# Configure multi line in logstash

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/configure-multi-line-in-logstash/89899>\
**Category:** Logstash\
**Created:** [June 19, 2017, 8:31am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/configure-multi-line-in-logstash/89899 "2017-06-19T08:31:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mohamed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Mohamed](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Mohamed)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 8:31am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/configure-multi-line-in-logstash/89899/1 "2017-06-19T08:31:15Z")

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Hello,

This is my config file:

```
input {
	file {
		path => "/tmp/CIPAV/result/*.xml"
		start_position => "beginning"
		sincedb_path => "NUL"
		codec => multiline {
				 pattern => "^<?xml version .*\>"
				 negate => true
				 what => "previous"
				 auto_flush_interval => 1
		}
	}
}

```

and this my input file format:

```
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>
<Exchange Type="end">
	<Exchange_id>1546548616518T</Exchange_id>
	<Exchange_name>CIPAV Monitoring</Exchange_name>    
	<Exchange_end_date>2016-05-17 16:12:22</Exchange_end_date>
	<Domain_name>CIPAV</Domain_name>
	<Half_exchange>
		<Half_exchange_name>OPEX</Half_exchange_name>    		
		<Half_exchange_end_date>2016-05-17 16:12:22</Half_exchange_end_date>
	</Half_exchange>
</Exchange>

```

The problem is that when a new file arrives at /tmp/CIPAV/result/ directory, logstash can't treat it, so I need to kill my process and then restart logstash to treat it.. I think my multiline patter has a concern..

Thanks for any help !

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![magnusbaeck](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/magnusbaeck/32/44943_2.png) [@magnusbaeck](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/magnusbaeck)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 8:35am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/configure-multi-line-in-logstash/89899/2 "2017-06-19T08:35:16Z")

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On non-Windows systems, use `sincedb_path = "/dev/null"` rather than `sincedb_path => "NUL"`.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mohamed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Mohamed](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Mohamed)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 8:49am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/configure-multi-line-in-logstash/89899/3 "2017-06-19T08:49:55Z")

</div>

I have usually the same issue.. To let logstash treat the com in file, I need to create empty lines and then save the file, or to restart logstash .

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2017, 8:50am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/configure-multi-line-in-logstash/89899/4 "2017-07-17T08:50:04Z")

</div>

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