xconsole

xconsole [ -file <filename> ] [ -output <filename> ] [ -notify | -nonotify ] [ -daemon ] [ -exitOnFail ] [ -rc <file> ] [ -verbose ] [ <X Toolkit options> ]

-file <filename>
    Specifies the file from which to read console messages. Defaults to /dev/console or a syslog pipe.

-output <filename>
    Redirects all console messages displayed in the window to the specified file as well.

-notify
    Causes xconsole to ring the bell and flash the window whenever new console output is received.

-nonotify
    Disables the notification behavior (bell and flashing) when new messages arrive.

-daemon
    Detaches xconsole from the controlling terminal and runs it in the background as a daemon.

-exitOnFail
    Instructs xconsole to exit immediately if it cannot open the specified console device.

-rc <file>
    Specifies an alternative resource file to load for configuring xconsole's appearance and behavior.

-verbose
    Enables verbose output, primarily for debugging xconsole itself.

<X Toolkit options>
    Represents standard X Toolkit command-line options such as -geometry, -font, -bg (background color), -fg (foreground color), and -title, which control the window's appearance and position.

xconsole is a utility that provides a graphical display for system console messages within the X Window System. It typically reads messages directly from the system's console device, often /dev/console, or from a syslog pipe, allowing users to monitor kernel messages, system startup logs, and other critical system events in real-time without switching to a text-mode console.

This command is particularly useful for debugging system issues, observing boot sequences, or keeping an eye on system daemon activities. Unlike simple file tailing, xconsole is designed specifically for console output and can provide notifications (like ringing a bell or flashing the window) when new messages arrive. It integrates seamlessly into the graphical desktop environment, making system monitoring more accessible for users operating primarily within X.

While its primary function is to display messages, xconsole also offers options to redirect these messages to a file, run in the background as a daemon, or customize its appearance through standard X resources. It serves as a visual bridge between the kernel's output and the user's graphical workspace.

xconsole relies on the X Window System to operate; it cannot be used in a purely text-mode environment.

Directly accessing /dev/console for messages might require root privileges, depending on system configuration.

On modern Linux systems, log management has largely shifted to systemd-journald, making tools like journalctl more commonly used for real-time log monitoring than xconsole.

xconsole, like many older X applications, can be extensively configured using X resources. These resources can be set in files like ~/.Xdefaults, ~/.Xresources, or system-wide application-specific resource files.

Examples include setting the font (XConsole*font), colors (XConsole*background, XConsole*foreground), and notification behavior (XConsole*notify). This allows for persistent customization of its appearance and behavior across sessions.

xconsole is a long-standing utility that originated with the early development of the X Window System. It was designed to provide a dedicated window for system console output in the graphical environment, a common need when X was first becoming prevalent. While its core functionality remains the same, its development has been relatively static for many years, reflecting its mature status and the shift towards more centralized logging systems like systemd-journald in modern Linux distributions.

dmesg(1), tail(1), syslogd(8), klogd(8), journalctl(1), X(7)