Install and configure GNU watch (gwatch) on AIX

GNU’s Linux have an interesting command ‘GNU watch’ http://linux.die.net/man/1/watch which its main function is not to watch your wife while you’re at work (Just kidding), its function is to  execute a program periodically, showing output fullscreen.

Interesting? Yes!

How many times we want to see output for any command at a regular intervals or repeatedly?

Watch is found on any Linux distros, but it’s not part of AIX OS. So, we can download it from http://www.perzl.org/aix/index.php?n=Main.Watch

Like ‘multitail’ (http://wp.me/p5bweg-1X), watch command for AIX has ncurses as packages dependencies.

Oooppppsssss wait, I see AIX’s OS has already a ‘watch’ command.. is the same command as ‘GNU watch’

No, ‘watch’ command from AIX OS is:

(lpar):[root] /tmp -> apropos watch
watch(1)        - Observes a programthat might be untrustworthy.

But in order to avoid conflict, ‘GNU watch’ will be renamed to ‘gwatch’instead of ‘watch’

Once you have download it:

(lpar):[root] /tmp -> ls *.rpm
watch-3.2.8-1.aix5.1.ppc.rpm

Let’s install it (Remember ncurses dependencies)

(lpar):[root] /tmp -> rpm -Uvh watch-3.2.8-1.aix5.1.ppc.rpm
watch                       ##################################################

Verify gwatch is installed:

(lpar):[root] /tmp -> rpm -qa|grep watch
watch-3.2.8-1

List files in package:

(lpar):[root] /tmp -> rpm -ql watch-3.2.8-1
/opt/freeware/bin/gwatch
/opt/freeware/doc/watch-3.2.8
/opt/freeware/doc/watch-3.2.8/AUTHORS
/opt/freeware/doc/watch-3.2.8/COPYING
/opt/freeware/doc/watch-3.2.8/NEWS
/opt/freeware/doc/watch-3.2.8/README
/opt/freeware/doc/watch-3.2.8/README.top
/opt/freeware/man/man1/watch.1
/usr/linux/bin/gwatch

To run the command on AIX, unlike on Linux, you should execute ‘gwatch’ instead ‘watch’:

(lpar):[root] /tmp -> gwatch
Usage: gwatch [-dhntv] [--differences[=cumulative]] [--help] [--interval=] [--no-title] [--version] <command></command>
So, let's play with gwatch