sub new ($$;$) {
          my($class, $attr, $args) = @_;
          my($self) = $class->SUPER::new($attr, $args);
          # set up the logfile
	  	my $file = IO::File->new ( '/path', "a" );
		$file->autoflush ( 1 ) ;
		$self->{'logfile'} = $file;
	  $self;
   }