Hi, I wonder if this can be done using a Windows batch file - I need to delete all but the last 10 lines from a log file created by my antivirus application. I have worked out how to take the entire contents of the virus scan log and append it to a log I have already started by using the following: COPY "%FILENAME%"+"Virus_Removal\ClamWinPortable\Data\log\ClamWinLog.txt" "%FILENAME%" > NUL However, the log that is generated lists every single file that has been scanned then adds a summary at the bottom. What I need to do is remove the huge list of files scanned (which can be any number of lines of text) and just keep/export the summary or just pull the summary from the log file and append it to another text file - either would be cool :) I.E. I need to keep the bold section: C:\Windo...... etc... C:\WINDOWS\system32\IMM32.DLL: OK C:\WINDOWS\system32\avgrsstx.dll: OK C:\WINDOWS\system32\Apphelp.dll: OK C:\WINDOWS\system32\MSGINA.dll: OK C:\WINDOWS\system32\COMCTL32.dll: OK C:\WINDOWS\system32\ODBC32.dll: OK C:\WINDOWS\system32\comdlg32.dll: OK Scanning aborted... ----------- SCAN SUMMARY ----------- Known viruses: 472319 Engine version: 0.94.1 Scanned directories: 0 Scanned files: 39 Infected files: 0 Data scanned: 16.50 MB Hope you guys 'n' gals can help with this one.

FOR /F "tokens=* delims=" %%A in ("log.txt") DO ( SET a=%%A IF NOT !a:~0,1!==C ECHO %%A>>Keeper.txt ) I only Batch if possible, 2000 more lines of code, oh well.

Fantastic, thanks for your speedy repy. However, being a noob to batch scripting could you please advise how your code works? And if poss how I can change the amount of log/lines at the end of the antivirus log to keep? Thanks

That doesn't just keep your last 10 lines. I actually cheated a little :) It keeps any line that doesn't start with a C so with your example it will keep Scanning aborted... ----------- SCAN SUMMARY ----------- Known viruses: 472319 Engine version: 0.94.1 Scanned directories: 0 Scanned files: 39 Infected files: 0 Data scanned: 16.50 MB It is a FOR command... the first line sets the name of the text file to look through, as well as the variables name (%%A). The next two lines perform commands on it. First setting each line as a manipulatable variable (%a%) Then Parsing out all the lines that do not start with "C". It won't work if you use it on a drive that isn't C: Then you would need to change it a little. I only Batch if possible, 2000 more lines of code, oh well.

if you have Windows services for Unix, you can use the tail command. eg c:\> tail -10 file > newfile.txt or you can download from here.

@echo off > newfile& setLocal EnableDelayedExpansion set /p K=this keeps the lasr N lines : how many do you need? if !K!'==' goto :eof for /f "tokens=* delims= " %%a in ('find /v /c "" ^< myfile') do ( set total=%%a ) set /a K=!total!-!K! for /f "tokens=* delims= " %%a in (myfile) do ( set /a N+=1 if !N! gtr !K! echo %%a >> newfile ) ===================================== If at first you don't succeed, you're about average. M2