-9]{2}:[0-9]{2}:[0-9]{2}:[0-9]{2}\,[0-9]{3}\,+[0-9]{2}:[0-9]{2})?)

File Time Option

File Time Options
Available file time filtering options for controlling which files are monitored.

  • Modified after Clear Date Time
  • Created after Clear Date Time
  • Modified after - File time span
  • Created after - File time span
  • Created after Clear Date Time - File time span - This is a helpful option for IIS Logs
  • Last Modified, one file only
  • Last Created, one file only
  • Evaluate all

Next Step

Add or manage a Monitoring Agent Configuration
Add or manage Monitor View
How to monitor Content File
How to monitor file content
How to monitor Nodinite Diagnostic files
How to monitor the IIS (W3SVC) log files

Applications
Install Log File Parser Monitoring Agent
Monitoring
Monitoring Agents
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