---
name: "traffic_logcat"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "trafficserver"
version: "9.2.5+ds-0+deb12u4"
release: "Debian 12 (Bookworm)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/traffic_logcat"
---

# traffic\_logcat(8)

Traffic Server log spooler

## NAME

traffic\_logcat - Traffic Server log spooler

## SYNOPSIS

**traffic\_logcat** \[-o output-file \| -a\] \[-CEhSVw2\] \[input-file ...\]

## DESCRIPTION

To analyze a binary log file using standard tools, you must first convert it to ASCII. **traffic\_logcat** does exactly that.

## OPTIONS

- **-o PATH, --output\_file PATH**

  Specifies where the command output is directed.

- **-a, --auto\_filename**

  Automatically generates the output filename based on the input filename. If the input is from stdin, then this option is ignored. For example:

```
traffic_logcat -a squid-1.blog squid-2.blog squid-3.blog
```

generates:

```
squid-1.log squid-2.log squid-3.log
```

- **-f, --follow**

  Follows the file, like **[tail(1)](/tail/1.md)** **-f**

- **-C, --clf**

  Attempts to transform the input to Netscape Common format, if possible.

- **-E, --elf**

  Attempts to transform the input to Netscape Extended format, if possible.

- **-S, --squid**

  Attempts to transform the input to Squid format, if possible.

- **-2, --elf2**

  Attempt to transform the input to Netscape Extended-2 format, if possible.

- **-T, --debug\_tags**

  - **-w, --overwrite\_output**

  - **-h, --help**

  Print usage information and exit.

- **-V, --version**

  Print version information and exit.

**NOTE:**

Use only one of the following options at any given time: **-S**, **-C**, **-E**, or **-2**.

If no input files are specified, then **traffic\_logcat** reads from the standard input (**stdin**). If you do not specify an output file, then **traffic\_logcat** writes to the standard output (**stdout**).

For example, to convert a binary log file to an ASCII file, you can use the **traffic\_logcat** command with either of the following options below:

```
traffic_logcat binary_file > ascii_file
traffic_logcat -o ascii_file binary_file
```

The binary log file is not modified by this command.

## SEE ALSO

**[tail(1)](/tail/1.md)**

## COPYRIGHT

2026, dev@trafficserver.apache.org