Monitor the MySQL Log File

 MySQL provides a built-in function called load_file which is capable of reading a file from the file system and returning the results as a single column single row result set via SQL. This function can be used to read the error log using the following technique:

1. Locate the MySQL Error Log, from a command shell enter the following:

   C:\> C:\AppD4DBInstallDir\mysql\bin\startClient.bat mysql> show variables like 'log_error';

   The system should return something like the following:

   +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ |  Variable_name | Value                                            | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ | log_error      | C:\AppD4DBInstallDir\mysql\data\hostname.err     | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+

2. Check that you can read the file from the command line:

   mysql> select load_file ('C:\AppD4DBInstallDir\mysql\data\hostname.err');