Linux non-blocking fifo (on demand logging)

Question

I like to log a programs output \'on demand\'. Eg. the output is logged to the terminal, but another process can hook on the current output at any time.

The classic

Answer 1

If you can install screen on the embedded device then you can run 'myprogram' in it and detach it, and reattach it anytime you want to see the log. Something like:

$ screen -t sometitle myprogram
Hit Ctrl+A, then d to detach it.

Whenever you want to see the output, reattach it:

$ screen -DR sometitle
Hit Ctrl-A, then d to detach it again.

This way you won't have to worry about the program output using disk space at all.