Add a --timestamp option to cat?

[Adam Sjøgren]

  Hi.

I often have programs that output stuff I would like have logged with
timestamps, but they don't print timestamps themselves. I have been
using various shell-scripts/hacks calling date(1) to wrap them.

I think it would be really great to be able to just go:

  $ some_program | cat --timestamp > some_program.log

Rather similar to what cat --number does, only with timestamps.

I have made a little patch adding that functionality in a topic-branch
called "timestamp" in my local clone of the coreutils git-repository:

 * http://koldfront.dk/git/coreutils/commit/?h=timestamp

(git clone http://koldfront.dk/git/coreutils will clone my repo.)

Example:

  $ (echo A; sleep 2; echo B; sleep 3; echo C) | ./cat --timestamp
  2011-03-03 21:30:19 A
  2011-03-03 21:30:21 B
  2011-03-03 21:30:24 C
  $ (echo A; echo B; echo C) | ./cat --number
       1  A
       2  B
       3  C
  $ 

I was wondering whether something like this could be considered for
inclusion, or if there is some other/better avenue I should pursue?

Any advice/comments/etc. welcome. Thanks!

  Best regards,

    Adam

-- 
 "I always liked songs with parentheses in the title."        Adam Sjøgren
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