IWATCH(1)

NAME
iwatch - watch the command output with interval timer

SYNOPSIS
iwatch [-rewpx] [-i interval] [-s start_line] [-c start_column] command [argument ...]

DESCRIPTION
iwatch displays the output of a command with argument and update the output with a specified number of interval. The changes of outputs can be highlighted by changing attributes and color of the text and background (see STYLE section). Note that shell escaping needed at the command and arguments since they are given to sh -c. -x option changes this behaviour.

The options are as follows:

-r  Highlight the changed character.

-e  Highlight the changed line.

-w  Highlight the changed word.

-p  Start with pausing the update.

-x  Pass the command and arguments to exec(2) as it is. In default behaviour, shell escaping is required at the command and argument because iwatch uses sh -c for handing them. Use this option not to do unnecessary shell escaping.

-i interval
    Set the initial interval second of the periodical update to interval. This value must be positive and may be valid for the sixth decimal place. The default is 2 seconds.

-s start_line
    Set the line number on the output where iwatch is to start display.

-c start_column
    Set the column number on the output where iwatch is to start display.

Certain characters cause immediate action by iwatch. These are:

k - Scroll up 1 line.

j <RETURN>
    Scroll down 1 line.

l   Scroll right 1 column.

h   Scroll left 1 column.

u ^U
    Scroll up half of the screen size.

d ^D
    Scroll down half of the screen size.

L   Scroll right half of the screen size.

H   Scroll left half of the screen size.

b ^B
    Scroll up one of the screen size.

f F Scroll down one of the screen size.

>   Scroll right one of the screen size.

<   Scroll left one of the screen size.

[   Scroll right 8 columns.

]   Scroll left 8 columns.

g   Goto the top or the prefix nubmer of lines on the output. Enter the value before press this character. This value must be positive.

<SPACE>
    Update the buffer by executing the command.

^L  Refresh the screen without executing the command.

r   Toggle highlighting the changing characters.

e   Toggle highlighting the changing lines.

w   Toggle highlighting the changing words.

t   Toggle current highlighting mode.

i   Set the interval to the prefix number seconds. Enter the value before press this character. This value must be positive and may be valid for the sixth decimal place.

p   Toggle the pausing of update output.

?   Show help message.

q   Quit the program.

STYLE
iwatch can change attributes and color to the part of output to highlight which is different from the previous output. This can be done by setting an environmental variable named IWATCH_STYLE. This is given as a comma-separated list to be specified. The default on startup is 'reverse'.

The Attributes can be picked up from multiple ones, but the color must be selected from one or none. In attributes, there are ones prefixed with 'no'. These make the attributes turned off.

For example, this may be 'yellow,dim,underline'. Below the lists of attributes and color you can specify:

The attributes are picked up from: underline, reverse, dim, bold, nounderline, noreverse, nodim, nobold.

The color is one of: black, red, green, yellow, blue, magenta, cyan, white.

ENVIRONMENT

IWATCH_STYLE
    Set attributes and color to the updated output (See STYLE Section).

SEE ALSO
sh(1) exec(2)

HISTORY
The iwatch program is slightly derived from watch command come with BSD/OS 3.1 by BSDI, Inc., which originally came from some free distribution.