How to print last line of file?

[billbose]

How to print last line of file?

The Perl cookbook uses this method:
@lines = <FILE>;
$lastline = pop @lines

However the above method requires the file to be loaded completely into an array(memory) and is not suitable for large files.
Tie::File module cannot also be used here since I am using version 5.6 now.
Is there any other option to read the last line without the memory hog.

 

[keak]

If I want the easy way out, I probably will do:

$filename = "test.txt";
$lastLine = `tail -n 1 $filename`;

 

[KevinADC]

open(FILE,'file.txt');
while (<FILE>)
 print if eof;
}
close(FILE);

 

[stevexff]

I think you may find that the tail method is quicker especially for large files - I don't think that tail actually reads the whole file, it's a bit smarter than that...

 

[KevinADC]

I agree, tail is probably better, but this is the perl forum after all. Posting non-perl solutions in the perl forum should come with a disclaimer.

 

[Xaqte]

I agree with the reason for tail too! However, I prefer to do it with a module:

#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use strict;

use File::ReadBackwards;

my $bw = File::ReadBackwards->new( 'file.txt' ) or
                        die "can't read 'file' $!" ;

print $bw->readline;

Just my 2 cents!

X

 

[KevinADC]

hehehe.... should have known there would be a module for reading a file backwards!