Topics:

• 1. Introduction
  • 1.1. A piece of history
  • 1.2. Features overview
  • 1.3. Requirements
• 2. Configuration
  • 2.1. Configuration Options
    • 2.1.1. Interfaces
    • 2.1.2. Information
    • 2.1.3. GraphScale
    • 2.1.4. GraphSource
    • 2.1.5. GraphPeriod
• 3. Help to the project I would appreciate
  • 3.1. Feedback
  • 3.2. Promoting the little program
  • 3.3. Donations
    • 3.3.1. Money
    • 3.3.2. Hardware
    • 3.3.3. Other stuff
• 4. Thanks

1. Introduction

IFStatus was developed for Linux users that are usually in console mode. It is a simple, easy to use program for displaying commonly needed / wanted statistics in real time about ingoing and outgoing traffic of multiple network interfaces with a simple and efficient view.

IFStatus is a continued work of PPPStatus and EthStatus. I decided to rewrite it with a new philosophy: mix the support of different interfaces in one application. For this project I used C++, STL and some design patterns techniques.

You will find on this software the display features described below:

• Multiple interface support
• Bar graph
• Conectivity check
• Out and In transfer rate
• IP Address
• Online time
• Top Receiving
• Top Transmission
• Ingoing
  • Bytes
  • Packets
  • Errors
• Outgoing
  • Bytes
  • Packets
  • Errors

To build the software the following libraries are required:

• curses (at least 4.2 version)
  
  A CRT screen handling and optimization package. [project website]
  
  
• libstdc++
  
  

The configuration for IFStatus is located at: ~/.ifstatus/ifstatus.cfg

All options described on this topic is represented in cfg file using the following instruction:

Option = Value

Use the character '#' for comments.

Example:

# Line comment
Option = Value # Comment after a instruction

PS: The options and values are *case sensitive*.

Use this option to add interfaces to be monitored. The separator is comma. To add all interfaces detected on /proc/net/dev use the word ALL.

Example:

Interfaces = eth0, ppp0, lo, ALL

This option is used to show or hide the interface informations. The value should be ON, to show or OFF to hide.

Example;

Information = ON

This option is used to show or hide the scale information beside the graphic.

The value should be ON, to show or OFF to hide.

Example:

GraphScale = ON

This option is used to inform the data source which should be shown. Use Out value for Transmited Bytes, In value for Received Data or In/Out value for Transmited and Received Bytes.

Example:

GraphSource = In/Out

This option is used to inform the period (in seconds) of the graphic. The value range is 1 to 60.

Example:

GraphPeriod = 1

What if you think that IFStatus is the best text console based interface monitor program around? What if IFStatus is the application you'd been waiting whole of your life, and want to express your appreciation somehow? Helping the author you help the project itself to keep rolling. It's not something vital I require to keep on writing and improving IFStatus, neither you have to do it. I quite enjoy making it in my spare time, and happy of the fact there are no deadlines and obligations from my side. It's just my hobby.

So how you can express appreciation to the way I waste my spare time, so that to make me a bit more happy and satisfied by my activities?

You can write some feedback saying what you liked and what is missing in the program. Also, don't be silent if you notice bugs. Just check everything attentively and send a detailed bug-report to my e-mail.

I bet you read some computers related magazines and visit various Linux related sites. Please don't keep silence instead of screaming out your adoration for the little nice program. Submit it to a software site or catalogue or/and encourage the authors of your favourite magazine to take a look at it and possibly write about IFStatus, just contact me for more details.

If you're a materialist guy like me, you might want to present me something what I can touch, put on a sandwich or into my pocket. Here it goes.

The most universal way. Depending on a sum I will be able to drink one more beer or mojito for the health of IFStatus users or buy a piece of hardware, electronic gagdet or even a world trip ;)

Since usually I write IFStatus at home, it's always nice to upgrade the computer it's being developed with. It can increase the speed and pleasure I get during the process.

Other stuff like t-shirts, souvenirs, albums or postcards with nice views of the nature in places where you live, baseball tickets ;) are also welcome.

Thanks to everyone which made this work possible with donations, suggestions, knowledgment, tests, and so on.