So basically, it can filter out events based on what i have in the txt file. But it has no way to save the events it filtered, wait for an uptime message that matches the downtime, and append the date and time to the output. The difficult part being that every time the script runs, it clears the syslog. So i need it to be able to keep back events with no uptime until an uptime message is logged, then have it get sent off.

This part is over my head, don't even know where to begin. Hope i am being at least semiclear.

Stop coding. You haven't figured out your design, yet. You need to sit down and write out on paper the exact set of steps you want this program to do. Once you have the flow laid out, your coding needs will become a lot clearer.

Remember - a computer is a being with a 0 IQ that will do exactly what you want over and over. Until you know what you want to do, how can you tell the computer?

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We are the carpenters and bricklayers of the Information Age.

The idea is a little like C++ templates, except not quite so brain-meltingly complicated. -- TheDamian, Exegesis 6

Please remember that I'm crufty and crochety. All opinions are purely mine and all code is untested, unless otherwise specified.