# Filebeat multiline help

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filebeat-multiline-help/43827>\
**Category:** Beats\
**Tags:** filebeat\
**Created:** [March 8, 2016, 7:54pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filebeat-multiline-help/43827 "2016-03-08T19:54:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nradonicich](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/nradonicich/32/22843_2.png) [@nradonicich](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/nradonicich)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 7:54pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filebeat-multiline-help/43827/1 "2016-03-08T19:54:39Z")

</div>

I am running filebeat v1.1.1 and can't seem to get multiline to work unless the input timeout passes.

my data is from NNMi (trying to forward audit to ELK), the data/log looks like...

```nohighlight
2016-03-08 14:31:49,744 INFO [com.hp.ov.nms.ui.framework.util.SignInOutAuditLog] (tomcat-exec-10) Failed Sign In Attempt
        User: system
        Remote Host: 192.168.1.5
        Remote Port: 60542
        Locale: en_US
2016-03-08 14:31:53,658 INFO [com.hp.ov.nms.ui.framework.util.SignInOutAuditLog] (tomcat-exec-10) Successful Sign In
        User Account: system
        NNMi Role: Administrator (admin)
        Client Host: 192.168.1.5
        Client Port: 60542
        Locale: {5}

```

My multiline config (was `pattern: "^[::alpha::]"` but changed to digit based on another thread)

```auto
 multiline:
        pattern: "^[::digit::]{4}-[::digit::]{2}-[::digit::]{2}"
        negate: true
        match: after

```

If the 2 lines are within the input timeout i get the following event out of filebeat where both lines are one event. Any help with what I am diong wrong in this case?

```auto
{\"message\":\"2016-03-08 14:42:16,865 INFO [com.hp.ov.nms.ui.framework.util.SignInOutAuditLog] (tomcat-exec-1) Failed Sign In Attempt\\n\\tUser:\\t\\tsystem\\n\\tRemote Host:\\t192.168.1.5\\n\\tRemote Port:\\t61028\\n\\tLocale:\\t\\ten_US\\n2016-03-08 14:42:19,502 INFO [com.hp.ov.nms.ui.framework.util.SignInOutAuditLog] (tomcat-exec-1) Successful Sign In\\n\\tUser Account:\\t\\tsystem\\n\\tNNMi Role:\\t\\tAdministrator (admin)\\n\\tClient Host:\\t192.168.1.5\\n\\tClient Port:\\t61028\\n\\tLocale:\\t\\t{5}\",\"@version\":\"1\",\"@timestamp\":\"2016-03-08T19:42:21.959Z\",\"application\":\"NNMi\",\"beat\":{\"hostname\":\"nnmi-01\",\"name\":\"nnmi-01\"},\"count\":1,\"input_type\":\"log\",\"offset\":5046,\"source\":\"/var/opt/OV/log/nnm/signin.log\",\"type\":\"audit\",\"host\":\"nnmi-01\",\"tags\":[\"beats_input_codec_plain_applied\"]}

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ruflin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/ruflin/32/3116_2.png) [@ruflin](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ruflin)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 9:45am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filebeat-multiline-help/43827/2 "2016-03-09T09:45:14Z")

</div>

Can you try using no quotes or single quotes around the regexp?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nradonicich](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/nradonicich/32/22843_2.png) [@nradonicich](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/nradonicich)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 2:11pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filebeat-multiline-help/43827/4 "2016-03-09T14:11:56Z")

</div>

Tried that (again just now) to no difference for both.

Then I realized I had the regex syntax wrong [[:alpha:]] not [::alpha::] and in doublequotes

Thanks!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ruflin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/ruflin/32/3116_2.png) [@ruflin](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/ruflin)\
**Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 11:21am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filebeat-multiline-help/43827/5 "2016-03-10T11:21:45Z")

</div>

@nradonicich Means that solve the issue?

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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 5, 2017, 9:54pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/filebeat-multiline-help/43827/6 "2017-07-05T21:54:47Z")

</div>