# Passing Multiple Arguments while Logstash startup **URL:** \ **Category:** Logstash\ **Created:** [April 19, 2016, 2:57pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/passing-multiple-arguments-while-logstash-startup/47805 "2016-04-19T14:57:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sameer\_Panicker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sameer\_Panicker](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Sameer_Panicker)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 2:57pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/passing-multiple-arguments-while-logstash-startup/47805/1 "2016-04-19T14:57:55Z")
I have more than 5 logstash conf files. I need to start all the conf files all together. How can I pass all the files names together ? logstash -f Logstash-ES1.conf logstash -f Logstash-ES2.conf logstash -f Logstash-ES3.conf Command Line which I tried and it didnt work - logstash -f Logstash-ES1.conf Logstash-ES2.conf Logstash-ES3.conf ---
**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:** [April 19, 2016, 6:12pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/passing-multiple-arguments-while-logstash-startup/47805/2 "2016-04-19T18:12:42Z")
Should work: ``` logstash -f file1.conf -f file2.conf ... -f fileN.conf ``` Also works IIRC: ``` logstash -f "*.conf" ``` ---
**Author:** ![Sameer\_Panicker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sameer\_Panicker](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Sameer_Panicker)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 9:32pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/passing-multiple-arguments-while-logstash-startup/47805/3 "2016-04-19T21:32:36Z")
[quote="magnusbaeck, post:2, topic:47805"] logstash -f file1.conf -f file2.conf ... -f fileN.conf [/quote] It is only picking the last file event. i.e. fileN.conf event is captured but file.1conf is not. [quote="magnusbaeck, post:2, topic:47805"] logstash -f "\*.conf" [/quote]It is not capturing anything. ---
**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:** [April 20, 2016, 5:33am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/passing-multiple-arguments-while-logstash-startup/47805/4 "2016-04-20T05:33:31Z")
If you start Logstash with the `--debug` option it'll show you exactly what configuration it loads. By the way, you know that you can pass a directory name to `-f`? Then LS will load all files in that directory. ---
**Author:** ![Sameer\_Panicker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sameer\_Panicker](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Sameer_Panicker)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 5:38am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/passing-multiple-arguments-while-logstash-startup/47805/5 "2016-04-20T05:38:54Z")
Can you give me a sample command line for passing in the entire directory name? Suppose I have a folder named "LgConf" under the bin folder. logstash -f "LgConf" -\> Is this correct ? ---
**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:** [April 20, 2016, 5:46am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/passing-multiple-arguments-while-logstash-startup/47805/6 "2016-04-20T05:46:32Z")
I wouldn't make any assumptions about Logstash's behavior when passing a relative path but passing an absolute path certainly works. ---
**Author:** ![Sameer\_Panicker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sameer\_Panicker](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Sameer_Panicker)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 5:52am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/passing-multiple-arguments-while-logstash-startup/47805/7 "2016-04-20T05:52:50Z")
I tried passing the entire path. The syntax worked but it is also capturing only 1 conf. The first conf event is getting captured but the rest are not. The same result as above command lines. ---
**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:** [April 20, 2016, 6:00am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/passing-multiple-arguments-while-logstash-startup/47805/8 "2016-04-20T06:00:00Z")
If events aren't being captured that could be caused by many other things. As I said, with the `--debug` option you can find out exactly which configuration Logstash loads so that you can focus your debugging efforts in the right place. ---
**Author:** ![Sameer\_Panicker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sameer\_Panicker](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Sameer_Panicker)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 6:04am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/passing-multiple-arguments-while-logstash-startup/47805/9 "2016-04-20T06:04:51Z")
When I execute those conf file individually it works fine. The only prob is while running multiple conf files altogether. I have enabled the --debug command. But I am unable to triage it because the output keeps on showing Flushing buffer, hence unable to debug it. Any suggestions, what should I be doing here ? ---
**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:** [April 20, 2016, 9:31am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/passing-multiple-arguments-while-logstash-startup/47805/10 "2016-04-20T09:31:47Z")
> I have enabled the --debug command. But I am unable to triage it because the output keeps on showing Flushing buffer, hence unable to debug it. Redirect the output to a file and read that file. ---
**Author:** ![Sameer\_Panicker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sameer\_Panicker](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Sameer_Panicker)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 5:53pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/passing-multiple-arguments-while-logstash-startup/47805/11 "2016-04-20T17:53:04Z")
![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/2X/c/cca75efc8388db0ee7afbe79e068baee6328e3b8.png) ![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/2X/1/144b6e65f28ea099f29ff85a81d39a0d6f9b37be.png) Tried all of the above...looks like logstash is not able to pull multiple conf's. Saw threads here - [https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/elasticsearch/vFIuBage0tE/vNc-HyvZM1sJ](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/elasticsearch/vFIuBage0tE/vNc-HyvZM1sJ) [https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/logstash-users/eNYmpFueHtM/cx1NjAx1SOQJ](https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/logstash-users/eNYmpFueHtM/cx1NjAx1SOQJ) ---
**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:** [April 20, 2016, 6:05pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/passing-multiple-arguments-while-logstash-startup/47805/12 "2016-04-20T18:05:28Z")
Might be a Windows-specific bug. ---
**Author:** ![Sameer\_Panicker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sameer\_Panicker](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Sameer_Panicker)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 6:53pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/passing-multiple-arguments-while-logstash-startup/47805/13 "2016-04-20T18:53:36Z")
I was trying this on Windows 7. Will try this on Windows Server 2012 R2. Will let you know the outcome. ---
**Author:** ![Sameer\_Panicker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@Sameer\_Panicker](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Sameer_Panicker)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 7:16pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/passing-multiple-arguments-while-logstash-startup/47805/14 "2016-04-20T19:16:49Z")
Getting this error on Win 2012 R2 machine. D:\Elastic\Logstash-2.3.1\bin\>logstash -f "D:/Elastic/Logstash-2.3.1/bin/AppTier Conf/\*.conf" --configtest io/console not supported; tty will not be manipulated ←[33mAn unexpected error occurred! {:error=\>#\, :class=\>"RuntimeError", :backtrace=\>["D:/Elastic/Logstash-2.3.1/vendor/bundle/jruby/1.9/gems/logstash-c ore-2.3.1-java/lib/logstash/config/loader.rb:43:in `load_config'", "D:/Elastic/L ogstash-2.3.1/vendor/bundle/jruby/1.9/gems/logstash-core-2.3.1-java/lib/logstash /config/loader.rb:17:in`format\_config'", "D:/Elastic/Logstash-2.3.1/vendor/bund le/jruby/1.9/gems/logstash-core-2.3.1-java/lib/logstash/agent.rb:181:in `execute '", "D:/Elastic/Logstash-2.3.1/vendor/bundle/jruby/1.9/gems/logstash-core-2.3.1- java/lib/logstash/runner.rb:94:in`run'", "org/jruby/RubyProc.java:281:in `call' ", "D:/Elastic/Logstash-2.3.1/vendor/bundle/jruby/1.9/gems/logstash-core-2.3.1-j ava/lib/logstash/runner.rb:99:in`run'", "org/jruby/RubyProc.java:281:in `call'" , "D:/Elastic/Logstash-2.3.1/vendor/bundle/jruby/1.9/gems/stud-0.0.22/lib/stud/t ask.rb:24:in`initialize'"], :level=\>:warn}←[0m ---
**Author:** ![berglh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8797f3/32.png) [@berglh](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/berglh)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 1:12am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/passing-multiple-arguments-while-logstash-startup/47805/15 "2016-04-26T01:12:42Z")
Making sure you run logstash.bat instead of the logstash binary, run it like this in powershell: ```auto .\logstash\bin\logstash.bat -f .\multiconffolder ``` Where you don't specify the file glob pattern, just the folder 🕶 ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 5:00am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/passing-multiple-arguments-while-logstash-startup/47805/16 "2017-07-06T05:00:37Z")